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Modern toilets are oval shaped and longer front to back than side-to-side. They use less water in the basin and are taller. That means modern toilets give you two advantages over old toilets in order to reduce splattering: - The toilet being taller means your pee has less energy as it strikes the surface of the water since you are closer to the water since the toilet is tall (physics reminder: potential energy due to gravity, as your pee exits your body, = m*g*h(mass x gravity x height)), and - having less water in the basin and a differently-shaped basin means you can aim your pee at the inner sidewall of the basin to keep it from splattering. i.e.: your pee strikes the angled porcelain instead of the water, leaving very little if any splatter on and around the toilet. But, I live in an apt. with an old toilet that is super short to the ground with deep water and no place in the bowl where I can pee onto the porcelain instead of into the water. I'm a clean guy, so after each pee there is water splattered all over the place, from the rim to the seat to the inner part of the seat lid to the floor, and so I clean it up with about 10 squares of toilet paper... each and every time I pee. In summary, the problems with my toilet which increase splattering from the old-toilet shape include: - deep water--more splatters - no side-wall porcelain I can pee on--so I pee into the water where it splatters - low toilet (high kinetic energy for my pee as it strikes the water) --> more splatters How can I reduce this splattering? I thought about sitting and have done it a couple times, but that's just a pain-in-the-butt. It takes so much longer than standing. This is a serious question. I'm going through a lot of clean-up toilet paper just from peeing. I'd like to save more trees.

As the year comes to a close, December marks a time of celebration and holidays around the world. From Christmas and Hanukkah to Kwanzaa and Festivus, cultures and traditions from various corners of the globe come together to spread festive cheer. In this article, we’ll explore the different December holidays celebrated around the world in 2024, shedding light on the unique customs, rituals, and festivities that make this month a truly special time of year. Table of Contents - Exploring the Cultural Significance of December Holidays Worldwide - Unique Traditions and Celebrations in Different Countries - Recommendations for Traveling During December Holidays - Discovering Festive Foods and Drinks from Around the World - The Best Events and Festivals to Attend in December - To Wrap It Up Exploring the Cultural Significance of December Holidays Worldwide December is a month filled with cultural significance and diverse celebrations around the world. From religious holidays to ancient traditions, people from various backgrounds come together to mark the end of the year and usher in the new one. Let’s take a closer look at the December holidays celebrated across different countries, and learn about their unique customs and rituals. 1. **Christmas**: One of the most widely celebrated holidays in the world, Christmas marks the birth of Jesus Christ and is observed by Christians and non-Christians alike. Different countries have their own customs and traditions, with some notable examples including: - Germany: Christmas markets and the advent wreath - Mexico: Posadas and Las Posadas processions - Japan: Illuminations and Christmas cake |Christmas markets and the advent wreath |Posadas and Las Posadas processions |Illuminations and Christmas cake Unique Traditions and Celebrations in Different Countries In December, countries around the world come alive with unique traditions and celebrations that showcase their culture and heritage. From Christmas markets in Europe to colorful festivals in Asia, there’s a diverse array of holiday customs to explore. In Mexico, the tradition of Las Posadas involves a reenactment of Mary and Joseph’s search for a place to stay in Bethlehem. The celebration takes place over nine nights, with processions, music, and food. In Japan, the festival of Oshogatsu marks the New Year with special foods like mochi and ozoni soup, as well as visits to shrines and temples for good luck. In Italy, the Feast of the Seven Fishes is a Christmas Eve tradition that involves a lavish seafood dinner with dishes like baccalà and calamari. These unique traditions and celebrations offer a window into the diverse ways in which different cultures come together to mark the holiday season. Whether it’s through food, music, or rituals, December holidays around the world are a time for joy and togetherness. By learning about these customs, we can gain a greater appreciation for the rich tapestry of traditions that make our world so vibrant. Recommendations for Traveling During December Holidays The December holidays are a great time to travel and experience different cultures and traditions around the world. Whether you’re looking for a winter wonderland or a sunny beach escape, there are plenty of destinations to choose from during this festive season. Here are some recommendations for traveling during the December holidays in 2024: **European Christmas Markets:** Experience the magic of the holiday season in Europe by visiting some of the famous Christmas markets in countries like Germany, Austria, and France. Explore the festive stalls selling handmade ornaments, taste traditional holiday treats, and enjoy the charming decorations. **Tropical Getaways:** If you’re looking to escape the winter chill, head to tropical destinations like the Caribbean, Hawaii, or Southeast Asia. Relax on the beach, go snorkeling or diving, and experience a different kind of holiday vibe. **New Year’s Eve Celebrations:** Ring in the New Year in style by attending iconic celebrations in cities like Sydney, New York City, or Paris. Watch spectacular fireworks displays, join in on street parties, and make unforgettable memories. As you plan your December holiday travels, be sure to check travel advisories and restrictions for your chosen destinations, as well as any COVID-19 guidelines. And no matter where you go, remember to embrace the holiday spirit and make the most of this special time of year. Discovering Festive Foods and Drinks from Around the World When December rolls around, it’s a festive time for many cultures around the world, and one of the best ways to experience the holiday spirit is through the unique and delicious foods and drinks that each region has to offer. From traditional treats to seasonal beverages, exploring the culinary traditions of different countries during the holidays is a fun and eye-opening experience. Here are some of the most delightful and mouth-watering festive foods and drinks from around the world. – **Italy**: Panettone – a sweet bread filled with candied fruits and raisins, enjoyed during Christmas. – **Mexico**: Tamales – filled with a variety of savory fillings and wrapped in corn husks, a staple during Las Posadas celebrations. – **Japan**: Osechi – a collection of traditional foods, each with symbolic meanings for the New Year. – **Germany**: Glühwein – a warm and spiced mulled wine, popular at Christmas markets. – **Jamaica**: Sorrel – a festive beverage made from hibiscus flowers, enjoyed during the holiday season. – **Greece**: Rakomelo – a hot and strong drink made from raki, honey, and spices, perfect for winter gatherings. Exploring the diversity of festive foods and drinks from around the world can add a whole new dimension to your holiday celebrations. Whether you’re indulging in a slice of panettone from Italy or sipping on a cup of hot rakomelo from Greece, these culinary delights are sure to bring joy and warmth to your December festivities. The Best Events and Festivals to Attend in December December is a festive month filled with joy, celebration, and holiday spirit all around the world. From Christmas markets to winter carnivals and New Year’s Eve parties, there is something for everyone to enjoy in December. Whether you’re a fan of snow sports, traditional holiday foods, or cultural performances, this month has something in store for you. Here are some of : - Christmas Markets: Experience the enchanting atmosphere of traditional Christmas markets in Europe, featuring festive decorations, handmade crafts, and delicious holiday treats. - Winter Carnivals: Embrace the winter wonderland at winter carnivals in Canada and northern Europe, with ice sculptures, sleigh rides, and outdoor activities for the whole family. - New Year’s Eve Celebrations: Join the countdown to the new year at iconic destinations like Times Square in New York City, or witness dazzling fireworks displays in cities around the world. Whether you’re traveling or looking for local events, December offers a variety of holiday experiences that are sure to create lasting memories. Q: What are some of the major December holidays celebrated around the world in 2024? A: In December 2024, you can expect to see celebrations for Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, and New Year’s Eve, among others. Q: How is Christmas traditionally celebrated in different countries? A: Christmas traditions can vary widely from country to country, but common customs include decorating a Christmas tree, exchanging gifts, attending religious services, and enjoying festive meals with family and friends. Q: What is Hanukkah and how is it celebrated? A: Hanukkah is a Jewish holiday that commemorates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem. It is celebrated by lighting the menorah, eating foods cooked in oil, playing games, and giving and receiving gifts. Q: What is Kwanzaa and who celebrates it? A: Kwanzaa is a week-long African American cultural holiday that celebrates family, community, and African heritage. It is observed by millions of people of African descent around the world. Q: How do different cultures ring in the New Year? A: New Year’s Eve traditions can vary widely, but common customs include fireworks, countdown parties, making resolutions, and singing “Auld Lang Syne.” Q: Are there any lesser-known holidays celebrated in December? A: Yes, there are many holidays celebrated in December that may be less well-known outside of specific cultural or religious communities, such as Saint Nicholas Day, Bodhi Day, and Las Posadas. To Wrap It Up Well, there you have it – a glimpse at the various December holidays celebrated around the world in 2024. From Christmas to Hanukkah to Kwanzaa and beyond, this festive season is a time for joy, togetherness, and traditions. Whether you’re celebrating one of these holidays or simply enjoying the festive spirit, we hope you have a wonderful and happy December!

CCLAS program is focused on the overall development of children with the developmental age zero to five years through CCLAS approach by implementing the principles of Cognitive, Communicative, Emergent Literacy, Adaptive and Sensorimotor functions. In CCLAS approach the Cognitive domain, children with GDD will be undergoing intervention to improve different skills such as planning, categorization, judgment, memory, problem-solving and higher order thinking skills to build up their overall cognitive level. In the Communication domain, intervention is focused to improve speech and language skills. In this area, strategies to improve different components of language (phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics and pragmatics) and oral-motor exercises to improve speech intelligibility will be done. In Literacy domain, emergent literacy skills such as phonological awareness, letter knowledge, emergent reading and writing skills will be focused. In Adaptive domain, training will be provided to improve activities of daily living and thus improving the quality of life of children with developmental delay. In the Sensorimotor domain, the specific goal will be taken to develop sensory and motor skills including eye-hand coordination, hand functioning, leg functioning and sensory integration skills. CCLAS program will be executed in three levels based on the developmental age of the child. BASIC CCLAS program (B-CCLAS): This program includes children with the developmental age between birth to two years. INTERMEDIATE CCLAS program (I- CCLAS): This program enrols children with the developmental age range of two to three years ADVANCED CCLAS program (A- CCLAS): This program includes children with a developmental age range between three to five years will be incorporated.

Noticing that your cheeks are swollen can be upsetting. Not only can the swelling be uncomfortable, but it might be noticeable to others. If your cheeks are swollen, you may wonder what prompted it and what you can do about it. What Causes Cheek Swelling? Medically Reviewed By Colgate Global Scientific Communications There are many possible causes of swollen cheeks. In some cases, the swelling may result from an injury or trauma, such as a fall or burn. It may also occur after surgery to the jaw or other nearby areas. Sometimes, the swelling is unilateral, which means it occurs on just one side of the face, while other times, it's bilateral, meaning both sides of the face are affected. Your doctor or dentist will assess your symptoms against the following possible causes to determine the source of the swelling. - Salivary Gland Infection: A large pair of salivary glands known as the parotid glands are located in the cheeks, reports the National Institutes of Health (NIH). If these glands become infected, they can swell, causing the appearance of swollen cheeks. Sometimes, the infection affects just one of the glands, but if both glands are involved, the infection is called parotitis or parotiditis. - Tooth Abscess: A tooth abscess may lead to cheek swelling. This infection occurs when bacteria enters the pulp of a tooth, which may happen if you have a cracked tooth or a large cavity that hasn't been treated. In addition to cheek swelling, people with tooth abscesses may have pain, fever, tooth sensitivity or a bad taste in the mouth, reports the Mayo Clinic. - Angioedema: Angioedema, a skin reaction, may be associated with swollen cheeks, too. This reaction can be triggered by foods, medications and common allergens, such as pollen, explains the Mayo Clinic. People with angioedema may experience swelling around their eyes, lips or cheeks. The affected areas can also be red, painful or warm. - Sinus Infection: Sinusitis, also known as a sinus infection, is a common condition that can make your cheeks swollen, explains the U.K.'s National Health Service. This infection may develop after a cold or flu and will usually go away on its own within a few weeks. In addition to swollen cheeks, people with sinusitis may have pain, headache, fever, a blocked nose or even a toothache. If you have swollen cheeks, you may wonder if there's anything you can do at home to make yourself more comfortable. The NIH explains that raising the head of your bed or elevating your head with extra pillows can help reduce facial swelling. If the swelling began after an injury, the NIH suggests applying a cold compress. However, home remedies aren't always enough. If the swelling doesn't go away, or if it gets worse, the NIH recommends seeing a medical professional. Swelling that's sudden, painful or accompanied by a fever should always be evaluated by a doctor or dentist. If your facial swelling is making it hard for you to breathe, seek emergency treatment. There are many possible causes of swollen cheeks, and a doctor or dentist can evaluate your cheeks, face and oral cavity to determine the source of the swelling. This evaluation will include asking questions about your medical history, such as when the swelling began, as well as evaluating your other symptoms. They may also ask questions about your allergies and current medications. After determining the cause of the swelling, your doctor or dentist can recommend an appropriate treatment, if necessary. Treatment will vary based on the cause of the swelling. For example, if it's determined that the swelling is a symptom of an abscessed tooth, treatments may include antibiotics or a root canal, explains the Mayo Clinic. Swollen cheeks can be uncomfortable, and they can be caused by many different conditions. If you're concerned about swelling in your cheeks or elsewhere on your body, talk to your doctor or dentist. Oral Care Center articles are reviewed by an oral health medical professional. This information is for educational purposes only. This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of your dentist, physician or other qualified healthcare provider.

To boost efficiency in typical households – where people forget to take wet clothes out of washing machines, retrieve hot food from microwaves and turn off dripping faucets – Cornell researchers have developed a single device that can track 17 types of appliances using vibrations. The device, called VibroSense, uses lasers to capture subtle vibrations in walls, ceilings and floors, as well as a deep learning network that models the vibrometer’s data to create different signatures for each appliance – bringing researchers closer to a more efficient and integrated smart home. “Recognizing home activities can help computers better understand human behaviors and needs, with the hope of developing a better human-machine interface,” said Cheng Zhang, assistant professor of information science and senior author of “VibroSense: Recognizing Home Activities by Deep Learning Subtle Vibrations on an Interior Surface of a House from a Single Point Using Laser Doppler Vibrometry.” The paper was published in Proceedings of the Association for Computing Machinery on Interactive, Mobile, Wearable and Ubiquitous Technologies and will be presented at the ACM International Joint Conference on Pervasive and Ubiquitous Computing, which will be held virtually Sept. 12-17. “In order to have a smart home at this point, you’d need each device to be smart, which is not realistic; or you’d need to install separate sensors on each device or in each area,” said Zhang, who directs Cornell’s SciFi Lab. “Our system is the first that can monitor devices across different floors, in different rooms, using one single device.” In order to detect usage across an entire house, the researchers’ task was twofold: detect tiny vibrations using a laser Doppler vibrometer; and differentiate similar vibrations created by multiple devices by identifying the paths traveled by the vibrations from room to room. The deep learning network was trained to distinguish different activities, partly by learning path signatures – the distinctive path vibrations followed through the house – as well as their distinct noises. The device showed nearly 96% accuracy in identifying 17 different activities across five houses – including dripping faucets, an exhaust fan, an electric kettle, a refrigerator and a range hood – in five houses over two days, according to the paper. VibroSense could also distinguish five different stages of appliance usage with an average accuracy more than 97%. In single-story houses, the laser was pointed at an interior wall at the center of the home. It was pointed at the ceiling in two-story homes. The device is primarily useful in single-family houses, Zhang said, because in buildings it could pick up activities in neighboring apartments, presenting a potential privacy risk. “It would definitely require collaboration between researches, industry practitioners and government to make sure this was used for the right purposes,” Zhang said. Among other uses, the system could help homes monitor energy usage and potentially help reduce consumption. “Since our system can detect both the occurrence of an indoor event, as well as the time of an event, it could be used to estimate electricity and water-usage rates, and provide energy-saving advice for homeowners,” Zhang said. “It could also prevent water and electrical waste, as well as electrical failures such as short circuits in home appliances.” Co-first authors are visiting students Wei Sun, Tuochao Chen and Jiayi Zheng; Lucy Wang ’22; Matthew Dressa ’21; master’s student Benjamin Steeper ’19; Feng Tian of the Chinese Academy of Sciences; and visiting students Zhenyu Lei and Peng He also contributed.

Regional energy planning focuses on the supply of heat and cooling to municipalities. It is an important first step towards increasing the use of local and environmentally friendly energy sources. For example, a municipality can coordinate the recovery of local energy sources such as waste heat. Regional energy planning aims to optimise and secure the supply of heat and cooling in the long-term. The crucial criteria are: - Security of supply. - Environmental sustainability, including CO2 emissions. The goal is to draw up municipal and cantonal energy master plans (similar to land-use or transport plans) and thereby provide concrete guidelines for development. At Planeto we have the expertise, tools and data to realise your energy plan, defining your own goals and integrating all your needs.

Precision Metal Working Types of Degrees Precision Metal Working Majors Are Getting The following table lists how many precision metal working graduations there were in 2020-2021 for each degree level. |Number of Grads What Precision Metal Working Majors Need to Know In an O*NET survey, precision metal working majors were asked to rate what knowledge areas, skills, and abilities were important in their occupations. These answers were weighted on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being the most important. Knowledge Areas for Precision Metal Working Majors According to O*NET survey takers, a major in precision metal working should prepare you for careers in which you will need to be knowledgeable in the following areas: - Mechanical - Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance. - Mathematics - Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications. - Production and Processing - Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods. - English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar. - Design - Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models. Skills for Precision Metal Working Majors When studying precision metal working, you’ll learn many skills that will help you be successful in a wide range of jobs - even those that do not require a degree in the field. The following is a list of some of the most common skills needed for careers associated with this major: - Operation Monitoring - Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly. - Operation and Control - Controlling operations of equipment or systems. - Monitoring - Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action. - Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems. - Quality Control Analysis - Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance. Abilities for Precision Metal Working Majors A major in precision metal working will prepare for your careers in which the following abilities are important: - Near Vision - The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer). - Arm-Hand Steadiness - The ability to keep your hand and arm steady while moving your arm or while holding your arm and hand in one position. - Control Precision - The ability to quickly and repeatedly adjust the controls of a machine or a vehicle to exact positions. - Manual Dexterity - The ability to quickly move your hand, your hand together with your arm, or your two hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble objects. - Problem Sensitivity - The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem. What Can You Do With a Precision Metal Working Major? Below is a list of occupations associated with precision metal working: |Job Growth Rate |Computer Numerically Controlled Machine Tool Programmers, Metal and Plastic |Computer-Controlled Machine Tool Operators, Metal and Plastic |Sheet Metal Workers |Solderers and Brazers |Welders, Cutters, and Welder Fitters Who Is Getting an Associate’s Degree in Precision Metal Working? At the countrywide level, the racial-ethnic distribution of precision metal working majors is as follows: |Number of Grads |Black or African American |Hispanic or Latino Precision Metal Working appeals to people across the globe. About 0.4% of those with this major are international students. The most popular countries for students from outside the country are: - Saudi Arabia How Much Do Precision Metal Working Majors Make? Salaries According to BLS Precision Metal Working majors often go into careers where salaries can range from $38,140 to $45,250 (25th to 75th percentile). This range includes all degree levels, so you may expect those with a more advanced degree to make more while those with less advanced degrees will typically make less. To put that into context, according to BLS data from the first quarter of 2020, the typical high school graduate makes between $30,000 and $57,900 a year (25th through 75th percentile). The average person with a bachelor’s degree (any field) makes between $45,600 and $99,000. Advanced degree holders make the most with salaries between $55,600 and $125,400. Amount of Education Required for Careers Related to Precision Metal Working Some degrees associated with precision metal working may require an advanced degree, while others may not even require a bachelor’s in the field. Whatever the case may be, pursuing more education usually means that more career options will be available to you. How much schooling do you really need to compete in today’s job market? People currently working in careers related to precision metal working have obtained the following education levels. |Percentage of Workers |Less than a High School Diploma |High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED) |Post-Secondary Certificate - awarded for training completed after high school (for example, in agriculture or natural resources, computer services, personal or culinary services, engineering technologies, healthcare, construction trades, mechanic and repair technologies, or precision production) |Some College Courses |Associate’s Degree (or other 2-year degree) |Post-Baccalaureate Certificate - awarded for completion of an organized program of study; designed for people who have completed a Baccalaureate degree but do not meet the requirements of academic degrees carrying the title of Master. |Post-Master’s Certificate - awarded for completion of an organized program of study; designed for people who have completed a Master’s degree but do not meet the requirements of academic degrees at the doctoral level. |First Professional Degree - awarded for completion of a program that: requires at least 2 years of college work before entrance into the program, includes a total of at least 6 academic years of work to complete, and provides all remaining academic requirements to begin practice in a profession. Online Precision Metal Working Programs In the 2020-2021 academic year, 1,002 schools offered some type of precision metal working program. The following table lists the number of programs by degree level, along with how many schools offered online courses in the field. |Colleges Offering Programs |Colleges Offering Online Classes |Certificate (Less Than 1 Year) |Certificate (1-2 years) |Certificate (2-4 Years) |Doctor’s Degree (Research) |Doctor’s Degree (Professional Practice) |Doctor’s Degree (Other) Is a Degree in Precision Metal Working Worth It? The median salary for a precision metal working grad is $41,090 per year. This is based on the weighted average of the most common careers associated with the major. This is 3% more than the average salary for an individual holding a high school degree. This adds up to a gain of about $23,800 after 20 years! Top Ranking Lists for Precision Metal Working Explore Major by State District of Columbia Trades Related to Precision Metal Working You may also be interested in one of the following majors related to precision metal working. |Number of Grads |Other Precision Production |Leatherworking & Upholstery |Precision Production Trades *The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students, international students, and students whose race/ethnicity was unknown. This number is then divided by the total number of students at the school to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage. - College Factual - College Scorecard - National Center for Education Statistics - O*NET Online - U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics - Usual Weekly Earnings of Wage and Salary Workers First Quarter 2020 More about our data sources and methodologies. |Southern New Hampshire University You have goals. Southern New Hampshire University can help you get there. Whether you need a bachelor's degree to get into a career or want a master's degree to move up in your current career, SNHU has an online program for you. Find your degree from over 200 online programs. Learn More >

British Telecom, once a monopolistic powerhouse in the UK’s telecommunications sector, has experienced a significant decline in its influence and market position. Understanding BT’s fall from grace requires a look into its history and the factors that contributed to its current state. British Telecommunications, commonly known as BT, has a storied history that lays the foundation for modern communication in the UK. Established as the Electric Telegraph Company in 1846, it pioneered the world’s first public telegraph service, revolutionizing how information was shared over long distances. The landscape of UK telecommunications was further shaped in 1912 when the General Post Office (GPO) integrated the National Telephone Company, effectively monopolizing the sector under government control. The 1980s marked a transformative era for UK telecoms; the British Telecom identity was born out of the GPO’s telecommunication divisions in 1980, and it swiftly gained independence as a separate entity the following year. This transition paved the way for the historic privatization of British Telecom in 1984, signaling a major shift from public to private sector. The government’s divestiture was completed with the selling of its final shares in the company in two stages, in 1991 and 1993, fully integrating BT into the private market. This move was emblematic of the broader economic changes occurring in the UK at the time and has since positioned BT as a key player in the evolution of global telecommunications. - Monopoly Dissolution: BT’s monopoly was first challenged in 1982 when Mercury Communications received a license, breaking BT’s hold on the telecom sector. - Global Ventures and Failures: BT’s attempt to globalize, notably through its joint venture and planned merger with MCI Communications, ultimately failed, leading to critical reactions and executive changes. - Financial Troubles: By 2001, BT had accumulated a debt of £30 billion, partly due to its investment in 3G licenses and failed global mergers. - Corporate Restructuring: To manage this debt, BT undertook Europe’s largest-ever rights issue in 2001, raising £5.9 billion and selling stakes in several international telecom operations. - Demerger of Mobile Telecommunications: In 2001, BT demerged its mobile telecommunications business, which included BT Cellnet in the UK and other international networks, forming mmO2 (later O2). - Investment in New Technology: BT confirmed a £10 billion investment over five years in its Internet Protocol (IP) based 21st-century network (21CN) in 2006. - Costly Fiber Rollout: The Costly Fiber Rollout at British Telecom (BT) represents a significant financial challenge for the company. With a projected Capital Expenditure (CAPEX) burden of around £15 billion for the rollout of fiber optics, BT is under immense pressure to manage its financial resources efficiently. This massive investment is aimed at upgrading and expanding its broadband network infrastructure to meet the growing demand for high-speed internet services. However, this expenditure significantly impacts BT’s free cash flows, which are crucial for operational expenses, dividend payments, and other investment opportunities. The heavy investment in fiber rollout restricts BT’s ability to allocate funds to other areas, potentially affecting its overall growth and competitive position in the market. Moreover, this substantial CAPEX requirement influences investor perception, limiting BT’s valuation. In a competitive and fast-evolving telecommunications industry, such large-scale investments, while necessary for long-term growth and sustainability, can create short-term financial strains. BT’s ability to effectively manage this rollout and balance its financial commitments will be critical in determining its future market position and financial health. - Growing Net Debt and Pension Liabilities: BT’s financial challenges are underscored by its increasing net debt, which has reached 19.8 billion GBP. Additionally, the company faces substantial pension liabilities, with its pension plan reporting a deficit of approximately 3.7 billion GBP. These economic pressures reflect significant fiscal hurdles for the telecom giant, impacting its balance sheet and potentially its strategic flexibility in the competitive market. - Regulatory Pressures and Competition: BT’s subsidiary, Openreach, which operates the bulk of the UK’s broadband infrastructure, confronts regulatory pressures including mandated price reductions, while also being tasked with extensive investment requirements to upgrade the nation’s broadband to ultra-fast speeds. This juxtaposition of regulatory demands for lower prices and the call for hefty capital expenditures to enhance infrastructure presents a significant strategic challenge for the company amidst a landscape of intensifying competition. - Limited Financial Performance: BT’s financial performance is constrained by the heavy capital expenditures (CAPEX) necessary for updating its telecommunications infrastructure, which limits the funds available for dividends and contributes to the company’s escalating net debt. Additionally, fierce competition within the telecom industry, along with a stringent regulatory climate, continues to exert pressure on BT’s profitability and overall financial health. British Telecom’s journey from a monopolistic giant to a struggling telecom player in the UK is marked by a series of strategic missteps, financial burdens, regulatory changes, and intense market competition. While BT is showing signs of stability and adapting to the evolving telecommunications landscape, it continues to grapple with substantial challenges that constrain its financial and operational capabilities. The future of BT hinges on its ability to navigate these complexities while innovating and investing in new technologies to remain competitive in a rapidly changing industry. - Lucy Walker is a journalist that covers finance, health and beauty since 2014. She has been writing for various online publications. - February 27, 2024NewsWireBitcoin Surges to $57K as a Sign of ETF Market Optimism - February 27, 2024SatoshiThe Reality Behind the Numbers of Craig Wright’s Patent Inventions - February 25, 2024SatoshiForgery Fiasco: The Collapse of Wright’s Claims at Week 3 - February 23, 2024SatoshiThe Time of Reckoning: Day 15 COPA vs Wright Trial

Immunology is a broad branch of biomedical science that covers the study of all aspects of the immune system in all organisms. It deals with, among other things, the physiological functioning of the immune system in states of both health and disease; malfunctions of the immune system in immunological disorders (autoimmune diseases, hypersensitivities, immune deficiency, allograft rejection); the physical, chemical and physiological characteristics of the components of the immune system in vitro, in situ, and in vivo. Immunology has various applications in several disciplines of science, and as such is further divided. The human immune system has two functional branches that work together. Humoral immunity, principally mediated by B-lymphocytes produces antibodies (also known as immunoglobulins, some of which are receptors triggered by antigens in the body. Antibodies contribute to immunity by preventing pathogens from entering or damaging cells by binding to them; by tagging foreign substances to be recognized by the cell-mediated cell; and by triggering pathogen destruction by stimulating other immune responses such as the complement pathway. Vaccination works by introducing an antigen into the body in sufficient amounts to trigger specific immunoglobulin production; the antigen is introduced in a form that has been rendered relatively harmless. There is extensive chemical communications betwee the branches, and to other parts of the body Histological examination of the immune system Even before the concept of immunity (from immunis, Latin for "exempt") was developed, numerous early physicians characterised organs that would later prove to be part of the immune system. The key organs of the immune system are thymus, spleen, bone marrow, lymph vessels, lymph nodes and secondary lymphatic tissues such as tonsils, adenoids, and skin. Two major organs, the thymus and spleen, are examined histologically only post-mortem during autopsy. However some lymph nodes and secondary lymphatic tissues can be surgically excised for examination while patients are still alive. Classical immunology ties in with the fields of epidemiology, infectious disease and medicine. It studies the relationship between the body systems, pathogens, and immunity. The earliest written mention of immunity can be traced back to the plague of Athens in 430 BCE. Thucydides noted that people who had recovered from a previous bout of the disease could nurse the sick without contracting the illness a second time. Many other ancient societies have references to this phenomenon, but it was not until the 19th and 20th centuries before the concept developed into scientific theory. The study of the molecular and cellular components that comprise the immune system, including their function and interaction, is the central science of immunology. The immune system has been divided into a more primitive innate immune system, and acquired or adaptive immune system of vertebrates, the latter of which is further divided into humoral and cellular components. The humoral (antibody) response is defined as the interaction between antibodies and antigens. Antibodies are specific proteins released from a certain class of immune cells (B lymphocytes). Antigens are defined as anything that elicits generation of antibodies, hence they are Antibody Generators. Immunology itself rests on an understanding of the properties of these two biological entities. However, equally important is the cellular response, which can not only kill infected cells in its own right, but is also crucial in controlling the antibody response. Put simply, both systems are highly interdependent. In the 21st century, immunology has broadened its horizons with much research being performed in the more specialized niches of immunology. This includes the immunological function of cells, organs and systems not normally associated with the immune system, as well as the function of the immune system outside classical models of immunity. Many diseases caused by the immune system fall into two broad categories: immunodeficiency, in which parts of the immune system fail to provide an adequate response (examples include chronic granulomatous disease), and autoimmunity, in which the immune system attacks its own host's body (examples include systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis, Hashimoto's disease and myasthenia gravis). Other immune system disorders include different hypersensitivities, in which the system responds inappropriately to harmless compounds (asthma and allergies) or responds too intensely. The most well-known disease that affects the immune system itself is AIDS, caused by HIV. AIDS is an immunodeficiency characterized by the lack of CD4+ ("helper") T cells and macrophages, which are destroyed by HIV. See main article Immunotherapy The use of immune system components to treat a disease or disorder is known as immunotherapy. Immunotherapy is most commonly used in the context of the treatment of cancers together with chemotherapy (drugs) and radiotherapy (radiation). However, immunotherapy is also often used in the immunosuppressed (such as HIV patients) and people suffering from other immune deficiencies or autoimmune diseases. The specificity of the bond between antibody and antigen has made it an excellent tool in the detection of substances in a variety of diagnostic techniques. Antibodies specific for a desired antigen can be conjugated with a radiolabel, fluorescent label, or color-forming enzyme and are used as a "probe" to detect it. Well known applications of this include immunoblotting, ELISA and immunohistochemical staining of microscope slides. The speed, accuracy and simplicity of such tests has led to the development of rapid techniques for the diagnosis of disease, microbes and even illegal drugs in vivo (of course tests conducted in a closed environment have a higher degree of accuracy). Such testing is also used to distinguish compatible blood types. A development of complexity of the immune system can be seen from simple phagocytotic protection of single celled organisms, to circulating antimicrobial peptides in insects to lymphoid organs in vertebrates. Of course, like much of evolutionary observation, these physical properties are often seen from the anthropocentric aspect. It should be recognised, that every organism living today has an immune system absolutely capable of protecting it from most forms of harm; those organisms that did not adapt their immune systems to external threats are no longer around to be observed. Insects and other arthropods, while not possessing true adaptive immunity, show highly evolved systems of innate immunity, and are additionally protected from external injury (and exposure to pathogens) by their chitinous shells. - Wikibooks Immunology Textbook - Goldsby RA, Kindt TK, Osborne BA and Kuby J (2003) Immunology, 5th Edition, W.H. Freeman and Company, New York, New York, ISBN 0-7167-4947-5

Progress Learning Navigating Your Educational Journey with Success Accepting progress in your educational pursuits is a crucial first step towards personal development and success. The Learning experience is a lifetime journey. Progress Learning is about more than simply getting high marks; it’s also a center for lifelong learning, developing one’s skills, and being a well-rounded person. This blog article will discuss the idea of progress learning, its advantages, and how you may use it to your advantage to succeed in your educational journey. Understanding Progress Learning: A Holistic Approach: Progress Learning goes above and beyond scholastic success. It covers things like critical thinking, communication, personal growth counseling, and adaptability qualities that are crucial in both academic and practical contexts. Setting Realistic Goals and concrete stepping stones: Setting reasonable objectives that push you just beyond your comfort zone is encouraged by Progress Learning. These objectives serve as concrete stepping stones that advance you and encourage steady progress. Opportunities might be found hiding amid challenges. Progress Learning urges you to approach difficulties with a positive outlook and see them as opportunities to grow rather than as obstacles. Opportunities can be found in obstacles. You are urged by Progress Learning to approach difficulties with a positive attitude and see them as opportunities to grow and learn rather than as hurdles. Benefits of the learning experience tuition: Boosts Confidence and adaptability synonym resume: Your self confidence grows when you see your development and successes. Making progress serves as a strong drive for embarking on new tasks. Adaptability is a highly valued trait in a world that is changing quickly. You can more easily adapt to novel circumstances, technologies, and locations with the aid of Progress Learning. Being resilient means having the capacity to recover from setbacks. You learn from Progress Learning how to use setbacks as concrete stepping stones, which increases your fortitude in the face of difficulty. Fosters Critical Thinking: Analyzing your strengths, limitations, and potential improvement areas is a step in the progress learning process. This self evaluation promotes self awareness and critical thinking. Prepares for Lifelong Learning: After graduation, education continues as a lifetime pursuit. You are given the mentality and abilities by Progress Learning to tackle new information and problems with excitement. Practical Steps for Progress Learning: Set Clear Goals: Set both short- and long-term objectives for your academic and personal lives. To keep track of your progress, divide them into achievable chunks. For progress, constructive criticism is vital. To learn where you can grow, pay attention to what your classmates, mentors, and professors have to say. Set aside time to think back on your successes, failures, and lessons learned. You may change your tactics and keep on track by using this reflection. Adopt a growth mindset quotes: Accept obstacles and setbacks as chances to improve. A growth mentality stimulates your desire to study and get better. Diversify Learning Methods: Investigate various educational approaches, such as conventional classrooms, online programs, workshops, and practical training. Develop an interest in the world around you. You become more aware that there is always more to learn as you gain knowledge. The dynamic approach of Progress Learning encourages you to constantly work on your academic and personal development. You go on a path of self-discovery and enrichment by establishing objectives, accepting difficulties, and encouraging a development attitude. Keep in mind that growth often entails ups and downs; it is not necessarily linear. Accept setbacks as a necessary part of learning from them and utilize them as concrete stepping stones on the path to reaching your objectives. You’ll not only succeed academically as you traverse your educational path with the spirit of Progress Learning, but you’ll also develop into a lifelong learner and a more resilient, adaptive person equipped to meet any obstacle that comes your way. In general, “progress learning” refers to the process of improving one’s education, abilities, or knowledge. The goal of Progress Learning is to improve and broaden one’s knowledge and skills in a variety of fields. It’s possible that “Progress Learning” went by another name. Although “Progress Learning Liftoff” seems to be a distinct resource or program, more information is required for a full description.

1. Deacons have been in the Church since its very early days The first follower of Jesus to be martyred was a deacon, St. Stephen. He was an eloquent speaker and drew many people to Jesus. He was stoned to death, and right to the very end, proclaimed the good news of Jesus’ salvation. His dying words were, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit” and then he prayed that the Lord would forgive those who stoned him. This all happened before the conversion of St. Paul and scriptures say that St. Paul, then Saul, was a part of his stoning. St. Stephen’s feast day is December 26th. 2. Deacons are ordained clergy in the Church The hierarchy of orders is: Bishop, Priest and Deacon. Like priests, deacons also attend seminary training and continuing education. 3. Married men are allowed to become deacons They usually remain a deacon as their life vocation. Seminarians, on their way to becoming a priest, are first ordained a deacon. They usually remain in this vocation for a short period of time (called transitional deacons) in preparation for their ordination to the priesthood. Whether or not the diaconate is permanent or transitional, the order of deacon is the same. In all actuality, all deacons are permanent in that the mark of diaconate ordination is permanent. 3. A deacon is ordained to serve His primary mission is to serve the Church and the world. The word deacon comes from the Greek word for servant. The scriptural reference for the beginning of deacons is usually seen in Acts 6: 1-6 where servants are needed to take care of the needs of widows and others. All deacons are required to have ministries where they serve. What the ordinary Catholic sees at mass is a deacon serving at altar, but the majority of his ministry happens in the various needs of the church and society. 5. The deacon is called to be the “Herald of the Gospel” At my ordination, the bishop handed me the Book of the Gospels and said, “RECEIVE the Gospel of Christ who’s HERALD you are. BELIEVE what you read, TEACH what you believe and PRACTICE what you TEACH.” I personally take that very seriously. 6. Celibacy affects every deacon Married deacons may not remarry and must be celibate if their wives die. The church follows ancient tradition and the scriptures in requiring this. 7. Deacons, as ordained ministers, wear clerical garb Some deacons, in some dioceses, wear the Roman collar for “street garb”, especially in working within their ministries. Some local bishops prefer that the deacon not wear the Roman collar. All deacons wear liturgical vestments during liturgies they serve or preside at. Like a priest, the deacon wears an alb and a stole. The deacon’s stole is worn over the left shoulder and attached on the lower right side visible in both the front and the back. The priest wears a stole that goes around his neck and straight down both sides in the front. When at a Eucharistic celebration, the priest wears a chasuble and a deacon wears a dalmatic. They may both look similar but if you look closely, the deacon’s dalmatic has sleeves and the chasuble does not. 8. The deacon has prescribed parts of the Eucharistic liturgy He may lead the penitential rite. The deacon reads the Gospel. He may preach. He does the intercessions in the prayer of the faithful. He prepares the chalice and helps the priest at the altar. He is an ordinary minister of the Eucharist. He calls people to the sign of peace and he dismisses the people at the end of mass. 9. Like a priest… The deacon can preside at baptisms, weddings, wake services, exposition and benediction and various prayer services. Unlike a priest, he cannot celebrate Mass (only assist), cannot hear confessions and cannot anoint the sick. 10. The majority of permanent deacons are married with children and grandchildren Since deacons usually volunteer their services and are not paid by the church, they must maintain a job. A deacon is told that his priorities are (in order): family, job, the diaconate. Most people do not realize the sacrifices that a deacon’s wife and children make to allow the deacon to serve. Most wives and children are most cooperative in the ministry of the deacon. 11. All deacons are required to pray the Liturgy of the Hours like bishops, priests, and religious Deacons are also required to have a spiritual director and make annual retreats and continue their education. 12. Being a deacon is absolutely AWESOME It is humbling, as well as uplifting, to serve the Lord and His Church. Deacon Marty McIndoe serves as a deacon in the Diocese of Rockville Centre on Long Island, NY. He was in the first class of deacons for the diocese and has served for 35 years. Deacon Marty, and his wife Martha, live in Patchogue, NY and are members of St. Francis de Sales parish. Deacon Marty has been involved in many ministries and has been a teacher and speaker at numerous events on Long Island. He converted to the Catholic faith in 1973 from the Methodist faith. He loves being a deacon and serving the Lord and His church.

Otázka: The United Kingdom… The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland The UK is situated to the north-west part of European continent, between the Atlantic ocean and the North see. It is made up of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. The total land area is 243,600km2 It lies in the northeast of the island of Ireland. The capital and the largest city is Belfast. In Northern Ireland, sport is popular and important in the lives of many people. It is a country on the western side of Great Britain. It is a principality, ruled by a prince. Traditionally, the title of the Prince of Wales is given to the oldest son of the reigning English monarch. The capital of Wales is Cardiff. The national game of Wales is rugby Scotland is a country in the north of Great Britain, famous for its freshwater lochs (lakes). The capital of Scotland is Edinburgh, which known for the Edinburgh Festival, a collection of festivals held over about four weeks from early August. England makes up the southern part of Great Britain. Nearly 84% of the population of the UK lives in England. There is the oldest university in the English-speaking world in Oxford. The capital city of the United Kingdom is London. UK has a mild climate due to the warm Gulf Stream. Rain is common throughout the year The landscape of England is mostly rolling hillsides. The main mountain regions are the Cornish Heights and the Pennines. The highest mountains are Ben Nevis in Scotland (1343 m high), Snowdon in North Wales (1085 m high ) and Scafell Pike in England (978 m high). The longest rivers are the Severn and the Thames. The best – known lakes are those in the Lake District and in Scotland and there are famous lake Loch Ness. The population of the UK is more than 60 million, taking into account emigration and immigration. In Britain, we can find the following ethnic groups: English, Scottish, Irish, Welsh. The official language is English . It has many dialects throughout the country. British English differs from American English in some ways, such as pronunciation, spelling or vocabulary. The political system Great Britain is a constitutional monarchy and a parliamentary democracy. The head of the state is the Queen Elizabeth II. Formally she’s a head of the executive and judiciary, commander-in-chief of all the armed forces, and temporal governor of the Church of England. The Parliament includes sovereign, the House of Lords (Upper House)-aristocrats and House of Commons (Lower House)- members are elected for five-year terms. is in hands of the prime ministr-David Cameron and his Cabinet (group of ministers) The United Kingdom has three legal systems : English law, Northern Ireland law and Scots law Great Britain was first settled by the Celts about 3000 years ago. Than there were Romans – they started building Hadrian’s Wall. In 1485, a dynasty, the Tudors, gained the throne. In 1536, Wales was joined to England by the Act of Union. Under Queen Elizabeth I (second half of 16. century) Britain became a major sea power. Large parts of Africa and Asia were added to the empire during the reign of Queen Victoria. Scotland was joined to England in 1707, Northern Ireland in 1801. The UK is a founding member of NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organisation). Since 1973 the UK has been a member of the European Union. The main industries are steel, metals, vehicles, shipbuilding, shipping, banking, insurance, textiles, chemicals, electronics, aircraft, machinery, and distilling. The main agricultural products are corn, sugar beet, fruit, and vegetables. Britain is rich in coal, tin, oil, gas, chalk and lead.

Wednesday July 15, 2020 Discover what's important and present it early and concisely to refine your ideas and engage with your audience. Don't bury the lede. Get to the point. Put the Bottom Line Up Front. Communicate as if you may be interrupted. - Identify your message - Give a one-line version - Give a one-paragraph version - Add detail until complete - Use the best of text and other media Identify your message What your audience needs most is your unique contribution: a result or recommendation, a summary or synthesis. Help them to understand. Prepare them to take action. If you don't know what your message is, you have little chance of communicating it. Think beyond listing what you've done, what you've read, what you've seen. Find a deeper conclusion. Even without an audience, you should be doing this for yourself. According to Shannon, information is related to surprise. One heuristic is to identify the most central "surprise" you have to communicate. What does your audience not know? Can you anticipate questions they would ask, and answer them? Don't force your audience to come to their own conclusions. Your message won't prevent them from doing that anyway, if you are honest and complete. Your message isn't the final word. It should be a generous starting point. Regardless of audience, the practice of articulating a message into short concrete forms can help you to clarify and improve your ideas, possibly through several iterations. Give a one-line version Start with a title, or subject line, or initial answer to a question. A one-line version should be complete enough that the audience can choose whether to continue. Good newspaper headlines, like "Truman wins presidency," are tiny versions of their articles. Clickbait titles illustrate what not to do, as in "You won't believe what Truman did." Emulate good headlines. Good one-line versions are usually complete sentences, not just noun phrases. Don't convey just the subject you're talking about, include what you're saying about it. Feel free to use the specialized language of your field. Big Self-Supervised Models are Strong Semi-Supervised Learners is a great title for a Machine Learning paper, though it may seem opaque to botanists. Though the need for summarizing is real, there's value in retaining important detail. For example, "Technique X Improves Results" is likely not a better one-line version than "Technique X Improves Metric Y by 3%." Include specifics as much as you can. It may be challenging to distill your message into a faithful one-line representation, but it can be done. In some cases, a one-line version is all you need. Give a one-paragraph version Whether it's labeled as an abstract or a summary or not, a first paragraph should always be a complete version of your message, not an introduction. The one-line version of your message may be just a sketch, but a well-crafted paragraph lets you convey, Pareto-style, a complete core message, missing only detail. The practice of skipping quickly to an article's conclusion is not a natural part of reading, it is a defensive work-around for bad writing. Present the conclusion at the beginning. You shouldn't require your audience go all the way to the end. For example, if the purpose of an email is to make a request, make the request clear at the beginning. The focus here is effective, purposeful, reality-oriented communication. This is distinct from small talk, poetry, or fiction, where it may make sense to approach a topic obliquely over time, to carefully build an effect. With a useful one-paragraph version at the beginning, the audience can determine what information is being communicated and what further detail they're interested in. This is kind to your audience—and your audience may be you. Add detail until complete Including condensed versions at the beginning doesn't mean omitting supporting detail, clarification, data, and other supplementary material. Be very inclusive. The expectation is not that the audience must review everything, but that they may. Organize for the benefit of the audience. Make it easy to find things. This should follow from the nature of what you're communicating, and could also be responsive to the expectations of your audience. The overall structure should often be fractal, in that further sections are organized following the overall guidelines, starting with short versions. Generally, information density and polish should decrease gradually. Content at the beginning is likely still elaborating the core message. More related detail is added gradually, until toward the end one might include a list of references, notes, logs of activities over time, source data, audio or transcriptions from interviews, and the like. Enough should be provided that the audience can replicate your conclusions or form their own. Nothing should be hidden. Use the best of text and other media Text is a mighty tool, but it is not the only tool. Always use the best available tool for communicating. Outside of conversation, text and its variants together with two-dimensional graphics (especially data visualizations) are most useful, with time-distributed media and interactive artifacts only sometimes worthwhile. Text can be used in many ways. Headings add structure. Numbered and bulleted lists and tables can help organize and summarize. Fonts, weights, sizes, and styles can assist in communication when used well. Hypertext allows linking easily to related resources. Numbers are data visualizations, as are quantitative tables. Carefully presented numbers can be very communicative. Graphics can help communicate ideas diagrammatically. Graphical data visualizations (plots, graphs, charts) can convey quantitative information exceptionally well; their effective use is an extended topic. Images can also sometimes be useful. Time-distributed media refers principally to audio and video. To date, these are difficult to search or skim. They tend to require the audience to sit through them. Similarly, interactive artifacts are relatively oblique rather than communicating directly. There are places for all of these, but they are not often the best choice for direct communication. Update 2021-08-15: Added "Get to the point" in first paragraph, inspired by Mckay Wrigley.

I'm reading the book SEX AT DAWN: the prehistoric origins of modern sexuality, the book suggests that in prehistoric times, when homo sapiens were just foraging on the earth, the relation between men and women was like the relation between male and female bonobos and the society was more like a matriarchy in which women had the most respectable position. But when people learned agriculture and began to settle down and the concept of individual property formed, women's position converted to man's property and men restricted women more and more in order to be sure that their possessions will be inherited by their actual heirs. On page 17 we read: when people began living in settled agricultural communities, social reality shifted deeply and irrevocably. Suddenly it became crucially important to know where your field ended and your neighbor’s began. Remember the Tenth Commandment: “Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that [is] thy neighbour’s.” Clearly, the biggest loser (aside from slaves, perhaps) in the agricultural revolution was the human female, who went from occupying a central, respected role in foraging societies to becoming another possession for a man to earn and defend, along with his house, slaves, and livestock. - My question is that why does it say clearly? Why didn't women earn possessions like men in the agricultural revolution? What intrinsic feature in women makes it clear that they shall lose their position in the agricultural revolution? By high rank of female bonobos, I don't mean only sexual relationship but also the higher position in the society in which A male derives his status from the status of his mother

Electrocardiogram (ECG) / Holter monitor This is a recording of the heart’s electrical activity. It is a useful investigation in all forms of heart disease but is particularly useful when an arrhythmia or abnormal heart rhythm is suspected.Abnormal patterns of electrical activity are also seen in coronary disease, hypertension and cardiomyopathies. In the investigation of palpitations or dizzy spells, a small portable ECG recorder (Holter monitor) may be worn for 24 hours or longer to help identify intermittent symptoms. Ambulatory Blood Pressure Monitoring As blood pressure varies widely throughout the day, it is recognised that a 24-hour recording of blood pressure using a portable monitor is a more accurate measure of identifying true hypertension and defining long-term risk. A coronary angiogram is an x-ray investigation of the heart and coronary arteries and remains the gold-standard for the diagnosis of coronary heart disease.This is an invasive procedure during which a long, thin tube (catheter) is passed, under local anaesthetic, from an artery in the groin or wrist to the heart and dye is injected to show the heart arteries on x-ray. Although the investigation itself is brief the site at which the catheter is inserted at the groin or wrist is monitored for several hours after the procedure and therefore usually requires a day case inpatient stay. For more details please click here » This is also known as a stress test and is very useful for assessing patients with chest pain or breathlessness during exercise.Patients undergoing this test have their pulse rate, blood pressure and ECG continuously recorded whilst they are walking on a treadmill. Changes in these parameters can help identify the cause of the symptoms particularly if coronary artery disease is suspected. An echocardiogram is an ultrasound scan of the heart. The structure and function of the heart can be visualised with the flow of blood through the heart chambers. In patients who are breathless or who have heart murmurs the echocardiogram is used to diagnose disease of the heart valves or a weak or enlarged heart. Occasionally a very detailed echocardiogram of the internal heart structures is required, performed from a miniature probe passed to the back of the heart, down the oesophagus, under sedation and local anaesthesia (transoesophageal echocardiogram). CT and MRI Scanning These scans are useful in a number of heart conditions or when other investigations are not appropriate or possible. The cardiac MR scans are particularly good at looking at the heart muscle in detail and the heart in relation to it’s major arteries, the pulmonary artery and aorta. Cardiac CT scans can be helpful in identifying very early coronary disease.

Ther 8.2 ky event, or 6200 to 6000BC – another way of saying the same thing. If you want to find out about it, and read lots of articles, then all you have to do is put the event into your search engine. At https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bond_event … we have another slant on what is basically the same thing. They are discernible as North Atlantic ice raft events and these are tentatively linked to climate fluctuations, including during the Holocene [the last ten thousand years]. Some 8 of them are currently recognised in that period. They were originally paced at 1500 year intervals. Fred Singer and Dennis Avery even wrote a book, ‘Unstoppable Global Warming: every 1500 years‘ Roman and Littlefield:2007. Fred Singer was in fact a strident critic of global warming, as it then was, and I suppose he saw modern warming as a manifestation of one of the Bond events and nothing to do with co2. Nowadays, the 1500 year cycle has been put to bed and advocates now talk in terms of 1000 year intervals. Actually, if you go back and look at the cold blips featured in tree rings and ice cores, especially in the second half of the Holocene, there are a lot more events than the Bond hypothesis would allow. Cycles, in any case, can be an artifact of computer modeling. Gerard Bond was the lead author, in 1997, of a research paper that postulated a cycle of 1470 years in the Late Pleistocene and Holocene. It was mainly based on petrologic tracers of drift ice in the North Atlantic, a novel piece of research that appears to have impressed a lot of people. Bond and his team drew attention to these cold blips and looked around for an explanation. As catastrophism was out of the question as it would have designated the research as fringe or plain barmy, they decided on a more terrestrial based solution to the puzzle. Hence, we have this idea of the Atlantic overturning cycle – as if it can just overturn without a vector causing that to happen. Bond specifically saw a connection with the Sun – a solar cycle of some kind. If they had looked at the Clube and Napier theory of the break-up of a large comet, or Centaur object, they could have explained the 1500 year cycle during the Late Holocene and the more frequent cycle later on, including what is a much more frequent ambivalance of cold blips after 6200BC. Unfortunately for Bond and his pals, recent work has set out to bomb their argument. The new argument is that it was in all probability a statistical artifact. Following the publication of the North GRIP Greenland ice core chronology in 2005, it became clear Dansgaard-Oeschger events also show no such pattern. However, in spite of that the North Atlantic ice rafting events do seem to coincide with low lake levels in some parts of the US, and weak monsoons. Something was clearly going on. These cool periods also appear to correspond with aridification in the Levant and Middle East. This confirms the link to weak monsoons – or a switch in the monsoon track. I’ve never been able to re-create the 1500 year cycle – even using Fred Singer’s data. There are just too many cooling events in tree rings and ice cores. No wonder it was decided it was a statistical nightmare. The wiki provides a list of such events, but why they chose these ones over others is difficult to understand. At the outset it should be said the 6200BC event is proably the most statistically likely of them all. It resembles a short version of a dryas event, for exmple, and roughly 5000 years separates it from the outset of the Younger Dryas, at one end, and the Piorra cooling event around 3000BC, at the other end. 3 x 1500 years = 1450, rather than 5000 years. No doubt their arithmetic involved other key points – the end of the Younger Dryas perhaps, rather than the beginning of it. We also have to rely on mainstream dating methodology. This is the one factor that probably makes it most unworkable. Presumably, if the Younger Dryas event represents an encounter with a newly formed meteor flux from a comet that was in the process of breaking up, one could work through the cold blips that lasted for a significant period of time, much longer than what we would expect if a big volcano had gone off, then we might explain the cycle in a different way. There are also a lot of double whammys, as one might describe them. For example, in the Roman period we have cooling events and problems in the 3rd and 6th centuries AD, which are repeated in the Late Bronze upheavals by about the same interval, and in the second half of the 3rd millennium BC as well. The earth therefore passed through the Taurid stream in question twice, on its orbit through space, and then not again for around a thousand years or so.

Guidelines aim to combat inadequate concussion knowledge and treatments Declan Schroeder, CONTRIBUTOR Doctors and coaches may soon be better equipped to help athletes with concussions. The Canadian government is teaming up with Parachute, an injury prevention charity, to develop evidence-backed national guidelines for dealing with concussions. The new guidelines are aimed at preventing, managing, and raising awareness among Canadians about concussions. Increasing awareness and educating Canadians on the impact of concussions are things that Caleigh Dobie, a University of Manitoba student and co-captain of the Manitoba Bisons women’s volleyball team, finds very important. Dobie suffered seven concussions from 2010 to December 2015. “Concussions used to feel like something that people didn’t really understand, and so it didn’t seem that serious,” she wrote in an email. People are starting to take concussions more seriously, according to Dobie. “Society has been subjected to the fear that concussion patients feel,” she wrote. “What happens later on in life? Can I continue to play the sport and take on the role that I live for? These are the questions I often ask myself. In recent years, these questions have become more publicly supported.” Dobie’s short-term memory has been slightly affected by her concussions, she said. While Dobie has never felt pressure to return to action before she was symptom-free, she believes professional sports have treated concussions too lightly in the past. However, she feels athletes are starting to speak more openly about concussions, and people are starting to understand their gravity and long-term effects. Dr. Glenn Bailey, the chiropractor for the Winnipeg Goldeyes who has worked with concussion patients, agrees with Dobie. He believes agreeing on new guidelines is worthwhile and that education is key. “[Concussions] are not taken seriously enough, overall, at all levels,” he said. “You get pockets of knowledgeable trainers and coaches, but not consistent. More training on this topic is needed and should be included at all coach training levels repeatedly.” Bailey also points to athlete awareness as a key part of the solution. “Athletes think they are fine, yet fine motor skills are affected as are subtle cognitive abilities…but the athletes just want to compete, so they say nothing,” he said. Parachute has just started to craft the guidelines after attending the Fifth International Consensus Conference on Concussion in Sport in Berlin on Oct. 27-28.

During the last decade architect Petter Bergerud has carried out experimental and artistic workshops together with colleagues, craftsmen and a vast number of students. The outcome is a book presenting the structural and geometric challenges, the work processes and the final artistic results from a total of nine workshops. If used correctly, wood can be one of the most sustainable materials. It comes from a renewable resource, it is a clean material and it can be very durable. Timber materials act as a carbon store, and this makes them more sustainable; the longer they are kept in use the more times they are reused. Related: Exporting Norwegian Architecture Timescale of an oak tree “An oak tree grows for 300 years, lives for 300 years and takes 300 years to die. This is a timescale that is alien to today’s production and consumption society,” says professor Petter Bergerud at Bergen Academy of Art and Design in Norway. The book opens with an introduction, Renewing Tradition, describing the material wood, its material properties and its use in a historical context. This is followed by a philosophical commentary on the meaning and value of Nothing. Experimental Wooden Structures in Norway Sustainable use of timber materials can consist of specifying the dimensions based on what the timber is to be used for, using timber from non-traditional tree species, building durable structures, designing with a view to subsequent dismantling, using recycled wood and specifying certified timber. Related: Norwegian Stave Churches As the call for sustainable material solutions grown ever louder and the environmental impact of manufacturing is a more urgent concern than ever, renewable materials such as wood are back in the spotlight. As an organic substance, with roots (literally) in the natural world, wood has a richer narrative history than the synthetic materials that have come to dominate the current age of consumption. It is an anchor to nature; every wooden object carries with it the suggestion of the tree and thence the forest from which it came. The last chapter in “Experimental Wooden Structures” is a postscript entitled Beauty Matters and Learning by Doing. Bergerud’s projects are built on his philosophical, intuitive and artistic way of thinking. The synthesis of the artistic will and energy and the understanding of structural mechanics and craftsmanship have together created some impressive large-scale projects in the city of Bergen, which are beautifully described in this book. The project Expermental Wood Structure run over a period of seven years. About Bergen Academy of Art and Design Based in Norway’s unofficial capital of design, the Bergen Academy (KhiB), is one of the country’s most respected higher-education institutions, admired internationally for producing generation after generation of the nation’s most accomplished designers and artists. The Academy is known for its interdisciplinary approach, design-as-solution methodology and pronounced emphasis on the importance of research and collaboration. Experimental Wooden Structures in Norway, written by Tor Kjolberg

The Land Use module imports USGS National Land Cover Database (NLCD) files and MODIS global land cover files and uses them in the radio coverage predictions and link analyses. The USGS NLCD files categorize land use attributes, such as Urban, Agricultural, Forest, etc. When the files are imported into the TAP™ format, TAP™ can determine the classification at a given set of coordinates. The land cover data may be used to enhance propagation analyses to two primary ways: - Loss values may be defined for any frequency ranges for each specified type of land use to permit the inclusion of localized environmental conditions in predicted system performance. Recommended loss values are readily available. - Land Cover Clutter can be used to raise the terrain along an RF path based on the land cover category. Click here to see a tutorial video of how to include Land Cover Clutter in Propagation Studies. As shown below, the land cover category can be shown graphically along a path study. This can aid in the consideration of where trees or buildings may impact link performance and inform the placement of appropriate surface features. It can also help identify where possible reflection points along the path may be especially problematic due to the presence of water. In addition, TAP™ includes a Land Use Loss Database that correlates the land classification with a loss value as a function of frequency. When TAP™ is used for an area coverage study or single-point field calculation, the environment of the receiver location can be determined from the Land Use data, and a user-specified loss value can be applied. For example, if an additional loss of 3dB within a certain frequency band is to be included whenever a receiver location is in a forest area, and 6db when in an urban area, the Land Use Loss Database stores that condition. At the same time, a loss of 7dB for forest and 12dB for urban may be stored for use in a different frequency band. This approach allows great flexibility in applying the effects of the land use information to TAP™ studies. TAP™ also provides the user with the option to effectively raise the terrain based on land cover categories in order to more accurately predict signal blockage due to buildings, trees, and other vegetation. Users can specify a height associated with each land cover category based on knowledge of the local environment. For example, Forest Deciduous height of 15 meters, Forest Evergreen 25 meters, etc. TAP™ will raise the terrain accordingly in propagation calculations for Path, Coverage, AutoPath, and AutoCoverage studies. This functionality is shown graphically below with Land Cover Clutter selected as the Surface Feature type and the dark red showing the height added to the bare ground terrain. Download a fully-functional demo version of our Terrain Analysis Package software.Download

Harnessing Stone Crushing Technology for Improved Efficiency in South Africa's Quarries Stone has been used as a construction material for centuries. It is durable, versatile, and readily available, making it an essential resource for construction projects. In South Africa, the demand for stones for construction purposes has increased significantly over the years, leading to the booming quarry industry. However, the extraction and crushing of stones in quarries require significant energy and resources, which can have negative environmental implications. To address this challenge, the quarry industry in South Africa must embrace advanced stone crushing technology to improve efficiency and minimize environmental impact. One innovative technology that holds great promise is the use of mobile crushing plants. These plants are compact and can be transported to the quarry site, allowing for on-site crushing of stones. This eliminates the need for trucks to transport stones to off-site crushing facilities, reducing fuel consumption and carbon emissions. Furthermore, mobile crushing plants are equipped with advanced crushing units that can efficiently process different types of stones. They are designed to maximize productivity while minimizing the energy required for the crushing process. This results in a significant reduction in energy consumption and operational costs for quarry owners. Another efficient stone crushing technology is the use of vertical shaft impact (VSI) crushers. These crushers use the principle of rock-on-rock collision, which minimizes the wear and tear on the crushing surfaces. This technology is highly efficient and produces a consistent-grade product with less waste. In addition to adopting advanced technologies, South Africa's quarries should also consider implementing a comprehensive energy management strategy. This includes optimizing energy use in the crushing process, such as reducing idle times, optimizing equipment settings, and using energy-efficient motors. Furthermore, quarry owners should invest in renewable energy sources to power their operations. Installing solar panels or wind turbines can provide a clean and sustainable source of energy, reducing their reliance on fossil fuels. Additionally, quarry owners should prioritize the recycling of stone waste. By investing in stone crushing equipment that can convert waste stones into reusable aggregates, they can minimize the need for new extraction and reduce the environmental footprint of their operations. To promote the adoption of these technologies, the South African government should provide incentives and grants to quarry owners who invest in energy-efficient and environmentally friendly equipment. They should also collaborate with industry stakeholders to conduct research and development to improve stone crushing technology further. In conclusion, harnessing stone crushing technology for improved efficiency is crucial for South Africa's quarry industry. By adopting advanced crushing technologies and implementing energy management strategies, quarry owners can reduce their operational costs, minimize environmental impact, and contribute to a sustainable future. It is time for South Africa's quarries to embrace innovation and pave the way towards a greener and more efficient industry. - Analyzing the Price Fluctuations of Quarry Crusher Equipment in China - Comparing the Different Types of Stone Crusher Machines: Which One is Right for You? - Enhancing Fuel Flexibility with Advanced Coal Pulverizer Types - From Bulky to Compact: 10 Mechanical Components Suitable for Crushing Machines - Improving Dispersion and Homogeneity of Calcium Carbonate in Ball Mills - Maximizing Efficiency: How a Small Used Jaw Crusher from eBay Can Transform Your Operations - Quality Control in Gypsum Powder Production Plants: Essential Practices for Consistency - Sustainable Grinding: Reducing Carbon Footprint with Cemtec Ball Mills - The Key Components of a Closed Circuit Stone Cone Crusher Plant - Understanding the Economics of Establishing a Limestone Mine: Costs and Returns - Unveiling the Secrets to Designing Effective Continuous Ball Mill Drawings - Boosting Productivity: The Latest Technological Advancements in Granite Crusher Processing Machines in South Africa - Crushing Machine Innovations: Shaping the Future of Material Processing - Environmental Considerations in Calcined Kaolin Processing - From Farm to Feed: How the Hammer Mill 50 HR is Revolutionizing Animal Feed Production - India's White Gold: Understanding the Applications and Demand for Kaolin - Maximizing Output and Quality: The Benefits of Acquiring a Coal Wash Plant for Sale in Mpumalanga - Quartz Stone Powder Machine Manufacturing: Achieving Efficiency and Quality Standards in India - Sustainable Solutions: How Jaw Crushers are Promoting Environmental Responsibility in Uzbekistan's Aggregate Industry - The Rise of Eco-Tourism: Discovering Nature's Best Unspoiled Destinations

PVC is a construction material that is both sturdy and lightweight simultaneously, which is why it is popularly used in windows and doors. Because of plasticizers, it now has a greater range of motion and is less rigid. If no plasticizers are added, it is referred to as “rigid PVC,” which is short for “Unplasticized Polyvinyl Chloride,” or uPVC. PVC, which stands for polyvinyl chloride, and uPVC, which stands for unplasticized polyvinyl chloride, are the two categories that vinyl falls into. Vinyl is a chemical substance that may seep into your paint. Both PVC and uPVC are categories of the same material. Because of their versatility, both materials find employment in the building industry for windows and doors. PVC, on the other hand, is only acceptable for use in siding and fences. uPVC, on the other hand, is an excellent material for use in window and door frames. Because of their adaptability and versatility, they are often used in the construction industry. This is because they can be formed into any shape. Nevertheless, they each do something unique. What is PVC? PVC includes compounds that are hazardous to human health and should be avoided. As a result of phthalates and BPA, PVC has a greater propensity to get discolored and therefore requires specialized maintenance over time to eliminate surface stains. Because it is difficult to get PVC, it is not a material that is regularly used in window construction in either Europe or the United States. When heated, PVC gives out fumes that are harmful to humans. These things may cause harm to your health. PVC releases gas when subjected to high temperatures. The most notable drawback of PVC is the potential for this gas to ill our bodies. What is uPVC? PVC does not include any phthalates or BPA in its production. In addition to being an excellent option, it has fewer negative effects on the natural world. uPVC is a very long-lasting and robust material, making it well-suited for the installation of windows owing to its high thermal efficiency and resistance to fading. uPVC has several benefits, including that it is less porous than other materials, which lowers the required amount of upkeep. Additionally, its lifetime is quite lengthy and may last several years. In addition, uPVC is a stiff material; it does not bend in any way, it is an exceptionally resistant substance, and finally, it is a material that can be recycled. What is the Difference Between PVC & uPVC? The fact that some of them are coated with plasticizers differentiates them from one another: Plasticizers are present in PVC. However, they are not present in uPVC. PVC has become pliable and flexible with the addition of plasticizers, making it an excellent material for toys, wiring, and even clothes. Because uPVC is a rigid and inflexible material, it is most often used for making window frames and water pipes. On the other hand, PVC has been shown to contain chemicals, namely BPA and phthalates, while uPVC does not. PVC is a porous flexible material that is less durable than uPVC, which is a material that does not need any maintenance. However, a restricted range of colour options is available for both PVC and uPVC. PVC in windows Some businesses call their windows “PVC,” an abbreviation for polyvinyl chloride. In most instances, metal and wooden window frames are being phased out in favor of uPVC window frames due to uPVC’s superior performance in terms of energy efficiency. In addition, uPVC may be fashioned into a door frame or included in conservatory construction. Benefits of Having PVC Windows In recent years, there has been a discernible rise in the number of window sales that include PVC. This is because they come with various benefits, like offering energy efficiency. We have highlighted a few more below: #1. Poly vinyl windows have a low impact on the environment Despite the widespread perception to the contrary, the manufacturing of PVC windows does not harm the surrounding ecosystem. Since the manufacture of PVC does not result in the emission of any poisonous compounds, this material is far less harmful to the environment than other materials, such as aluminum. The quantity of plastic used to produce these windows is little compared to the number of years of service you will receive because they are so long-lasting. In addition to that, they readily conform to the regulations for energy efficiency. #2. Windows made of PVC are very effective insulators Our houses benefit greatly from the increased acoustic, and thermal insulation PVC windows provide. Because of this, you won’t be troubled by loud sounds outside your house, and shifts will less influence the ambiance of your home in the temperature that occurs outside. If you effectively insulate your house, you won’t need to spend money or use resources to heat or cool it. The advantages of your new windows will become apparent month after month in the decreased cost of your gas and electric bills. #3. Robust compared to wood windows All the windows made from PVC are far more durable than wood windows. When it comes to protecting your house, this is a significant benefit since it means that your windows will be better able to deter prospective intruders and lessen the possibility of accidents. The impact of weather on regular PVC is lesser compared to wood windows. PVC windows are guaranteed to survive for at least half a century. Because they have such a long lifetime, you won’t need to paint them or do regular maintenance. PVC windows, however, need nothing more than an occasional dusting and wipe down, just like any other piece of furniture. #5. Easy to clean Cleaning wooden windows require the use of solutions that have been specifically formulated to avoid causing harm to the material. Aluminum follows the same pattern. On the other hand, PVC windows need a moist cloth, water, and some kind of detergent or soap to be cleaned properly. You do not need to purchase any specialized goods. #6. They are adaptable replacement windows Even though white is the most common color for these windows, you can buy them in many other colors. You may also get PVC windows with a wood or brick finish, allowing you to blend them with a wide variety of design aesthetics. You can select from various opening kinds (casement, tilt, sliding, etc.), which means that they are flexible enough to accommodate all of your requirements and let in an abundance of natural light. There are, without a doubt, a few drawbacks to this. They often come at a large premium compared to wooden windows, particularly if you choose double or triple glazing in your structure. Myths About PVC People often need clarification about which windows to choose these days, not just because there is a shortage of information but also because this is even more problematic because there is occasionally inaccurate or unclear information. The choice between aluminum windows, wooden windows, and PVC windows often confuses people. We concluded that the best way to put an end to all of the misunderstandings and provide an explanation of the most widespread fallacies around PVC windows was to do it ourselves. #1. Cellular PVC windows are too costly to purchase The cost of cellular PVC windows is determined by a variety of different elements, including the number of chambers, the profiles that are selected, and the accessories that are selected. Every year, cutting-edge technologies make it possible for manufacturing to become more efficient and cost-effective. In addition, PVC is the substance that is derived from making doors and windows, and the production procedure for this product is less laborious or pricey than that of its competitors. Additionally, cellular PVC windows offer energy efficiency and retain warm air inside a building. You might see a decrease in your monthly energy costs of up to fifty percent when winter arrives. #2. PVC windows have a lower lifespan than other window materials The British Research Establishment (BRE) has determined that PVC windows have a minimum reference service life (RSL) of 35 years and need minor maintenance. Windows made of PVC’s first generation, which is now 50 years old, continue to work admirably well after this time has passed. #3. Every PVC window has a conventional rectangular shape and comes in a standard white color Although this is the most typical shape and color of contemporary PVC windows, it is by no means the only option available. There is a wide variety of other options available. You are no longer limited to white PVC doors and windows due to technological advances. Instead, you may have doors and windows in colors that complement the color palette of your newly designed house and any shade with an imitation woodgrain appearance. Both the sides It may be necessary to modify your window to make it fit. There are moments when you have a choice. Due to the extreme flexibility of the materials used in PVC, you can experiment with the shape you want, whether round, arch, or something else entirely, when you place an order. #4. PVC windows are environmentally harmful and should be avoided Although uPVC is a synthetic plastic polymer, it is nevertheless a much more secure and environmentally friendly material for making doors and windows than its alternatives. During the production process, chemical compositions are included to thwart the release of any potentially harmful chemicals. In addition to having a long lifespan, several fire and safety studies have proved that when uPVC is set ablaze, it produces less toxic smoke than other materials, such as wood. Additionally, PVC windows can be recycled up to one hundred times, reducing the heat you use and making them one of the most environmentally friendly options you can bring into your house. #5. Over time, PVC profiles will become a yellowish color PVC has a lengthy and eventful history that may be broken down into various phases. For example, the first profile was made in the 1960s, and a few flows occurred during the initial production stage. One of these flows was the development of yellow on the profiles. To our good fortune, and of course, in recognition of the efforts of the engineers and technicians, a unique microelement is now being included in every one of the PVC profiles, which will ensure that they remain unaltered for the duration of their useful lives. #6. Aluminum windows are superior to other materials The majority of individuals throughout the globe choose PVC windows (48 percent), followed by aluminum profiles (25 percent) and hardwood profiles (27 percent). To manufacture uPVC, there must be zero pores or spaces for air to pass through between the window and the wall. Aluminum, being a metal, is an excellent heat conductor; as a result, it offers a low thermal insulation level and a high thermal conductivity. Corrosion, which appears as a white powdery covering on the metal, may be readily caused by aluminum profiles, which rust rapidly. Over time, these profiles will get damaged and broken, necessitating more regular repairs. #7. Windows made of PVC need to be regularly maintained PVC windows do not require any maintenance, but they need to be cleaned, and the accessories and hardware need to be checked and maintained. Despite this, PVC windows are incredibly low maintenance, and the cost to replace or relook at PVC profiles is significantly less than the cost of replacing or relooking profiles made of other materials. A helpful hint for cleaning PVC windows is to use plain soapy water. They need to be swept twice a month to remove any dust and potential filth, and they will look as good as new. In the early 1980s, the market for windows and doors was swiftly dominated by PVC products due to the material’s stiffness and longevity. Customers were aware of the benefits of this dependable and minimal maintenance PVC window. PVC window frames will not discolor, decay, or distort like wooden ones. In addition to this, old windows do not need to be repainted every few years. Insulation against heat loss and outside noise is provided very well by PVCu windows, which also help to reduce outside noise to a minimum. The passage of time has increased the level of sophistication of PVC windows. A vast selection of designs is available, which give the impression of traditional wooden or metal windows yet come equipped with all of the benefits of this contemporary material.

What is the meaning pullet? a young hen Definition of pullet : a young hen specifically : a hen of the domestic chicken less than a year old. What are pullets in chickens? Pullet is the term for a female teenage chicken, while a male teenage chicken is called a cockerel. Between 5-7 weeks, you should be able to begin visually distinguishing males from females. Compared to pullets, the combs and wattles of cockerels often develop earlier and are usually larger. What is a pullet vs hen? Hen: A female chicken. Nest Egg: Literally, a china or wooden egg placed into the nest to encourage laying; figuratively, something set aside as security. Learn more about egg production in your chicken coop. Point-of-lay Pullet: A young female, just about to lay, near 5 months old. Why is a chicken called a pullet? If you’re not confused enough, yet, we should add that sometimes female chickens are called “pullets” for more or less their entire first year, even after they begin laying! This is because when they first begin laying, their eggs are not full size. (They start small–lucky for them!) Can pullets lay eggs? First-year chickens (called pullets) can lay eggs as early as 15 weeks old. The earliest, smallest eggs laid are called pullet eggs. Pullet eggs will be inconsistently laid and stay petite until the chicken’s body has fully matured, which can be anywhere between 16-24 weeks of age. How old are pullets? Hens over the age of 12 weeks are in this phase, and are known as pullets. This period of their lives usually lasts until 20 weeks old, though it can be longer. The name ‘pullet’, though, is generally used for any hen under one year. What age do chickens become pullets? between 15 to 22 weeks old So basically, if you’ve got a chicken that’s no longer looking like a chick but is not yet at the stage when it’s laying eggs, it’s considered a pullet. In terms of the age range, pullet chickens are identified between 15 to 22 weeks old. How do hens get pregnant? A rooster often employs a type of foreplay by prancing around the hen and clucking before mounting her. The transfer of sperm happens quickly without the penetration normal in mammal mating. The cloaca, or vent, of the male and female touch and sperm are exchanged. What is a chickens first egg called? Unless you are warned beforehand, you probably had no idea that they would lay such a small egg. These first eggs that your hens are laying are called pullet eggs. A pullet is a female chicken who is under one year of age. Can a chicken get pregnant by a dog? A dog and a chicken are very different kinds of animals, so different that many would say the production of a genuine dog-chicken hybrid would be impossible. However, similar hybrids have been reported, such as the dog-turkey hybrid pictured at right). Do chickens get periods? Here are the deets: Female chickens have a menstrual cycle that can be daily during certain times of the year. Like women, hens have ovaries. During a hen’s cycle, an ovary sends a yolk on its path. The yolk forms what we know of as an “egg white” as it moves through the reproductive tract into the shell gland. What are fart eggs? A fart egg is a small egg laid by a hen. They are smaller than regular eggs and typically do not have a yolk. They often arise in the early stages of a hens reproductive cycle. However, it has also been known for them to be produced towards the end of their reproductive life. It is totally safe to eat a fart egg. How long is a chicken a pullet? A pullet is a young, adolescent hen. The term is only used for female chickens, young males are called cockerels. Pullets are normally somewhere between 16 weeks and 52 weeks old. They have passed through chick-hood, have adult feathers and are in their first year of laying. Can one chicken lay 2 eggs a day? Two Or More Eggs A Day? Chickens will sometimes release two yolks at the same time. This is most common with young hens who are maturing, or a sign that a bird is being overfed. Therefore, a chicken could potentially lay two eggs a day, but no more.

Home health aides play a vital role in providing care and assistance to individuals who require support in the comfort of their own homes. These compassionate professionals offer a wide range of services, ensuring the well-being and comfort of their clients. In this blog post, we will explore the basic duties of home health aides, shedding light on the valuable contributions they make to the healthcare industry and the lives of those they serve. - Personal Care Assistance: One of the primary responsibilities of a home health aide is to provide personal care assistance to clients. This includes helping with activities such as bathing, grooming, dressing, and maintaining personal hygiene. Home health aides are trained to respectfully and sensitively assist individuals with their personal care needs, ensuring their comfort and dignity. - Medication Reminders and Administration: Ensuring clients take their medications as prescribed is crucial for their well-being. Home health aides are responsible for reminding clients to take their medications at the appropriate times and in the correct dosages. In some cases, home health aides may also be trained to administer medications, following proper protocols and guidelines. - Vital Signs Monitoring: Monitoring and recording vital signs is another essential duty of home health aides. They regularly check and document vital signs such as blood pressure, temperature, pulse rate, and respiration rate. By tracking these vital signs, home health aides can alert healthcare professionals to any significant changes or concerns, ensuring prompt medical attention when necessary. - Assistance with Mobility and Exercise: Many individuals receiving home health care may have limited mobility or require assistance with exercises recommended by healthcare professionals. Home health aides help clients with mobility aids, transfers, and positioning to maintain their physical comfort and prevent complications associated with immobility. They may also guide clients through prescribed exercises to promote strength, flexibility, and overall well-being. - Light Housekeeping and Meal Preparation: Creating a safe and comfortable environment for clients is an important aspect of a home health aide’s role. They may perform light housekeeping tasks such as cleaning, organizing, and maintaining a tidy living space. Additionally, home health aides often assist with meal preparation, ensuring that clients receive nutritious and balanced meals according to their dietary requirements. - Companionship and Emotional Support: Beyond their practical duties, home health aides provide companionship and emotional support to their clients. They engage in meaningful conversations, actively listen to their clients’ concerns, and provide a comforting presence. Home health aides often develop trusting relationships with clients, offering companionship that helps alleviate feelings of loneliness and isolation. Home health aides play a vital role in providing essential care and support to individuals in need. From assisting with personal care and medication management to monitoring vital signs and providing companionship, their duties encompass a wide range of responsibilities. These dedicated professionals contribute significantly to improving the quality of life for their clients, enabling them to live with dignity and comfort within the familiarity of their own homes. Granny NANNIES ensures that seniors receive the support they need to maintain their independence and enjoy a fulfilling life. If you’re seeking reliable and compassionate care for your loved one, consider Granny NANNIES as your trusted partner in providing exceptional ADL assistance and senior care. Call Granny NANNIES (800) 316-2669 for a free home care consultation or Visit www.GrannyNANNIES.com to complete our home care request.

Group therapy is a form of psychotherapy that involves a therapist leading a therapeutic process within a group setting. It offers a unique therapeutic experience where individuals with similar concerns come together to share their experiences, provide support, and learn from one another. Group therapy has its own set of benefits and downsides that should be considered. This page will explore the advantages and limitations of group therapy. Benefits of Group Therapy One of the key benefits of group therapy is the sense of connection and support it provides. Being part of a group with individuals who share similar struggles can alleviate feelings of isolation and promote a sense of belonging. Group members can relate to one another’s experiences, offer empathy, and provide emotional support. This shared understanding can be immensely validating and comforting, fostering a sense of community and reducing feelings of loneliness. Group therapy also offers a unique opportunity for interpersonal learning. Within the group setting, individuals can observe and learn from others’ experiences, perspectives, and coping strategies. They can gain new insights into their own patterns of behavior and interaction. Through feedback and reflections from group members, individuals can develop greater self-awareness and improve their social and communication skills. Group therapy serves as a microcosm of real-life relationships, providing a safe space to explore and experiment with different ways of relating to others. Moreover, group therapy is cost-effective and accessible. Compared to individual therapy, group therapy typically requires fewer resources and can reach a larger number of individuals simultaneously. It offers an affordable alternative for individuals who may not have the financial means to access individual therapy. Additionally, the availability of different group therapy formats, such as process groups, psychoeducational groups, or support groups, allows for a wide range of topics and concerns to be addressed. Group therapy also provides a sense of universality, as individuals realize they are not alone in their struggles. This normalization of experiences and emotions can reduce shame and self-blame, encouraging individuals to open up and share their challenges more openly. It creates a safe space where individuals can learn from one another’s successes and failures, gain hope, and develop a sense of optimism about their own growth and recovery. Disadvantages of Group Therapy Despite its many benefits, group therapy also has some limitations that should be acknowledged. One potential downside is that not all individuals may feel comfortable or benefit from sharing their personal experiences in a group setting. Some individuals may prefer a more private and confidential therapeutic environment. Additionally, certain concerns, such as highly sensitive or stigmatized issues, may require a more specialized or individualized approach. Moreover, group therapy relies on the dynamics and interactions among group members, which can be both a benefit and a limitation. While the group process can be therapeutic and provide support, it can also present challenges. Conflicts, power dynamics, and the diverse personalities within the group may impact the therapeutic experience. The therapist’s role in managing and navigating these dynamics is crucial to ensuring a safe and productive therapeutic environment. Lastly, group therapy may not address individualized needs or concerns as comprehensively as individual therapy. While it provides a platform for shared experiences and general support, some individuals may require more focused and tailored interventions to address their unique circumstances and challenges. In such cases, a combination of individual and group therapy or a phased approach may be necessary. Group therapy offers several benefits, including connection, support, interpersonal learning, affordability, and the normalization of experiences. However, it is important to recognize its limitations, such as the need for individual comfort and privacy, the potential challenges of group dynamics, and the requirement for individualized interventions in certain cases. Group therapy should be considered as part of a comprehensive treatment plan that takes into account the individual’s specific needs and therapeutic goals.

Watershed warning delivered OSU scientists find that changes may be needed to save the main source of drinking water for Eugene-Springfield By Samuel Stites July 27, 2013 The average temperature on Earth could increase by 3.6 degrees by the middle of this century, according to data from climate change researchers in nearly 20 countries. And that increase is enough to potentially affect the main source of Eugene-Springfield’s drinking water, according to a study by Oregon State University scientists. The McKenzie River is the major source of drinking water in the Eugene-Springfeld area. The single-digit increase in temperatures predicted worldwide means the snowpacks that feed the river could drop by 56 percent between 2040 and 2060, according to the OSU study. The study simulated snowpacks of the McKenzie watershed using 20 years of data, factoring in the 3.6-degree average temperature increase. It concluded that areas such as the Willamette Valley, that rely on low elevation snowpacks for much of their water, face special risks that need to be planned for. In low elevation mountain ranges, snow often falls near the freezing point so it takes only a small rise in temperature for snow to change to rain. “As more precipitation falls as rain, there will be more chance of winter flooding as well as summer drought in the same season,” the OSU study said. And Oregonians need to be thinking and planning for these future changes, said Eric Sproles, a researcher for the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education, which is part of the U.S. Department of Energy Institute. “The timing and delivery of water is projected to change in the future. What that means is because the supply side is changing, we need to rethink the demand side and re-evaluate our use,” said Sproles, who led the study as a doctoral student at OSU. “Some of the decisions are going to be ones we don’t want to make.” “We have irrigation, we have municipal use, we have endangered species, hydropower and recreation that we’re all using this water for,” he said. “This isn’t a doomsday tale, it’s more of a cautionary advice note.” Sproles said the watershed’s future could have implications on the entire Willamette Valley, home to more than 70 percent of Oregon’s population, not just the McKenzie River basin. This is because almost 25 percent of the Willamette River’s flow comes from the McKenzie, he said. Officials at the Eugene Water and Electric Board said they’re not too worried about the OSU report’s findings, and that they plan to continue to seek new ways to promote responsible and sustainable use of water from the McKenzie watershed. EWEB recently sponsored its own study, which found the geomorphology of the McKenzie River basin provides for a much slower water flow system that is less affected by climate change and snowpack melt due to the sponge like qualities of the volcanic rocks in the upper cascades, according to Jill Hoyenga, EWEB water resource and system planner. “Snow and rain soak into that spongy rock formation,” she said. “The snowpack is important but the rain will also soak into the ground water. We don’t anticipate that climate change will have a huge effect on our water supply in the next few decades.” One group that is worried about the impact of a melting snowpack is the McKenzie Watershed Council. “The staff here would be concerned about any models that predict water temperature to rise or snow levels to change over time and we would expect those changes to threaten an endangered species here in the McKenzie watershed such as spring chinook or bull trout,” said Projects Manager Jared Weybright. Although the council is proactive in its attempts to rectify the problem, Weybright said, the issue of climate change is something that needs to be taken on at a national and international level to prevent future temperature increases and the loss of more snowpack. “The council is struggling to come up with effective policy or operational change that would address this problem in a significant way,” he said. “It’s a tough problem and thinking globally is the only way you’re going to affect anything.” John DeVoe, executive director of lobbyist group WaterWatch Oregon, said the fight will need to continue on the local level through utility boards and environmental groups as well as having sweeping policy changes at the legislative level. “I’ve heard it described as a train wreck in slow motion,” DeVoe said of climate change policy. “Oregon water is managed under a system of rules that was largely designed to fit a different era. To meet the challenge of climate change we’re going to have to change the system.”

Garlic has a wide variety of beneficial health effects, including the ability to treat thrush, yeast infections, and sore throats. It has even been shown to be beneficial in the fight against cancer! The issue that must be answered is why physicians won’t prescribe it. Allinase is a potent component that is found in garlic, which is why garlic is so beneficial. It is a potent antibacterial fluid that has a rancid and greasy consistency. Aside from the benefits, it provides to one’s health, allinace offers a variety of other advantages. For instance, you might slice up a few cloves of garlic and scatter them on the surface of your outdoor entertainment space. Garlic can shield you and your colleagues from any insects that may be present. Over one hundred different health diseases, including diabetes, plaque buildup in the arteries, mercury poisoning, liver difficulties, and DNA damage, may be prevented and treated with garlic. The following is a list of some of the diseases that garlic may effectively treat: - Excessive development of fungi in the oral cavity, often known as thrush - Infection caused by yeast or Candida - Infection caused by Helicobacter Pylori - Infection caused by Klebsiella - Infection caused by Vibrio - Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, often known as MRSA. - Infection with HIV-1 - Aflatoxicosis caused by mycotoxin exposure - infection caused by streptococcus type B - Infection caused by the cytomegalovirus - Pseudomonas Aerigonosima (drug-resistant strains too) - Infections caused by viruses, such as the herpes simplex virus, vaccinia virus, vesicular stomatitis virus, human rhinovirus type 2, and parainfluenza virus type 3. (both 1 and 2) - Infections caused by viruses, such as the vaccinia virus, herpes simplex virus, vesicular stomatitis virus, human rhinovirus type 2, and parainfluenza virus type 3. (both 1 and 2) This list includes a few of the health issues that garlic’s powerful antibacterial qualities may cure because of its high concentration of naturally occurring antimicrobial compounds. It has been known for quite some time to be effective in warding against and treating cancer. Ancient doctors told people that the best way to treat cancer was to eat a lot of garlic that had been ground up every day. For garlic to be effective in treating cancer, a substantial quantity of it must be consumed. Every day, you must eat at least six cloves of garlic. A single pod of garlic will typically include twelve individual garlic cloves.

Governing Seed for Food Production: The International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture By Nina Isabella Moeller Plant genetic resources for food and agriculture (PGRFA) are part of the foundation of agriculture and of central importance to food sovereignty. These gain an increasingly pivotal role in the context of climate crises, which are threatening predictable crop production, and the erosion of agricultural biodiversity. The main instrument for the governance of PGRFA is the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture. Strengthening the Treaty is crucial. The Treaty establishes a binding international framework for the conservation and sustainable use of plant genetic resources for food and agriculture, and the fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising from their use. Since 2013, negotiations have been underway to enhance the functioning of the Multilateral System of Access and Benefit-sharing. Current informal consultations may pave the way for constructive negotiations at the next Governing Body meeting in May 2022.

Demystifier: ED Original where the content is written in such a way that it is knowledgeable and easy to comprehend at the same time. The rare genetic disease that took away the life of 15-year-old Nihal Bitla seems to have developed a foothold in the country. After the death of India’s first ever reported case of Progeria, two other cases of the disease have been reported. The two children have been diagnosed with Hutchinson-Gilford Progeria Syndrome (HGPS) as per the Progeria Research Foundation. According to medical experts, India now has a total of seven reported and allegedly 66 unreported cases of Progeria. As a part of a fully-funded medical trial, five-and-half-year-old Aditya Sahu of Chhattisgarh will be sent to Boston for medical assistance in the disease. So let’s get in the depth of what actually this disease is. What is Progeria? According to Wikipedia, Progeria is an extremely rare genetic disorder in which symptoms resembling aspects of aging are manifested at a very early age. As much as the disease is rare, it is fatal. The carriers usually do not live past the age of teenage. The longest living survivor was a South Africa based DJ/Artist Leon Botha, who passed away in 2012 at the age of 26. People suffering from this disease can suffer from a number of complications. Symptoms such as slow growth, short stature, underdeveloped jaw, hair loss, wrinkles, dwarfism, enlarged head and physical deformities are seen commonly in Progeria patients. Why Does It Happen? In biological terms, Progeria is the result of a mutation in the LMNA gene that helps to encode a protein. That single mistake in a certain gene causes it to make an abnormal protein called Progerin. Progerin causes the cells in our body to break down rather easily. Progerin is what builds up in the cells of children suffering from Progeria, which makes them age quickly. How many people in the world are suffering from this disease right now? Progeria affects 1 out of every 4 million children. According to Progeria Research Foundation, currently, there are 250 such cases in the world right now out of which nearly 60 are from India. Makes it all the more reason why awareness about this disease needs to be spread in the country sooner. How Can It Be Cured? There is no known cure for the disease. All kinds of treatments that are employed are only to reduce the complications such as arthritis, respiratory, and cardiovascular-related problems. Physical and occupational therapy can also be useful to increase bone strength. The aging of a Progeria patient is comparable to aging at a rate eight times faster than the aging of a normal person. FTIs (farnesyltransferase inhibitors) are a type of anticancer drugs that have been proposed for fixing the damaged cells of a Progeria stricken person but their use has been limited to animal models for now. Although the occurrence of Progeria is extremely rare, awareness about the disease still needs to be spread. It is not inherited or passed down in families. This genetic disorder can occur to anybody irrespective of their gender or race. Nihal Bitla’s journey and intensive campaigning surely paved some way for the others, which is why new cases of the disease are being reported. Faster identification of the disease will help in early diagnosis and thus, a better treatment can be provided to the patient. It might not be possible to completely cure the disease but the quality of life could definitely be improved for the little munchkins who are oblivious to the wrath of this dreadful and fatal disease. Image Credits: Google Images Disclaimer: We do not hold any right, copyright over any of the images used, these have been taken from Google. In case of credits or removal, the owner may kindly mail us.

During the First World War Britain lost its supply of chemicals from Germany. In order to bridge the gap, Jesse brought together a team of experts to begin the research and manufacture of key synthetic chemicals such as aspirin. Boots created a new manufacturing process which involved seventeen different analytical tests, and claimed that their aspirin was the “purest on the market”. The company was soon supplying the British Government with medicines for field hospitals and manufacturing products such as water sterilizing tablets which, at a concentration of 1 in 300,000, claimed to destroy the organisms of cholera, typhoid, coli and dysentery in about thirty minutes. The first employee magazine was produced to raise money for colleagues who were serving in the armed forces. In total twelve editions of the magazine Comrades in Khaki were printed between1915 and 1916. Each one carried a letter from Jesse and Florence and contained news, letters and photographs from employees both at home and overseas. After the war, the company launched two new magazines, The Bee and The Beacon, which further developed the “bond of union” between the company and its employees.

Animals die annually for their fur Average life span of an animal intensively farmed for fur 1m x 70cm Size of the cage housing a young fox for his entire life Despite industry greenwashing claims, confining wild animals in small cages, or catching them in metal traps, can never be done humanely. Animals are intensively farmed to maximize profit, and so-called “monster” foxes are super-sized, often leading to terrible health problems, in order to produce larger pelts that fetch better prices. We’re working to end the terrible, and totally unnecessary, multi-million dollar fur trade by exposing the harsh reality of these cruel, industrial-scale farms and the brutal methods used to trap and kill animals in the wild. Facts about fur: - Wild carnivores such as mink, foxes and raccoon dogs are incarcerated in small, wire floored cages on intensive fur factory farms for their entire short, miserable lives. Killing methods include gassing and anal electrocution. - These terrible conditions can create psychological disorders, causing the animals to constantly pace and circle the boundaries of their cramped space. - Housing in unnatural social groupings can lead to fighting between cage mates and even cannibalism. - Wild-roaming coyotes, wolves and foxes caught in brutal traps that clamp their leg or foot tight suffer terribly, too. - In their desperate struggle to break free, the animals can break their teeth or even gnaw off their own limbs. - Left for many hours or even days, they are unable to seek food, water or shelter, or protect themselves from predators, until the trapper’s bullet or boot puts them out of their misery. - The indiscriminate nature of the traps means they can also inflict pain and anguish on unintended victims such as pets and endangered mammals and birds.

Analog Editing Methods Before the digital age, photographers relied on analog editing techniques to enhance their images. This included processes such as dodging and burning, where the photographer would selectively lighten or darken areas of the print to improve the overall quality. Another common method was using filters and color gels to add different tones to the photograph. These analog techniques required a lot of skill and precision to achieve the desired results. The Shift to Digital Editing With the advent of digital photography, editing techniques underwent a significant transformation. Suddenly, photographers had access to powerful software such as Adobe Photoshop and Lightroom, which allowed for unprecedented control over the editing process. Digital editing opened up a whole new world of possibilities, enabling photographers to manipulate colors, remove imperfections, and even composite multiple images together seamlessly. Introduction of Non-Destructive Editing One of the most significant advancements in photography editing techniques was the introduction of non-destructive editing. Unlike traditional editing methods that permanently altered the original image, non-destructive editing preserves the original file and allows photographers to make changes without losing any image data. This revolutionized the editing process, giving photographers the freedom to experiment and make adjustments without fear of ruining the original image. Artificial Intelligence in Editing In recent years, artificial intelligence (AI) has started to play a significant role in photography editing. AI-powered tools have made complex editing techniques more accessible to photographers of all skill levels. These tools can automatically enhance images, remove unwanted objects, and even suggest creative editing options based on the content of the photo. AI has streamlined the editing process and opened up new possibilities for photographers to explore. The Future of Photography Editing Looking ahead, it’s clear that photography editing techniques will continue to evolve with advancements in technology. As AI continues to improve, we can expect even more intelligent editing tools that can understand and interpret images in ways that were previously unimaginable. Additionally, the rise of computational photography is blurring the lines between traditional photography and digital image processing, creating new opportunities for creative expression. In conclusion, the evolution of photography editing techniques has been truly remarkable. From the days of analog darkroom editing to the modern era of AI-powered tools, photographers have been able to push the boundaries of what is possible with image editing. As technology continues to advance, we can only imagine the incredible innovations that lie ahead for photography editing. Want to dive deeper into the topic? https://www.suroestestudios.com/investment, external content we’ve prepared for you. Explore other viewpoints on this topic through the related posts we’ve compiled. Enjoy:

Discuss what you learned about media watching a film. Think of creating a five paragraph, 500 or so word journal entry. Good Night and Good Luck One way to get at how media unwittingly became complicit in fulfilling the ambitions of terrorists is to look more closely at how journalists do their jobs and how media outlets operate when they are not dealing with a crisis such as a terrorist attack. The following films or HBO series are excellent dramatic depictions of issues relevant to journalism and the press in America. You will watch any of one of the features listed and identify an issue illustrated in the film. Sample topics might include: media as “infotainment” and/or “big business” media as watchdog issues regarding access to sources and classified information the tension between a free press and national security”objectivity” in journalism unintended consequences of media coverage of events adversarial stance of journalists.Discuss what you learned about media watching a film. Think of creating a five paragraph, 500 or so word journal entry. Because this is not an academic essay but a journal, you are encouraged to reflect on your previous thoughts about the media and what you learned watching the film and to connect that to course content. However, only focusing on your emotions and detailing the plot of the movie will bring down your score on this assignment. Strive to introduce the film and what it is about but then move on to discussing a complex issue or issues that the feature depicts about media in the U.S.

Throughout this two-course sequence we have explored evidence and its relationship to strong social work practice. You have learned about how to locate, analyze, compare, and generate evidence to inform and evaluate practice using a host of critical thinking skills. These processes are important aspects of thoughtful, reflective practice. This point is emphasized in the observation that in arenas where social workers often practice, a large, severe gulf exists between evidence and practice: “with the majority of services delivered in usual care settings having little or no relation to practice supported by research” (Chorpita, Bernstein, & Daleiden, 2012, p. 470). Our clients deserve better than this; they deserve access to the best possible practices and services. Helping clients select from among options is informed by evidence, as well as the social worker’s experience and the client’s values and preferences. These three pillars of evidence-based practice place responsibility on social work professionals to present evidence in a manner that facilitates client understanding. In this chapter you: - Learn a format for coordinating evidence from the literature about intervention options; - Review a format for presenting evidence from practice or program evaluation; - Recall what it means to identifyas an evidence-informed social worker; - Review major topics learned throughout this and the previous course; - Consider the future in terms of professional development. Coordinating Intervention Evidence from Literature Presented here is a 7-part format for coordinating intervention evidence located in the literature. This format is not necessarily appropriate for presenting complex information to clients, program leaders, policy decision makers, and potential funders. The actual presentation needs to be tailored to the audience (as learned in Module 5 of our first course). - Specify the intervention question: Using COPES or a similar approach, clearly identify the practice question about which intervention evidence is sought. - Locate, review, and summarize available evidence: Applying skills learned throughout these two courses, identify literature/evidence sources relevant to the specified intervention question. For each source, collect and record the following information. - Type of evidence: Identify the intervention(s) the evidence concerns, the intervention questions the evidence addresses, and the approach(es) used to develop the evidence. - Generalizability: Specify the population to which the evidence applies (i.e., the “sample,” “subjects,” or “participants” involved, and where limits to generalizability might exist. - Intervention elements: Identify the theory or logic model underlying the intervention, critical elements of the intervention, and requirements for implementing the intervention with fidelity (the who, how, when, where, what aspects). - Strength of evidence: Specify whether the evidence is represented in single studies, studies with comparable or competing outcomes, systematic review, meta-analysis, and/or scoping review. Make a determination about strength of the evidence based on the design and analysis methods used to develop the evidence. - Conclusions: Identify conclusions that are appropriately drawn from the evidence (and which conclusions are not supported by evidence). This information can be organized in a table like this, adding rows as needed for additional sources evidence and for additional intervention options. |Intervention Option 1: (specify) |Intervention Option 2: (specify) |Intervention Option 3: (specify) Analysis Report for Audiences The evidence table generated through the previously described activities may or may not be appropriate for presenting to the intended audiences. The following 5-part outline describes what might be included in a report tailored to specific audiences (clients, colleagues, program administrators, policy decision makers, or funders). This type of five-step summary helps the social worker organize a complex body of information. In this way, social workers support informed choices. - Part 1. Clearly state the intervention question being addressed. - Part 2. Summarize the evidence reviewed (as in the previous section). - Part 3. Present a relevance analysis. This analysis is about assessing the available evidence in terms of how well it applies to the specific client, client system, or population identified in the first step. This goes back to the generalizability issue and comparability of the research participants or samples to the clients for whom intervention questions are being asked. This might include assessing demographic and situational characteristics, such as: “presenting problem(s), age, gender, ethnicity, or clinical service setting” (Chorpita, Bernstein, & Daleiden, 2012, p. 472). - Part 4. Summarize implementation details/elements, costs, benefits, and feasibility of each analyzed option. Remember that cost/benefit analysis is not simply about financial costs and savings; important aspects concerning quality of life, time and effort expended/saved, goodness-of-fit dimensions (including “cultural” relevance with culture broadly defined) are also important aspects. Feasibility involves professional competencies and training for providing the intervention with sufficient fidelity, as well as other required resources (time, space, tools). Feasibility also addresses fit with professional ethics, regulations, policies, and billing/funding criteria that might be involved. - Part 5. Identify outstanding, remaining, uncertain, or unanswerable questions about the intervention evidence gathered. The format for such a report should be clearly structured, following a logical outline. The 5-part list above could serve the purpose of structuring the outline. Stop and Think Take a moment to complete the following activity. Visit the website for Practicewise.com, an interactive site synthesizing a vast amount of evidence concerning mental health treatment options for children, adolescents, and their families. Many millions of dollars in funding supported the development of the PracticeWise contents and tools—the result far exceeds what any one practitioner could be expected to generate. Practicewise is a fee-for-use service for practitioners in different disciplines who provide mental health services to children, adolescents, and their families. Since we are not PracticeWise members, we cannot use the services but there are important lessons to be learned from reviewing the PracticeWise service offerings. - View the overview video in the PWEBS Database when you choose the “Our Services” menu. This 4-minute recording talks about how the literature is summarized for practitioner use in treatment planning and decision-making with clients. What does this recording tell you about the kinds of information you want to elicit from the literature and present to your audiences? - Select the PracticeWise Practitioner Guidelines next for the demonstration of practice guides and process guides. Try entering a search command like “Anxiety” and see what comes up as Practice Guide options. In the Process Guide menu, try entering the search command for “Diversity” and see what comes up. (You will not be able to actually open the .pdf files, unfortunately, since you are not a PracticeWise member. They include detailed, step-by-step guidelines for practitioners to follow.) - Returning to the main menu, select MATCH to see what it is about. What does the decision-tree/flowchart approach suggest to you about organizing treatment options? Presenting Evidence from Practice Evaluation In addition to learning how to identify and critically review existing evidence to inform social work practice, you also developed a set of skills related to evaluating practice. In this section we look at different ideas for presenting the evidence that you have generated through your evaluation efforts. The format of your feedback to clients depends, to a great extent, on the clients themselves—what they already believe and understand about the practice question, their expressed preferences, aspects of their specific circumstances, and the circumstances of the feedback situation. The information needs to be tailored to clients’ cognitive abilities for processing the information (e.g., age, cognitive impairment, emotional state, and more). A generic framework for presenting/discussing evaluation results with clients might include the following: - Specification about the variable(s) measured in the evaluation effort. - Specification about the strengths and limitations of the measurement tool(s) used in the evaluation effort (reliability and validity, as well as sensitivity to change measurement). - Presentation of the evidence/data and how the results might be interpreted. - Specification about the strengths and limitations of the evaluation design—how this might influence the conclusions drawn from the evaluation effort. - Conclusions/recommendations developed together with the client(s) based on the evaluation results, your practice expertise, and their preferences. In your evaluation work, you may be called on to present results to professional audiences—colleagues, agency or program administrators, community leaders, policy decision makers, or funders. In our first course you learned about the structure of written and presented research reports: - Abstract or Initial Summary - Results or Findings - Discussion or Recommendations In presenting evidence from your own intervention or evaluation research efforts for understanding intervention, these elements remain an excellent outline. What you have learned throughout this and the prior course have provided you with the necessary knowledge and skills to create such a report or presentation. Review the topics presented in Module 5 of our first course related to making strong presentations, including how to create graphs, charts, figures, tables, and infographics. As a reminder, the Social Work Code of Ethics emphasizes that it you need to ensure that individual clients/participants are not identifiable in any data files or summary reports that you share with others. 5.02.n Social workers who report evaluation and research results should protect participants’ confidentiality by omitting identifying information unless proper consent has been obtained authorizing disclosure. Not only are we concerned about the obvious identifiers (name, address, phone numbers), we are concerned about the ways that individuals’ demographic data could be assembled to make an individual identifiable. For example, the combination of information about ethnicity, age, and gender might make an individual stand out and become identifiable to an audience, particularly in a small population or sample.

The FDA recommends that pregnant and nursing women consume between 8 and 12 ounces of fish per week to provide proper nutrition for a baby’s brain development and overall health. But some fish are very high in mercury, a neurotoxin that can lead to serious cognitive problems and birth defects in children and babies. And the mercury levels in oceans are rising—humans have tripled the mercury content in oceans since the Industrial Revolution—leading to further mercury absorption by predators like tuna. A team at the Consumer Reports National Research Center analyzed data from the Food and Drug Administration’s chart on mercury levels in seafood and determined that consuming 6 ounces of albacore tuna in a week—the level recommended as safe by the FDA for pregnant women—would put a 125-pound woman over the Environmental Protection Agency’s “safe” mercury threshold by more than two ounces. Canned light tuna is thought to offer a lower mercury tuna option, but 20 percent of the FDA’s samples of it contained almost double the average level of mercury that it’s supposed to. Some samples had more mercury than the king mackerel—one of the FDA’s top four high-in-mercury fish—which the agency advises pregnant women and children to avoid. Canned tuna constitutes the second most frequently consumed seafood product in the United States. Some experts like Deborah Rice, a former senior risk assessor for the EPA, think that research since 2001 suggests that there is “no question” that the FDA and EPA’s current limit for mercury consumption is “too high,” she told Consumer Reports. The magazine is urging the FDA and EPA to recommend that pregnant women avoid eating any tuna—and to provide more safety information concerning tuna for pregnant women, children and people who eat a lot of fish (24 ounces of fish, around seven servings, or more per week).

Fluency Boosters are on-screen interventions that teachers can assign to pupils. They are designed to help train specific maths skills that a pupil may be struggling with, as identified in the pupil's Core Profile. There are four Fluency Boosters available in SNAP Maths. They cover four skills that directly underpin number skills: - Comparing numbers - Number relations Pupils can be assigned one or more Fluency Boosters depending on need. They are intended for short, regular bursts of intensive practice, three to four times a week. Each Fluency Booster session automatically ends after five minutes. Assigning Fluency Boosters To assign a Fluency Booster to a pupil, click on either the Counting, Comparing numbers, Subitising, or Number relations bar of the Core Profile graph to open the menu, then click Assign Fluency Booster: Once assigned the button will change: Administering Fluency Boosters On the Plan, Do and Review page, underneath the Questionnaire Profile, you will see a Taking the Fluency Boosters box. This is where you will find your centre’s unique URL and the centre code pupils will need to access their Fluency Boosters once they have been assigned to them: Please note: this information can also be found in the Resource Bank, which does not require you to select a pupil first. To take their assigned Fluency Boosters pupils will need access to a computer, laptop or tablet. Please ensure that pupils have access to headphones. For specific browser requirements, click here. Either you or the pupil will need to enter your centre’s specific URL into their web browser to access the assigned Fluency Boosters. This will need to be done on every computer, laptop, or tablet. Pupils will also need to know their centre code and birthday (day and month only). The centre URL and code will be the same for every pupil who has been assigned a Fluency Booster and remain the same each time they access them. To ensure your pupil data remains secure, you can change your school’s unique centre code at any time by clicking Change code, either on the Assess page or in the Resource Bank. Please note: if you generate a new centre code, make sure that anyone who may be planning a Fluency Booster session with a pupil is told. This is to ensure that pupils can access their Fluency Boosters, as the old code will no longer work. To access their Fluency Boosters, pupils should follow these steps: 1. Pupils enter the five-letter code which is unique to your centre. 2. Pupils then enter their birthday. If a pupil enters their birthday incorrectly, they will see an error message. Check their details. 3. Once they have entered their birthday, pupils must choose their name from the options presented on-screen. 4. Once they have selected their name the pupil dashboard will open, and they will be able to see their assigned Fluency Boosters and access them on-screen. If a Fluency Booster has not been assigned it will be greyed out. Once a pupil has completed all the levels in a Fluency Booster, a green tick will appear and the pupil will no longer be able to access it. If required, a pupil can log out by clicking the arrow next to their name in the top-right hand corner: This can be useful if a pupil has accidentally logged in using someone else’s birthday. They will be taken to the first log in screen and asked to enter the code. Please note: Once a pupil has completed a session they will not be able to access their Fluency Booster again for five hours. This is because the Fluency Boosters are meant be done a few days a week as part of regular practice sessions and should not be completed all at once. When they click on their Fluency Booster it will open in a new window: If a Fluency Booster does not immediately launch in a new window, please check that your browser allows pop-ups or enable it for this site. Some browsers may prompt you to manually allow pop-ups. For every Fluency Booster, there are instruction screens and practice questions to help the pupil to understand what they need to do. They can click the audio icon if they want to hear the text read to them. Pupils have the option to view the instructions and practice question again every time they log in to access their Fluency Boosters. Once a Fluency Booster is started, pupils just need to select their answer and they will be taken straight to the next question. When they get an answer correct, they will see a star appear on-screen and hear a positive ‘ping’ sound. Pupils cannot go back and change their answer. The Fluency Boosters are adaptive, meaning that pupil’s progress is dependent on their performance. Both their accuracy (how many questions they are getting right) and their fluency (which is dependent on how quickly and accurately they are answering the questions) are taken into consideration. Depending on these two factors the questions will get harder as the pupil progresses. For more information about how the Fluency Boosters work, there is a Fluency Booster guide that can be downloaded on the Plan, Do and Review page. Each Fluency Booster automatically ends after five minutes. A progress bar is visible on-screen so that the pupil can see how much time they have left. The Fluency Boosters continually auto-save whilst the pupil is answering to ensure that results data is stored. If a pupil accidentally exits the test player or the internet connection is interrupted, they can open the Fluency Booster again to resume from where they left off. Please note: the questions are randomised in every Fluency Booster. Clicking End session at the end of each Fluency Booster will end the session for that day. A green tick will appear on the pupil’s Fluency Booster menu once they have worked through all the levels. Fluency Booster Progress Graphs On the ‘Plan, Do and Review’ page, you can track a pupil’s progress in their assigned Fluency Booster(s) via individual graphs that will update after every session is complete. In each graph the y axis shows the Fluency Booster level and the x axis lists every session and the date. The point plotted on the graphs show you the last level the pupil achieved: When you hover over each of the plotted points you can view a level description to see what the pupil was working on, and the average accuracy and fluency score achieved. A pupil may work through multiple levels in a session, and if this happens all the levels and results will be displayed in the tool tip. If a pupil stays within the same level for a session the average accuracy and fluency score for every attempt is shown. There are arrows at the bottom of the graph to help you track a pupil’s progress over time.

Kale is a type of green leafy vegetable that is touted as a superfood . This nickname arises because of the many vitamins and minerals that you can get just by eating kale. For example, one glass of raw kale contains 3 grams of protein, 2.5 grams of fiber, vitamins A, C, K, and B, alpha-linolenic acid and omega-3 fats, as well as lutein, zeaxanthin, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, and zinc. All vitamins and minerals are needed by the body and have their respective roles. Just imagine, just by buying, processing, and consuming one type of vegetable, you can get all of these nutritional intakes. To better understand the reason for the increasing popularity of kale, let's find out more about the benefits of kale. First, this vegetable is known to be rich in antioxidants. Antioxidants function to fight free radicals that trigger premature aging and cause cancer. Second, kale also helps lower cholesterol. One study found that consuming kale juice for 12 consecutive days increased good cholesterol by 27 percent and lowered bad cholesterol by 10 percent. Furthermore, the lutein and zeaxanthin content in kale leaves is useful for reducing your risk of developing myopia and cataracts. Another benefit of kale that is no less important is its ability to help you lose weight. The high water and fiber content and low calories found in kale leaves make you feel full longer. Therefore, kale is good for consumption by those of you who intend to lose weight. Even though it has a myriad of benefits, excessive consumption of kale can have a negative impact on health, especially if you like to eat raw kale. Compared to cooked kale leaves, raw kale has more potential to cause health problems. The following are health problems that can be triggered by consuming raw kale. Indigestion and flatulence The fiber contained in kale is a type of stiff fiber that doesn't dissolve easily. It is this fiber that makes it a little difficult for you to chew raw kale. When you finish chewing and swallowing raw kale, the vegetable will pass through the digestive tract intact because it doesn't dissolve quickly. This type of fiber is indeed useful for smooth bowel movements and overcome constipation. However, excessive consumption of rigid fiber can cause digestive problems. Fiber from kale leaves can get stuck in the intestines. As a result, you will feel bloated and pass gas more often. Not only that, kale leaves also contain a sugar called raffinose. This type of sugar is difficult to digest by the stomach. The stomach and small intestine don't have enough enzymes to break down raffinose so this sugar content will enter the large intestine intact. Raffinose will then ferment with intestinal bacteria and produce methane and carbon dioxide. As a result, your stomach will feel swollen due to bloating. Raw kale contains thiocyanate compounds which in large quantities can interfere with the absorption of iodine by the body. If the body does not have sufficient amounts of iodine, you can experience a condition of hypothyroidism, which is when the thyroid gland fails to produce the amount of thyroid hormone it should. Thyroid hormone plays an important role in regulating the body's metabolism. Inadequate amounts of this hormone cause blood sugar instability, weight gain, and metabolic health. In more severe cases, your body can experience swelling of the thyroid gland which causes a goiter. Triggers the emergence of kidney stones If you are at high risk of developing kidney stones, then raw kale is a food that you need to avoid. The reason is, kale leaves contain a fairly high amount of oxalate. In the body, oxalate with the mineral calcium will produce a compound with a shape resembling sharp needles which cannot be absorbed by the body. The combination of calcium and oxalate stones is the main cause of kidney stone disease. If you are at risk of developing kidney stones, then you should reduce your consumption of kale, especially in its raw state. Choose other types of vegetables according to your nutritional needs and body condition. Even though there is a risk of causing health problems, it doesn't mean you can't eat kale at all. Keep in mind again, kale leaves are a superfood with a variety of vitamins and other nutrients. So that you can get the maximum benefit from kale leaves while avoiding the negative effects, make sure you consume enough kale leaves or don't overdo it. Also, try to avoid consuming raw kale leaves. Come on, consume kale in sufficient quantities and enjoy its myriad health benefits! #LiveExcellently

How Can a Food Sensitivity Test Help You? The life-threatening risk that can be associated with allergies makes finding an effective food allergy treatment all the more important. But what about food sensitivity that brings discomfort without the severe risk? While the issue is not life-threatening, many Atlanta residents do suffer from food sensitivity that causes headaches, bloating and diarrhea. Discovering the cause of the problem is the first stage in getting people on the road towards full health. What Is Food Sensitivity? Food sensitivity can be hard to define, as the term is sometimes used interchangeably with “food allergies” or “food intolerance.” A food allergy is a serious immune system condition involving immunoglobulin E (IgE) antibodies. In contrast, food intolerance does not involve the immune system, but means difficulty digesting certain foods. As mentioned above, food sensitivity is regarded as a condition that involves the immune system. And, symptoms usually take longer to appear – making it more difficult to diagnose. However, the dangers of severe illness from the condition are minimal. What Type of Food Sensitivity Tests Are Available? Understanding the precise food causing health issues enables individuals to follow an avoidance diet or food desensitization process. Here are some tests used in a diagnosis. Blood tests are used to monitor antibodies, with the presence of an excessive number of IgE antibodies potentially indicating sensitivity to specific foods. Blood tests can check a wide variety of foods, aiding an allergist with diagnosing a condition. Mediator Release Test A mediator release test is an alternative type of blood test. A blood sample is taken and exposed to a food antigen to see if white blood cells shrink. The test aims to monitor whether exposure to an antigen leads to a reaction. If chemicals are released during the exposure, it suggests an individual would experience symptoms of food sensitivity. Hydrogen Breath Test A hydrogen breath test monitors for small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) and intolerance to sugars. The test requires a patient to fast overnight before consuming a sugar solution the next morning. The test then measures the amount of hydrogen in your breath, indicating your ability to break down various sugars and carbohydrates. A food elimination diet takes place over approximately 3–6 weeks. Foods suspected of causing health issues are eliminated from your diet. You then reintroduce each food individually, monitoring for symptoms of sensitivity. Best Options for Food Sensitivity and Allergies Due to the delayed reaction caused by food sensitivity, it may not be obvious where the problem lies. Therefore, in order to assess the best testing option for you or your child, make an appointment with an allergist. After a discussion about your symptoms, you may need to undergo food allergy testing and an additional sensitivity test to discover the precise issue. Your allergist will be able to determine the appropriate test for your symptoms. Specialist Treatment for Food Allergies and Food Sensitivity If you have concerns about food allergies, sensitivity or intolerance, it’s important to get treatment. Chacko Food Allergy Treatment Center will find the cause of your food-based ailment and then develop an effective treatment plan. Call 678-668-4688 for an appointment in Alpharetta, Atlanta, Canton, Cumming, Druid Hills, Duluth or Johns Creek, or request an appointment online. Image Credit – Jarun Ontakrai/Shutterstock.com

In yesterday’s Boston Globe Magazine, I read an article proposing a new solution for Christopher Columbus Park in the North End after a despicable excuse for a human being decapitated the statue of the park’s namesake. Megan Montgomery suggested that a statue of Nicola Sacco and Bartolomeo Vanzetti be created to replace the statue of Christopher Columbus. Sacco and Vanzetti were the two Italian-American immigrants convicted in 1921 of killing a paymaster and a guard and stealing $15,000 from the Slater and Morrill Shoe Company in Braintree, MA. They were executed in 1927. Many people believed at the time and still believe today that Sacco and Vanzetti were wrongfully convicted. Protests and riots took place, not unlike what has happened in response to the death of George Floyd. Montgomery argues that building a Sacco and Vanzetti statue would raise awareness of wrongful convictions and that their story is relevant to the issues of prejudice and classism facing America today. She also points out that Sacco, a shoemaker, and Vanzetti, a fish peddler, became friends after getting involved with workers’ rights and anti-World War I activism. She calls them heroes who fought for the rights of everyday people. This is all true, and there is absolutely nothing wrong with putting up a Sacco and Vanzetti statue. But this should be in addition to the Columbus statue, not instead of it. “Columbus symbolizes violence and unchecked power, and doesn’t deserve a statue any more than he deserves a federal holiday,” Montgomery writes. She claims that the Columbus statue symbolizes “historical oppression” and calls on Boston’s Italian-American community to “memorialize new heroes.” She points out the usual anti-Columbus arguments, which go essentially as follows: - Columbus wasn’t really Italian-American, as Italy didn’t exist in 1492 (he was from Genoa, which is part of modern-day Italy). - Columbus didn’t exactly discover the Americas, because they were already inhabited. - Columbus and his supporters colonized the lands that they found, enslaved the native people, and caused many deaths. Obviously, Christopher Columbus was not perfect. His story and deeds involved violence, and he and his supporters were not exactly respectful towards the native people that they encountered. But that does not mean that he symbolizes violence, unchecked power, or oppression. Nor does it mean that he deserves to have his statue decapitated and his holiday canceled. Every person is a mix of various qualities, some good and some bad. To some people, violent colonization is the first thing that comes to mind when they hear the name Columbus. To others, Columbus is fondly memorialized as a skilled navigator, charismatic leader, brave explorer, and the first Italian-American (as a native of Genoa, he comes close enough). After all, even though the so-called New World wasn’t new to all the people who had been living there for millennia, it is hard to deny that Columbus’s achievements required intelligence, determination, courage, and independence of thought. If I had to choose who is more worthy of a statue, Columbus or Sacco and Vanzetti, I would choose Columbus. But we shouldn’t have to choose. There’s nothing wrong with having both. People are always going to have different opinions on the relative merits of various historical figures. The same individual can symbolize different things depending on who you ask. People have different ideas of right and wrong, weigh personal qualities differently, and simply are partial to different historical figures. An existing statue cannot be removed just because some people decide that the historical figure is not worthy of being honored. This demonstrates a complete disregard for the people who admire the historical figure and love the statue. Adding more statues to increase diversity and to include under-represented groups enriches our world. Taking down statues – let alone viciously beheading them – only impoverishes it.

This content mentions suicide or suicidal thoughts. Please read with care. There are details of where to find help at the bottom of this page. We all go through tough times, and people help us through them. Other times we have been worried about other people’s mental health. Whether they are a friend, family member or colleague, there are many ways to support somebody you care about. How do I know if someone has a mental health problem? Sometimes it will seem obvious when someone is going through a hard time, but there is no simple way of knowing if they have a mental health problem. Sometimes you don’t need to know. It’s more important to respond sensitively to someone who seems troubled than to find out whether or not they have a diagnosis. Although certain symptoms are common with specific mental health problems, no two people behave the same way when unwell. You may notice changes in their behaviour or mood if you know the person well. Our A-Z of mental health provides information on various mental health problems. How can I help? There are many ways you can help a friend, relative or colleague who has a mental health problem: Talking about mental health It can be challenging to know what to do if you are worried about someone. When you know there is an issue, it is essential not to wait. Waiting and hoping they will come to you for help might lose valuable time getting them support. Talking to someone is often the first step when you know they are having a hard time. This way, you can find out what is troubling them and what you can do to help. Eight tips for talking about mental health 1. Set time aside with no distractions It is important to provide an open and non-judgemental space with no distractions. 2. Let them share as much or as little as they want to Let them lead the discussion at their own pace. Don’t pressure them to tell you anything they aren’t ready to talk about. Talking can take a lot of trust and courage. You might be the first person they have been able to talk to about this. 3. Don't try to diagnose or second guess their feelings You probably aren’t a medical expert, and while you may be happy to talk and offer support, you aren’t a trained counsellor. Try not to make assumptions about what is wrong or jump in too quickly with your own diagnosis or solutions. 4. Keep questions open ended Say, "Why don’t you tell me how you are feeling?" rather than "I can see you are feeling very low". Try to keep your language neutral. Give the person time to answer and try not to grill them with too many questions. 5. Talk about self-care Discuss ways of de-stressing or practising self-care and ask if they find anything helpful. Exercising, having a healthy diet and getting a good night's sleep can help protect mental health and sustain wellbeing. 6. Listen carefully to what they tell you Repeat what they have said back to them to ensure you have understood it. You don’t have to agree with what they are saying, but by showing you understand how they feel, you are letting them know you respect their feelings. 7. Offer them help in seeking professional support and provide information on ways to do this You might want to offer to go to the GP with them or help them talk to a friend or family member. Try not to take control and allow them to make decisions. 8. Know your limits You will have your own limits on the support that you can provide. And it's important to take care of yourself too. Give yourself time to rest and process what they have told you or what’s happened. Try to help them create a support network of other friends, relatives and mental health professionals who can help them too. Remember that If you believe they are in immediate danger or have injuries that need medical attention, you must take urgent action to ensure they are safe. More details on dealing in a crisis can be found below. If it is a family member or close friend you are concerned about, they might not want to talk to you. Try not to take this personally: talking to someone you love can be difficult as they might be worried they are hurting you. It is important to keep being open and honest and telling them that you care. It may also be helpful to give them information about organisations or people they can reach out to. A list can be found below. How do I respond in a crisis? People with mental health problems sometimes experience a crisis, such as feeling suicidal or experiencing their own or a different reality. You may also feel a sense of crisis, but staying calm is important. There are some general strategies that you can use to help: - Listen without making judgements and concentrate on their needs at that moment - Ask them what would help them - Reassure and signpost to practical information or resources. - Avoid confrontation - Ask if there is someone they would like you to contact - Encourage them to seek appropriate professional help - If they have hurt themselves, make sure they get the first aid they need Seeing, hearing or believing things that no one else does can be the symptom of a mental health problem. It can be frightening and upsetting. Gently remind the person who you are and why you are there. Don’t reinforce or dismiss their experiences; acknowledge how the symptoms make them feel. How do I respond if someone is suicidal? If someone tells you they are feeling suicidal or can’t go on, it is very important to encourage them to get help. You or they should contact a GP or NHS 111. They can also contact the Samaritans immediately by calling 116 123 (UK) for free anytime. They could also get help from their friends, family, or mental health services. You can ask how they feel and let them know you are available to listen. Talking can be a great help to someone who is feeling suicidal, but it may be distressing for you. You need to talk to someone about your feelings; the Samaritans can help you. If they are planning to take their own life, please encourage them to call 999 (UK) or go to A&E and ask for the contact of the nearest crisis resolution team. These are teams of mental health care professionals who work with people in severe distress. Useful organisations and resources The first person to approach is your family doctor. they should be able to advise about treatment and may refer you to another local professional. See our guide on How to talk to your GP about your mental health. Specialist mental health services Several specialist services provide various treatments, including counselling and other talking treatments. Often these different services are coordinated by a community mental health team (CMHT), which is usually based either at a hospital or a local community mental health centre. Some teams provide 24-hour services so that you can contact them in a crisis. You should be able to contact your local CMHT through your local social services or social work team. Rethink Advice and Information Service Anxiety UK runs a helpline staffed by volunteers with personal experience of anxiety from 9:30-5:30, Monday to Friday. Call 08444 775 774. Citizens Advice provides free, independent, confidential advice for various problems and information on your rights and responsibilities. StepChange provides help and information for people dealing with various debt problems. Freephone (including from mobiles) 0800 138 1111 or visit the website on www.stepchange.org. MindEd is a free educational resource on children and young people’s mental health for all adults. If you are feeling like ending your life or feel unable to keep yourself safe, please call 999 or go to A&E and ask for the contact of the nearest crisis resolution team. These are teams of mental health care professionals who work with people in severe distress. If you feel affected by the content you have read, please see our get help page for support. Talking to your GP about your mental health Many of us find it hard to find the words to talk about how we’re feeling. But you don’t have to put off making an appointment until you’re at a crisis point. Being prepared can make your appointment feeling a little easier. The sooner you go, the sooner you can start to feel better. A-Z on mental health Head to our A-Z page and search for a related topic of interest to you.

Prepare for Flu Season: What You Need to know As winter approaches, preparing for the flu before the flu season starts is essential. Each year, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) publishes the flu season annual report, which details statistics from the previous flu season and how it affected the population. When the flu season struck in 2022, the population was more susceptible to catching it, and therefore, excess deaths hit a 5-year high since before the pandemic. Dr Connall Watson (2023) stated that due to the imposed COVID-19 measures, the population had lower immunity following the flu’s absence due to social distancing. Now that the coronavirus measures are gone, the population has begun to mix again, and germs are therefore recirculating. This guide will discuss how you can prepare for the incoming flu season in the UK. - What is Flu? - When is Flu Season in the UK? - Preparing for Flu Season - Surviving Flu Season UK FAQs - Flu Season 2023-2024 What is Flu? Flu (influenza) is a common respiratory illness affecting your nose, throat, and lungs. It is very infectious, meaning it can quickly spread between people. Flu symptoms often resolve independently, but it can make some people severely ill. What are Flu Symptoms? The below symptoms are associated with the flu and can come on very suddenly: - Sore throat - Loss of appetite - High temperature - Feeling exhausted - Aching all over your body - Nausea and vomiting Always seek medical attention if your symptoms increase in severity or do not improve within a week. Who is Most Susceptible to Catching the Flu? Flu is very contagious for people of all ages. However, it can be more severe for older people, pregnant women, or young children as their immune systems are compromised or not fully developed yet. The flu will also seriously affect those with pre-existing health conditions. How Many People Die During the Flu Season Each Year? Last year, England suffered its worst flu season in a decade. The 2022 to 2023 report highlighted that there were 14,500 excess deaths from the flu in the UK. In December 2022, flu and pneumonia were the leading causes of excess death. England experienced 574 extra flu deaths, 26% above average. It is, therefore, vital to be prepared for flu season before it starts. When is Flu Season in the UK? Flu season tends to occur between October and March. Still, most of the population will likely be struck down by the flu in January and February when the temperature has significantly dropped. The cold air during winter months aids the preservation of viruses. As people gather in the warmth indoors, the flu begins to spread. Preparing for Flu Season Prepare for flu season by stocking essential items such as hand soap, hand sanitiser, and paper towels. Drying your hands with paper towels is the most hygienic way to dry hands, as the friction can remove excess germs. Wash your Hands Flu is spread through direct contact with others or touching a contaminated surface. To avoid the flu, individuals should wash their hands for at least 20 seconds with high-quality hand soap and use hand sanitiser when on the go. Clean and Disinfect Surfaces should be disinfected regularly, as germs can live on particular surfaces for up to 24 hours. Flu germs typically live longer on stainless steel and plastic than on tissue and fabric surfaces, so individuals should disinfect hard surfaces daily. Make Healthy Choices Your risk of falling seriously ill with flu increases when you have a weak immune system. By eating nutritious meals, getting plenty of rest, and staying hydrated with water, your immune system will be ready to combat any germs it comes into contact with. Air purification systems in commercial spaces such as offices are essential in improving air quality by removing bacteria. The spread of influenza occurs in shared areas such as offices; removing airborne particles from the air mitigates the risk. Get your Vaccination The best way to protect yourself from the flu is by getting the flu vaccine. By getting vaccinated, if you catch the flu, your body will be better equipped to fight off the flu, and you can protect more vulnerable individuals. Surviving Flu Season UK FAQs How long will I be contagious with the flu? Most adults can start infecting others 1 day before they develop their flu symptoms until around 7 days after their symptoms have disappeared. Those with a weakened immune system may remain contagious for several weeks. How can I cure the flu fast? Getting plenty of rest, drinking plenty of water, taking over-the-counter medication, and eating nutritious meals will form the perfect recipe to cure your flu. How often should I wash my hands? Handwashing is a very effective way of reducing the spread of viruses. Experts claim that individuals should wash their hands 6 to 10 times a day, specifically after using the toilet, before eating or handling foods, and after sneezing or coughing. Flu Season 2023-2024 Seasonal flu is predicted to continue throughout 2023 and 2024 due to the resurgence of the virus in 2022. Although it is difficult to predict the severity of the expected flu season, it helps to prepare yourself. Make sure to invest in supplies, whether for your home or your office, to help prevent the spread of the virus. Most importantly, look after yourself and make healthy decisions anticipating flu season.

Bestanimalart.com – Are you passionate about working with animals and helping young people learn about them? If so, becoming a Merit Badge Counselor for Animal Trainer might be the perfect fit for you. The Boy Scouts of America offers this opportunity to qualified individuals who want to share their knowledge and skills with young scouts. Merit Badge Counselor Training Merit badge counselor training is an important part of the Boy Scouts of America program. It is designed to help volunteers understand their role and responsibilities in guiding Scouts through the merit badge process. There are several basic principles that every merit badge counselor should understand: - Scout Spirit: The merit badge program is designed to help Scouts develop skills and build character. As a merit badge counselor, it is important to encourage Scout Spirit and provide a positive learning environment. - Requirements: Merit badges have specific requirements that Scouts must complete in order to earn the badge. As a counselor, it is important to understand these requirements and help Scouts complete them. - Counselor Role: As a merit badge counselor, your role is to guide Scouts through the badge requirements. You are not there to do the work for them, but to provide support and guidance as needed. - Safety: Safety is always a top priority. As a counselor, it is important to ensure that Scouts are completing requirements in a safe and appropriate manner. - Record Keeping: Keeping accurate records is important for both the Scout and the counselor. As a counselor, it is important to keep track of which requirements have been completed and to sign off on completed requirements in the Scout’s handbook. Tips for Merit Badge Counselor Training for Animal Trainers 1. Understand the Requirements Before you begin training merit badge counselors, make sure you fully understand the requirements of the merit badge. This will help you prepare your training materials and ensure that you cover all of the necessary topics. 2. Be Prepared Make sure you have all of the necessary materials and equipment for your training session. This may include handouts, visual aids, and props. Being prepared will help you stay organized and present a professional training session. 3. Use Real-Life Examples When teaching animal trainers, it’s important to use real-life examples to help illustrate your points. This may include videos, case studies, or personal anecdotes. Using real-life examples will help your audience better understand the concepts you are presenting. 4. Encourage Participation Encourage your audience to participate in the training session by asking questions and engaging in discussions. This will help keep them engaged and interested in the material. You may also want to include hands-on activities or demonstrations to help reinforce the concepts you are teaching. 5. Provide Feedback After your training session, provide feedback to your audience. This may include a written evaluation or individual feedback sessions. Providing feedback will help your audience improve their skills and become better animal trainers. |Professional Animal Trainer: The Complete Guide to Training Pets |This book provides a comprehensive guide to training all types of pets, including dogs, cats, birds, and small animals. It covers everything from basic obedience training to advanced tricks and behaviors. |The Art of Animal Training: Creative Approaches for Working With Dogs, Cats, and Other Pets |This book provides a creative approach to animal training, emphasizing the importance of building a strong bond between trainer and pet. It covers a wide range of training techniques and includes step-by-step instructions for teaching a variety of behaviors. |Train Your Dog Like a Pro: Step-by-Step Guide to Training Your Dog |This book provides a step-by-step guide to training your dog, covering everything from basic obedience to advanced tricks and behaviors. It includes practical tips and advice for dealing with common behavior problems. Positive Reinforcement Training for Animal Trainer What is Positive Reinforcement Training? Positive reinforcement training is a training technique that focuses on rewarding desired behaviors instead of punishing undesirable behaviors. It involves the use of treats, praise, and other rewards to encourage animals to exhibit the desired behavior. Why is Positive Reinforcement Training Important? Positive reinforcement training is important because it is a humane and effective way to train animals. It helps to build trust between the animal and the trainer and can result in a stronger bond between the two. It also leads to more consistent and reliable behavior from the animal. How to Use Positive Reinforcement Training as an Animal Trainer As an animal trainer, it is important to understand the principles of positive reinforcement training. This involves identifying the desired behavior, providing the appropriate reward, and timing the reward correctly. It is also important to be consistent in the use of rewards and to gradually increase the level of difficulty of the desired behavior. Examples of Positive Reinforcement Training Some examples of positive reinforcement training include clicker training, treat training, and praise training. Clicker training involves the use of a clicker to signal to the animal that it has exhibited the desired behavior, followed by a reward. Treat training involves giving the animal a treat as a reward for exhibiting the desired behavior. Praise training involves praising the animal as a reward for exhibiting the desired behavior. The Benefits of Positive Reinforcement Training There are many benefits to using positive reinforcement training as an animal trainer. These include a stronger bond between the animal and the trainer, more reliable behavior from the animal, and a more enjoyable training experience for both the animal and the trainer. Positive reinforcement training is also a humane and ethical way to train animals. Positive reinforcement training is an important technique for animal trainers to use. It is a humane and effective way to train animals and can result in a stronger bond between the animal and the trainer. By understanding the principles of positive reinforcement training and using it consistently, animal trainers can achieve great results in their training programs. Dog Training With Positive Reinforcement | Teacher’s Pet With Victoria Stilwell | Video Merit Badge Counselor Training: A Guide to Helping Future Scouts Becoming a merit badge counselor is a great opportunity to help young Scouts learn valuable skills and earn badges that will serve them for a lifetime. However, it’s not a role that should be taken lightly. As a counselor, you are responsible for ensuring that Scouts are completing the requirements correctly and safely. That’s why it’s essential to undergo proper merit badge counselor training to prepare you for the role. What is Merit Badge Counselor Training? Merit Badge Counselor Training is a course designed to help individuals who are interested in becoming a merit badge counselor for the Boy Scouts of America. The training covers various topics, including the role of a counselor, how to work with Scouts, and how to properly assess their progress. The course also teaches best practices for conducting merit badge sessions, including safety guidelines and how to handle any issues that may arise. Why is Merit Badge Counselor Training Important? Merit badge counselor training is crucial for several reasons. First and foremost, it helps ensure that Scouts are receiving accurate and safe instruction from qualified individuals. It also helps counselors understand their responsibilities and the importance of their role in shaping the future of the Scouts they work with. Additionally, the training provides ongoing support and resources for counselors so that they can continue to improve and grow in their role. How to Get Merit Badge Counselor Training To become a merit badge counselor, you must first register with the Boy Scouts of America and complete the necessary paperwork. Once you have done that, you can attend a merit badge counselor training course. These courses are typically offered at the local council level and are taught by experienced counselors who have been trained to teach the course. You can also find online resources and training modules to supplement your learning. Conclusion and Closing Becoming a merit badge counselor is a great way to give back to your community and help shape the future of young Scouts. However, it’s important to undergo proper training to ensure that you are prepared for the role and can provide accurate and safe instruction. By completing merit badge counselor training, you can feel confident in your ability to positively impact the lives of Scouts. We invite you to share your thoughts and experiences in the comments below and to share this article with others who may be interested in becoming a merit badge counselor.

With every surge in Covid cases, we seem to face various levels of restrictions and even quarantines. So, you may be needing to stay home with your children. This is a perfect time to help them remain of good courage and actively develop and learn with an uplifting attitude in challenging times. A child’s innocence is a gift. In Matthew 18:1-3, the Bible has this to say: “At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, ‘Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?’ And calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of them and said, ‘Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.’” With their innocence, it is up to parents and caregivers to love them and protect them the way they deserve. With this in mind, let us share how you can keep your children encouraged and interested in useful activities. Try the Creation Illustrated Unit Studies To keep your children busy, there are some offers from Creation Illustrated Unit Studies that you can look at. For example, there is the Alpaca Unit Study. According to the product description children may be able to “explore the many amazing features God has given to Alpacas! From their amazingly soft and warm fleece to the history of how they have been utilized as domesticated animals in the Andes Mountains, there is much to learn about these unique creatures. Now they are a very popular hobby farm animal that can teach youth and families about animal husbandry. This wonderful Unit Study on the life and usefulness of alpacas will help students better understand these fascinating creatures.” There are also many other animal Unit Studies that you can choose from. We recommend that you start with your child’s favorite animal. The animal that he or she wants to play with the most is at the zoo. See to it that you can provide the best experience for your child while you both explore other animals such as bears, manatees, and even chickens. Some of the Unit Studies also include subjects such as plants that you will want to explore with your kids as well as other elements present on our planet. You can check out the studies on minerals, orchids, and all of the other subjects that are available from Creation Illustrated. Talk About What Is Happening In A Positive Way Eventually, your children will ask questions about what is happening, and you can use this opportunity to keep them encouraged during the quarantine by talking about it positively. The best way to be positive about the situation is to talk about the Bible and the experiences of the characters that can teach them valuable lessons that they can carry throughout their lives. Children will likely ask questions because of the changes that are happening all the time. At the beginning of the pandemic, the abrupt changes disrupted their everyday lives and this should be discussed in a way that promotes flexibility and a positive attitude that helps avoid depression and anxiety. Let them know that things will be alright and that we are all experiencing change which can be kind of an adventure together. Play In The Backyard If you live in a neighborhood with a big space between or behind the houses, then the best thing that you can do for your children is to play with them outside in the backyard. If there is a common area or a park, try to avoid getting too close to others. If the weather is good enough, going for a picnic or having a barbecue will help get everyone out of the house. The pandemic is a time for you to bond with your children, but it is also a time for you to see to it that they learn about life’s responsibilities. You can teach your children about this when you give them chores that they can carry out for their age. For example, if you have children that are already almost teenagers they can probably help with cleaning the house and taking out the trash. For smaller children, you can instruct them to clean up their play areas and make sure that take care of any of the toys that they played with during the day. Puzzles Are Also Good If you also want your children to be active and avoid too much Social Media, puzzles are also a good way to keep them entertained and keep them learning. Helping your children learn art skills builds creativity. They can even make greeting cards to give to someone who needs encouragement. Drawing, painting, and crafts provide nearly endless opportunities to keep your children busy and away from computers and cell phones. Even cutting out beautiful pictures from magazines like Creation Illustrated will help them focus on uplifting images that bring calmness to their minds. Your Children Are Your Gift A lot of parents and parenting styles are being tested during this pandemic. When we all had to put our children in homeschool last year along with all of the other trials, our faith was being tested as well as our parenting styles. As we all adjust, let us remember that one of the greatest gifts that we have received from our Creator is our children. When the pandemic first started, a lot of parents became dependent on technology, which was not good for the children. Many studies show how the overuse of technology affects their development. This is why magazines such as Creation Illustrated have become an important part of many people’s lives. There are many ways that we can help our families explore new subjects, get outdoors, and be creative. So seize this opportunity to explore new things at home.

Farmscape for July 27, 2018 A Research Scientist with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada says, by moving to precision feeding, pork producers will have the opportunity to identify the most efficient animals. Scientists working on behalf of Swine Innovation Porc have demonstrated that, by formulating rations to meet the specific needs of each pig, pork producers can reduce the overall nutritional requirements of the herd by about 25 percent. Dr. Candido Pomar, a Research Scientist with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, says in addition to reducing feed costs precision feeding will provide the opportunity to identify those pigs that convert feed more efficiently. Clip-Dr. Candido Pomar-Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada: Now we are feeding individual animals and animals are like humans. We are not all the same. So we can now identify the peculiarities of each animal that makes one animal more efficient than another one. That's what we are targeting now. In the future we are going to be very precise in terms of defining the needs of the animal because we know which is the more efficient animal so we are going to provide him with the right level of nutrients according to his own efficiency, how he is transforming feeds and other animals we are going to feed them differently, not because he is performing more or less, but because he is more or less efficient. This is a point where we are very excited here in the lab because we are looking to the individual animals, identifying their nutritional personalities. In tying to get these answers we are discovering very nice things in terms of the animal's metabolism and the animal's behavior which also has an important effect on nutrient efficiency. Dr. Pomar says where scientists are now able to reduce the nutritional needs of the herd by about 25 percent, that reduction could go even higher by identifying more efficient animals. For Farmscape.Ca, I'm Bruce Cochrane. *Farmscape is a presentation of Sask Pork and Manitoba Pork