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This project seeks to understand how the expansion of floodplain treescapes can reduce the impact of river flooding using a typical catchment in the south of the UK. The Environment Agency estimates that around 5.2 million properties in the UK are at risk from river flooding. They also estimate that this amount will double in the next 50 years due to climate change and historic changes in land use, such as deforestation, agricultural practices, artificial drainage, and urbanization. Floodplain forests have been proven to reduce the risks of flooding by offering blockage of the flow of water. In addition, these areas offer important benefits to biodiversity, water quality, health and our culture. During this Fellowship, Leon Baruah, in partnership with Alexander Antonarakis at the University of Sussex, will create a conceptual model that will demonstrate flood impacts with different types of floodplain treescapes, including natural vs manmade, age, species mix and treescape locations. This will help to identify pathways towards reforesting degraded floodplains. This effort will focus on the rivers Uck and Ouse in Sussex, where the Sussex Wildlife Trust is working to restore floodplain functioning with woodland creation including native floodplain species such as black poplar. Dr Leon Baruah is an environmental entrepreneur, digital humanitarian, astrophysicist and the co-founder of Viridian Logic. He completed a Masters degree with Prof Seb Oliver and then a PhD on the Dark Energy Survey with Prof Kathy Romer in the School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences. He then returned to the university in 2017 to undertake an RSE Enterprise Fellowship. During the fellowship, Leon used the data analysis skills he’d learned studying astrophysics to calculate where to plant trees and create habitats in order to reduce the risk of flooding in landscapes. Leon Baruah, Viridian Logic University of Sussex and the Sussex Wildlife Trust,

Throughout history, Lotteries have been banned in England for a variety of reasons, including a perceived bias toward the wealthy and low-income residents. Whether a Lottery is a legitimate form of gambling or merely a source of entertainment is another matter, however. This article explores some of the arguments in favor of Lotteries, as well as their current legal status. The article concludes that Lotteries are generally beneficial to the poor and are a form of entertainment, not a form of gambling. Lotteries were banned in England from 1699 to 1709 During the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, the lottery was the only organized form of gambling in England. Contractors would buy tickets for very cheap and then resell them at massive markups. In addition, these lotteries did not generate much in the way of government taxes from side bets. These problems led to a ban on the lotteries in England for nearly three years, until they were finally overturned in the early eighteenth century. Lotteries are a form of gambling In its earliest form, lotteries were public draws in which tickets were sold for a prize of money. These drawings were held in various towns across the Low Countries as a means of raising funds for the poor and to repair town walls. These lotteries were a popular form of gambling in the fifteenth century, but soon fell out of favor because the tickets were expensive and the poor didn’t have the money to buy them. In the seventeenth century, French King Francis I approved the first public lotteries, called the Loterie Royale. In 1539, French King Francis I authorized public lotteries in several cities, including Paris and Rouen. The lottery was a failure, and in the next two centuries, many French cities prohibited lotteries. However, some cities tolerated them. They are more beneficial to the poor than to the wealthy Many lottery critics cite studies that assume people in the same zip code earn the same amount. But this approach overlooks the fact that people don’t always buy lottery tickets in their own neighborhood, and instead purchase them while traveling. Thus, the study doesn’t take transportation into account, a key factor that many people in low-income neighborhoods don’t consider. Despite this omission, lottery critics cite the evidence that lottery proceeds are more beneficial to the poor than to the rich. They are a form of entertainment There’s no doubt that lotteries are a form of entertainment. It’s a legal form of gambling in all but the most remote of places. The popularity of lotteries is unprecedented, reaching forty states in the United States alone. Proponents of the lotto claim that they are a harmless form of entertainment that raises money for the public good instead of taxation. Opponents often base their objections on moral or religious grounds, which may be abhorrent to state-sponsored lotteries. They are a source of revenue for state governments State governments have been pressed to increase revenue by creating and operating lotteries. In recent years, some have opted to earmark lottery proceeds to specific programs, while others simply transfer them to the general fund. Lotteries are currently used to support a variety of programs, including parks and recreation, senior citizens programs, salmon restoration, and police officer pension relief. Yet some have questioned whether lottery revenue is a good idea for state governments.

Monkeypox On The Rise: How Worried Should We Be? Earlier this month, the Washington Post ran a big, feature about a seemingly scary disease, called monkeypox. "It kills up to 1 in 10 of its victims, similar to pneumonic plague, and is particularly dangerous in children," the story observes at the beginning. Plus, the virus appears to be on rise. "Since 1970, 10 countries in Africa have had at least one recorded human case of monkeypox," the story says. A map shows the disease popping up across countries in West and Central Africa, including the Congo Republic, where the story takes place. The country is fighting an outbreak with 88 cases and six deaths, the World Health Organization says. The story chronicles a thrilling hunt to find the source of monkeypox: Is it a giant pouched rat? An African brush-tailed porcupine? And it put monkeypox at the forefront of national media. Even Fox News picked up on the idea and ran a segment entitled: "Monkeypox & Black Death Plague Resurface," read a headline for a Tucker Carlson segment. "It could reach this country before we know it's coming," Carlson said. There's no question monkeypox can be a serious disease. It causes a fever, and a rash, which can turn into painful, fluid-filled blisters on the face, hands and feet. But here at Goats and Soda, we wanted to know more. Where on Earth does this virus come from? And how dangerous is it compared to other threats, like Ebola or H7N9 bird flu? To get the lowdown, we talked to two monkeypox experts: Anne Rimoin at the University of California, Los Angeles, who has studied monkeypox in the Democratic Republic of Congo for 15 years; and Jay Hooper at the U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, who is working to develop a better monkeypox vaccine. Here are some of the questions we asked and some of their surprising answers. Where does it come from? Monkeys? "The name is actually a little bit of a misnomer," Rimoin says. Perhaps it should be called "rodentpox" instead. Yes, monkeys can get monkeypox. But they aren't major carriers. Instead, the virus likely persists in squirrels or another rodent. How do you catch it? From an animal bite, scratch or contact with their bodily fluid. Then the virus can spread to other people through coughing and sneezing or contact with pus from the lesions. "But it doesn't spread very well between people," Hooper says. "It's infection rate is much lower than that of smallpox." In many cases, people don't spread the virus to anyone else. "There is no evidence, to date, that person-to-person transmission alone can sustain monkeypox infections in the human population," the World Health Organization writes. Is there likely to be an outbreak in the U.S.? "There already was!" Hooper says. "But it was quickly contained." In 2003, monkeypox hitched a ride with a shipment of animals from Ghana to Illinois. Several giant pouched rats and squirrels tested positive for the virus and eventually spread it to prairie dogs, being sold as pets in multiple states in the Midwest, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention writes. Forty-seven people caught the disease from the prairie dogs. Everyone recovered. And no one spread the disease to another person. Is monkeypox a "new" virus? No. The virus has likely been infecting people for centuries, even millennia, Rimoin says. But for a long time, doctors missed the cases. Monkeypox is closely related to smallpox. "They are clinically indistinguishable," Rimoin says. "So for centuries, doctors have likely mistaken monkeypox for smallpox." Then in 1970s, the world was close to eradicating smallpox. Cases plummeted. And doctors in Central Africa started noticing another disease that looked like smallpox but didn't spread as well between people. It was monkeypox. There are several other virus related to smallpox, including cowpox and camelpox. "I would be more worried about camelpox than monkeypox," Rimion says, "because that's closer on the genetic tree to smallpox." Is the disease actually a rising threat? Or are just better at detecting it? A little bit of both, Rimion says. Back in 2010, Rimoin and her colleagues reported that monkeypox had increased 20-fold in the Democratic Republic of Congo since the 1980s. Incidence rose from less than 1 case per 10,000 people to about 14 cases per 10,000 people. And the reason for this bump is ironic: The eradication of smallpox. The smallpox vaccine actually works quite well to protect people against monkeypox. It's about 85 percent effective (although the vaccine does have some safety concerns, Hooper points out. "It's a live virus and cause a deadly infection in people with severely compromised immune systems."). But after the world eradicated smallpox, countries stopped vaccinating kids. And for those who were vaccinated years earlier, their protection has likely waned over time, Hooper says. "So now there's this growing population of people who don't have immunity to monkeypox," he says. "And when you do have a outbreak, it's likely to be bigger because less people in the community are protected." That means small outbreaks in West and Central Africa now have dozens of cases instead of just one or two, Hooper says. So is monkeypox one of the major viral threats worldwide? "Nah," Hooper says. "Because the virus doesn't transmit very easily between people. If it did, then it would be top priority." On average, a person sick with monkeypox spreads the virus to between zero and one person. So outbreaks burn themselves out quickly. "You have primary cases, in which people get monkeypox from an animal, and they may transmit the disease a few generations — but then that's it," she says. "The outbreaks tend to be self-limiting." Could that change? "Oh yes," Hooper says. "Every time, there's an outbreak — and the more people get infected — the more chances monkeypox has to adapt to people," he says. In other words, the more time the virus spends inside people, the more time it has to evolve. It could possibly figure out how to spread more quickly between people. So scientists are keeping a close eye on the virus and these small outbreaks. "We didn't think Ebola spread very easily between people," Hooper adds. "And we were all surprised that health care workers could catch it even though they were wearing protective gear." "With viruses that spillover from animals, you just never know what's going to happen." Copyright 2020 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.

The following was adapted from “Hueristic Traps in Recreational Avalanche Accidents: Evidence and Implications” by Ian McCammon (2004). Below is simply a summary, the real article is just 9 pages and written in a style for the general public. Human factors are decision making patterns that lead to increased risk taking and increase probability of accidents. It appears that when certain psychological cues are present, people find it difficult to heed more objective cues about avalanche hazard. These psychological cues have very little to do with conditions and a lot to do with our unconscious assumptions, biases, and habits. FACETS is an acronym listing the human factors described below. In the FACETS test, you simply run through the list and see which cues are present. Depending on your experience, group size, etc, each cue may have a different level of influence on your objectivity. But in general, the more cues that are present, the more difficult it will be for you to objectively assess the danger. “Parties traveling in familiar terrain made riskier decisions than parties traveling in unfamiliar terrain. This effect was especially pronounced for parties with substantial experience and training.” Group members want to be accepted by members of their parties. “Accident parties that included females made riskier decisions than parties of all males. The effect was most pronounced in parties with little avalanche training. It is notable that these were precisely the parties in which women were least likely to participate.” Parties that were highly committed to a goal – a summit, ski slope or an objective in deteriorating weather – made riskier decisions than parties just out for a day. This effect was most pronounced in parties of four or more. Accident parties often contained a de facto leader – someone who was more experienced, older, or more skilled. Novices were were more likely to follow the leader into dangerous situations than when novice groups made decisions by consensus. Parties took more risks when they were racing a closing window of opportunity, such as competing with another group for first tracks. When skilled parties met other people in the backcountry, they were more likely to take risks than parties that were less skilled. This effect was most pronounced in groups with the highest levels of training.

Childhood trauma can have a lasting effect, and some teens struggle more than others with the impacts of trauma. Teen trauma therapy can offer the tools a teen needs to overcome trauma and achieve a sense of healing. Imagine Boise is a teen mental health treatment center that helps teen patients overcome the impact of trauma. Give us a call today at 208.487.8260 to learn more about how we can help your teen heal. Impact of Childhood Trauma on Teens Trauma refers to how a person processes and copes with a frightening or dangerous situation. It’s common for trauma to spring from serious events like sexual abuse or a car accident. However, situations like feeling emotionally neglected or school bullying can also create trauma, especially if a child doesn’t have the support they need to cope with feelings of fear and disempowerment. Untreated trauma is a serious mental health concern and can lead to lifelong effects. The long-term effects of childhood trauma include: - Difficulty with work and higher education - Substance use disorders - Mental health disorders like depression, anxiety, and eating disorders - Chronic health challenges The best way parents can support a teen struggling with the impacts of trauma is to watch for the warning signs and connect a teen to professional mental health services when those signs appear. Signs a Teen Is Struggling with Trauma Although the scenarios that lead to trauma can differ, the impact of childhood trauma on a teen often looks the same. Teens struggling to cope with the impact of trauma often show emotional and behavioral signs that include: - Isolation and withdrawal - Conflict with parents - Emotional outbursts - Cognitive issues, such as trouble with memory or concentration - Flashbacks or nightmares - Problems with school attendance and performance - Substance use - High-risk sexual behaviors All of these signs indicate that a teen’s mental or emotional health is suffering. How Teen Trauma Therapy Can Help A trauma treatment program is designed to help a teen process the traumatic events that happened so they can move forward and heal. During teen trauma therapy, a teen works with a mental health professional to gain insight into their emotions and reactions and increase self-awareness about their current methods of coping. Over time, teens can learn how childhood trauma impacts them and develop healthier coping methods and communication skills. A trauma therapy program helps a teen: - Understand the impact of trauma - Re-process the traumatizing experience - Identify when they’re triggered - Learn tools to cope with triggers - Develop communication skills - Rely on family for support Trauma therapy permanently changes a teen’s life. When trauma is experienced, it can be deeply confusing and overwhelming. In many ways, trauma makes a person “stuck.” The feelings experienced during the traumatizing event are often never processed, making them difficult to heal from. Childhood trauma, in particular, often leaves a lasting mark because children have a more limited capacity for identifying their feelings and understanding the reason behind them. Undergoing trauma treatment in the teenage years can provide the tools needed to heal and move forward before the effects of trauma worsen into adulthood. Imagine Boise Treats Teen Trauma Imagine Boise is an outpatient teen mental health treatment center in Boise, Idaho. We work with teen patients 12-17 years old and their family members, providing trauma-informed care to teens who need support with overcoming the impacts of childhood trauma. Untreated childhood trauma can significantly impact the trajectory of a teen’s entire life. When parents recognize that a teen is struggling with trauma, they can help by connecting them with the professional support needed to thrive. For more information on how you can help your teen, call 208.487.8260 and ask about the teen trauma therapy programs available at Imagine Boise.

You probably use regular tissue paper every day. In fact, according to statistics, the average person uses about nine sheets of tissue per trip to the bathroom. Each person uses about 20, 000 sheets of tissue paper per year (this is around 100 rolls; roughly 50 pounds of tissue per year). That’s a lot of tissue paper usage! In this piece, however, we want to look at laminated tissue paper; a common type of tissue paper, but which not so many know about. What is Laminated Tissue Paper? Laminated tissue paper is simply tissue paper overlayed with some form of polythene material. The polythene is embossed on the tissue to give it a particular look or design. It is also commonly referred to as PE coated tissue paper or simply PE tissue. PE here stands for polythene. The PE coating is often industrially laminated to the unglazed sides of MG (Machine Glazed) tissue. The inventive process of laminating tissue paper increases the bulk of the tissue. The increase, especially in thickness, gives polythene coated tissue a textile-like appearance, an attractive feature of high-quality tissue paper products. However, contrary to what most people think, polythene coated tissue is actually lightweight; almost like regular tissue paper. What is PE Tissue Paper Made From? The materials used in making this tissue are usually tissue and polythene films. Often, 1-ply tissue is combined with 1-ply polythene tissue. Manufacturers can also use 2-ply tissue with 1-ply polythene film. Whatever the combinations, the end product is super absorbent, lightweight, and comfortable. Common Uses PE Coated Tissue Laminated tissue is extensively used in the production of hygiene products like household towels, toilet papers, hand wipes, napkins, serviettes, and handkerchiefs. It is also widely used in the fast-food market because of its stellar grease barrier properties. These properties make it ideal for wrapping oily or greasy foods. Within the fast food industry, an excellent example of PE Coated Tissue paper usage is in burger wrapping. Note, however, that laminated tissue wouldn’t be suitable for use in, say, butcheries because of its lightweight. PE tissue products are highly applauded these days for its reliable features such as tear resistance, glossy finishes, high durability, and smooth texture. They are available printed or plain. Other Functions and Applications of PE Coated Tissue Paper Because of their high absorbency, Laminated Tissue Papers have a range of medical applications. They are widely used in hospitals, dental clinics, and other healthcare facilities. Some of the medical products made using PE Tissue include: - PE laminated examination paper rolls - 2-ply PE dental bibs. - PE Coated bed sheets. - Waterproof Disposable PE Coated dental bibs. - Disposable headrest PE Tissue covers. - Blister film PE Tissue. - Absorbent surgical drape sheets, among others. Today, many companies produce PE Coated Tissue Paper products. In case you are looking for a good tissue paper supplier, here are some brands producing top-in-class items: - Asialinx Paper - Guanghua Paper Limited - Evershine Paper Limited Note that different companies produce varying designs of PE Tissue Papers. So you might want to do some background research on what you want before buying. If you are looking for a steady laminated tissue manufacturer, Care-De is your ideal choice. Contact us now!

Student Learning Outcomes At Hood College, we are committed to teaching excellence. Program goals and learning outcomes identify what we expect students to learn, think critically about and accomplish in their courses and programs of study at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. We believe an integrated learning approach that combines a strong grounding in the liberal arts with advanced study in the major and opportunities for internships and research initiatives is the best way to prepare students for lives of purpose and civic engagement. Graduates earning a bachelor’s degree in History from Hood College: 1. Develop an understanding of a range of historical periods and geographical areas: - Through papers, short-answer questions on exams, identification questions on exams, or exam essays, students will demonstrate familiarity with the key vocabulary, facts, and concepts of the relevant region(s) and time period for the course. 2. Learn and employ the standard methodologies of the historical profession: - Students will identify and analyze primary sources. - Students will analyze and make historical arguments. - Students will carry out historical research. - Students will write reflectively on a planned exercise in experiential learning. Graduates earning a master's degree in humanities from Hood College: 1. Synthesize in-depth information from relevant sources representing various points of view on a particular subject/field through: - Identifying and critically engaging relevant scholarship on a topic, and - Developing a clear research-based questions and thesis. 2. Develop research skills needed to construct and answer analytical questions through: - Structuring an organized research design; - Constructing an argument; and - Supporting the conclusion with evidence. 3. Demonstrate writing skills through: - Arranging an organized, final document specific to the audience and purpose of the research project; - Applying grammatical and stylistic rigor; and - Citing evidence appropriately using the acceptable style.

'An Immense World' dives deep into the umwelt of animals Imagine that you take a walk around your yard or nearby park and, immediately, the sounds of an insect orchestra surround you. Produced by the muscular movements of sap-feeding insects called treehoppers, this imagined soundscape emerges from vibrations that flow across the surface of plants. But it is not at all like the familiar vocalizations of crickets or cicadas; instead, it's something richer, more varied. Some sounds are song-like, others akin to the noises of machines or musical instruments. The noise emitted from even a single plant may be "as raucous as a busy street." In An Immense World: How Animal Senses Reveal the Hidden Realms Around Us, Pulitzer prize-winning science journalist Ed Yong explains that, on a real walk instead of this one we've imagined, humans would not be able to hear the treehoppers' music without special equipment. In the company of scientists with a laser vibrometer, a device that converts the treehopper vibrations into sounds audible to human ears, Yong gets to hear them in the wild and in the laboratory. He is "dumbfounded" by the "haunting, mesmerizing" sounds. In this book that follows on from 2018's I Contain Multitudes, Yong writes in a perfect balance of scientific rigor and personal awe as he invites readers to grasp something of how other animals experience the world. Communicating through surface vibrations is a mighty cool example that extends beyond treehoppers to elephants and spiders, and to this fact about frogs: Attuned to vibrations entering the eggs, frog embryos hatch quickly if a snake shows up with a hard bite, but ignore rain, wind, footsteps and even an earthquake. "They have agency," Yong writes. "They have an Umwelt." Made famous by zoologist Jakob von Uexkull in 1909, the term Umwelt refers to the perceptual world experienced by each animal, a highly specific kind of "sensory bubble." When we walk our dog and she stops to smell every other bush or car tire, she's taking in through her acutely sensitive nose smells that we take in faintly or not at all. That's because humans and dogs have two different sensory bubbles, or Umwelten. Yong explores the animals' Umwelten through chapters devoted, in addition to surface vibrations, to smells and tastes; light; color; pain; heat; contact and flow; sound; echoes; electric fields; and magnetic fields. The concluding two chapters then discuss how senses work together, and how a single species, ours, has disrupted animal senses through light and noise pollution. Gradually, the theme Yong establishes at the start gains shape and dimension as he writes that our own Umwelt feels natural, but it's only one way to sense the world: "It is all that we know, and so we easily mistake it for all there is to know. As a result, we tend "to frame animals' lives in terms of our senses rather than theirs." Yong is indifferent to two motivations that compel scientists to study animal senses: to better understand our own senses and to apply knowledge of animals' senses to produce new technologies. I found his perspective welcome: "Animals are not just stand-ins for humans or fodder for brain-storming sessions. They have worth in themselves." Did you know that most insects are deaf? That the visual fields of cows, who may seem to show a fixed gaze to the point of being indifferent to the environment, wrap around in space so that cows can see in front, to the side, and behind them all at once? Or that the only sense that exists without an associated organ of some sort is magnetoreception, used by green sea turtles who "read" Earth's magnetic fields as they return to their nesting grounds on a small island after traveling 1,200 miles away? Magnetoreception is a sense humans (apparently) use rarely, while some animal sensory capacities are unavailable to us altogether. Certain electric fish "can work out the position, size, shape, and distance of the objects" near them by creating "electric images... from patterns of voltage dancing across" their skin. Dolphins navigate by listening for echoes of their click sounds: "If a dolphin echolocates on you, it will perceive your lungs and your skeleton. It can likely sense shrapnel in war veterans and fetuses in pregnant women. It can almost certainly tell different [fish] species apart based on the shape of [their] air bladders." (This isn't to say that humans can't echolocate at all. Yong takes a walk with Daniel Kish, who had both eyes removed in early childhood owing to aggressive cancer. As Kish strolls, bikes, or hikes, he emits clicks that allow him to sense, through echoes, the location and shapes of everything from houses and cars to trees. Still, even the best human echolocators can't do what dolphins can do.) My admiration for the book is, well, immense. I do wonder about one choice that Yong makes, evidenced in some examples above and in sentences like this one: "A dolphin is an echolocator that clicks with its nose and listens with its jaw." Here, the word "it" is better suited to an object, rather than a living, thinking being, and the same with the word "that." An alternative sentence, "Dolphins are echolocators who click with their noses and listen with their jaws," seems to me more aligned with Yong's evident regard for animals as valuable beings in their own right. As Scott Simon wrote last year for NPR, "If a cat or dog shares your domicile, I'll venture a guess that you don't refer to the four-footed family member who licks your face, naps in your lap, sleeps on your bed... as 'it.'" Full disclosure: I was a signatory to letter described by Simon asking for the media to use more respectful pronouns for animals. With our insistence on bright lights that disrupt dark skies, and a way of life that produces incessant noise from all sorts of machines including on land, air, and sea highways, we are seriously harming other animals' abilities to use their senses properly. But there's hope, because "sensory pollution is an ecological gimme": Conditions improve immediately when lights or engines are shut off or adjusted. By extinguishing lights that disrupt the paths of migrating birds and sea turtles, and by muffling noise through use of sound barriers, we can protect the glorious Umwelten all around us. Like many thousands of other people, I have relied throughout the course of COVID-19 on Yong's reporting at The Atlantic as he cracked open the fast-changing world of pandemic science. Now, with An Immense World, Yong brings into beautiful focus a host of other animal sensory worlds that co-exist with ours, and how we may protect them. He has synthesized and compellingly presented a spectacular amount of scientific information to do this, making it look easy along the way. But isn't easy at all. It's a magnificent achievement. Barbara J. King is a biological anthropologist emerita at William & Mary. Animals' Best Friends: Putting Compassion to Work for Animals in Captivity is her seventh book. Find her on Twitter @bjkingape Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.

How Many Different Gods Are Mentioned in the Bible? The New Testament plays out against a background of Greek and Roman culture, so it’s easy to assume that the Bible mentions the Greek and Roman gods by name. But there are also allusions to other gods in the Bible. Here are some examples. These include False gods and West Semitic gods. There are other gods in the bible Some scholars believe that the Bible contains references to other gods. These are mostly proto-Israelite pantheon gods, though some scholars claim that some of them are also demons. Regardless of the nature of their existence, these deities were once part of the same pantheon as Yahweh, the Creator God. They are mentioned in Hebrew texts in words such as “elohim” and in names like Israel and Daniel. In the Bible, Christians and Jews encounter other gods. In these situations, they respond with the same message: “There is only one true God!” As a result, they can’t worship other gods. Scripture confirms that many other gods exist, though it never identifies them as such. The earliest known mention of these gods is in the Old Testament. King Ahaziah was warned by Elijah not to consult the Baal Zebub, a god of Ekron. The Hebrew name for Beelzebub was a corruption of the Canaanite name Beelzebul, meaning “Lord of the high place.” Jesus’ demon-casting abilities were also denounced by the Pharisees because he was casting out demons in the name of this god. Micah, an Ephraimite, was known for crafting idols. His mother gave him stolen money to use in idol-making. Micah and many other Israelites created idols to worship at home shrines. As long as mankind continues to create these idols, they are following a false god, and the Bible says that they are not the true god. Scripture describes God as a triune God, a personal Spirit being. The Bible mentions God in several places, and teaches that he exists in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Each person has specific attributes and roles. Scripture also mentions the preincarnate Son of God, sometimes called “the angel of the Lord.” Some Christians identify the preincarnate Christ with Michael. He is mentined in the books of Daniel, Jude, and Revelation. The name Elohim (plural of plenitude) reflects God’s majesty and power, and enables the New Testament to reveal the Triunity of God. The name El is used to refer to God often, and God describes Himself with the plural pronoun in several places. Faith in the triune God is also required to fully appreciate the events of the New Testament. Jesus Christ’s death and resurrection are all aspects of God’s sovereignty. Faith in the triune God enables us to understand the meaning of events and symbols in the New Testament. It also allows us to enter into intimate communion with God’s godhead. The Hebrew word for God is echad, which means “one.” Echad also means “a person” in a collective sense. Thus, if Adam and Eve were one person, it would be impossible for them to be separate. This is why God is referred to as a Triune God. Genesis and Exodus both reveal the Trinity as a part of God. In Exodus, God looks down from heaven through an angel who is a pillar of cloud, and this angel is identified as the angel of the Lord. This angel, referred to as the Angel of the Lord, is God Himself, and this fact explains how God can be seen through God in a pillar of cloud. Similarly, the Trinity is involved in the deliverance of the Israelites in Numbers 11. False gods are deceptive, evil forces that embrace false teachings. They represent Satan and the antichrist. The Bible describes how people were enslaved by false gods before they knew the true God. The Bible does not name any of these false gods, but there are many examples of them. In the Old Testament, the people of Israel worshiped false gods such as the idol Baal. The Israelites were not the first to worship idols. The Canaanites worshipped many false gods, including Ashera, a sex god. Their worship of these false gods displeased Yahweh, who judged them as sin and sold them to the King of Mesopotamia, who subsequently destroyed the city. In the Bible, false gods are often associated with the false priesthood. For example, in Judges 17, the false priesthood was a tribe that stole the priests and idols. It is believed that Satan is behind all of this. The false priesthood of the Old Testament is synonymous with the false gods of the Bible, and is associated with counterfeit Satan. The Bible tells us that these false gods were worshipped by the ancient Canaanites and nations surrounding the Promised Land. Many Bible scholars believe that these idols were demons disguised as gods. Moreover, many believe that the Egyptian magicians duplicated Moses’ miracles and turned their staffs into snakes. In addition, Egyptian magicians turned the Nile River into blood. The Israelites also worshiped other gods. Some of them idolized mythical gods such as Baal and Asherah, which were idolatized by some of the people of the ancient world. They also idolized the Philistine god Dagon, which was the god of grain and water. The prophet Samson was killed in the temple of Dagon. West Semitic gods The Bible lists a number of different gods. Ba’al, for example, is the god of the harvest. Baal’s father was Dagon. Baal’s cult was important in arid regions, where winters could be dangerous and lead to mass starvation. There are also numerous references to the sun and moon, although they are not explicitly mentioned as personified deities. The name Elohim is used more than two hundred times in the Bible. It is the plural form of the word god in Hebrew and Canaanite. It also defies several rules of Hebrew language pronunciation. The shortened form, El, is also used in the Bible to refer to God. The Bible contains several examples of Christians and Jews interacting with other religious groups. In most cases, the Bible’s response is the same: there is only one true god. However, some religious traditions claim there are multiple gods. For example, the Bible lists a god called Moloch, but it is thought to be the same god as Baal. It also mentions the god Nisroch, who was worshipped by Sennacherib. Ultimately, he became the chief cook in Hell. In the Hebrew Bible, the gods are sometimes seen as fallen angels. They represent the genesis of Paul’s “principalities and powers.” These gods are punished because they failed to rule the world in a just manner and rebelled against Yahweh. One of these forms of rebellion was the unjust rule of nations. This rebellion was the chief reason for Yahweh’s discipline. What is the difference between monotheism and polytheism? In Christianity, one can define the difference between the two types of gods. Monotheism is the belief in one God. Polytheism is the belief in many gods. Whether the Bible is the first book of creation or a retelling of the story of creation, how many different Greek gods are mentioned in the book of Genesis? The answer is more than one. The Bible lists several different Greek gods, including Zeus. Zeus is the son of Cronus and Rhea. His father was killed by Cronus, who later became Zeus. Zeus is the son of Heaven, and his father was the god of fire and air. Aphrodite was a Greek goddess of beauty and love, and was also known to the Romans as Venus. While Aphrodite is not explicitly named in the Bible, she is often referenced in the Bible. For example, in the Book of Acts, the name of the apostle Paul’s brother, Epaphroditus, is a reference to Aphrodite. Epaphroditus’ name means “belonging to Aphrodite.” In addition to the biblical gods, Greek mythology also includes many mighty men of old. The Olympian gods had affairs with humans, and these relationships produced the demigods, who were endowed with incredible strength. These giants are often referred to as “demi-gods,” and the mythology of demigods is common in many ancient cultures. The Bible provides limited information about the demigods, but other ancient mythologies have elaborate stories surrounding them. The Greek and Roman pantheon was the precursor to the gods of the New Testament. They also influenced other cultures and introduced new deities. The Greeks also worshipped the Egyptian goddess Isis. While Isis is not mentioned in the New Testament, many believed that she is a goddess of fertility.

To prevent bacteria growth in your kitchen sink, clean it regularly using a mixture of hot water and dish soap. Additionally, scrub the sink with a non-abrasive brush or sponge to remove any food particles or stains. Rinse the sink thoroughly after cleaning to ensure all residue is gone. Table of Contents Importance Of Proper Kitchen Sink Cleaning Proper kitchen sink cleaning is vital to prevent bacteria growth and maintain a hygienic environment. Bacteria can thrive in kitchen sinks, posing health risks to individuals. Regular cleaning is necessary to eliminate the breeding ground for harmful microorganisms. Neglecting to maintain cleanliness can lead to contaminated dishes and utensils, and potential foodborne illnesses. Cleaning the sink with warm water and soap after each use helps remove food particles and grease. Disinfecting the sink with a mixture of water and vinegar can further eliminate germs. Additionally, scrubbing the sink with a brush or sponge helps remove stubborn stains and residue. By following these cleaning practices, you can ensure a clean and bacteria-free kitchen sink. Understanding The Common Bacteria In Kitchen Sinks Understanding the common bacteria found in kitchen sinks is crucial for preventing bacterial growth. Types of bacteria commonly found include e. coli, salmonella, and staphylococcus. These bacteria can enter your sink from various sources such as raw meat, unwashed produce, or contaminated sponges. If not cleaned properly, they can pose serious health risks. E. coli can cause severe gastrointestinal issues, while salmonella can lead to food poisoning. Staphylococcus can cause skin infections and even respiratory problems. To prevent the growth and spread of these bacteria, it is important to clean your kitchen sink regularly. Use hot soapy water, disinfectants, or natural cleaning agents like vinegar or lemon juice. Don’t forget to clean the drain and garbage disposal too, as they can harbor bacteria. By maintaining a clean kitchen sink, you can ensure a safer and healthier environment for food preparation and dishwashing. Step-By-Step Guide To Cleaning Your Kitchen Sink In order to prevent bacteria growth in your kitchen sink, it is crucial to clean it regularly. Here is a step-by-step guide to help you with the process. First, gather the necessary supplies for cleaning. You will need dish soap, a sponge or soft cloth, baking soda, vinegar, and a toothbrush. Once you have everything you need, start by clearing out the sink area, removing any dishes or debris. Next, prepare the sink for cleaning by pre-soaking it with warm water and a few drops of dish soap. Scrub the sink using a sponge or cloth, focusing on the sides, bottom, and around the drain. For stubborn stains or odors, create a paste using baking soda and water and scrub it onto the surface. Rinse the sink thoroughly to remove any residue. Finally, sanitize the sink by pouring vinegar down the drain and scrubbing it with a toothbrush. Regularly following these steps will help keep your kitchen sink bacteria-free. Proper Techniques For Cleaning Your Kitchen Sink Proper techniques for cleaning your kitchen sink involve removing food residues, eliminating grease and stains, and tackling stubborn residue. To effectively clean your sink, start by wiping away any visible food particles using a damp cloth or sponge. For grease and stains, mix a solution of warm water and dish soap, then scrub the affected areas using a soft brush. Rinse thoroughly with warm water and dry with a clean cloth. When dealing with stubborn residue, consider using a mixture of baking soda and vinegar. Apply the paste to the problem spots and let it sit for a few minutes. Scrub gently and rinse off with warm water. Repeat if necessary. Remember to clean the sink regularly to prevent bacteria growth and maintain a clean and hygienic kitchen environment. Natural Cleaning Solutions For Kitchen Sinks Cleaning your kitchen sink regularly is essential for preventing the growth of harmful bacteria. Natural cleaning solutions are a great option for keeping your sink clean and hygienic. These solutions have numerous benefits, including being safer for both your health and the environment. When using diy cleaning solutions, you have the advantage of knowing exactly what ingredients you are using. Essential oils can be a powerful addition to your cleaning routine, as they offer additional cleaning power and leave your sink smelling fresh. Lemon, tea tree, and peppermint oils are particularly effective at killing germs and removing stains. By incorporating natural cleaners into your kitchen sink cleaning routine, you can maintain a healthy and germ-free environment without the use of harsh chemicals. Maintenance Tips For A Clean Kitchen Sink Maintaining a clean kitchen sink requires a regular cleaning schedule to prevent bacteria growth. To keep your sink germ-free, avoid common mistakes like leaving dishes to pile up. Make it a habit to scrub and sanitize the sink after each use. Use a mixture of warm water and dish soap to clean the entire surface, including the drain and faucet. Don’t forget to rinse thoroughly and dry with a clean cloth. Preventing future bacteria growth can be achieved by avoiding food waste accumulation and using a garbage disposal properly. Regularly check for leaks or clogs and address them promptly. By following these simple maintenance tips, you can ensure a clean and hygienic kitchen sink, free from bacteria and potential health risks. Additional Tips To Improve Kitchen Sink Hygiene To prevent bacteria growth in your kitchen sink, follow these additional tips for improved hygiene. Properly utilize sink strainers to catch food debris and prevent clogs. Keep your sponges and dishcloths clean by washing them regularly and replacing them when necessary. Avoid cross-contamination by using separate sponges or cloths for different tasks, such as wiping countertops versus washing dishes. Remember to sanitize your sink regularly, using a mixture of hot water and bleach or a natural disinfectant. Scrub the basin and faucet thoroughly to remove any accumulated dirt and bacteria. By following these guidelines, you can maintain a clean and hygienic kitchen sink, reducing the risk of bacterial growth and ensuring a safe cooking environment. Frequently Asked Questions On How To Clean Your Kitchen Sink To Prevent Bacteria Growth How Often Should I Clean My Kitchen Sink? It is recommended to clean your kitchen sink at least once a week to prevent bacteria growth and maintain cleanliness. However, if you use your sink frequently or handle raw meat, it is advisable to clean it more often to ensure food safety and hygiene. What Is The Best Way To Clean A Kitchen Sink? To clean your kitchen sink effectively, start by rinsing away any leftover food or debris. Then, scrub the sink with a mixture of warm water and mild dish soap using a sponge or soft brush. Rinse thoroughly and dry with a clean cloth to prevent water spots and maintain a shiny finish. How Do I Prevent Bacteria Growth In My Kitchen Sink? To prevent bacteria growth in your kitchen sink, it is important to maintain cleanliness and practice good hygiene. After each use, rinse the sink thoroughly and wipe the surfaces dry. Avoid leaving dirty dishes or standing water in the sink, and regularly sanitize the sink by using a mixture of vinegar and water or a mild bleach solution. Maintaining a clean kitchen sink is essential for preventing bacteria growth and promoting a healthy living environment. By following the steps outlined in this blog post, you can ensure that your sink remains free from harmful contaminants. Regularly washing and disinfecting your sink with natural cleaning solutions, such as vinegar and baking soda, removes dirt and kills germs effectively. Remember to pay attention to the drain and garbage disposal areas, as well as the faucet handles and knobs. Implementing good habits like not leaving dirty dishes in the sink overnight and avoiding pouring grease down the drain will also contribute to a cleaner, bacteria-free sink. By making these practices a part of your routine, you can maintain a clean and hygienic kitchen sink, reducing the risk of bacteria growth and potential health hazards for you and your family.

|A Sciencecast reader recently requested an edition on plant sterols, so here I bring you everything you need to know about these cholesterol combatants. What are plant sterols? Plant sterols are a compound that form the membranes of plant cells. They have a very similar structure to cholesterol and therefore when consumed, compete with cholesterol and partially block it’s absorption from the intestine into the blood. There is also now evidence that a reduction in cholesterol absorption increases the liver’s uptake of LDL (bad) cholesterol, which in turn further reduces levels in the blood. What’s the science? Multiple studies have shown that consuming 2g (2,000mg) of plant sterols per day can reduce LDL cholesterol by approximately 10%. For context, a statin will reduce cholesterol by 20-30%. Where to find plant sterols. They naturally occur in foods such as vegetable oils, whole grains, nuts, seeds, fruits and vegetables so incorporating them regularly throughout the day will help. A typical ‘healthy’ diet will contain about 160-400mg/day of plant sterols, which is far below the 2g suggested for optimal cholesterol lowering so therefore you’ll need to add some specific plant sterol fortified foods to help. These can be found in: Yoghurts – (for example, Benecol) Plant-based spreads – (swap your usual butter for this) Supplements – (Vitabiotics is a brand I tend to recommend however there are plenty of other good providers) When to take plant sterols. It’s recommended to take plant sterols everyday as part of your meal or with your meal, as this activates the digestive system and aids in their absorption. It doesn’t seem to matter if this is one in one go or spread across multiple meals, therefore, I would suggest whatever is most practical to you to make sure you get 2g per day. Can you take too much? In short, no. Taking more than 3g per day will not have any additional effects but it’s also unlikely to have any harmful effects either. If you already have healthy cholesterol levels: The evidence is mixed on this one. I would suggest the effect will be far lower if your cholesterol is already low and/or you eat a very low-fat diet, however, as I note above, it won’t do any harm so may be worth a switch to reduce LDL a touch more or for maintenance purposes It works with a different mechanism to statins so can work as an addition rather than a replacement. Take the natural route first: As always, I would recommend a healthy food and lifestyle approach first, before trying supplements. Tackle things like activity levels, replacing saturated fat with unsaturated fat and increasing dietary fibre – these will all have a significant effect. That said plant sterols, have good evidence behind them and may provide a meaningful effect to assist in your cholesterol lowering strategy. My podcast playlist: “Why do we see the bad more often than the good?” by Ella Mills “Why do we respond more to the negative over the positive; to criticism more than praise? Why do we worry so much? How can we stop our negative thought patterns? Science shows this negative thinking is innate, it’s our negativity bias and it explains why negative events and emotions affect us more strongly than positive ones. Our guests today, John Tierney and Roy Baumeister, explain why our brains work in this way and how we can recognise the negativity effect and break destructive patterns.”.

The second oldest minaret after the Fakhariya minaret, the Ghawanima minaret is at the northwest corner of the Temple Mount. It was commissioned in 1297–98 by Sultan Lajin and supervised by by architect Qadi Sharaf al-Din al-Khalili. It is the tallest of the four minarets, at six stories high. It is almost entirely stone except for a wooden canopy on the muezzin's balcony. It is built very well, and has survived earthquakes fairly unscathed. Stone molding and muqarna galleries separate it into stories. The first two form a wider base and have an external staircase. The next three have an internal spiral staircase. The fourth level has the muezzin's balcony. Capping all this is a cylindrical drum and bulbous dome.

Leukemia is a cancer of the blood cells, bone marrow, and lymphatic system. Early diagnosis is the best way to increase your chances of fighting leukemia. Fortunately, you can learn everything you need to know about the symptoms with a search online. In most cases, the disease affects the white blood cells, leaving you vulnerable to infections. There are several types of leukemia, and the disease can affect children and adults. You should be aware of the signs and symptoms of the disease. Early Signs of Leukemia Many people experience no signs or symptoms in the early stages of the disease – diagnosis often happens as a result of a routine medical examination. However, there are a wide variety of early signs and symptoms that some people may experience. Fever and chills are two of the most common early signs of leukemia. Flu-like symptoms can be a result of many different illnesses, though, so they’re often overlooked. If the symptoms persist for more than a few weeks, you should speak to your doctor. People with leukemia also may get infections easily as the disease weakens the immune system. Urinary tract infections, bronchial infections, and lung infections are all common signs of leukemia. Leukemia inhibits your body’s production of blood cells, which can lead to anemia. When your body doesn’t have enough blood cells, your blood cannot deliver adequate oxygen to your heart, brain, muscles, and other tissues, so you may experience fatigue. Like flu-like symptoms, though, fatigue is a symptom of many other conditions, so it’s often overlooked by doctors. Shortness of Breath Shortness of breath is another symptom of anemia as a decrease in blood cell production can prevent your body from getting enough oxygen. Some people in the early stages of leukemia notice that they get out of breath more easily than usual. You might feel tired, weak, and winded after climbing a flight of stairs or walking a short distance. This isn’t a symptom you should ignore, especially if you’ve never experienced shortness of breath before. Unexplained Weight Loss Many types of cancer cause loss of appetite and about 40 percent of people with cancer have had unexplained weight loss by the time of their diagnosis. With leukemia, weight loss can happen because the cancer cells affect the way your body metabolizes food. Fatigue, nausea, and other symptoms can also cause appetite loss, which will result in weight loss. Bone and Joint Pain Pain can be a symptom of leukemia during any stage of the disease. Bone pain happens when your bone marrow is overcrowded with cancer cells, and joint pain happens when the cancer cells form near the joints. About 25 percent of people with acute lymphoblastic leukemia experience bone pain at the onset of the disease. It’s most common in the arms, legs, ribs, and sternum. Bruises and Rashes In some cases, unexplained bruises or rashes are the first noticeable signs of leukemia. The disease increases your risk of bruising because it prevents your body from making platelets, the cells responsible for helping your blood vessels stop bleeding. This same problem can lead to easy bleeding, too. Leukemia rashes often look like a collection of small red spots on the skin. These spots are caused by broken blood vessels that don’t heal efficiently. Acute myelogenous leukemia can cause dark-colored rashes and lumps on the skin. The best treatment depends on the type and stage of leukemia you have, your symptoms, and your preferences. Four of the most common treatments are chemotherapy, radiation therapy, targeted therapy, and stem cell transplantation. Chemotherapy involves oral or intravenous anti-cancer drugs. For acute leukemia, patients usually start with induction chemotherapy, which uses a combination of anti-cancer drugs. Then, they receive intensification chemotherapy, which destroys the remaining cancer cells. Patients with chronic leukemia usually take oral chemotherapy medications. Radiation therapy targets the DNA within your cells to stop them from reproducing. The goal is to prevent the cancer cells from spreading, but the treatment can damage healthy cells, too. Radiation therapy is commonly used in combination with drug therapy or chemotherapy. In addition to destroying cancer cells, it can also relieve pain from swollen lymph nodes or an enlarged liver or spleen. While chemotherapy affects all of your body’s cells, targeted therapy only attacks leukemia cells, which reduces damage to your healthy cells and lowers the risk of side effects. Targeted therapy inhibits the genes and proteins involved in the growth of the cancer cells. Not all types of leukemia can be treated with targeted therapy, but it can be an effective treatment option for some people. Stem Cell Transplantation The goal of stem cell transplantation is to replace the unhealthy blood cells with healthy cells. This lets you undergo larger doses of chemotherapy or radiation therapy to get rid of the cancer cells in your bone marrow. After chemotherapy or radiation therapy, you’ll receive a blood transfusion of a donor’s stem cells. The donor is typically a sibling, but stem cells can come from anyone who matches your tissue type. Do Your Research It’s important to know that having one or more of these symptoms does not mean that you have cancer. However, if symptoms do persist, or if you notice any changes that don’t seem to go away, always consult with your doctor. In many cases, leukemia can be managed or cured with treatments available today – if it is caught early. There are many possible treatments for leukemia, so you and your doctor will have to decide which option is best for you. All treatments have their benefits and drawbacks, so you should do careful research before making a decision.

California Lawmakers Apologize For U.S. Internment Of Japanese Americans It has been just over 78 years since President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed an executive order authorizing the internment of Japanese Americans. Now, in a unanimous vote, the California Assembly has apologized for the role the state played in rounding up about 120,000 people – mainly U.S. citizens – and moving them into 10 camps, including two in California. The resolution notes a number of federal and state laws passed beginning in 1913 that discriminated against people of Japanese descent, before apologizing "to all Americans of Japanese ancestry for its past actions in support of the unjust exclusion, removal, and incarceration of Japanese Americans during World War II, and for its failure to support and defend the civil rights and civil liberties of Japanese Americans during this period." It also states: "Given recent national events, it is all the more important to learn from the mistakes of the past and to ensure that such an assault on freedom will never again happen to any community in the United States." Roosevelt's order, signed a little more than two months after the Japanese attack at Pearl Harbor, authorized the removal from the West Coast of all persons considered a threat to national security and their relocation to centers inland. "You're talking about folks who were American citizens, who were forced to leave their homes, forced to leave most of their possessions behind, to leave their pets behind," Jeffrey Moy, national president of the Japanese American Citizens League, tells NPR. Imagine, he adds, "how much of a shock it was for people's rights to just be stripped from them." "I wanted to make sure that we acknowledged our mistakes and hopefully learned from them," says Al Muratsuchi, the Assembly member who introduced the resolution. The Democrat, who represents a district southwest of Los Angeles that includes Torrance and Manhattan Beach, says that such a reminder is important not just for the preservation of history. It's also important to note the "striking parallels between what happened to Japanese-Americans before and during World War II and what we see happening today," he says. "Not just the fearmongering rhetoric talking about the caravan [of migrants from Central America] or the images of children and families being held in cages, but we see what's happening to Muslim Americans. You know, after Pearl Harbor, the fear of the 'other' focused on Japanese Americans as potential spies; today, ever since 9/11, that same fear of the other has been focused on Muslim Americans as potential terrorists." It bears mentioning that such an apology is not novel. Near the end of Ronald Reagan's presidency, he signed the Civil Liberties Act of 1988, which acknowledged that the internment of Japanese Americans was "motivated by racial prejudice, wartime hysteria, and a failure of political leadership." It provided $20,000 to each eligible survivor. The law also included a direct apology "on behalf of the Nation." "What is most important in this bill has less to do with property than with honor," Reagan said at the time, "for here, we admit a wrong. Here we reaffirm our commitment as a nation to equal justice under the law." Muratsuchi says California owes survivors a separate apology. "Unfortunately, during the years leading up to World War II, California was at the forefront and led the nation in so many ways in fanning the flames of racism and immigrant scapegoating against Japanese Americans," he explains, pointing to efforts by state lawmakers decades before the war to limit or strip the legal rights of Japanese Americans. "I felt that it was important to document this uniquely Californian history of racism and immigrant scapegoating against Japanese Americans." The Assembly measure passed Thursday is just the latest in a series of apologies the state has issued recently for its historical injustices against minority groups. In an executive order last year, Gov. Gavin Newsom formally apologized on behalf of California for the state's "dark history" of violence and discrimination against Native Americans. Earlier this month, he also announced an initiative to pardon LGBTQ people — including posthumously — who were prosecuted under a state law banning same-sex relationships, which were only decriminalized in 1975. Previously, the state apologized in 2006 for a program of illegal deportation that targeted Mexican Americans in the 1930s and issued another apology several years later to Chinese Americans for racist laws dating back to the 19th century. "A decision motivated by discrimination and xenophobia, the internment of Japanese Americans was a betrayal of our most sacred values as a nation that we must never repeat," Newsom said Wednesday in a proclamation declaring Feb. 19 — the anniversary of Roosevelt's executive order — to be a day of remembrance in California. "This stain on our history should remind us to always stand up for our fellow Americans, regardless of their national origin or immigration status, and protect the civil rights and liberties that we hold dear." NPR's Ina Jaffe contributed to this report. Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.

|The interior of the eighth century Umayyad Mosque in Damascus, Syria [GALLO/GETTY] Syria ushered in 2008 with its capital named the Arab Capital of Culture by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco). Damascus has been recognised by Unesco’s Cultural Capitals programme – which first included the Arab world in 1998 – for its ancient, Islamic and cultural heritage. According to the UN, the programme promotes the cultural aspects of development and increased international co-operation. Year-long celebrations to mark the honour started on January 10, with Bashar al-Assad, the Syrian president, hailing the selection as recognition of the city’s “resistance culture”. “Damascus is the capital of resistance culture by symbolising Arab culture – the culture of freedom and defending freedom,” he said. The president told attendees at the opening that the tradition of Damascus was to strive for peace “with dignity and pride” and added that his country will “lead a dialogue among civilisations at a time when Arab and Islamic culture faces unprecedented challenges”. Damascus is the capital of the Syrian Arab Republic. Its current population is estimated at about 1.67 million. In Arabic, the city is called Dimashq ash-Sham, meaning land of the north. Arabs in the Middle East often shorten it to either Dimashq or ash-Sham. Ash-Sham is an Arabic term for north and for Syria. About 75 per cent of the population of Damascus is Sunni Muslim. There are some Christian districts, such as Bab Tuma, Kassaa, and Ghassani, with many churches, most notably the ancient St Paul‘s. Damascus is popular for its cafe culture, serving traditional Turkish coffee, tea and arghilehs (water pipes). It is common to see locals playing card games, backgammon and chess in the cafes. Nizar Tawfiq Qabbani, a Syrian diplomat, respected poet and publisher, was born in Damascus. He is known for his poetic style that combined simplicity and elegance in exploring themes of love, eroticism, feminism, religion and Arab nationalism. Recognised as one of the oldest continually inhabited cities in the world, excavations at Tell Ramad, on the outskirts of the city, confirmed that Damascus has been inhabited since as early as 8000 to 10,000 BC. By AD 661, the city had become the seat of the powerful Umayyad caliphs and it has remained one of the most important and impressive cities in the Muslim world. During its long history it has faced numerous conquests, from Alexander the Great to the Ottoman empire. But one of the most brutal was that of the Mongol conqueror Timur who took the city in 1400. Many of the inhabitants of old Damascus were forced into slavery while others were slaughtered and their heads piled for display. The field where the heads were displayed is now in the city square, bearing the name Burj al-Ruus (Tower of Heads). The Umayyad Mosque, one of the oldest and largest in the world, was burnt down under Mongol rule. Under Ottoman rule, which started in 1516 and lasted for the next 400 years, the most notable incident was the massacre of Christians in 1860. Fighting between Druze and Maronite Christians in Mount Lebanon spilled over into Damascus, resulting in the Christian quarter of Damascus, including a number of churches, being burnt down and thousands of Christians killed. Some Christians were saved by the intervention of Abd al-Qadir, an Algerian exile, and his soldiers, while Christian inhabitants of the poor Midan district outside the city walls were protected by their Muslim neighbours. The majority of the city’s inhabitants are Sunni Muslims and it has more than 2,000 mosques. But it is also home to many Christians and various churches, notably the ancient St Paul’s. Al-Assad said: “Damascus, Arab Capital of Culture, embodies a living example of the dialogue and coexistence of cultures; it represents a symbol of diversity within unity and an attribute of the beauty of the rainbow of human life. Through all this, Damascus provides definite proof that the notion of the conflict of civilisations is both null and void.” Koichiro Matsuura, Unesco’s director-general, said that the purpose of the Arab Capital of Culture events was not only to enrich knowledge of Arab culture, but to enrich dialogue between eastern and western cultures. He said: “[Syria is] a hospitable country where the greatest ancient civilisations met, and which forms a meeting point between Africa, Asia and Europe.” For now, Damascus has been turned into a busy workshop as its medieval buildings are renovated and streets repaired in preparation for the year-long festival to celebrate this latest step in Syria’s long and rich history.

Archaeologists primarily identify and work to preserve cultural resources, conduct research and teach in the subject of the origin and development of humans. Smaller numbers of archaeologists work for museums, managing and acquiring items for the facility's collections. Others spend time in remote locations searching for and gathering artifacts from prior civilizations. Pay rates for an archaeologists vary widely depending on type of employment and experience. Pay by Experience A college graduate with a bachelor's degree in the field may qualify to be an archaeology field assistant or technician. The pay rate for this entry-level position is $10 to $12 per hour, reports the Society for American Archaeology. An experienced archaeologist with a higher-level degree, who manages projects and employees, can expect an annual salary of about $45,000. Experienced archaeologists with a Ph.D. who work at large research institutions as curators or professors can earn an annual salary of $80,000 to $100,000. Video of the Day The average salary for archaeologists outside of postsecondary teaching as of May 2009 was $27.52 per hour, or $57,230 per year, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The middle 50 percent of archaeologists on the earnings scale had annual salaries of $39,030 to $71,450. The bottom 10 percent were earning $31,530 per year and less and the top 10 percent $87,890 and higher. Types of Employment The largest number of archaeologists were working for scientific research and development services in 2009, earning an average of $51,620 per year. Archaeologists working for management, scientific and technical consulting services had annual salaries of $49,470 year on average. The highest-paying opportunites on average aside from postsecondary teaching and research were with the federal government, at an average of $71,400 per year. Architectural and engineering services also pay archaeologists a relatively high average salary of $65,130 per year but they employ only a small number of these workers. Archaeologists who work in postsecondary institutions as a teacher or a teacher and researcher earn higher average salaries than those in other employment settings, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data. Those working for junior colleges were earning $73,150 per year in 2009 and in colleges, universities and professional schools, $76,080. The middle 50 percent of these archaeologists had annual salaries of $53,590 to $90,590 and the top 10 percent were earning at least $119,070 per year.

Do you realize how much you’re putting on your plate? You may think you have a handle on your portions, but it turns out people tend to underestimate how much they eat by as much as 25 percent. If you’re aiming for 2000 calories per day, that means you might be off by 500 calories, which could be the difference between losing or gaining a pound a week! Most healthy eaters realize keeping an eye on portion sizes is an easy way, at a glance, to stay on track with weight goals. Still, it can be tricky. Part of the confusion is between serving size and portion size. They sound like the same thing, but generally there’s a big difference. A serving size is a measured amount of food—1 cup, 1 slice, 1 teaspoon, etc. It’s the amount you’ll see on a food label, and it’s what the USDA uses in the Healthy Eating Guidelines and daily recommendations. Food label serving sizes are determined by the manufacturer, so they might not match the dietary guidelines. It’s a good idea to stick to what the guidelines say. A portion size is the amount of food or drink you consume in one sitting. It could be a large amount or a small amount; exactly one serving size, like a slice of bread, or several times that, like a bottle of fruit smoothie that says it contains two servings. (Who doesn’t guzzle the entire bottle in one go?) Portion sizes have grown significantly over the years, placing value-for-money ahead of nutrition, and distorting the perception of how much one should actually be eating. Pop into your local movie theater and order a small soda and popcorn (delivering a total of 600 calories!), and it’s all too clear. But from breakfast to dinner, healthy foods to treats, portion distortion can be overcome. Here are six common measuring mistakes, with some fun and easy references to keep them in check. Cereal and Granola If you’re using your cereal bowl as a guide, chances are you’re pouring too much. Even if you choose a healthy, high-fiber cereal, the calories and carbohydrates can quickly add up. Pick a sugary version, and you’ll start the day with an overload. Stick to about 1 cup (1 oz/30 g) of flaky cereal or ¼ cup (1 oz/30 g) of granola. Nuts and Nut Butters Nuts are full of goodness (healthy fats, protein, fiber), but they also deliver a large dose of fat and calories. Snack away, just stick to a small, closed handful once a day. The same goes for nut butters, which are an excellent afternoon pick-me-up—spread two tablespoons across your toast, not four. Cheese is a perfect example of a healthy food that’s easy to overdo. Rich in calcium and protein, but high in saturated fat and sodium, it requires some restraint. Shredding or crumbling a small amount of a strong-flavored cheese, like sharp cheddar or feta, makes a little go a long way. Pasta and Rice When it comes to grains, it’s easy to cover your entire dish and make them the star of the meal. Try to fill only one quarter of the plate with grains, and cast pasta or rice in a supporting role, as a side dish or scattered throughout a salad. Don’t be shy when digging into that salad! Most eaters don’t hit the daily recommendation for vegetables, so this is one instance where your portion can increase. Load up half your plate with greens, reds, and oranges. There’s no doubt it’s a better bet to eat your fruit rather than drink it, to get the most fiber and least sugar. But if you do slurp the freshly-squeezed kind every now and then, consider how many pieces of fruit you’re juicing in order to fill that glass—stick to one or two pieces. What fun would life be without a little indulgence? But don’t be tempted to eat straight out of the tub, rather dish up a small scoop or two into a bowl. Throw on some fresh fruit or grated dark chocolate and use a small spoon to slowly, and mindfully, savor each delicious mouthful. Challenge yourself: Get set up with balls, batteries, and measuring cups and see how your daily portion sizes stack up. How do you keep an eye on portion sizes? Join the conversation below. This information is for educational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for medical diagnosis or treatment. You should not use this information to diagnose or treat a health problem or condition. Always check with your doctor before changing your diet, altering your sleep habits, taking supplements, or starting a new fitness routine.

This is an extract from an article my daughter’s school recently sent, with advice from the NZ Police to help keep our children safe. I am very pleased to see that the advice of the NZ Police is 100% consistent with what we are teaching your children. [Here is] some advice to students who are walking to or from school, or in public areas at other times. With all of this considered though, we still live in one of the safest countries in the world, and we still want our young people to be able to walk freely to and from school without undue concern. Advice for young people when walking in public places: - Walk in areas where other people are also present – avoid taking shortcuts through secluded areas. - If at all possible, walk with a buddy or in a group. - Avoid distractions such as listening to music or texting when walking – instead pay attention to your surroundings. - If you think you are being followed, walk quickly straight ahead. Consider crossing the road to see if the person also follows. If this happens, run to a shop or up to an adult and ask for help. - If you are approached by someone offering you treats, or asking you to come with them, ignore them and quickly move away. - If someone grabs you, yell out “Go away!!” at the top of your voice so as to attract attention to the situation. Push the person away with all of your strength. - If someone starts talking to you and asking you questions that make you feel uncomfortable, ignore them and quickly move away. - Always remember to tell an adult you trust as soon as possible so that the Police can be notified – if you are able to yourself, call Police on 111. Remember that Police will need a description of the person, so as soon as possible write this down – if you can remember it, a vehicle number plate is very helpful – write this down as soon as possible. Don’t worry if you can’t get it all right, any part of it is very helpful for the Police. Finally, we want our young people to remember that personal safety rules apply to all situations, be they with people they know or people they don’t know. Don’t teach them to fear strangers, as in all likelihood if they are in immediate danger it is a stranger who will be their closest support – one sad fact in New Zealand is that a child is more likely to be harmed by someone they know, rather than a stranger. Therefore, let’s focus on behaviour – if it is behaviour they don’t like, or behaviour that frightens them, then teach them to get help as soon as possible.

Rome, Nov 21 (efe-epa).- The remains of two men, a nobleman aged between 30 and 40 and his slave, have been discovered by archaeologists in Pompei, an ancient Roman city that was destroyed by a massive volcanic eruption, the heads of the Pompeii Archaeological Park said in a statement Saturday. The archeologists have reconstructed the findings in such detail that it is possible to distinguish that the first was wearing a wool cape and the second a short tunic. The two bodies, who died when the city was engulfed in the sudden eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD, were found in a side space of the cryptoporticus, in the noble part of the suburban villa of Civita Giuliana, a majestic estate from the era of the Emperor Augustus, which boasted rooms and balconies overlooking the sea. The land is located about 700 meters outside Pompei’s walls. It was here in 2017 that archaeologists found the remains of three horses in the stables, with their saddles and harnesses. The cryptoporticus allowed access to the upper floor and was a space of about 2.20 high of the year but whose length is unknown for the moment, and had a wooden floor as indicated by the presence in the walls of six holes to house the beams that supported a gallery, the official statement said. Experts used an ancient technique of making molds with plaster to reconstruct the bodies of the victims, which consists of introducing a liquid plaster into the cavities of the bone remains of the inhabitants of the ancient Roman city. They have managed to restore the shape of the bodies and observe that the first victim was a “young man, between 18 and 23/25 years old, about 156 cm high”, wearing a short tunic, and with visible signs showing that he had done “heavy work”, which scientists and experts in Pompeii presume was a slave. The second man was between “30 and 40 years old and about 162 cm high”, and was wearing a long tunic or a wool cape, said the statement. Both were in a supine position, with their hands on their chests, and with clothes that can be distinguished to the folds, a finding which the Italian Minister of Culture, Dario Franceschini, described as “amazing”. EFE-EPA

Injury More Likely When Teens Focus on One Sport THURSDAY, May 12, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- If your teens play just one sport, new research suggests you might want to encourage them to try others. Researchers report that focusing solely on one sport puts high school athletes at increased risk for injuries and burnout. The investigators surveyed 975 U.S. high school athletes and found that more than 1 in 5 had a high level of specialization in one sport, while more than 42% had a small level of specialization. "A number of studies have pointed out that if you specialize in one sport, for example, you only play baseball or you only play football, you're doing the same movements over and over again, so there are a lot of issues with repetitive use injuries," said study author Dee Warmath, an assistant professor in the College of Family and Consumer Sciences at the University of Georgia. "Other studies [have] pointed out that there’s also an association with burnout," Warmath said in a university news release. "You want young adults to be engaged in their sport, and there are a lot of benefits of that. But if all you do year-round is play soccer, there's a risk you'll get burned out and possibly leave the sport." The study found that athletes who planned to play a sport in college and enjoyed competition were more likely to specialize in one sport. "We need to recognize that athletes engage in sports specialization for what are really positive reasons: They want to get better at their sport. They want to compete more effectively," Warmath said. Understanding why a youngster likes to specialize in one sport can help parents and coaches find ways to get young athletes involved in other sports. "We might need a more balanced approach to dealing with sport specialization when athletes are engaging in it for what are really positive reasons," Warmath said. "So instead of saying sport specialization is bad and you shouldn't do it, maybe it's more about finding ways to compete more effectively and emphasizing how even some professional athletes use other sports to train for their primary sport," she said. "This diversity of sports can make you better in your primary sport." The study was published recently in the Orthopaedic Journal of Sports Medicine. There's more on high school sports injuries at the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. SOURCE: University of Georgia, news release, May 2, 2022

January 20th, 2019 Guest writer for Wake Up World Avocados are native to Central and South America and have been cultivated since approximately 8,000 B.C. By the mid-1800s, they had been introduced to Asia and Jamaica, but they did not arrive in the United States until the early 20th century. California and Florida produce most of the avocados grown in the USA with other commercial producers existing in Mexico, Brazil, Colombia, and the Dominican Republic. Guacamole is a popular way to enjoy avocados, and this delicious food contains other ingredients besides avocados that offer some surprising health benefits. Ingredients in Organic Guacamole and Their Health Benefits: Organic Avocado — Contains Lutein (a carotenoid along with Vitamin E), Magnesium, and monounsaturated (healthy) fats. Avocado helps fight cancer of the mouth, breast, and prostate, and improves skin tone. It also improves absorption of nutrients in other foods. Himalayan Salt — Stabilizes blood sugar levels and regulates heartbeat. Himalayan salt also improves absorption and cell communication and relieves the sinuses and lungs. Organic Lime Juice — Contains potassium and supports the immune system. It also helps to cleanse the blood and liver. Organic Cilantro — Contains several antioxidants, and is a natural deodorizer. It relieves nausea, bloating, urinary tract infections, and indigestion. Consumption of cilantro also helps to reduce blood sugar and cholesterol levels, and it has properties that make it beneficial against harmful organisms. Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil — Helps balance systemic redness and swelling, also promotes healthy blood pressure. It helps to increase metabolism and supports health of the ovaries and breasts. Raw Organic Apple Cider Vinegar — Once lauded by Hippocrates, apple cider vinegar (raw and unfiltered) helps countless health ailments. It strengthens the immune system, improves metabolism and stamina, and provides relief for sore throats. Organic Cumin — A natural antioxidant that supports the liver, promotes digestion, and vitalizes the immune system. Organic Garlic — An antioxidant that may lower blood pressure and cholesterol, and helps to cleanse the liver. Garlic has unique benefits whether consumed raw, cooked, or aged. It also contains unique properties that make it an excellent fighter against stomach cancer. Organic Lemon Juice (fresh) — May aid the body in removing gallstones when mixed with olive oil, relieves stomach discomfort and may help reduce the risk of developing arthritis, atherosclerosis, diabetes, and kidney stones. Organic Onion — Onions contain an antioxidant called Quercetin, which is a flavonoid. They also contain vitamin E, potassium, folic acid, vitamin C, and fiber. Onions are known to relieve congestion and allergy symptoms and help to reduce cholesterol. They also promote detoxification of toxic metals and help fight cancer of the lungs, bladder, ovaries, and breasts. Organic Peppers — Peppers contain an antioxidant called capsaicin, which relieves congestion, headaches, allergies, colitis, ulcers, and discomfort. Eating peppers can aid with blood clotting, cholesterol reduction, and the rate of stroke. Peppers also increase metabolism. Tips for Buying Organic Avocados Look for avocados that are slightly soft, but without dark sunken spots or cracks. Tree ripened avocados generally have a better flavor and can be identified by their slight neck. California avocados usually have a richer taste than avocados grown in Florida. Be sure that you only purchase avocados that have dark green skin, light and bright skin is a sign the avocado is not ripe. Organic Guacamole Recipe - 2 ripe, medium organic avocados - Juice from 1 organic lime (to taste) - 2 tbsp chopped fresh organic cilantro - ½ tsp organic olive oil - ½ tsp raw organic apple cider vinegar - Juice from 1 organic lemon - ½ tsp organic cumin - 2 cloves organic garlic - ¼ cup finely chopped organic onion - ¼ tsp freshly ground organic pepper - ¼-½ tsp finely ground Himalayan salt (to taste) - Peel avocados and remove the pit. - Dice the avocados, mince the garlic cloves, and chop the onion and cilantro. - Squeeze your lemon and lime and grind your pepper as needed. - Combine all ingredients in a medium-sized bowl. - Instead of mixing, toss well to maintain the chunky consistency. About the author: Dr. Edward F. Group III (DC, ND, DACBN, DCBCN, DABFM) founded Global Healing Center in 1998 with the goal of providing the highest quality natural health information and products. He is world-renowned for his research on the root cause of disease. Under his leadership, Global Healing Center earned recognition as one of the largest natural and organic health resources in the world. Dr. Group is a veteran of the United States Army and has attended both Harvard and MIT business schools. He is a best-selling author and a frequent guest on radio and television programs, documentary films, and in major publications. Dr. Group centers his philosophy around the understanding that the root cause of disease stems from the accumulation of toxins in the body and is exacerbated by daily exposure to a toxic living environment. He believes it is his personal mission to teach and promote philosophies that produce good health, a clean environment, and positive thinking. This, he believes, can restore happiness and love to the world. For more, please visit Global Healing Center. Recommended articles by Dr. Edward Group: - Study Finds Antidepressants to be Depressingly Ineffective - The 9 Best Fermented Foods for Your Gut - 14 Foods that Cleanse the Liver - Top 5 Foods for the Pineal Gland - The Importance of a Kidney Cleansing Diet - The 9 Best Herbs for Lung Cleansing and Respiratory Support - 7 Best Foods to Support Kidney Function - How Fluoride Damages Pineal Gland Health - 10 Uses for Organic Oregano Oil - Lung Cleanse: 10 Ways to Detox Your Lungs - 10 Aloe Vera Uses You Probably Didn’t Know About - Digestive Enzymes – The 10 Best Foods for Gut Health

Gladiolus plants send up flowers during the summer. Each flower stem contains several buds that bloom along the length of the stem. The flowers are prized as a colorful garden flower and as a cut flower for indoor display. The plants grow from a tender perennial corm that collects and stores the energy necessary for the following year's growth, making it necessary to properly care for the gladiolus after blooming if you want it to flower again the next year. Cut off the flower stem at its base after all the buds have flowered and completed blooming. Use clean, sharp shears to remove the stems. Video of the Day Water the plants weekly after blooming. Provide enough water at each irrigation to keep the top 6 inches of soil moist. Water more frequently if hot weather causes the soil to dry out or the plants to wilt. Weed between the gladiolus weekly or as necessary to keep weeds from establishing in the bed. Gladiolus plants can't tolerate weed competition, as the weeds rob the soil of the nutrients and water the corms need to store energy. Cut back the foliage to within ½ inch of the ground after the first fall frost causes the foliage to yellow and die back. Dig the corms up after cutting back the foliage. Spread the corms out in a dry, warm location indoors. Dry the corms for three weeks. Break the bottom off the corm along the seam and discard the bottom portion, saving only the new top corm. Store the corms in a paper bag in a dry location where temperatures are 35 to 45 degree Fahrenheit until spring planting.

Were there prosthetics in ww2? Were there prosthetics in ww2? Prosthetics fabrication in the United States remained largely unchanged through WWII. During that war, an amputee typically received a temporary artificial limb when he or she left the service and was referred to the Veterans Administration for a permanent limb. Did amputees fight in ww2? Of the soldiers in the US Army wounded in action during World War II, about 15,000 (2.5%) required major amputations . Are there soldiers with prosthetics? ARLINGTON, Va. — Thanks to advances in modern medicine and the availability of sturdier prosthetics, Soldiers who are able to re-deploy after amputation have a number of possible options for continued military service. When were prosthetic legs first used? The Artificial Leg is Invented. Benjamin Franklin Palmer of Meredith, New Hampshire, was not related to founder Benjamin Franklin, but the two shared a talent for invention. On November 4, 1846, Palmer received patent number 4,834 for the artificial leg. The artificial leg uses springs and metal tendons. When was the first prosthetic arm made? A famous and quite refined historical prosthetic arm was that of Götz von Berlichingen, made at the beginning of the 16th century. The first confirmed use of a prosthetic device, however, is from 950 to 710 BC. How have prosthetic limbs developed over time? Prosthetic devices have changed a lot over time thanks to advances in technology, materials, and design. Before the 20th century, many people could not afford professionally made prosthetics, so they created their own out of materials they had, such as a wooden chair or table leg. Did people lose limbs in ww1? Limb amputation was one of the most common practices during the war. Many thousands of limbs were amputated and lives were saved through its use. It is estimated in Germany that the number of amputations totalled 67,000 and 41,000 in Britain. How many US soldiers lost a limb in Afghanistan? United States By theatre of operations to September 2010, 1,158 US military personnel suffered major or partial limb amputations as a result of the conflict in Iraq, 249 in Afghanistan, and 214 in ‘unaffiliated conflicts’34 in Yemen, Pakistan and Uzbekistan. Can you stay in the military if you lose a limb? Amputees are allowed to return to active duty if they can prove they can still do the job and won’t be a danger to themselves or others. In 2005, David M. Rozelle, then an Army captain, became the first military amputee to go back to combat when he redeployed to Iraq. Who is the father of prosthetics? Ambroise Paré: Father of the Modern Prosthetic Leg He is regarded by many as the father of modern surgery. Who was the first person to invent prosthetic? One of the earliest written references to prosthetics is found in a book published in France in 1579. That year, French surgeon Ambroise Paré (1510–1590) published his complete works, part of which described some of the artificial limbs he fitted on his amputees. Why did prosthetics become so popular in WW1? With the onset of World War I, the need for prosthetics escalated exponentially. As this was the first war in which industrialized weaponry like machine guns created more bodily harm than infection or disease, an extraordinary number of soldiers survived with severe injuries. Why have prosthetics improved so much over time? “A lot of the big advancements have happened because of war,” Jim Lavranos, senior clinician at the Caulfield prosthetic ward, said. “Essentially after World War II, the American Orthotic and Prosthetic Association formed because of the drive from amputees to upgrade components. What kind of prosthetic legs did Civil War veterans wear? Left, this Civil War era portrait shows a veteran with a typical wood and leather prosthetic leg. Image courtesy the National Museum of Health and Medicine. Right, this Anglesey-style wooden leg was produced in Britain around 1901, and features a jointed knee and ankle and a spring-fitted heel. Image courtesy of the Science Museum / SSPL. What was technology like in the 1950s for amputees? In the 1950s, major strides were being made in prosthesis, and amputation surgery was progressed with the help of muscle transplant technology. A 1945 amputees manual demonstrates the height of prosthetic technology available to World War II veterans. Supplied

Students will weigh the pros and cons of cloud computing to make effective decisions and meet IT challenges. Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to: - Learn the fundamental concepts of cloud computing. - Learn the business aspects and impact of cloud computing. - Differentiate the types of cloud solutions and the adoption measures needed for each. - Identify the technical challenges and the mitigation measures involved in cloud computing. - Identify the steps to successfully adopt cloud services. - Identify the basic concepts of ITIL and describe how the ITIL framework is useful in the implementation of cloud computing in an organization. - Identify the possible risks involved in cloud computing and the risk mitigation measures, and you will also identify the potential cost considerations for the implementation of cloud and its strategic benefits. 1 - Understanding Cloud Computing Concepts - Topic A: Understand Basic Cloud Concepts and Terms - Topic B: Identify Cloud Network and Cloud Storage Technologies - Topic C: Recognize Cloud Design Aspects 2 - Applying Cloud Business Principles - Topic A: Relate Cloud Concepts to Business Principles - Topic B: Establish Cloud Vendor Relations - Topic C: Distinguish the Financial Aspects of Engaging a Cloud Service Provider - Topic D: Report Financial Expenditures 3 - Advising a Cloud Design and Migration - Topic A: Relate Cloud Concepts to Cloud Design and Migration - Topic B: Use Cloud Assessments - Topic C: Manage Cloud Design - Topic D: Compare Cloud Migration Approaches - Topic E: Identify Benefits and Solutions of Cloud Services 4 - Operating in the Cloud - Topic A: Relate Cloud Concepts to Technical Operations - Topic B: Identify the Technical Aspects of Cloud Operations - Topic C: Understand DevOps in the Cloud - Topic D: Explain Cloud Security Concerns, Measures, and Concepts 5 - Managing Cloud Governance - Topic A: Relate Cloud Concepts to Governance - Topic B: Apply Risk Management Concepts - Topic C: Understand Compliance and the Cloud - Topic D: Manage Policies and Procedures for Cloud Services 6 - Appendix A: Mapping Course Content to the CompTIA Cloud Essentials+ (Exam CLO-002) 7 - Appendix B: CompTIA Cloud Essentials+ (Exam CLO-002) Acronyms 8 - Glossary 9 - Index There are no prerequisites for this course. Do you have more questions? We're delighted to assist you! Who Should Attend The CompTIA Cloud Essentials+ Specialty certification is relevant to IT specialists, IT technical services specialists, IT relationship managers, IT architects, consultants, business and IT management, business process owners, and analysts.

As gradually ecofeminism started maintain its development As gradually ecofeminism started maintain its development, it also started on looking into some of the primary splintering. According to radical ecofeminism, the patriarchal society asserts that both women and nature are to be degraded. So for that, radical ecofeminists are made on the assurance of early ecofeminists that one should examine patriarchal domination with an eye towards ending the relation between women and nature. The main aim of this division is to favour the exploitation of both women and nature at an economical cost with a cheap labor and resources. Ecofeminism stretched out of radical feminism, which holds that recollecting the dynamics behind the dominance of male over female is the key to comprehending every expression of patriarchal culture with its hierarchical, militaristic, mechanistic and industrialist forms. Radical feminism is a philosophy emphasizing the patriarchal roots of dominance of women by men. Radical feminism resists existing political and social organization because it is inherently tied to patriarchy. Thus, radical feminists moved as an unconvinced of political action in compass of the current system, but alternately their basis is on culture change that undermines patriarchy and interconnected hierarchical forms. They are tending to be more violent in their approach as compared to any other form of feminism. The main focus of radical feminist is to break the patriarchy, alternately than making adjustments to the structure through continuous legal amendments. They also countered reducing oppression to an economic or class issue. Radical feminists combat patriarchy, not men. Therefore to equalize radical feminism is to man-hating is to undertake that patriarchy and men are intimate, both politically and philosophically. Radical feminism was ineradicable in the wider radical movement, where women engaged themselves in anti-war and New Left political movements of the 1960’s, ruling themselves excluding from equal control by the men in the movement, even with underlying presumptions of allowance. Many of these women divide off into respective feminist groups, while undisturbing themselves much of their political radical ideals and methods. Radical feminism is trusted with the use of awareness of raising groups to elevate the awareness about women’s oppression. Radical feminists also emphasized on sexuality, which also includes some effective radical political lesbianism. Some of the main desire of radical feminists includes: • reproductive rights for women, which also includes self-determination to make choices to give birth, have an abortion, freedom to be sterilized. • evaluating and then breaking the so called conventional roles in public customs as well as in private relationships. • should know about the conception of rape as it is not a seeking of sex but as an expression of male power on female body. • should know about the conception of prostitution as it is an oppression of women by male both economically and sexually. • an evaluation of marriage, concept of nuclear family and sexuality, of motherhood and questioning about the amount of our culture is based on patriarchal expectations. • an evaluation of institutions other than marriage or family but which also includes religion and government which are centered in patriarchal power. If we look back during the second wave of feminism i.e. from 1960s till 1980s, Kathie Sarachild who was an active radical feminist explained that according to dictionary radical means root, which came from the Latin word root. And that is what meant by a radical feminists. They were more of interested in moving with the roots of main issues of society. According to them the roots of the problems of the society can be analyzed in raising groups, various issues of women- where they discussed about their various dimensions and experiences with a range of topics from childhood to work, their relation with men, and feeling about one’s body. The major role for awakening this movement was an appeal to feelings and one’s personal experience, the second wave of radical feminists absorbed a host of intellectual influences also, in which they inherit their ideas and practices from New Left or Civil Rights which influenced the feminist awakening. The idea of recreating a new history of America also played a crucial role of awakening of radical feminism which invokes the feminists to define their political vision. There were two arguments of Radical Feminism were whether women’s freedom could be achieved after a socialist revolution i.e. whether they should start their own revolutionary movement or not. Although the second argument was succeed in its own way, but many had opposed it in the beginning. In order to form an identity of new women’s movement, radical feminists used two forms of historical arguments: they reestablish and provoke the political history of black liberation struggle of women; in which they form black power, and organized arguments, slogans and strategies which had a long lasting impact upon the women for many years. Here, I consider that radical feminism as a political movement which created its own identity by applying two classes of discussions: To begin with, radical feminists put themselves in the verifiable continuum of a women’s activist battle that checked among its triumphs, the expansion of establishment to women and among its restrictions the powerlessness to reach past an overwhelmingly white, middleclass supporters. Secondly, radical feminists further argue from the history of black liberation struggle. The arguments and concepts of Black Power resulted in the long lasting influence upon the women’s movement. The primary years of women’s liberation movement was seen with the political vision and new social movement. Although at first the women tried to keep the wider social concerns with racism and class struggle who informed about their previous work, but the young radical women tried at first to identify their own needs, choices, desires and strategies. Cellestine Ware, an active participant of black women liberation movement once wrote about her own account, noticing about the new feminism of 1970, although many women took active participation in the event but still they were not “ready to be called as feminists”. As for radical feminists, reforming feminism is like a political identity signified with the historical provision of first wave of women’s movement. Apart from maintaining the nineteenth century feminist tradition for the women’s liberation movement, by critiquing the limits of the feminism of the past, the radical feminists of the second wave started articulating their own political vision. Kate Millett, author of Sexual Politics; Celestine Ware, who published Woman Power in 1970; and Juliet Mitchell, a British feminist who wrote from a Marxist perspective explored all these connections. Enthusiasm for women’s’ history and nineteenth-century women’s liberation was communicated in numerous zones of the women’s’ freedom development, and awareness raising gatherings added to the resurgence of this enthusiasm too. Although those who were fighting for the women’s liberation movement were aware about women’s history has been wrenched by the patriarchal practice in the name of knowledge and experience. Suffrage activism and the continuity with the nineteenth-century feminism marked as one of the important element of identification for radical feminists. Through this continuity radical feminists enabled two sort of connectivity: one is explicit; but with marginalized aspects and the other one is less explicit; but both had an equal structure for the movement. By the year 1971 many women writers started writing on condition of women and their movements and by this time Flexner’s text had became one of the compulsory texts for many young women liberationists who were interested in women’s history and the history of feminism. But the main argument regarding the history of women which shaped the identity of new movement came from the rediscovery of nineteenth-century feminist activism. Firestone reclaimed in her 1968 article, “The Women’s Rights Movement in the USA New View”, which was published in the Notes from the First Year, the word feminism for the women’s liberation movement and the variety of first wave feminist activists are predecessors for radical feminism. She recognizes the mid-nineteenth century feminism to radical aspects by distinguishing between two branches of activism: a women’s right movement concerning for wide social changes and suffrage movement focusing on gaining the vote as a single issue. On the other hand, contemporary experienced historians who were writing the narrative of the nineteenth-century women’s movement did not necessarily distinguished the radical and the suffrage-oriented strand. A variety of claims had been formulated by the feminist activist in the nineteenth- century. Initially at the first National Convention for Women’s Rights at Seneca Falls, now known as the founding event of the nineteenth-century women’s movement, the object of women’s suffrage was considered as sensitive and almost it was denied. But the women’s suffrage movement gain strength towards the end of the century. Further Firestone explained the dual structure of nineteenth-century feminism which was divided between a reformist and a radical strand and it was marked by two opposing movements which was running parallel: the reformism of NOW, in which many young radical women were accused of working within the system, and the other were young radical groups who were reclaim to begin feminism for themselves. Firestone elaborated the first wave of radical feminism, The Dialectic of Sex (1970). In her introductory chapter “On American Feminism”, she simply says: the feminism of 1960’s was “the second wave of the most important revolution in history. Its motive was to disestablish the oldest, most rigid class/ caste system either in existence or on the based on sex.” The feminist second wave had enormous consequences on the conceptualization of radical women’s activism for the women’s liberation movement. Other radical movement writers entreated the history of feminist struggle, by criticizing the reformers and focusing on women’s freedom as one of the primary goal of the movement. As Firestone’s History of Suffrage, Kate Millet also wrote, “Of the 250 women who met at Seneca Falls only one, a nineteen-year old seamstress named Charlotte Woodward, lived to vote for president in 1920.” Juliet Mitchell further claims by saying “(w)hen the ballot was won, the feminist movement collapsed and it was described as exhaustion.” From the Marxist position Juliet Mitchell spoke that the ballot was the formal legal equality in bourgeoisie society, but it the social and economic equality of women behind. There were many reasons regarding the criticizing of the first wave of the women’s movements. One of the reason was as they noticed its “bourgeois character” which were limiting its appeal and potential. Just like Firestone, Kate Millet also observed that although suffrage movement was also a reformist, but they were only concerned regarding only one issue and that was to enter politically in order to secure them. First wave of feminism as a social movement hardly concerned regarding radical changes in society which was important to complete the sexual revolution and bring changes in social attitudes and structures, in personality and institutions. In spite of gaining the right to vote the women still remained within narrow patriarchal dimensions. For instance, although women got the right to divorce, but the institution of marriage remained unchanged. Regarding the notion of work, women were granted the right to work, but still they didn’t got the equal rights neither regarding works nor regarding wages and even they were not considered as to work as a fundamental human contribution. And finally with the new rights, now they were recognized as newer and under more subtle forms of control. The main motive of reviewing the past history of feminism for Firestone and Millet was to relate it with contemporary women’s movement. Moreover, history allows them to see and experience the difference between past and present political situations. The argument of the radical feminists of the late 1960s was suffrage movement was not the ultimate goal of the radical feminism in fact it was an incomplete feminist accomplishment for women’s freedom. In spite of fighting and struggling for eighty years of feminism, could not gain the victory for the feminist cause- in fact if women’s potentiality to participate in politics were considered the ultimate purpose of feminist activism, then it had not left any agenda for radical women to fight for. The radical feminist text of Kate Millet’s Sexual Politics (1969) not only familiarize the world with the idea of radical movement but also simplified the idea that gender is a social construct not a biological construct. It straight away into the notion of observation of female according to male which reduces her to the status of animal and also the treatment of her sexuality based on according to the ranking of gender creation. She had written the text based on the readings of three male writers Henry Miller, Norman Mailer, and Jean Genet, Millet describes how all these texts are based on attitudes and of male supremacy which she terms as ‘sexual politics’ and war against patriarchy. Woman is always dependent on man “who live on the surplus” (38), and therefore marginalized and the reason behind this is just because man is in control of the economical and political institutions. She also advocated that gender roles should not be based on biological sex but should be constructed on the basis of social and cultural hierarchy. These ideas of Millet which is based on universal feminism were mostly found in most of the patriarchal societies. We can see all these many Indian texts which are based on fundamental effects of lives of women which are similar in every patriarchal society irrespective of their geographical differences. The second phase of feminist movement was also affected by the writings of the activists like Betty Friedan, Shulamith Firestone and Shiela Rowbatham in America. The Feminine Mystique by Betty Friedan appeared in 1963. This book challenged the common attitude about that woman that her place is at her home and that she should fulfill the duty of domestic works, motherhood and her roles within the marriage. Friedan surveyed and interviewed several educated middleclass women and are forced to remain in their homes and they expressed about their frustration and about their dormant position. Friedan wrote about this in the preface of her book: There was strange discrepancy between the reality of our lives as women and the image to which we were trying to conform, the image that I came to call the feminine mystique (9). Therefore this term came into use to identify womanhood with the roles of daughter, wife, mother and daughter-in-law. Same way The Dialectic of Sex by Shulamith Firestone stated that the oppression of women is oldest and is based on economic class. Liberation of women is only possible with the revolt of women to control their own reproductive system. Therefore the writings of Friedan, Firestone and Rowbotham handled the task of ‘rising consciousness’ with the slogan ‘personal is political’ which meant was personal experiences should be reshaped into political movement to dissolve the hierarchal power of patriarchy. But not all writers look into this concern with a positive eye. As the second wave of feminism was moving the literary criticism and the feminist epistemology evolved side by side. As a liberal feminist Literature of Their Own by Elaine Showalter tried to rescue the minor literary women writers by establishing a female subculture and bringing them under a female literary tradition. She also introduced the concept of gynocriticism which would allow woman as the reader and critic of literary texts. She divide women writers into feminine, feminist and female which would allow the literary tradition of women writers into proper division and would hold the subculture of female all over the world. The core beliefs of the radical feminist approach have been attacked by other feminists on a number of grounds. First argument is that “the personal is political” is itself is a dictatorial statement, as it suggests that a person nowhere in his life can be free from political inspection and that feminists are to be held accountable to their “sisters” for every aspect of their behaviour. Women therefore should be very much concerned about the political consequences of what and how they dress up, with whom they sleep and for whom they cook and therefore they should monitor their daily activities according to that only. Second point of criticism is that the personal is political is effective de-politicising, as it could show that whatever predictable political activity done by feminists represents a pointless meeting with man-made work, and so therefore it is a waste of time. So, therefore according to this argument a woman’s political priority instead of attempting to change the world must be put into their own emotional and sexual house. Such kind of withdrawal may validate and develop into a “women culture” which will take a shape into new forms of expression through art, music, drama or poetry. Critics says that this kind of “cultural feminism”, may make the women feel good, but they have to leave the leading culture unchallenged and unchanged. According to third point of criticism, the concept of patriarchy is said to be historical and expressive instead of critical. So therefore there is no one who can explain the origins of patriarchy or who can give a logical reason to end it. Same way, by experiencing the experiences of middleclass white western women, they deny the oppression based on class and race. Fourth argument was regarding the radical feminist approach is that they say by encouraging women to consider only their bad experiences with men, so that the women who has experienced abused, could be listened with respect, while on the other hand the women who had experiences of happy married life are ignored as “false consciousness”. This portrays a picture of women as helpless victims, rather than encouraging them their joint opposition and oppositional power. According to critics, such a picture is politically counter-productive and, in an age where women are experiencing physical gains, is largely responsible for the popular portrayal of feminism as complaining, droning and full of negativity. Such critic further says that women should be trained to take responsibilities of their own lives and should fight against injustice, instead of weltering in the masochistic pleasures of common victimhood. Finally, the anxiety about women’s status as being a victim is feed in a politically dangerous and false view of women as they are fundamentally good and men are fundamentally bad. But at the same point of time it is also ignoring the fact that in some cases many women do have a vital amount of economic and political power and that many men are oppressed. This view men as an impracticable, wrong and as “the enemy”, which tells that they cannot be trusted as fathers, friends, sexual partners or political associates; therefore lesbian self-rule could be seen as the only possible option feminists together as a choice for life-style and as a political strategy. But such a suggestion cannot be accepted that feminist who argues by saying that many men has also contributed to the feminist cause and also moreover many have treated women in their lives with greatest respect and love. In 1996 a new international collection of essays by sixty-eight self-proclaimed radical feminists provided a strong argument against alleged misinterpretations of their core beliefs (Radically Speaking (Bell and Klein, 1996)). The demands of these feminists are not that private life should become political, but on the other hand they claim that it has already been, they view that the discovery of oppression; should be the first step towards challenging it, rather than making it as an end itself. Many feminist contributors persist that their main aim is not healing individual or developing the women culture; but their main aim is to modify the world, with the concluding aim of ending any type of oppression of women for the betterment of all mankind. They do not assert by saying that man is more privileged than woman, but they claim that women anywhere in the world are more exposed than men and that is because of their sex and therefore the domination of male is a basic composition in all societies. Therefore, it suggests that there is no one “correct” structure of feminist political activity. Neither any activity does not embody out-of-the-way manifestations of male supremacy, as they can both draw strength and feed into the wider women’s movement. There is also difference between the minority who supposed that there are irremovable and indispensable biological differences which can shape both men’s and women’s nature and argument against gender differences are communally produced, and those who distinguish between structures of control on the one hand individual as men as the other. For the former, women and her associated values are intrinsically better than those of men, with which they cannot be compromise. But for the latter, male as a person is analytically different from male patriarchal power, although at some point of time women may desire to lead their life without men and women should at times also organize themselves to protect their desire. In the human sciences ecofeminism is one of the unapplied tools which was originated and developed in the west. The human sciences study social, biological, and cultural aspects of human life, as well as the relation and the behavior of human beings with other entities; this has paved to rise the of conversation like ecofeminism to solve problems related to women and nature. As the name suggests ecofeminism is a meeting place of two theoretical endeavor-ecocritical discourses and feminism. The question may arise in our mind that by the term ecoferminism why women and nature are interconnected, therefore it is unsaid that there is a need to study the connection between the women and the nature. Although some ecofeminists refuse this connection while others think that there is a strong connection between women and nature and it can only be supported on the basis of ideology, biology, ontology and a history of oppression. Mary Daly a radical lesbian feminist critically acclaimed in her book Gyn/Ecology had done a research on the concept of feminity, its origin and root. She in her book explained that how the image of womanhood had came and sustained which formed the basis of patriarchy. Starhawk and Susan Griffin had also written on the connection between women and nature. But on the other hand some of the constructivist ecofeminists like Simone De Beauvoir and Sherry B Ortner did not approved about the required connection of women and nature by saying that the connection is not natural but it is only a social creation. Simobe De Beauvoir in her book, The Second Sex proves that how man is equal to women and culture, animals, nature etc are different from it. The main argument of radical ecofeminists is that cross culturally women are being associated with or have been seeing to be closer to nature and that is because of their reproductive function, which defined their psychic structure and roles. Same way, men are related with culture and as culture universally tries to dominate and control nature so therefore men generally tries to subordinate and dominate women. On the other hand, ecofeminists see the proximity between women and nature as a source of empowerment of women and environmental liberation. Perception of women and comprehension of the world is inherently grounded in a web like human/nature relation which is not hierarchical. Ecofeminism examines the interrelationship between the destruction of the natural environment and the oppression of the women, the essential connection which arises from man’s centered thinking. For example, the central/hierarchical thinking resulting from the binary oppositions of a patriarchal culture where man and civilization are seen as privileged concepts and women and nature as underprivileged or it can be define as the ‘other’ which had deeply developed into the unconscious or conscious of the society at large. Ecofeminists encourages the solutions of the problems which require a decentring view of this world; a shift to a way of thinking that goes beyond hierarchies of privilege and power and binary oppositions to a hierarchy. As to view the association of women with nature, both of them were disvalued in western culture, ecofeminism within a radical bent analyzed that the critique of patriarchy was the main the cause of environmental problems and suggested alternatives which could liberate both women and nature (Merchant 1990, p. 93) This attitude of ecofeminism can be further analyzed from the famous article by Sherry Ortner, Is Female to Male as a Nature is to Culture? (1974) The ecofeminists praise the relationship amongst women and nature through the advancement of old customs focusing on the Mother Goddess, the moon, creatures and the women reproductive system. This ancient period, centered on goddess worship, was ousted by a rising male centric culture with male gods to whom the female gods were subservient. The scientific revolution of the 17th century further degraded the nature, metaphor of a machine to be controlled and repaired from outside had replaced the nurturing earth. The earth is to be dominated by science and industry, male developed and controlled technology. Ecofeminist essentialism did not able to give any statement on any historical change in society. Some of the critics like Susan Prentice (1998) argued that politics imply man to what to do the earth is bad, unlike women by emphasizing the special relationship between women and nature, so that they ignore the fact that men too can grow principle of caring for nature. It also fail domination and capitalism of nature. Thus, it can’t build up a viable procedure for change, since it closes in polarizing the universes of people while essentializing the two classes. On the other hand, those ecofeminists who are working within the socialist structure, are seen as human nature and nature as “socially constructed, rooted in an analysis of race, class and gender” (Merchant 1992, p. 194). Though the dominant of use it has the potential of more thorough critique. Going apart from radicals, this ecofeminists criticizes capitalist patriarchy, focusing on more logical relationships between “production and reproduction, and between production and ecology”(Merchant 1992, pp. 195-197). • Historically, women’s intimate relationship with nature has helped to support life. In traditional societies production was disrupted due to colonial intervention and capitalist development. In charge of production of exchange of commodities the capitalistic economy started dominated by men, while women were held responsible for mainly for reproducing the work-force and social relations were pushed increasingly into the domestic sphere. Under the capitalistic economy, sustainability of nature is ignored, and reproduction is considered subordinate to production. But under socialism, production does not mean to satisfy people’s greed, but to satisfy people’s need. In the transition to socialist ecology the ecofeminist view is that the emphasis of reproduction and nature should be reversed with priorities of capitalism, rather than production being central. Therefore the focus of ecofeminists becomes the reproduction of life itself. This vision of ecofeminists deals with environmental issues which would affect working class women. Nonetheless, these ecofeminists excessively tend, making it impossible to essentialize women and see them as being nearer to nature. Moreover, they favour and view women as one of the marginalized categories along with different marginalized classes and races. But by doing so, they are merging all the categories of women together. They did not see the experiences of women which differ on the basis of race, caste, class, and ethnicity and so on. Karren Warren’s influential article “Feminism and Ecology: Making connections” (1987) persuades feminists to recognize the connection between environmental degradation, sexism and other forms of social oppression by tending their attention to ecological problems. She asserts that ecofeminism is an ethical trend, a philosophical vision and as well as a political movement. Warren adds in her book Ecological Feminism (1994), ecofeminism is also “cross-cultural” in that it encompasses “the inextricable interconnections among all social systems of domination, for instance, racism, classism, ageism, ethnocentrism, imperialism, colonialism, as well as sexism” (p. 2). Therefore ecofeminism attempts to prove the parallel forms of domination, which agreeably reinforce each other and lead to the destruction of nature and degradation of life. Ecofeminists significantly care more about ‘patriarchal conceptual framework’ which are further indicated by hierarchy and by conflicting dualism: male/female, mind/body, reason/emotion, universal/particular, culture/nature and where the first term is elevated and associated with men and second term is devalued and associated with women. Val Plumwood the Australian philosopher focuses on the concept of dualism in Feminism and The Mastery of Nature (1993). According to her, dualism is characterized by rejection and denial and is linked to others by forming oppressive connections. Dualism is a way of thinking that makes the relationships equally attainable and it is not just a hierarchy. A dualism is a relationship of dominion and separation. Science, religion, philosophy, social models, economics and sexual standards education supports the logic of dominion that drives women into background and assumes men’s existence in the foreground. Same way, Peter Hay (2002) proclaims that “patriarchy is a gender-privileging system of power relations… masculine values are regarded as ‘species-defining’, whilst the feminine is marginalized and trivialized. This has led to the categorization of women and values associated with the feminine as ‘other’…” (pp. 73-74). Actually, the modern form of feminism has been acutely concerned with the dualisms of female/nature versus male/culture. Simone De Beauvoir in The Second Sex (1974), develops her famous passage as woman as the ‘Other’, which enhances the very basic belief about women. According to her belief system man aspires in Woman the Other and Nature as his fellow being. But we know very well what kind of mixed feeling man is being inspired by nature. He utilizes her for his selfish needs, but she crushes him, he is born and dies in her; she is the source of his soul and realm that she subjugates to his will. De Beauvoir describes man’s contradiction towards woman and nature by identifying all these factors. But this has become a crucial issue as man himself cannot completely explain his relationship to both women and nature. According to a more contemporary ecofeminist writer Maureen Devine (1992) thinks that woman is a victim of patriarchal power structures but not of an any individual man… who treats both women and nature as objects and within these power structures both have became victims. According to ecofeminists the concept of “other” includes not only woman and nature but also animals, “Third world” people, people of colour, as well the lower class; in other words all the marginalized inferior categories. Ecofeminists put a linguistic term between oppression of land and women, as the term “rape of land”. This term is used to exhibit the pronoun ‘she’ and term ‘mother nature’ as feminine. They also describe nature as ‘untamed’ and women as ‘wild’. The Chipko Movement is not only about trees, but it is also a grassroots, nonviolent, women initiated protest movement and it is also about –other human Other-nature connections. This is true in India that forests are intimately governed by women as it is connected to rural and household economies. The rural women would pose a serious problem if there would be a shortage of trees as they are more dependent than men on tree and forest products and they are the primary sufferers of forest resource depletion. The most important advocate of ecofeminism in India is Vandana Shiva. Shiva in her book, Staying Alive: Women, Ecology and Development (1989) criticize western technology and modern science, colonial project and a patriarchy which continues to have violence against women and nature. Most ecofeminists like Mies and Shiva colonization is the main reason of subjugation of “third world” people but also destroying and looting the natural resources which were until then preserved and sacred by the “third world” society. Another network that Mies and Shiva held responsible for changing the courses of the lives of the animal, nature and “third world” towards destruction is capitalist patriarchy. Therefore man is superior to nature, man to woman, production to consumption, and the global to the local and so on. Although capitalist patriarchy brought new ideas of development and progress to the “third world”, still Mies and Shiva truly criticized its skewed development which termed as maledevelopment. Anita Desai one of the contemporary writer explores ecofeminist traits in her work ingeniously. Her novels epilogues relate the establishment and the narrative of the ecofeminine perspective. The position of the women and the state of the environment are incorporated on several levels, and the natural surroundings draw strength to the women. Anita Desai’s heroines tried to escape from the current busy schedule as they are loved to be with nature. They want to console with nature. They wanted to move towards solitude, silence, Nature of small Islands, and landscapes of less-frequented hills and mountains and away from the noises, crowds, humdrum and traffic of cities. Anita Desai always mounts her novels as just like a horseman who is having an ecofeminist persona in her hands and rides our mind as just like a horse who always obeys its master. We see and imagine novels through her eyes. We can feel the presence of the nature right through her novel, we can see the honey crammed flowers and can smell the sweet fragrance of the ripening of the fruits, we can hear the note of Bulbul in the forest lawn, we literally visualize the fire on the mountain and symbolically notice the fire in the eyes and minds of Ila Das, Nanda Kaul and even Raka, we also taste the delicious nectar overflowed from the ripen fruits and jam. The novel Fire on the mountain helps the reader to enjoy themselves in the midst of the nature. As a writer, Aniya Desai has received Sahitya Akademi Award and nominated thrice for the Booker Prize Award for her novel Fire on the Mountain (1999). Most of her literary works investigate the resistance against patriarchal system in order to achieve independence by obstructing the ways of oppressed individuals. The symbolism or representation of women characters in relation to nature allows the reader to recognize the infinite spheres of the female ideology. The title of novel is highly symbolic and suggestive. It not only indicates the actual occurrence happening of now and then on top of the mountain, besides ranging passion within restless soul but also burning into ashes trees and houses. Fire on the Mountain revolves around three women characters Ila Das, Raka and Nanda Kaul, their interconnectedness with nature, equal oppression of nature and their victimization. The novel highlights its partnership to the darker aspects of the women concerned and also depicts the darker shades of nature. Therefore, this novel clearly highlights the ecological concerns which are connected to human and non-human species. All the three protagonists whom Desai created in her novel are trapped in all the dualistic patterns which man symbolizes arrogance and power, fear and hate, domination and brutality, while on the other hand woman and nature in every aspect of life are victims. Both woman and nature are being exposed to various forms of exploitation in Fire on the Mountain. Regarding the victimization of women, the lives of three victim women represents a narrative discourse on violence, either physically or mentally, due to patriarchal system. Nanda Kaul, a widowed great-grandmother, is a victim of her role as a dutiful wife to an unfaithful husband and as a mother to many children. Raka, her absolutely withdrawn great-grandchild, is the victim of a cruel father. Ila Das, Nanda’s childhood friend, unmarried, and the victim of her own reformist idealism and her selfish brothers. BR Nagpal (2014) states that: The woman protagonists are portrayed as victims of an aberrant urban milieu, patriarchal family structures and bourgeoisie, bureaucratic, imperialistic, colonized, social scenario. It is in this context that the characters are in a state of revolt, despondency, morbidity and are driven to grapple with duality, fragmentation. (p. 49) Fire on the Mountain tells the dramatic story of Nanda Kaul who retires in a cottage up the mountain at Carignano in Kausali after her husband’s death. There she creates a space for her own and enclosed herself in a life of confinement, solitude and privacy. Accompanied only by Ram Lal, the cook, equipped with the bare necessities, Nanda loves Carignano for its isolation and bareness, its slopes, scary ravines and steep heights becomes one with this desolate landscape. This shows a basic form of relatedness and a kind of interconnectedness between women and nature. The reason behind is this because women’s bodies specially at the time of pregnancy are lead to be two in one and to host other bodies. So the woman is seen either contained by or containing others throughout all phases of her lives. It is a common Indian culture ideology that women position considered as inferior as compared to men. Women’s psychic and psyche are dominated by the institutions’ societal structure. Therefore education, myth religion and social value are used to overpower the female through creating strong notions of hierarchy. Indian women have become the victims of that process. They are forced to keep quiet. They are not given any kind of opportunity to speak about their needs and their problems. Whenever the woman is portrayed or imagined, she is always in the second position below the man. She is always muted. Identifying this issue, Indian critic and feminist Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak (1985) asks-“can the subaltern speak?” To answer this question, she says: “There is no space from which the sexed subaltern subject can speak…The subaltern cannot speak” (p. 103). The main reason Spivak speaks is that Indian woman is always labeled as a good wife or a sati. “Sati as a woman’s proper name is in fairly widespread use in India…Naming a female infant ‘a good wife’ has its own proleptic irony…” (p. 102). While examining the power and position of Indian women. Therefore the position of ‘third world woman’ is always in-between imperialism and patriarchy. Nanda’s chosen seclusion is due to her husband’s unfaithfulness which is nursing a deep wound in her heart. After passing past by psychic suffering and bitter experiences of a hypocritical married life she has selected this severance from all human relationships. Her husband always regards her as a splendid hostess of all parties he hold but never respects her as a wife. Desai represents Nanda’s trauma as thus: The old house, the full house, of that period of her life when she was the vicechancellor’s wife was the hub of a small but intense world, which had not pleased her. Its crowding had stifled her….They had so many children, they had gone to so many schools at different times of the day, and had so many tutors…all of different ages and families. (FOTM, pp. 29-30) Internally Nanda is burning with frustration and suppressed emotions but externally everything appears smooth and pleasant. The brutal death of Nanda’s only friend Ila Das breaks the web of self-insulation that Nanda has been weaving since her arrival Carignano. She did not ask her friend to stay the night in order to protect her solitude and later she felt guilty for that. In order to identify her friend’s body the police officer rings Nanda Kaul requesting her to come to the police station. After hearing the tragic news Nanda felt deeply shocked and unexpectedly lapses into reverie, into death. Wernmei Young Ade comments; “the phone call becomes a call to responsibility, specifically for Nanda part in the death of Ila”(p. 114). Although it suggests that she killed herself but the narrative does not expressively tell us. “she twisted her head, then hung it down, down, let it hang,” and later, “Nanda Kaul on the stool with her head hanging, the black telephone hanging, the long wire dangling” (FOTM, p. 145). In fact Nanda fights with her incompleteness, inadequacy till the end of the novel. Raka’s troubled familial experiences have formed her into a agitated, hallucinating and scary child. This has been demonstrated in her response to the party going on in the club. The drunken orgy in the club of the Research Station, which witnesses stealthily, serves to unlock her recollections of her own home, “her father,coming home from a party, stumbling and crashing through the curtains of night, his mouth opening to let out a flood of rotten stench, beating at her mother with hammers and fists of abuse—harsh, filthy abuse that made Raka cower under bedclothes and wet the mattress in fright”(FOTM , p. 71) She ran away from there like a chased animal, her feet stamping on the thorns and her sweating feasts beating her sides. In the patriarchal form of society, violence could be traced in the families. As women are economically and socially dependent than men, so men have an access to economic and social resources which endows them with greater power over women. Men try to assert their strength and power through violence. Ila Das struggles hard in her life to earn some money and later works as a welfare officer just for identity. By telling the people about the evils of child marriage she fights against this practice. However, society tried to stop and discards her efforts due to its patriarchal values. Talking to Nanda her friend, Ila says, “It’s so much harder to teach a man anything, Nanda-the women are willing poor dears, to try and change their dreadful lives by an effort, but do you think their men will let them? Noooo, not one bit” (FOTM, p. 129). Disaster strikes Ila Das when she tried to Stop Preet Singh, a villager who was trying to marrying his seven year old daughter to an old widower with six children, for a quarter of an acre land and two goats and later he assaults her, raped her and murdered her. The ferocious, cruel Preet Singh leaves Ila Das in a miserable condition: “crushed back, crushed down into the earth, she lay raped, broken, still and finished” (FOTM, p. 143). Not only the women subjugated in her village, but also they are required to see their children die, because their men forced to listen to the village priest who tells them not to take their young ones to hospitals. The sexual humiliation or death shows the ultimate destiny of a woman like Ila Das if she goes against the patriarchal tradition. This indicates the transformation of the experience of Indian women. According to Aroop Saha (2011) ” although the Indian women are surrounded by patriarchal ideology, a change has occurred in the construction of female subjectivity….Nanda Kaul’s experience of suppressed rage and Ila Das’ experience of violence, both physical and psychological, show an elevation to construct a female subject”(p. 238). Unfortunately, the formation of the female self cannot get the full face because of her inherited explosive present power and position which are not only distorted by male domination but get fragmented also. Shiva adds, in her preface to Ecoferminism (2014), that violence against women is as old as patriarchy. Traditional patriarchy has structured the minds as well as the cultural and social worlds on the basis of control over women and their contradiction of their right to equality and full humanity. Ultimately as the time passed it has become more harsh forms, for example the murder of the Delhi gang-rape victim and the suicide of the 17-year old rape victim in Chandigarh and other cases. (quoted in Mies ; Shiva 2014, p. xiv). Shiva further adds that violence against women has taken a new and more vicious forms as traditional patriarchal structures have been “hybridized with the structures of capitalist patriarchy” (quoted in Mies ; Shiva 2014, p. xiv). According to National Commission on Women and the Research Foundation for Science, Technology and Ecology the parallel exploitation of nature, from an ecofeminist perspective the rape of the earth and the rape of women are intimately linked-both metaphorically and materially. For the oppression and the violence of non-human species the Pasteur Institute is a good example. Yet it stresses the misuses the abuse and exploitation of animals for it aims of research but normally one would associate it with humane studies. “They have rabbits and guinea pigs there, too, many animals. They use them for tests…. They empty the bones and ashes of dead animals down into the ravine” (FOTM, p. 44). It is a good example of environmental speciesism which targets animals as Lori Gruen (1993) speculates that reducing animals to mere objects devoid of feelings. Later when Raka sees the Institute , “she shaded her eyes to look up at the swords of the Pasteur Institute chimneys…lashed about with black whips of smoke. Raka…smelt serum boiling,…choloroform and spirit, smelt dog’s brains boiled in vats…”(FOTM, p. 49). Such an Institute is a strong representation of male’s destructive scientific domination. The forest fire is the best example of the cultivation of land which accompanies the natural resources to deplete. This is a good example of environmental classism and a typical male capitalist ideology which usually targets the poor people. According to Desai’s perception, poor people are greatly affected by fire. An old lady’s house was burnt down in a terrible forest fire “she went mad and was put away”. “Poor woman”, Nanda wonders if she would have preferred to die in the fire (FOTM, p. 57). Modern technology which uses a beautiful wild area for an army camp shows the patriarchal attitude in destroying the natural phenomena for economic purposes and proves the insensitivity of man towards the nature. In addition to the women’s lives parallel the destruction of Kausali’s landscape in Desai’s narratives. Rape of the land is parallel rape and murder of Ila Das, army camp as well as the tourists industry is responsible for the destruction of the land. Nanda Kaul bitterly says to Raka, “It really is saddening. One would have liked to keep it as it was, a–a haven, you know” (FOTM p, 57). Thus as has been shown, women’s oppression and the exploitation of nature are two dimensions of many forms of injustice and discrimination; namely the victimization of women by men and the exploitation of the nonhuman world by man. In the conversation about ecofeminism, the relation of language to women centers the utilization of metaphor, and its function in describing the dualism of woman/nature on several levels, mainly the lexical, semantic, and narrative. It is noticeable that language is suggestive through dualism of “phallologocentrism” and its prominence on the domination of male culture. Jacques Derrida defines “phallologocentrism” occupies a central place in theories of French feminism. Devine (1992) states that “language is power and meaning for many centuries women have been largely denied access to and use of public language, the language of dominant discourse. They have therefore been unable to influence it, make it responsive to them, or expressive of their needs” (93). In their concern with “phallologocentrism” feminist critics show the damages it caused women as a system of signification. They have produced a more emphasis on language as a space over which the male dominated phallologocentric discourses presided. According to Devine (1992), nineteenth and twentieth centuries ” experienced renewed interests in language as a mirror of power and language as social behavior that communicates cultural values as well as defines and maintains social roles” (p. 94). C.G. Shyamala (2011) speculates that “Desai has the power to express sensibilities in her canvas using images from nature…. She is an artist who has the ability to carve such deep emotions within dexterous use of imagery that they announce the introduction of the explorations of the selves within the ecological framework” (p. 7). Desai’s Fire on the Mountain skillfully shows many images which are rich in symbolic connotations. Animal and plant symbols are used to comment on the characters actions and their personalities. Shyam Asnani (1981) remarks that “Desai is perhaps the only Indo-English novelist who lay stress on the landscape and correlates it with the psychic state of the protagonists” (p. 86). In Fire on the Mountain, the landscape is the foil for the inner psychic state. From the feminist perspective, the Nanda’s inner reflect the bareness and solitude reflect the bareness and bleakness of the landscape. The image of the fire is also suggestive. Not only it has a symbolic meaning that connects Nanda Kaul and Raka but also it refers to a natural phenomenon in the mountains due to summer heat and dryness. One night they together witnessed a forest fire, for Raka it fascinates her but for Nanda the forest fire regularly occurs. Raka imagines that “she heard the cries of animals and birds burning in that fire” (FOTM, p. 75). However, the forest fire is endowed with “a quality of a dream-disaster, dream-specters that follow one, trap one”(FOTM, p. 76). RS Shamara (1981) reads the fire as “expressive of Raka’s resolve to destroy a world where a woman cannot hope to be happy without being unnatural.”(p. 145). Its unreality and appears unreal, it foretells a disaster. R. A. Singh (2009) believes that the title of the novel Fire on The Mountain implies a sense of irony since mountains are “usually havens, calm places, associated with holiness and divinity” (p. 110). Its humans who disrupt the ‘calm’ and ‘holiness’ of their havens. In fact the fire symbolizes Raka’s wild nature and the mountain is symbolic to mountain. The rape and harsh murder of Ila Das in the forest in the dark raises a frightening awareness of male dual domination of both women and nature. At the end of the novel, the mischievous girl, Raka, actually sets fire: “Look, Nani, I have set the forest on fire. Look, Nani-Look-the forest is on fire” (FOTM, p. 145). This is followed by the authorial statement: “Down in the ravine, the flames spat and crackled around the dry wood and through the dry grass, and black smoke spiraled up over the mountain”(FOTM, p. 146). The fictive world of Nanda is totally shattered by the news of Ila Das’s rape and murder. Against this backdrop, the utterance of Raka, “Look Nani, I have set the forest on fire” (FOTM, p. 146) attains a great symbolic significance. It is described by R. S. Sharma as, “expressive of Raka’s resolve to destroy a world where a woman cannot hope to be happy without being unnatural” (p. 127). Ecofeminism as an ideology and movement finds that the oppression of women is interlinked to the oppression of nature with the same masculine attitudes. Anita Desai’s Fire on the Mountain (1977) depicts gradual destruction of the ecosystem of the Kasauli hills and its eventual destruction by the devastating forest fire. The characterization in the novel also echoes this gradual desiccation. The response of the female characters to life has been externalized with natural images to proliferate their inner consciousness. Desai’s characters carry on a dual life; the inner and the outer. The three protagonists are trapped in dualistic pattern in which man symbolizes brutality, dominance and violence. In fact, Fire on the Mountain addresses and unfolds an amazing variety of issues; motherhood, femininity, isolation, death, exile, violence, patriarchal domination and exploitation of nature. It also embodies dualistic issues; nature versus civilization, wilderness versus domesticity and free will versus fate. The novel is rich with images that reinforce woman-nature interconnectedness. The nature and the natural elements, in many cultures had been approached as worshipped as women. They called the nature as Nature Goddess or Mother Nature, the earth as Mother Earth or Earth Woman, the sea as Sea Mother etc. This tradition had resulted in attributing the characteristics of nature on women. They were burdened by the responsibilities of nurturing and reproducing along with being victimized and silenced by the patriarchy. Man’s desire for prosperity had been proved always stressful for nature and womanhood at large. The present woman (even the educated and employed) establishes herself with nature in terms of being oppressed, tortured, and covered up deformed and exploited. Suzanna Arundhathi Roy presents “the oppressive coupling of women and nature”(1) in her Booker Prize winning novel The God of Small Things (1997). Her work straightaway recognized as a “passionate, sophisticated and lushly descriptive work”(1) and had launched her to international fame. Roy puts forth the idea that, like Indian women who remain silent against patriarchal oppression, environment has been enduring a wanton destruction for ages. With great skill, Roy integrates nature with her subject matter. She vividly presents how nature is being exploited by human beings in order to be modernised. She gives expression to her thought that nature is being made the silent victim of human greed and insensitivity and these, in turn, have reflexive effects on human life.(2) According to Karen J.Warren “Prior to the seventeenth century, nature was conceived on an organic model as a benevolent female, a nurturing mother; after the scientific revolution, nature was conceived on a mechanistic model as a (mere) machine, inert, dead. On both models, nature was female” (9). The rivers had a supreme role in the cultivation of civilization. It had always equated to women to whom traditionally the role of nurturing is burdened upon and it has been called as the life supporter. The Meenachal River which passes through the Ayemenem is closely associated with the twin’s mother Ammu. This river had been a mother-figure the fisherman in the Ayemenem village by providing the daily livelihood for them. She became the terminator of lives when she turns to a violent monster in rain and takes up everything by her side. Like the river, Ammu inside her was a sleeping volcano, ready to detonate any time but on the other hand she have a deceptive face that expressed calmness. Ammu with her transistors used to spend hours in the banks of the river. She pretend to be in peace, enjoying the beauty of the Meenachal but inside her was like a “suicide bomber” (TGST, 44). Occasionally, when Ammu listens to songs that she loved on the radio, something stirred inside her. A liquid ache spread under her skin and she walked out of the world like a witch, to a better happier place. On days like this, there was something restless and untamed about her. As though she had temporarily set aside her morality of motherhood and divorcee hood. Even her walk changed from a safe mother- walk to anther wider sort of walk. She wore flowers in her hair and carried magic secrets in her eyes. She spoke to no one. She spent hours on the river bank with her little plastic transistor shaped like a tangerine. She smoked cigarettes and had midnight swims (TGST, 44). Meenachal too had this dual face. Sometimes she pretends to be “a little church going ammoma (grandmother), quite and clean…Minding her own business. Not looking right or left” (TGST, 210) but in reality she was a “wild thing”. Kuttappen rightly warns the twins about her wilderness “I can hear her at night- rushing past in the moonlight always in hurry. You must be careful of her…She minds other people’s business” (TGST, 210). Both Meenachal Riveer and Ammu are the two pathetic figures in the fiction who struggled to survive. Like the three generations of women depicted in the narrative Ammu had been a victim of patriarchy. She was the daughter of wealthy and educated parents of a Syrian Catholic family in Ayemenem. Whenever her etymologist father got a chance showered his anger and frustration (disappointment in naming a moth) on little Ammu. According to him it is a waste of money to teach girls so therefore he forbidden Ammu from attending college. When Ammu tried to find comfort and solace in her marriage and her twins, she was betrayed by her husband when he asks her to soothe the sexual hunger of his English boss. When she finds herself beyond her endurance with a hope that her parents will accept her and her children, she takes up her children back to home. But again she has to face the harsh truth of life. Ammu feels oppressed by the inferiority of her family members who treat them as unwanted bugs. Although Chacko, her brother has a similar status that is the status of divorcee is given many privileges by the family members. His mother showers her love and affection for him by making arrangements for the factory women to enter Chacko’s room without worrying about other family members. They were eager to hush up the relationship of Ammu and Velutha when they came to know about it. They had even gone to the extend to conspire to kill Velutha and finally they had succeeded in it, but on the other hand locked up Ammu and criticize her severely. After death of Velutha in the police custody she left her house and comes to Allepy where in Bharath Lodge she met her awful death. Roy had outlined impressively the predicament of Ammu with a prospect of attacking the patriarchal dominance in society. What modernization had done to Meenachal River is similar to what patriarchy had done to Ammu. Meenachal river which flows through the locality of Ayemenem had been an essence of horror and beauty. Once the river was “Grey green with fish in it. The sky and trees in it. And at night, the broken moon in it” (TGST, 203). Twenty three years ago she was destructive, unpredictable and the most powerful but now she had turned out to be a trifling narrow ribbon “it greeted her with a ghastly skull’s smile, with holes where teeth had been, and a limp hand raised from a hospital bed” (TGST, 124). It is nothing but human selfishness that led to the death of this river to get more yields from the farmland. “Down river, a salt water barrage had been built, in exchange for the votes from the back waters that opened into the Arabian Sea. So now they had two harvests a year instead of one. More rice for the price of a river” (TGST, 124). The river is now flooded with domestic waste and industrial waste. The river “smelled of shit, and pesticides bought with World Bank loans. Most of the fish had died. The ones that survived suffered from fin-rot and had broken out in boils” (TSGT, 140). Once there were trees on the green riverside but now it has been invaded by human settlements. The children excrete in the mud banks of the river making it equally despicable and filthy. But like the surrendered woman Ammu, who lost her love and her life for the fancies and whims of class and caste conscious patriarchy and society, the river blows with all the filth and merges to the sea. The condition of all of the female characters in the novel is similar to the butterflies that the entomologist John Ipe used to pin up in his cardboard. Their dreams and identities were halted by the norms and rules of the male dominancy. All of them flutter for happiness, acceptance, reorganization, love, life and freedom throughout the plot. Pappachi (John Ipe) bestowed his patriarchal dominance over the ungrudging, submissive, docile wife Mammachi. Mammachi’s conjugal life was invariably restless and turbulent. In the hands of here educated husband she had been a mere puppet. Pappachi was seventeen years older than her and this generate sexual jealousy in his mind. He was not less than a jealous, egoistic, possessive, narrow minded, true patriarch who takes out his physical power over the unhappy wife and daughter. He stopped his wife’s violin lessons when her tutor gave good remarks on her and had gone to an extend to break her violin and throw it in the river. Finally to escape from her abusive husband Mammachi starts her business the Paradise Pickles and Preserves. Like Ammu who search for comfort and solace in the river Mammachi is discovering a new life with her pickle factory that preserved natural products finding her link with nature. Baby Kochamma is another female figure who finds solace and comfort in nature. She never faces any physical subjugation from any of the male characters in the fiction but was emotionally tortured by thoughts of Father Mulligan whom she had fallen in love. Baby Kochamma tries everything possible to get Father Mulligan. She embraces Roman Catholicism and takes vows of nunnery hoping to get chance to be with Father. She left the convent as her attempts to get closer to Father Mulligan was met with disappointment and eventually goes to United States to study Ornamental Gardening. There is new vitality and energy that we see in Baby Kochamma after her return from US. She turns the discarded front yard of Ayemenem House to a beautiful garden that she had many visitors from distant places. Baby Kochamma turned it into a lush maze of dwarf hedges, rocks, and gargoyles. The flower she loved most was the anthurium…. Their single succulent spathes ranged from shades of mottled black to blood red …. In the centre of Baby Kochamma’s garden, surrounded by beds of canna and phlox, a marble cherub peed an endless silver arc into a shallow pool in which a single blue lotus bloomed. At each corner of the pool lolled a pink plaster-of-Paris gnome with rosy cheeks and a peaked red cap.…Like a lion-tamer she tamed twisting vines and nurtured bristling cacti. She limited bonsai plants and pampered rare orchids. She waged war on the weather. She tried to grow edelweiss and chinese guava. (TGST -26-27). According to Sherry Ortner “the issue of women, their pan-cultural second-class status could be accounted for, quite simply, by postulating that women are being identified or symbolically associated with nature, as opposed to men, who are identified with culture. Since it is always culture’s project to subsume and transcend nature, if women were considered part of nature, then culture would find it “natural” to subordinate, not to say oppress, them”(6). In the novel we find all of the female characters have direct association with nature world or the animal world as they are subordinated and suppressed by the patriarchy like the nature is tamed by the culture. The human history witnesses that all patriarchal societies follow the same pattern of subordinating the women. Arundhathi Roy builds up a world that includes ants, spiders, fish, dragon flies, trees, river etc that stands parallel to the oppressed lives of the female figures in the narrative. The reader could identify Roy as a true Ecofeminist in this work voicing for the subjugated women and exploited nature like the social activist in her non-fiction works.

Estimated reading time: 4 mins Depression is something that affects us all, whether we’re aware of it or not. It can be caused by anything from a traumatic life event to a chemical imbalance in the brain and can manifest itself in different ways. It’s important to understand the signs of depression and how to avoid it before it takes hold. This article will discuss some proven strategies for avoiding depression and provide case examples to illustrate how they work. First and foremost, it’s important to recognize the signs of depression so you can take action early on before it becomes debilitating. Signs of depression include feelings of sadness, hopelessness, loss of interest or pleasure in activities you used to enjoy, fatigue, difficulty concentrating, changes in appetite, irritability or anger, restlessness, thoughts of suicide and more. If you experience any of these symptoms for an extended period of time with no apparent cause then it could be time to seek professional help. Once you have identified the signs of depression there are several strategies that can help avoid it from taking hold: 1. Engage in regular physical activity exercise releases endorphins which act as natural mood boosters and help alleviate stress and anxiety. Exercise has also been shown to improve self-esteem which is often related to depressive episodes. Even if you don’t have access to a gym or fitness center there are plenty of simple exercises that you can do at home such as jogging or walking around your neighborhood; yoga; stretching; playing sports with friends; etc. Whatever activity makes you feel good is worth doing. 2. Maintain healthy eating habits Eating well helps reduce feelings of lethargy or fatigue which are common symptoms associated with depression. Eating balanced meals regularly throughout the day provides your body with essential vitamins and minerals while helping stabilize blood sugar levels which prevents spikes in energy followed by crashing lows that can further contribute to depressive episodes. 3. Get enough sleep Not getting enough sleep can affect our mental health significantly as lack of sleep has been linked with increased risk for developing depression over time; this is especially true for those who suffer from chronic insomnia where one struggles consistently night after night without adequate restful sleep needed for optimum functioning during the day. A good rule-of-thumb is 7-9 hours per night depending on age and lifestyle preferences but ultimately finding what works best for your individual needs is key when it comes to getting quality shut eye time each night. 4. Build meaningful relationships & socialize Having meaningful relationships helps us feel connected and supported – both elements important for maintaining mental health balance. Connecting with people through activities like taking classes, volunteering, joining clubs/organizations, attending events/gatherings, engaging in religious/spiritual pursuits (such as meditation ) etc are all great ways to make new connections while deepening existing ones. Socializing allows us opportunities express ourselves freely among peers while expanding our knowledge base which helps build resilience against depressive episodes. 5. Limit exposure to negative stimuli Too much exposure negative media outlets (TV news shows, newspapers, internet sites) can increase feelings of vulnerability, leading potentially into spiral worrying; instead try focusing on positive sources such as books, audio programs, podcasts ,movies etc that provide uplifting messages of inspiration. When dealing with difficult problems and issues, focus on solutions rather than dwelling on the problems/challenges at hand. Check this out: How to Combat Depression 6. Find purpose & meaning Doing something meaningful adds structure to life and gives a sense of purpose and direction, which reduces the feeling of emptiness often experienced during periods of low motivation and apathy. Take time out to reflect on recent successes and accomplishments, even if they’re small scale. Having tangible evidence and progress made towards goals serves as a confidence boost necessary to stay motivated and take the next steps forward in your life. 7. Practice mindfulness & relaxation techniques Mindfulness meditation breathing exercises visualisation guided imagery progressive muscle relaxation all effective ways reducing stress calming mind helping gain better control emotions associated depressive states moments crisis panic arise! Allowing oneself ‘me’ time indulging hobbies interests relaxing hobby reading listening music painting colouring cooking baking whatever brings joy peace inner being vital keeping emotional wellbeing check so make sure carve out moments daily schedule indulge passions. 8. Seek professional help if necessary Finally, seek professional support to help you take the next step, should the situation become unmanageable; talking to a qualified therapist, counsellor, psychologist or psychiatrist will give you the opportunity to externalise issues and concerns. Talking openly and candidly with a person trained to handle sensitive matters, confidentially, will provide helpful advice in coping mechanisms and allow you to manage stressful times ahead and also manage future episodes in the long term. These strategies have been proven effective at preventing depressive episodes when used correctly, but remember everyone experiences things differently so find what works best for YOU! The most important thing is recognizing when something isn’t quite right so if any symptoms persist speak up seek help if needed sooner rather than later! Good luck!

Winter is coming and it is very cold. You close the windows, turn on the heating, wrap up warm, go out to play in the snow, go skiing, wrap up warmer and spend more time at home than outside because you don't want to be cold. Suddenly, one day you realize that it's not that you don't want to spend more time at home because it's cold outside and it's warm at home, but that you're really afraid to go outside. The simple fact of thinking that no matter how warm you are, something can happen to you scares you. When this happens, you stop doing things you like and start to feel more anxious when you think about the cold. Does it ring a bell? These sensations and cognitions could refer to cryophobia or fear of extreme cold. If you want to know more about it, in this Psychology-Online article, we explain what is the fear of extreme cold and how to overcome it. - What is fear of extreme cold - Symptoms of fear of extreme cold - Causes of fear of extreme cold - How to overcome the fear of extreme cold What is the fear of extreme cold. The fear of extreme cold, or cryophobia, is classified within the specific phobias according to the DSM-V, since it is an irrational fear of a specific stimulus, in this case extreme cold. Therefore, we could say that cryophobia is the marked fear or anxiety related to extreme cold immediately. In these cases, avoidance behaviors may also occur in situations of extreme cold, not due to the physical discomfort generated by the cold in the body, but to the anxiety that is experienced in the. Symptoms of fear of extreme cold. Some of the symptoms that people suffering from cryophobia may manifest are the following: - Acceleration of heart rate. - Sense of danger: interpretation that extreme cold can pose a danger. - Sensation of fear. - Lost of control on behavior in extreme cold. - Reduced ability to carry out the behavior that was being performed, despite being sufficiently warm. - cold avoidance or situations in which the person may feel extremely cold. Causes of fear of extreme cold. There is no single cause of cryophobia or fear of extreme cold, but it is a interaction between genetics and environment in which there are certain factors that predispose people to suffer from it, as well as protective factors against the appearance of this phobia. Next, we explain what are the genetic and environmental causes of fear of extreme cold. The genetic part involved in the manifestation of cryophobia is that which is related to the neuroanatomical circuit of the fear and the neurohormonal circuit of stress, which give rise to that excessive response of anxiety to the cold extreme. - Neuroanatomical circuit of fear: has been shown to activate the brain amygdala in the phases of acquisition of conditioned fear and when fear is experienced, giving rise to an increase in electrodermal conductance. In addition, it has also been observed that the activity of the ventromedial prefrontal cortex increases, specifically the dorsal part of the anterior cingulate cortex and the cortex of the insula during the "learning from fear". In addition, the part of the hippocampus associated with context processing. - stress neurohormonal circuitry: the libico-hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (LHHS) circuit is involved in the appearance of phobias and in the manifestation of stress and anxiety. This circuit is related to the experience that the individual has and the situation in which he finds himself. Taking this into account, it can be explained how the early exposure of a person to acute stress modifies the formation of the fear circuitry, altering the sensitivity and reactivity of corticotropin-releasing hormone and immune systems. adrenergic. This alteration favors the development of anxiety disorders caused by cryophobia. Thus, genetic heritability is one of the causes of fear of extreme cold, since it creates the genetic vulnerability necessary to be able to develop the disorder if the circumstances are right timely environmental The interaction with the environment also intervenes in the appearance of cryophobia. Find out how below: - behavioral inhibition towards certain situations has been associated with the subsequent development of fear of extreme cold. - Anxious parents or caregivers or overprotective parenting style: sensitivity to anxiety and negative affect and neuroticism are factors that predispose the individual to suffer from cryophobia. - Educational and environmental contingencies: interact with environmental heredity and genetic vulnerability to anxiety. They play an important role in the development of cryophobia. - Stressful life events and social learning: added to vulnerability to anxiety, they are the perfect cocktail for phobic disorders to appear, such as fear of extreme cold. How to overcome the fear of extreme cold. The best way to overcome it when fear is deeply rooted is the cognitive behavioral therapy, since it is the one that has been shown to be the most effective in treating cases of specific phobias. For this, there are several therapies that can be applied jointly and in a complementary or individual way. We see them below: - Exposure therapies: they consist of gradually and repeatedly confronting the patient with the feared situation, in concrete with extreme cold, until anxiety is reduced by a process of habituation/extinction from fear. Faced with this specific phobia, it is important that the person is well dressed so as not to provoke a reinforcement of the irrational fear. - Physiological control techniques: they teach the patient skills to control their own physiological activation and cope with situations that cause stress or anxiety. - Cognitive and motivational therapies: they are techniques focused on the patient's cognitions that try to modify them and control the associated emotions and behaviors such as psychoeducation, cognitive restructuring, positive reinforcement and problem solving techniques. This article is merely informative, in Psychology-Online we do not have the power to make a diagnosis or recommend a treatment. We invite you to go to a psychologist to treat your particular case. If you want to read more articles similar to What is the fear of extreme cold and how to overcome it, we recommend that you enter our category of Clinical psychology. - American psychiatric association, (2014). Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders DSM – 5. Madrid Spain. Pan American Medical Publishing. - Ezpeleta, L. and Bull, J. (eds.) (2016). developmental psychopathology. Madrid: Ed. Pyramid.

You want your children to be interested, pursue their passions, and continue to study even when they are not in school. Wouldn’t it be great if they knew where to go for a different explanation or a little support when they were stuck on a homework difficulty or dealing with new academic material? That is precisely what the most significant online learning sites for kids do. After gaining access to technologies, children and grown people live in a different world from that familiar to the adult who is bringing them up (Livingstone & Haddon, 2009). In today’s world, children spend half of their time on screens. Either small kids playing games or a college student is searching for English literature dissertation topics for his final year. Wouldn’t it be great if those screens were turned into something which elevates their knowledge? WHAT IS AN ONLINE LEARNING PLATFORM? The term “online learning” refers to the teaching and learning in virtual classrooms. This includes lessons delivered via video conferencing or taped lectures. New objects and approaches have emerged due to technological advancements, including new means of conducting uninterrupted studies (paytotakemyclassonline, 2022). An online learning platform is a computer system that allows students to attend online courses in a secure setting just as you find cheap assignment writers online in no time. ABCmouse.com bills itself as the world’s most complete learning portal for children aged two to seven. While accelerating through configurable learning stages established by instructors and professionals, your children may read or listen to books and music, play games, and color. The instructional website even keeps track of each child’s development as they progress through the program. For a month, you may use the site for free; the monthly subscription charge is $9.95. This program transports children to a virtual academy where they may study, explore, and have fun. It’s aimed at children aged 8 to 13 and covers topics such as social studies, language arts, arithmetic, and science. Kids earn coins to purchase for rewards and may play with friends or make new ones, just like ABCmouse. Kids may customize their avatars and “homes” as well. Adventure Academy is also available for a free 30-day trial, after which it costs $9.99 per month. : 400;”>This software is similar to having your library at your fingertips. Over 7,000 books are available to children ages 2 to 12, including titles by Disney, National Geographic Kids, Highlights, Boxcar Children, and others. Picture books, chapter books, graphic novels, humorous jokes, and songbooks are available to children. All the books are available on desktops, tablets, and phones. Early readers may obtain guided reading aid for their books, and parents can follow their child’s development. You may try the service for 30 days for free, after which you’ll have to pay $7.99 each month. Highlights are much more than a children’s magazine (although we have loved that magazine for years). It’s also a great location to pick up various educational materials, such as activity and learning workbooks, arts and crafts supplies, science kits, and more. It also has Clubs memberships for kids, where they will receive a new kit from the collection every few weeks. Mathmania, Top Secret Adventures, and different puzzle clubs are among the clubs available. Let’s Grow!, a book for infants and children, is also available. Many of the items and memberships are now drastically reduced, so be sure to take a look. You grew up watching PBS, and now your children can interact with some of the same characters you remember, such as Elmo and Curious George, over the internet. Of course, some new acquaintances, such as Peg and Cat. Choose games based on the character, the difficulty level, or the most recent release. Your youngster may also work on the educational site’s extensive printables library. National Geographic Kids Have you ever been asked a random questions about animals by your child? National Geographic Kids has the solution! Your children may watch films, play games, and, most importantly, learn about animals, nature, and the world around them on this children’s website. You know, just in case you’re not up to date on everything.! Curious World is a book by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt to help children prepare for kindergarten. Not only do tiny tots acquire math and reading proficiency abilities, but they also develop social skills. The flashcards you may create for your child’s age and the topic area you want them to study are fantastic features of this preschool website. Choose criteria from a drop-down menu and participate in activities that can be done anywhere, at any time. Funbrain is a children’s website that makes learning arithmetic, reading, and literacy skills enjoyable for children in preschool through eighth grade. Math Baseball and Grammar Gorillas are two games worth checking out. Children can even read books while on the move. This website provides children with 24-hour television programming—after all, who hasn’t been up at 3 a.m. with a child? Kids may play games, listen to tunes, and more in addition to watching accessible instructional programming. A monthly membership price is charged, which is determined by the platform your kid will be viewing on (tablet, iPad, etc.) and the services you want to utilize. Instead of going to the library, your child can use Epic to visit a virtual one. Your youngster will get access to over 40,000 books once they join up. Picture books, classic stories, instructive publications, and films are available to children aged 12 and under. Many of the books are also available in Spanish. You can get a free trial for 30 days. The cost of a monthly membership is $7.99. The truth is that dozens of websites and applications claim to be educational. It’s a broad classification. The term “Kids” is a general phrase as well. The list above was made keeping kids of every age in mind. So, you’ll find websites offering learning possibilities ranging from preschoolers (ages 3–5) to early college students. - PTTMCO, (2022). Top 5 Benefits of Online Classes. Online Available at <https://paytotakemyclassonline.com/top-5-benefits-of-online-classes/> [Accessed on 15th June 2022] - Livingstone, S., & Haddon, L. (Eds.). (2009). Kids online: Opportunities and risks for children. Policy Press.

6.1 Magnitude Earthquake Hits New Zealand: After Cyclone Gabrielle, New Zealand faced yet another disastrous natural calamity. - An earthquake of 6.1 Ritcher shook the country. - The epicentre was at a depth of 57.4 km and 50 km from Paraparaumu. - According to the US Geological Survey, the epicentre was right at the Cook Strait. - The strait divides the two main landmasses of the country. No tsunami warnings were issued. - As Turkey earthquake was caused by the pushing of African and Asian plates against the Eurasian plate. - This means there were significant movements in the African plate. - The Australian plate adjoins the African plate. So does the Indian plate. - Experts believe that the recent Sikkim earthquake and the New Zealand earthquake may have common connections with the Turkey earthquake.

The genetic ancestry of American Creole cattle inferred from uniparental and autosomal genetic markers Cattle imported from the Iberian Peninsula spread throughout America in the early years of discovery and colonization to originate Creole breeds, which adapted to a wide diversity of environments and later received influences from other origins, including zebu cattle in more recent years. We analyzed uniparental genetic markers and autosomal microsatellites in DNA samples from 114 cattle breeds distributed worldwide, including 40 Creole breeds representing the whole American continent, and samples from the Iberian Peninsula, British islands, Continental Europe, Africa and American zebu. We show that Creole breeds differ considerably from each other, and most have their own identity or group with others from neighboring regions. Results with mtDNA indicate that T1c-lineages are rare in Iberia but common in Africa and are well represented in Creoles from Brazil and Colombia, lending support to a direct African influence on Creoles. This is reinforced by the sharing of a unique Y-haplotype between cattle from Mozambique and Creoles from Argentina. Autosomal microsatellites indicate that Creoles occupy an intermediate position between African and European breeds, and some Creoles show a clear Iberian signature. Our results confirm the mixed ancestry of American Creole cattle and the role that African cattle have played in their development.

The sun’s power is one of the most readily available sources of renewable energy on Earth. Solar continues to be the fastest-growing renewable energy source, offering excellent future potential. With emerging net-zero emission goals and increasing sustainability regulations, that growth should continue. The future of solar energy is promising. Though solar power future projections indicate growth, solar panel contractors will have to work hard to keep up. To stay on top in this evolving industry, contractors will need to maximize their project efficiency, output and other day-to-day operations. Staying competitive will require solar technology advancements in sourcing, transportation and installation. How Is the Solar Industry Growing? The solar market continues to expand, driven by technological developments in efficiency and popular demand. Not long ago, solar energy harvesting was virtually non-existent. The process was expensive and inefficient, and motivating incentives were scarce. Today, improved technology, decreased costs and government incentive programs are driving the industry forward. Between the years 2000 and 2019, solar power collection increased over 300-fold. The current social and political landscape should encourage more solar production. How much the industry will grow depends on many factors. Even with a supportive government and social community, the industry is not without challenges. How solar contractors rise to demands will determine the future of the solar power industry. Political Landscape Factors Changing political landscapes have a major influence on alternative energy production. Government priorities impact which markets grow and at what speed they grow. Incentive programs and government investments can affect a market — policies like these can make research and development possible or support expansion. President Biden’s administration is spearheading what they call a “clean energy revolution” in response to the worldwide climate emergency. The main objective of this plan is for the United States to reach net-zero emissions by 2050. This and other objectives will have a marked impact on alternative energy producers and distributors. As part of this climate plan, Biden has promised to invest in clean energy research and innovation. He has also promised to provide economic incentives for expanding clean energy. These changes may make future solar energy more accessible and widespread, but they may also increase competition for existing solar contractors. Costs, Challenges and Market Demands No expanding industry is immune to growing pains. Solar energy is no exception. Increasing demands come with new sets of challenges. The solar industry outlook is hopeful, and there are many opportunities for growth and change. With developing technological advancements, it’s more important than ever for solar contractors to keep up. Minimizing costs, experimenting with technology and optimizing business operations should be top priorities. It’s also important for contractors not to rely too heavily on fleeting government programs and incentives. The solar energy market faces several cost and demand challenges. Hard Costs Decreasing In general, the costs of harvesting and utilizing solar energy have declined as technology has improved. Hard costs are decreasing, including the costs of the physical solar cell components. This is because material costs have declined and technological advancements have led to more efficient solar cells. On the other hand, soft costs have remained a concern. Soft costs include labor, inspection, customer acquisition and overhead. Customer acquisition costs have risen, while inconsistent building codes and permitting policies cause unpredictable expenses. Members of the solar industry have to iron out any inefficiencies to remain competitive in this market. Staying at the forefront of new technological advancements can make or break a solar production enterprise. Contractors who embrace new technology and innovate their installation methods will have the most success in the coming years. Work Volume Increasing Increasing demand means a greater work volume. Solar companies need to develop methods for larger operations in terms of production, transportation and installation. The more efficiently a company can receive, distribute and install solar panels, the more they’ll benefit from the industry’s growing market. For contractors to keep up with evolving demands, improving organization and efficiency will need to be top priorities. Government Incentive Reliance A notable concern for the solar energy market is reliance on government programs. Political landscapes change, and incentives available now may not be available in the future. It’s important for solar companies to take advantage of government programs while they’re available without growing reliant on these funds and to use any extra funds to develop more efficient processes. As of 2021, those who invest in solar and solar energy storage could claim a substantial tax credit. This solar tax credit sparked much of the industry’s growth, but it expires in 2022. The loss of this tax credit poses a challenge for solar energy contractors. They’ll have to find new ways to incentivize solar energy for prospective clients. This is a great time for solar installers to reflect on their business models and propose new ideas. How the Solar Industry Provides More Opportunities for Contractors Current energy trends promise many opportunities for contractors. There’s plenty of room for technological advancements in solar panel creation, installation and energy storage. There’s also room for improvement in solar energy business operations. Taking advantage of emerging opportunities will poise a contractor for success in this evolving industry. Creating More Efficient Panels Improving solar panel efficiency would help reduce costs and increase solar’s accessibility. Fewer panels would need to be installed if those panels were better optimized. Since the introduction of solar, technological advances have led to substantial efficiency improvements — those improvements should continue. This presents an important opportunity for contractors. Accessing the most efficient panels provides contractors a competitive edge in the growing solar market. Optimizing Energy Storage Systems The energy storage market is growing more each year, with new investments projected to reach $620 billion by 2040. Solar energy storage is a niche with a lot of potential. Consumers are looking for more personalization capabilities and grid independence. Combining solar power with smart home technology and better storage capabilities makes solar even more attractive for consumers. This area of the alternative energy market offers many opportunities for advancement. Incorporating User Personalization Another important trend is the push towards personalized energy solutions. Smart technology is attractive because it can learn and accommodate individual preferences. It also allows users more insight into their energy use and storage. In the coming years, contractors who combine solar with smart technology may be able to claim a larger market share. Improving Business Operations With the growing industry comes many opportunities for improved business operations. As work volume increases, contractors should optimize day-to-day processes to stay competitive and prepared for growth. This might include using service management software like Dataforma to organize and streamline projects. With software systems, contractors can capture important information, document work orders and organize schedules more easily. This can help them identify bottlenecks or other pain points for a smoother, more efficient operation. Innovate Business Operations With Dataforma Solar energy is an evolving industry and an increasingly competitive market. As demand for solar energy rises, contractors have to adapt to the rising work volume. The most organized and efficient contractors will prevail. Now is the best time for solar contractors to be proactive and prepare themselves for market growth. If you’re a solar energy contractor looking to optimize your operation’s efficiency, you might consider using Dataforma service management software. With Dataforma, you can consolidate and streamline all of your business management. You can keep track of your leads, bids, proposals and documents. With our secure database, you can store all of your records, data, photos and client conversations. To see what Dataforma has to offer, schedule a free 15-minute demo today.

Ep 134: Alec Thomas - Associate Professor, University of Michigan Q1: What was your path into the field of physics? A1: Alec Thomas received his PhD in Physics at the Imperial College London. He originally became interested in physics, specifically fusion, with the desire to help mankind through clean sources of energy, and transitioned into the study of radiation sources driven by lasers. Thomas appreciated the challenging problems of physics and was interested in the workings of nature at a fundamental level. Q2: Were you thinking about the model of an atom during your early days in physics? A2: Alec Thomas is interested in the complexity of nuclear engineering due to the considerations of quantum mechanics and having to make sense of the bizarre behavior of matter at the fundamental level. Modeling an atom is a complex process. There are known equations describing the quarks and gluons which stick together to form a nucleus, but the equations are very challenging to solve. Thomas’ PhD thesis focused on laser plasma accelerators. A plasma is a state of matter resulting from ionizing material sufficiently that the electrons become separated from the ions. The behavior of the matter is dominated by electric effects. Plasma temperature is measured in eV, electronvolts. Lasers have a field strength strong enough to accelerate the particles, which then reach equilibrium and have a thermodynamic temperature. A strong enough laser field will rip the electrons from their atoms, move them around, resulting in matter with extremely high temperatures. The electrons don’t escape completely, but are flying around the ions. Q3: Why do we care about plasma? A3: Alec Thomas cares about plasma due to the oscillations of plasma, which can be harnessed into energy. One of the most fundamental behaviors of plasma is wave oscillations. When electrons are pulled away from ions, a force will pull electrons back to the ions, but overshoot the target and end up oscillating. The laser creates a perturbation which causes a strong electric field and creates an oscillation that travels behind the laser, similar to a wake. Charged particles “surf” on this electric wave and obtain very high energy. Plasma accelerators can be smaller in size than high energy physics accelerators, allowing the technology to be more commercially viable. One possible use for this technology could be identifying and diagnosing porosity and cracking in 3D printed material in situ. Q4: How was titanium doped sapphire discovered? A4: Alec Thomas appreciates the scientific process because things can be discovered that are not necessarily practical, such as the titanium doped sapphire. In the early days of laser technology, lots of discoveries were made by trial and error. Titanium doped sapphire gives a very short laser, but the field strength comings from having a lot of photons. In 1985, Gerard Mourou and Donna Strickland came up with a technique to split all the colors in the pulse up using an arrangement of gratings so the colors go different paths and stretch out in time. The pulse can be sent through crystals, amplify it to very high powers, and use an arrangement of gratings that reverses the process to combine all the colors again in a very short pulse. Mourou and Strickland received the Nobel Prize for this invention. Mourou then set up the Center for Ultrafast Optical Science at the University of Michigan, where Alec Thomas now works. These lasers can accelerate ions, which could be used for types of medical therapy, or to produce neutrons through fusion. Since the lasers are very small and the timescales are so short, temporal and spatial scales that can be resolved with this technology that can’t be achieved with conventional processes. Q5: What do you see as the biggest impact for this technology in the next 10-20 years? A5: In the future, Alec Thomas predicts laser plasma technology could have the most impact in the x-ray field. The laser technology needs to progress more before this is achieved, due to the complexity of the lasers. Alec Thomas envisions portable x-ray sources for high resolution imaging and 3D reconstruction of objects available at one thousandth of the cost of a synchrotron facility in the next 20 years. Top 8 Bullets - Alec Thomas’ path to plasma physics at the University of Michigan - Challenges of modeling an atom - How laser plasma accelerators create energy - The interactions between charged particles and plasma wave oscillations - Benefits of plasma accelerators compared to high energy physics accelerators - Use of titanium doped sapphire crystals in lasers - Plasma technology for medical applications - Economic advantages of laser plasma accelerators.

What is UX? User experience, (UX for short), is an all-encompassing term for how engaging with a product or service makes a person feel. Is it easy to learn? Convenient? Does it add value to your life? Is it accessible to people of various abilities? Does it feel satisfying to use? These musings can be boiled down to one essential question: Is using this product a chore? UX design seeks to improve our interactions so that the delivery method doesn’t interfere with the product. Where did UX come from? The idea of improving the things we use to best suit the way we use them has been around for centuries. Around 4000 B.C. the concept of Feng Shui highlighted the importance of arranging spaces in the most useful and human friendly way possible. Later, the Greeks pioneered the idea of ergonomics or human use based design. Hippocrates described how a surgeon’s workplace should be set up. He specifies the surgeon’s positioning, “the surgeon may stand or be seated, in a posture comfortable for him”—and the arrangement of tools; “they must be positioned in such a way as to not obstruct the surgeon, and also be within easy reach when required” and more. What happens when we design with the actions of humans in mind? In more recent history, the factory boom of the 19th and early 20th century caused entrepreneurs to study the human element in the factory assembly process. They noted that a simple change in policy or layout led to faster production and lower costs. Frank and Lillian Gilbreth studied what they termed “work motions.” The pair filmed everyone from assembly line workers to physicians going about their duties, then broke down the work into individual motions. By studying these motions, they highlighted inefficiencies, and came up with solutions to improve worker productivity. For example, they discovered that surgeons routinely spent more time looking for instruments than they did performing surgery. This study led to the now ubiquitous practice of a surgeon, without looking up, asking “Scalpel please.” and being handed the instrument in question. How can studying the step-by-step actions a task requires improve the life of the person performing it? In their work studies Frank and Lillian were not strictly seeking to improve interactions for workers, only to improve productivity. And yet the practice of breaking down the step by step actions of performing a task is the cornerstone of the later user experience design movement. By taking what they learned at work and applying it to the management of their 12 children the couple improved their family life, saving time, energy, and frustration. Two of their children would later document the experience of growing up in this household in their book Cheaper by the Dozen. The story details the many ways in which careful consideration and intentional design based on the scientific method improved the experience of living in such a large family. How can saving time and frustration improve the bottom line? From these early roots, the study of human focus design enjoyed a steady rise through the middle of the 20th century. Many workplaces found that applying these tactics improved not only the speed of manufacturing, but also the quality of life of their workers. For example, Toyota installed systems for workers to stop the production line if they thought of a new or better way to do something. And actively encouraged feedback. In his 1955 book Designing for People Henry Dreyfuss wrote “If people are made safer, more comfortable, more eager to purchase, more efficient—or just plain happier—by contact with the product, then the designer has succeeded.” Succinctly summarizing the goal of a User Experience Designer. How Does User Experience Apply to Events? Among the first to take these principles from the manufacturing world into the events world was the late great Walt Disney. In creating his magical parks, Disney did not want to simply delight guests. He envisioned a fully immersive experience, pushing his imagineers™ to experience the parks through the guest’s eyes. He believed in making changes that added value instead of adding ‘stuff’. To this end he not only designed rides and attractions, but the whole experience starting from the moment guests arrived at the gates. His team created an environment that told his story as you walked through it. Waiting in line gives you opportunities to see behind the scenes material and interact with actors trained down to the signature to emulate your heroes. Buying food makes you feel as though you are a character in your favorite movie. And delightful surprises are hidden where children will easily find them, but adults may miss. How can theme park design translate to event design? There is a lot of valuable information to unpack from the Disney strategy. The thing to keep in mind is that the designs were human focused, data driven, and highly specific. Nothing was added or changed on a whim. And this is the philosophy that we as event planners and designers must adopt. Every piece of our guests’ experience, from invitation to end of the night, is an opportunity to draw them into the story we are weaving around them. To change their perspective, make them feel our cause, and achieve our goals. We must have the story. We need the delightful details with as much urgency as we need our headlining act. How can I achieve that level of detail with a Virtual Event? Once again, we find a parallel between today’s cutting edge and historic turning points in UX design. The field continued to evolve and develop through the latter half of the 20th century and the first two decades of the 21st. In 1995 tech giant Apple hired Donald Norman as the first ever user experience architect. A position designed specifically for the Cognitive Scientist who coined the term “user experience.” Norman was a founding father of UX design for technology. He believed the key to success for personal computers lay in improving the experience. Not only of using a computer, the hardware and operating system, but every step of the customer journey. Glimpsing it in a store, touching it, carrying the box to your car, unpackaging, setting up, reading the manual, the list goes on. His influence helped move Apple to the sleek, intuitive design that made them famous and built a following of loyal customers. By building on the shoulders of these brilliant researchers and designers we create experiences that feel natural and build a story our virtual guests can experience from the safety of their homes. Our team works relentlessly to improve the experience of both our clients and our guests. We follow the example of Feng Shui and create virtual spaces that are comfortable to navigate. We take Hippocrates’ advice and lay out tools in comfortable reach of users, without distracting from the main content. We study our interactions like the Gilbreth’s, constantly tweaking our process to remove frustration and using feedback to give our clients what they need. We put the Disney method to use, building stories, and making adjustments that add value instead of just ‘stuff’. And we live by the words of Don Norman “With the passage of time, the psychology of people stays the same, but the tools and objects in the world change.” Crafting a virtual event takes the same devotion to the user experience we have built into every aspect of our events.Tags: Design, event design, event planning, user experience, virtual event

What Is Palatal Expansion? Orthodontics, the branch of dentistry that focuses on correcting dental and facial irregularities, offers a range of treatment options to address malocclusions or misalignments of teeth and jaws. Palatal expansion, also known as rapid maxillary expansion or maxillary expansion, is a common orthodontic procedure used to widen the palate, which is the roof of the mouth. The palate consists of two halves, known as the maxilla, which are located on the upper jaw and are fused together at the midline. Palatal expansion can be an effective treatment for a variety of conditions related to a narrow upper jaw, including crossbites, crowding of teeth, and other bite issues. How does it work? Palatal expansion is achieved using orthodontic appliances called palatal expanders, which are designed to apply controlled, gentle pressure on the maxillary bones to gradually separate them and create additional space. This allows for the expansion of the maxilla and the correction of the dental and facial irregularities associated with a narrow upper jaw. Palatal expansion is most commonly performed during childhood or adolescence when the jaw is still growing and more amenable to modification. However, it can also be performed in adults, although it may require additional steps and careful consideration of individual patient factors. What is a Palate Expander? A palate expander is an orthodontic appliance used to widen the maxilla or the roof of the mouth. Palate expanders are custom-made devices that are typically attached to the upper teeth and are used to apply controlled, gentle pressure on the maxillary bones to gradually separate them and create additional space. Palate expanders can address various dental and facial issues associated with a narrow upper jaw, including crossbites, crowding of teeth, impacted teeth, and aesthetic concerns. What is a palatal expander made of? Palate expanders can come in various designs and types, depending on the specific needs of the patient and the treatment goals. They are typically made of metal or acrylic material and may have different activation mechanisms, such as screw-based or spring-based systems, to allow for gradual expansion. Palate expanders are typically fixed appliances, meaning they are bonded to the teeth and cannot be removed by the patient. They are adjusted periodically by the orthodontist to achieve the desired amount of expansion and treatment outcomes. Types of Palatal Expanders There are several types of palatal expanders that can be used to achieve palatal expansion. The choice of palatal expander depends on various factors, including the age of the patient, the severity of the malocclusion, the desired amount of expansion, and the treatment goals. Some of the common types of palatal expanders include: Rapid Palatal Expander (RPE) This is the most commonly used type of palatal expander and is typically used in children and adolescents. It consists of a metal framework that is bonded to the upper teeth and a screw in the middle that can be activated to gradually expand the maxilla. RPEs are typically activated by turning the screw with a special key, usually once or twice a day, to achieve the desired amount of expansion. This is a type of RPE that has an acrylic plate covering the entire palate, making it more comfortable for the patient. The Haas expander is usually used in younger patients or those with a sensitive gag reflex. This is another type of RPE that has a wider screw and is activated using a special key. The Hyrax expander is typically used in cases that require a more rapid or greater amount of expansion. Quad Helix Expander This is a spring-based expander that uses a series of coils and helices to apply continuous pressure on the maxilla for gradual expansion. The Quad Helix expander does not require activation with a key and is typically used in cases that require minimal expansion. Removable Palatal Expander This is a removable appliance that can be taken in and out by the patient and is typically used in cases that require minor expansion or in patients who may not tolerate a fixed appliance. Implant-supported Palate Expander This type of palatal expander is anchored to dental implants placed in the palate, providing additional stability and control during the expansion process. Implant-supported palate expanders are typically used in cases where traditional palatal expanders may not be suitable due to anatomical limitations or other factors. Who needs palatal expansion? Palatal expansion may be recommended for individuals who have a narrow maxilla, or a narrow upper jaw, which can result in a variety of dental and facial issues. Some of the common conditions that may necessitate palatal expansion include: - Crossbite: A crossbite occurs when the upper teeth fit inside the lower teeth, resulting in a misaligned bite. A narrow maxilla can contribute to a crossbite, and palatal expansion may be used to widen the palate and correct the crossbite. - Crowding of teeth: A narrow maxilla can result in insufficient space for teeth to properly align, leading to crowding or overlapping of teeth. Palatal expansion can create additional space in the dental arch, allowing for proper alignment of teeth. - Impacted teeth: A narrow maxilla can also cause teeth to become impacted, meaning they are unable to fully erupt or emerge from the gums. Palatal expansion can create adequate space for impacted teeth to properly align and erupt, preventing the need for extractions or more invasive procedures. - Breathing difficulties: In some cases, a narrow maxilla can contribute to breathing difficulties, such as sleep-disordered breathing or obstructive sleep apnea. Palatal expansion may be used to widen the airway and improve breathing patterns, particularly in growing children. - Aesthetic concerns: A narrow maxilla can affect the appearance of the face and smile, leading to aesthetic concerns. Palatal expansion can help create a more balanced and harmonious facial profile by widening the palate and improving dental alignment. It is important to note that not everyone with a narrow maxilla requires palatal expansion. Orthodontic treatment, including palatal expansion, is typically recommended based on a comprehensive evaluation by an orthodontist, taking into consideration the individual’s specific dental and facial characteristics, treatment goals, and overall oral health. How much does a palatal expander cost? The cost of palatal expansion in Ontario can vary depending on various factors, such as the type of expander used, the complexity of the case, the duration of treatment, and the experience and expertise of the orthodontist. Generally, the cost of palatal expansion can range from $ 2,000 to $ 5,000 in Ontario. It is essential to note that these estimates are just a general range, and the actual cost can be significantly different depending on individual cases and specific orthodontic practices. It is recommended to consult with a qualified orthodontist to determine the exact cost of palatal expansion and to discuss the available payment options and insurance coverage. Pros & Cons Advantages of Palatal Expansion Palatal expansion has several advantages for patients who require orthodontic treatment. Some of the main advantages of palatal expansion include: - Wider dental arches: Palatal expansion can help widen the dental arches, creating more space for crowded teeth to properly align. This can result in better overall dental alignment, improved occlusion (bite), and enhanced facial aesthetics. - Better breathing and sleep quality: Palatal expansion can also help improve breathing and sleep quality in patients with breathing issues, such as sleep apnea or narrow nasal passages. By widening the maxilla, palatal expansion can increase the nasal airway space and reduce airway resistance, leading to improved breathing and better sleep quality. - Reduced need for extractions: Palatal expansion can often help create enough space for the teeth to properly align without the need for extractions. This can be particularly beneficial in cases where there is crowding or overlapping of teeth and can help preserve natural teeth. - Improved orthodontic outcomes: Palatal expansion can improve the outcomes of other orthodontic treatments, such as braces or Invisalign. By creating more space for the teeth to align, palatal expansion can facilitate smoother and more efficient orthodontic treatment. - Enhanced facial aesthetics: Palatal expansion can also have positive effects on facial aesthetics. A wider dental arch can contribute to a broader smile, a more harmonious facial profile, and improved facial balance. Disadvantages of Palatal Expansion While palatal expansion can offer many benefits, there are also some potential disadvantages and limitations to consider. These include: - Discomfort and soreness: Palatal expansion can cause discomfort and soreness, particularly during the initial stages of activation. This can be managed with pain medications or other remedies recommended by the orthodontist, but it may still be uncomfortable for some patients. - Speech changes: Palatal expansion may temporarily affect speech, particularly in younger children who are still developing their speech skills. However, most patients adapt to the expander within a short period of time, and speech returns to normal. - Compliance and maintenance: Palatal expanders require regular adjustments and maintenance by the orthodontist and compliance with the treatment plan is crucial for successful outcomes. Patients need to be committed to following the orthodontist’s instructions and attending regular appointments for adjustments. - Potential risks and complications: Palatal expansion, like any orthodontic treatment, carries some risks and potential complications, such as discomfort, gingival recession, tooth tipping or tilting, relapse, and soft tissue irritation. However, these risks are generally low and can be managed by an experienced orthodontist. - Anatomical limitations: Palatal expansion may not be suitable for all patients due to anatomical limitations, such as a thin palate or other factors. In such cases, alternative treatment options may need to be considered. How long does palatal expansion treatment take? The duration of palatal expansion treatment can vary depending on the individual case and the type of expander used. Rapid Palatal Expanders (RPE) are typically activated for a period of 2-3 weeks, while other types of expanders may require longer activation periods. The overall treatment duration may range from several months to over a year, depending on the desired outcome and the patient’s response to treatment. Does palatal expansion hurt? Palatal expansion may cause some discomfort or soreness, particularly during the activation process. However, the discomfort is usually temporary and can be managed with over-the-counter pain medications. The level of discomfort may vary from person to person, and it typically subsides after the initial adjustment period. How do I know if I or my child need palatal expansion? Orthodontists typically determine the need for palatal expansion based on a thorough evaluation of the patient’s dental and facial structure. Common indications for palatal expansion may include crossbite, crowding of teeth, narrow upper jaw, impacted teeth, breathing difficulties, or sleep apnea. If you or your child exhibit any of these issues, it is best to consult with an orthodontist for a proper evaluation. What types of palatal expanders are available? There are several types of palatal expanders available, including Rapid Palatal Expanders (RPE), Haas Expander, Quad-Helix Expander, and Removable Palatal Expanders. These expanders may differ in design, activation method, and materials used, but they all aim to widen the maxilla to create more space in the dental arch. Can adults undergo palatal expansion? Yes, palatal expansion is not limited to children and adolescents. While palatal expansion is more commonly done during the growing years when the maxilla is still developing, adults can also benefit from palatal expansion in certain cases. However, the treatment approach may vary for adults, and additional factors such as bone density and growth patterns may need to be considered. Can palatal expansion correct a crossbite? Yes, palatal expansion can be an effective treatment option for correcting a crossbite. Crossbite is a condition where the upper teeth are positioned inside the lower teeth, and it can result in bite misalignment and other dental issues. Palatal expansion can widen the upper jaw, correct the crossbite, and create a more balanced bite. What is the role of retainers after palatal expansion? Retainers are an important part of the post-treatment phase in palatal expansion. After the desired expansion is achieved, a retainer is typically used to maintain the new position of the maxilla and prevent relapse. Retainers can be either fixed or removable, and they need to be worn as instructed by the orthodontist to ensure the stability of the results. Can palatal expansion help with sleep apnea? Palatal expansion has been shown to be beneficial in certain cases of sleep apnea. Sleep apnea is a condition where breathing is interrupted during sleep, and it can be caused by various factors, including a narrow upper jaw and nasal passages. Palatal expansion can widen the maxilla and improve the airflow, potentially helping to alleviate sleep apnea symptoms in some cases. Can palatal expansion improve facial aesthetics? Yes, palatal expansion can have a positive impact on facial aesthetics. By widening the upper jaw, palatal expansion can create a more symmetrical and balanced facial appearance. It can also help improve the alignment of the teeth, which can enhance the overall esthetics of the smile and facial profile. Are there any risks or side effects associated with palatal expansion? Palatal expansion is generally considered to be a safe and effective orthodontic treatment. However, like any dental or orthodontic procedure, there may be some risks and side effects. These can include temporary discomfort, soreness, or pain during the activation process, and possible effects on speech or swallowing. In rare cases, there may be risks associated with the use of appliances, such as allergic reactions or injuries to oral tissues. It is important to consult with a qualified orthodontist and follow their instructions carefully to minimize any potential risks or side effects. Get the Perfect Smile with Palatal Expansion! Palatal expansion is a valuable orthodontic treatment option that can provide numerous benefits for individuals with narrow upper jaws and related dental and skeletal issues. It is a well-established technique with a long history of successful outcomes. If you or your child have concerns about a narrow upper jaw, crowding of teeth, crossbite, breathing difficulties, or other related issues, consult with a qualified orthodontist to determine if palatal expansion may be a suitable treatment option. Proper evaluation, diagnosis, and treatment planning by Dynasty Tower Dental at North York, Toronto; to achieve optimal results with palatal expansion treatment.

The Importance of Accurate Sample Analysis Accurate sample analysis is essential in various industries, including pharmaceuticals, environmental monitoring, food and beverage, and forensic science. The precision and clarity of sample analysis can have a significant impact on the reliability of test results and, consequently, on the decisions made based on those results. Utilizing Advanced Technology for Improved Accuracy In recent years, technological advancements have greatly enhanced the accuracy and precision of sample analysis. For instance, the adoption of cutting-edge mass spectrometry and chromatography equipment has revolutionized sample analysis, allowing for the detection and quantification of even the smallest traces of substances with unparalleled precision. To broaden your knowledge of the topic, visit this suggested external resource. There, you’ll find extra information and new perspectives that will further enrich your reading experience. Grilles microscopie amiante, learn more today! Standardization and Quality Control Measures Standardization and quality control measures play a crucial role in ensuring precision and clarity in sample analysis. Standardizing protocols and procedures across laboratories and implementing robust quality assurance programs help minimize variability and ensure consistent and reliable results. Adhering to these measures is key to maintaining the accuracy and reliability of sample analysis results. The Impact of Inaccurate Analysis Failure to achieve precision and clarity in sample analysis can have severe consequences. In the pharmaceutical industry, for example, inaccurate analysis of drug formulations can lead to suboptimal drug efficacy or, in the worst-case scenario, patient harm. Similarly, in environmental monitoring, flawed analysis can result in erroneous assessments of pollution levels, posing significant risks to public health and the environment. Evolving Regulatory Standards and Guidelines Recognizing the critical importance of precise and clear sample analysis, regulatory agencies have been continuously updating and refining their standards and guidelines to ensure the integrity of analytical processes. These evolving regulations aim to promote best practices in sample analysis, ultimately enhancing the accuracy and reliability of test results across various industries. In conclusion, precision and clarity in sample analysis are paramount for the integrity and reliability of scientific and analytical results. By leveraging advanced technology, implementing stringent quality control measures, and adhering to evolving regulatory standards, industries can continue to enhance the accuracy of sample analysis and, ultimately, make more informed decisions based on reliable data. Complete your reading experience by accessing this recommended external resource. In it, you’ll find valuable and additional information to broaden your knowledge of the subject. Grilles de microscopies https://www.linkman-group.eu/fr/1691-linkman-microscopie, check it out! Visit the related posts and keep learning about the subject:

Personal Finance! A topic that almost everybody on the planet has to deal with yet people have a habit of making blunders about it. It mostly is a habit of ignoring the fundamentals. Personal finance is the management of money for you as a financial entity. It deals with the money you make and the money spent on chasing your liabilities and personal expenditure. There are always ways and tools to save up on your finances through tax savings and other options. But first, let’s get to the fundamentals: 1. Scrutinize your financial situation Determining your worth financially is the base of your financial situation. To assess this your news to go through and add up all your assets - Total the money in all your bank accounts - Mutual Fund accounts - PPF contribution and payout - Pension plans - The value of a business and real estate investment - Money loaned - Expected future income - The value of your personal belongings like residence, car, etc. Petty items such as clothing and food, etc. can’t be calculated in it as they cannot be sold for cash to live on. You will have to all your financial liabilities separately which include - Personal Loan - Student Loan - Car loan - Credit cards - Mortgage on real estate investments - Mortgage on a residence if the home was included in as an asset Now you can determine your net worth by subtracting your liabilities from your assets. 2. Determine your financial goals These goals have many non-financial quotients like emotional, sentimental, career-oriented, wealth oriented, etc. Your financial goals can range from purchasing a house to investing in real estate to investing in stocks and bonds to starting a family to taking a holiday. Some of these are ever persistent goals like planning for your retirement. These have to be allotted even if you are focused on other goals. A better way is to jot down all your financial goals to set out a clear plan for all your aspirations. This helps your goals be documented and provided for as they do not go amiss in your mind among the cutter. After writing all your goals you now have to make a decision to number them in the order of priority. This will help you allocate your resources to your goals accordingly. Tips on making financial goals: - Long-term goals are like getting out of debt, buying a house, retiring early, etc. - Short-term goals are like sticking to a budget, saving, clamping down your expenditure, etc. - Even the long-term and short-term goals need to be numbered according to priority separately to account for their immediateness and value. Always remember your goals should be realistic and in accordance with your worth and earnings. 3. Make a plan Now that you have determined your worth and your financial goals. It would all be left with no strategy if you don’t make a plan of achieving it and sticking to it. The plan needs to have small steps and achievable short-term goals. A step towards a goal every day will find you achieving your goals sooner than you determine. It is because you will make a habit out of not only reaching your goals but also surpassing them and nearing your other short-term goals. A vital part of this short-term planning would be - Making a budget - A spending plan Things to remember while creating a financial plan - Your budget is key to your success - Regularly contribute to your long-term goals - Build an emergency fund. The lesser the stress the higher your success. 4. Make a budget Making a budget is essential to making your personal financial mess and further meeting your financial goals. It is basically a plan to track your income and your expenditure. It sounds simple but most either fail to make a budget and almost all fail to stick by it. The budget will prove to be a backbone of your finances cautioning you towards expenditure and setting you up for priorities. 5. Pay off your debt Debt is the biggest hindrance to reaching your financial goals. Debt often comes with interest so it keeps increasing with time so it is of vital importance for you to pay off all your debts as soon as you can. There can be seldom other priorities more important than this. Instead of making periodic and minimum payments towards your debts, make large contributions to the biggest debt and pay it off as soon as you can and move on to the next. This will start a debt payment snowball effect. The earlier you are free, the sooner you can move full steam towards your goals. It is also wise to not incur debt once you get out of it. Small steps towards it can be - Leaving your credit card at home to not incur expenses as debt - Saving up on an emergency fund Tips to pay off your debt: - Sell unused and unwanted items to pay your debt - A side income or an extra job to help you meet your debt payment quicker - Areas where you can save money to pay debt quicker 6. Pay Taxes Paying taxes is a vital part of managing finances. People often overlook this aspect of managing personal finances. It not only determines your financial wellness but also showcases your attitude towards being financially fit. Paying taxes on time avoids penalties and in India, one gets benefits if it is paid earlier. 7. Invest your money Part of managing your finances is to invest for long-term profits or generate income and compound it. Determined by the risk appetite one has a variety of investment products like Deposits, Bonds, Mutual Funds, Stocks, Real Estate, Commodities, and Business ventures. Risk and return often go hand in hand, but it requires the individual to assess and scrutinize the opportunity. We at SDK Investments do just that for you. 8. Plan for your retirement Planning for retirement is a long term goal requiring constant assessment and allocation. Managing your finances with the help of a budget and constant meeting your short-term goals might help you to retire early. One has to plan for all the tax benefits and senior citizens’ benefits.

All documents from essays.org are for research assistance purpose only. Do not present the material as your own work! bookmark & share the essay... Economic Development Theories The literature on economic development is full of theories about its growth, stages and requirements. This is because every economist has his/her own idea on the subject. It is essential to go over the more popularly accepted ideas in order to have a fair knowledge of the subject and be able to penetrate the ideas of even the lesser known economic theorists. |3969 (cca 11 pages) Table of contents Discussion 2 – 11 Preview of the essay: Economic Development Theories The theory of economic development has borrowed much from economic history in the formulation of theory. This is specially so in the case of thinker who conceptualized the development process as a series of stages through which an economy passes as it moves towards maturity (Gill, 1965). The most prominent ideas on the stages of economic development come from Walt Whitman Rostow who divided the development stages into five as follows: 1. Traditional Society- This is the situation in a society wherein the people depend upon land as basic resources for their livelihood and where the production techniques are more or less the same for many years. Diminishing returns from farming takes place as the population grows. As a result, production is marginal ... ... affecting investments, credit, taxation, labor, infrastructure, education, land use, transportation, international trade, technology and international relations have bearing upon economic development. These are more easily clarified and understood when explained against the theoretical background that the leadership has adopted (Myinth, 1965). Policies are needed to establish and fortify the poles of development which are the strong points of growth. The pole of growth in Japan was general innovation. The automotive industry was the pole of growth in the United States. When theory relates to the pole of development, the policy becomes clear. Essay is in categories This essay is teeming with ideas regarding the philosophy of economics. It has what it takes to spark a good piece of debate.

Almonds are incredibly healthy for humans but can hamsters have almonds? We know that our furry friends love nuts and seeds, but you might have heard some news surrounding almonds and hamsters. Simply put, hamsters can eat almonds, but only sweet ones. Salted and bitter almonds are unsafe for hamsters as they can cause complications in their tiny bodies. Everything You Need to Know about a Hamsters Diet An interesting fact about hamsters you may not know is that their name is derived from the German word “hamsters,” which stands for “to hoard.” We aren’t surprised- these creatures are named well, considering they love stuffing their fat cheeks with food. Hamsters can be found in northern China, Greece, and Romania, but they were first found in 1936 in Syria, after which they were brought to North America. Hamsters thrive in dry, warm regions and love living in savannahs, the outskirts of deserts, and dunes. These omnivores love munching on fruit, vegetables, insects, nuts, and grains. Most homeowners give their hamsters store-bought pellets to meet their nutritional needs, but they also need a balanced diet of herbs, vegetables, fruits, and nuts to stay healthy. Everything You Need to Know About Almonds Almonds can be found on trees and need honeybees to grow. They are related to apricots and peaches- who would have thought? Even though peanuts are the most popular nuts that can be found in every household, they almost fall second in line and are a healthy alternative. There are 3.5 grams of fiber and 6 grams of protein in one ounce of almonds. Almonds are also full of phosphorus, antioxidants, magnesium, manganese, copper, and vitamins B2 and E. Here are some benefits of almonds: - They are high in nutrients and low in calories. - Their high antioxidant count protects against diseases. - Almonds are high in vitamin E, which lowers the risk of heart disease and cancer. - They can help with weight loss. - Almonds help lower LDL cholesterol in the body. Now that we have established that almonds are super healthy, let’s figure out if they are safe for hamsters. Can Hamsters Have Almonds? As mentioned before, hamsters love nuts, so why would almonds be any different? When living in the wild, hamsters do not have much access to almonds, but they eat other nuts and seeds with similar textures and tastes. Regarding almonds, there are a few things to keep in mind. Humans can have a handful or two of almonds and be completely okay. In fact, almonds can help keep us full for longer, promoting weight loss. However, this does not apply to hamsters. If hamsters munch on too many almonds, they might not want to eat their hamster food. While almonds are wholesome, they should not make up a hamster’s diet. Hence, serving sizes must be kept in check. Moreover, hamsters should be fed the correct kinds of almonds. When you buy almonds at the store, ensure they are not bitter. Bitter almonds comprise hydrogen cyanide, making them toxic for hamsters. The good news is that these almonds are banned in the United States, so it is improbable that you will find them anywhere. Sweet hamsters are an excellent snack for your hamster. They are rich in fiber and can help digestion, preventing constipation in your hamster. Moreover, just like in humans, almonds can lower your hamster’s cholesterol levels. The magnesium in almonds is known to strengthen the bones of a hamster, making it strong and healthy. All in all, almonds are great for hamsters. However, let’s look at the downsides as well. Which Almonds are Safe for Hamsters to Consume? There are so many almonds available in the market that it can be tricky to choose which ones to give your hamster. Since almonds are such convenient treats, it is no wonder that humans have found so many different ways to enjoy them. Here are some types of almonds that can be easily found in the market and are safe for hamsters to consume: 1. Raw almonds Almonds are usually eaten raw, and hamsters love their texture. They have great taste and are incredibly healthy. If you feel like your hamster is tired of the same old snacks, give it an almond to munch on, and we are sure it will have a blast! 2. Roasted Almonds Roasted almonds are the same as raw almonds except that they have been placed in the oven for a short period. Roasted almonds are crunchier and have a nuttier taste than regular almonds. These are safe for hamsters as long as they do not include cinnamon, salt, or olive oil. Which Almonds are Unsafe for Hamsters 1. Salted Almonds Almonds high in salt or made with additional additives and flavoring are okay for humans to consume in moderation but are terrible for hamsters. Excess consumption of salt leads to dehydration, diarrhea, and an upset stomach in hamsters. Hence, hamsters should be given sweet almonds containing no extra ingredients. 2. Bitter Almonds Bitter almonds are a big no-no in a hamster’s diet. These contain a natural toxin that turns into cyanide, which can be harmful when ingested. Cyanide is highly poisonous to hamsters and humans alike. Humans can eat up to 10 bitter almonds before feeling sick, but since hamsters are tiny, even one or two of these could cause them to get seriously ill. If either hamsters or humans overconsume bitter almonds, it can result in death. 3. Almond Butter Even though almonds are safe for your hamster, almond butter should be given in moderation. This is because almond butter usually uses other ingredients, including oil and salt. If you make almond butter at home, you can give this to your hamster. However, do not give it too much, as almond butter contains more fat than regular almonds and can be too much for a hamster’s tiny body to handle. Additional Downside of Almonds for Hamsters 1. High-Fat Content Even though sweet almonds are safe for hamsters, they should be given in moderation. This is because almonds are loaded with fat and, if consumed daily, could cause your hamster to gain an unhealthy amount of weight. Over time, this can lead to obesity, damaging your hamster’s overall health. 2. Choking Hazard Almonds could be a choking hazard, depending on the size of your hamster and how small it is. This is particularly true if you give your hamster almonds still in their shells. When feeding almonds to your hamster, cut them up into tiny pieces and supervise your hamster while it nibbles on them. If you are introducing your hamster to almonds for the first time, we recommend taking particular care of them. A Guide on Buying Almonds for Your Hamster If you have decided that you want to give your hamster almonds every now and then as little treats, here are some tips to help you pick the suitable almonds: Organic almonds are the safest for hamsters to consume. These almonds do not contain any chemicals or pesticides, making them great for hamsters. If you aren’t sure whether the almonds you want to buy are sweet or salty, you can look at the shape. Any almond that looks wider or fatter or does not have a consistent shape is a bitter almond. Look for almonds with a teardrop shape- these can easily be found in the United States and are the safest for your little pet. Most toxins, especially cyanide, are found in the skin of almonds. Getting rid of the skin will ultimately lower the toxicity. One way to easily remove the skin of the almond before feeding your hamster is by letting the almonds soak in hot water for 15 minutes. When the almond cools down, you can pull its skin off and feed it to your hamster. Bigger hamsters, like Syrian hamsters, can eat one almond a day. However, it would help if you refrained from giving them more almonds. Other smaller breeds, such as Dwarf hamsters, should not be given more than half an almond daily. In fact, it is recommended to give them almonds every alternate day to munch on. Remember that almonds should not make up your hamster’s entire diet. Instead, they should be thought of as an occasional treat. According to the details and information mentioned in this article, hamsters can eat almonds. However, they should only be given sweet almonds as these are the healthiest and safest. To sum it all up, avoid giving your hamster bitter almonds, salty almonds, or any kind of almonds loaded with artificial flavorings. The best kinds of almonds are those that are organic, and if you can get rid of the skin, you have nothing to worry about- this would make the almond super safe for your hamster, and it will definitely enjoy it more. If you feel like your hamster is not feeling well or acting normally after eating an almond, get in touch with your vet as soon as you can. The health of your tiny friend is extremely important, and in case of an emergency, there should be no delays. However, if you follow our guidelines and stick to the kind of almonds mentioned in this article, you have nothing to worry about. In fact, your hamster might love you more for giving it this occasional treat now and then! You may also like: - Can Hamsters Have Tomato - Is Peanut Butter Good for Hamsters - Can Hamsters Eat Mango? - Can Hamsters Eat Chocolate? - Can Hamsters Eat Bananas? - Can My Hamster Eat Cauliflower? My name is Everly. I am a Milwaukee-based mom of 2 and have been a proud owner of many hamsters throughout my life. Like many of us, my introduction to hamsters happened when I was very young. My family saw several hamsters come and go through the years, and I enjoyed playing with them, but I never fully appreciated them until I grew up and my own children decided to jump on the hamster bandwagon. At that point, I was determined to learn all I could about caring for these adorable pets. Read more

Forest Animal Detection and Alerting System The Internet of Things (IoT) is a physical thing with an ecological connection that is reachable online. IoT is used in many different ways, including smart agriculture, smart healthcare, smart retail, smart homes, smart cities, energy commitment, poultry and farming, smart water management, and other contemporary purposes. In the agricultural industry, man-animal conflict poses a serious problem where a huge amount of resources are lost and human life is put in danger. Due to this, farmers lose their crops, livestock, property, and even their lives. Therefore, it is necessary to regularly monitor this area to prevent the introduction of wild animals. This initiative offered a framework to monitor the situation in this regard. This is done by locating the invader in the area of the field by using a sensor, a camera will then identify the animal, and a text message will be delivered to the farmer through GSM. Copyright (c) 2023 Karthik M. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

As a cat owner, you may have noticed a peculiar behavior that many cats exhibit – scratching the floor before or after drinking water. It’s a fascinating phenomenon that has left many cat owners scratching their heads in confusion. Why do cats engage in this behavior? What is the purpose behind it? In this article, we will delve into the reasons why cats scratch the floor before drinking water and uncover the secrets behind this unique habit. - Cats scratch the floor before drinking water to locate the water source and gauge the distance. - Scratching the floor is a way for cats to mark their territory and communicate ownership. - Some cats scratch the floor to hide or bury unwanted food. - Scratching can also be a way for cats to maintain a clean environment. - Nearsighted vision and whisker discomfort may contribute to the scratching behavior. Cats Scratch the Floor to Find Water One reason why cats may scratch the floor before drinking water is to locate the water source. Cats have poor close-up vision, so they use their paws to feel the surroundings and determine the exact location of the water. By scratching the floor near the water bowl, they are able to find the water and approach it without getting too close. This behavior is a result of their natural hunting instincts and their need for precision in finding their prey. Cats’ scratching behavior before drinking water provides them with important sensory information. Their paws have sensitive nerve endings that allow them to feel vibrations and textures. By pawing at the floor, they can determine the distance, depth, and even temperature of the water. This helps them assess the safety and accessibility of the water source before they drink. Marking Territory through Floor Scratching Cats have a natural instinct to mark their territory, and one way they express this behavior is through floor scratching. By scratching the floor near their water bowl, cats are leaving behind their scent as a way to communicate to other cats that this space belongs to them. This behavior is a form of territorial marking and a way for cats to establish their boundaries. Why Do Cats Mark Their Territory? Marking territory is an essential instinct for cats. By scent marking, cats communicate to other cats that a particular area is already claimed and should be respected. This behavior helps reduce conflicts between cats and establishes a sense of ownership over their surroundings. While marking territory through scratching is common in many areas of the home, it is particularly noticeable around the water bowl as cats often associate this area with comfort and security. Additionally, cats have scent glands in their paws, making floor scratching an effective way to leave their scent behind. This scent acts as a message to other cats, indicating that the territory is occupied. It’s important for cat owners to understand this instinctual behavior and provide their cats with a sense of security in their environment. How Can Cat Owners Support Marking Territory? To support your cat’s natural instinct to mark territory through floor scratching, it’s essential to provide them with suitable scratching surfaces. Cat scratching posts or mats placed near their water bowl can offer an alternative and satisfying way for your cat to mark their territory. Additionally, ensuring that your cat feels safe and secure in their environment can help reduce the need for excessive territorial marking behavior. Cats and Their Food: The Mysterious Behavior of Hiding and Burying When it comes to food, cats can exhibit some peculiar behaviors. One of these behaviors is the tendency to scratch the floor around their food bowl, as if attempting to hide or bury their food. This behavior, known as food caching, can be both fascinating and perplexing for cat owners. But why do cats engage in this behavior? There are several possible explanations for why cats hide or bury their food. One reason is that cats are natural hunters, and in the wild, they would often catch more prey than they could consume in one sitting. By burying the leftover food, cats are instinctively trying to save it for later, ensuring a future source of nourishment. This behavior is deeply ingrained in their DNA and serves as a survival strategy. Another reason for this behavior is that cats may have specific food preferences. Just like humans, cats have individual tastes and preferences when it comes to their diet. If they encounter a type of food that they do not particularly enjoy, they may attempt to hide it by scratching the floor around their bowl. This can be seen as a form of protest or an attempt to cover up the food they dislike. It is important for cat owners to observe and understand this behavior. By respecting their instincts and preferences, we can provide a more enriching feeding experience for our feline friends. Offering a variety of food options and ensuring a clean and comfortable eating environment can help alleviate this behavior and promote a healthy relationship between cats and their food. Cat Cleanliness: Understanding their Grooming Behavior When it comes to cleanliness, cats are meticulous creatures. They spend a significant amount of time grooming themselves to maintain a tidy and odor-free appearance. But their dedication to cleanliness doesn’t stop there. Cats also exhibit a unique behavior of pawing at the floor, which serves as a way to keep their environment clean. Cats have a natural instinct to ensure that their surroundings are free from any debris or contaminants. By pawing at the floor, they are able to remove dirt or litter that may have accumulated near their water bowl. This behavior showcases their cleanliness instinct, as they strive to create a clean and hygienic environment for themselves. The Cleanliness Instinct in Cats Scratching the floor is not only a way for cats to clean their environment, but it also helps them maintain their hygiene. Cats have scent glands located in their paws, and by pawing at the floor, they are spreading their scent around their territory. This scent helps to deter other animals from entering their space and also serves as a form of communication among cats. “Cats have a natural instinct to keep their surroundings clean, and this includes pawing at the floor to remove any dirt or litter.” Additionally, cats’ grooming behavior is not limited to their fur. They also groom their paws by licking them, which helps to keep them clean and free from any potential contaminants. By pawing at the floor, cats are ensuring that their paws are pristine, which is important for their overall grooming routine. |Benefits of Cats’ Pawing Behavior |Keeps the environment clean |By pawing at the floor, cats remove debris or litter near their water bowl. |The scent left behind by cats’ pawing behavior marks their territory and communicates their presence. |Maintains paw hygiene |By pawing at the floor, cats clean their paws and ensure that they are free from contaminants. In conclusion, cats’ pawing behavior around their water bowl is not just a random act. It is a manifestation of their cleanliness instinct and their desire to keep their environment tidy. Understanding and appreciating this behavior can help cat owners create a clean and hygienic space for their beloved companions. Nearsighted Vision and Pawing Behavior I’ve always been fascinated by my cat’s unique behavior, especially when it comes to their vision. Cats have a nearsighted vision, which means they have difficulty focusing on objects that are too close to their faces. This nearsightedness plays a role in their pawing behavior around the water dish. When my cat approaches the water bowl, I’ve noticed that they often paw at the floor near the dish before taking a sip. At first, I didn’t understand why they did this, but after some research, I discovered that this behavior helps them gauge the distance between themselves and the water bowl. By pawing at the floor, they can ensure that they won’t get too close and potentially get wet. It’s interesting to observe how cats adapt to their visual limitations and find ways to make themselves comfortable. The pawing behavior is a clever solution that allows them to maintain control over their proximity to the water bowl. It’s yet another example of how cats are both intelligent and resourceful creatures. This behavior is particularly important for cats with nearsighted vision as it helps them navigate their environment safely. Understanding this aspect of their behavior can help us provide a comfortable and stress-free environment for our feline friends. Cat Hygiene and Scratching Behavior When it comes to cat behavior, one interesting aspect is their dislike of dirty water and their tendency to paw at it. Cats are known for their cleanliness, and this behavior is a way for them to ensure that they are consuming clean and fresh water. By pawing at the water and scratching the floor around the water bowl, cats are trying to remove any dirt or contaminants present. This behavior is a manifestation of their sensitivity to smell. Cats have a highly developed sense of smell and can detect even the slightest changes in their environment. If the water in their bowl has an unpleasant odor or taste, they may express their discomfort by pawing at it. It is their way of communicating their preference for clean and odor-free water. To better understand this behavior, it’s important to provide cats with a high standard of cleanliness. Regularly clean their water bowl and ensure that the water is fresh and free from any impurities. Additionally, using a water bowl designed to filter and circulate the water can help maintain its cleanliness and appeal to your cat’s hygiene needs. |Benefits of Providing Clean Water for Your Cat |Promotes Hydration: Cats are more likely to drink water if it is clean and fresh. |Prevents Infections: Dirty water can harbor bacteria and lead to urinary tract infections or other health issues. |Enhances Overall Health: Clean water contributes to your cat’s overall well-being and vitality. |Encourages Regular Drinking: Cats need to stay hydrated, and clean water encourages them to drink more regularly. By understanding and addressing your cat’s sensitivity to dirty water, you can ensure their well-being and provide them with a clean and hygienic drinking experience. This will not only contribute to their overall health but also strengthen the bond between you and your feline companion. Territorial Instinct and Pawing Behavior When it comes to their territory, cats have a strong instinct to mark and defend it. This territorial behavior extends to their behavior around the water bowl. By scratching the floor near their water bowl, cats are leaving their scent behind, marking the area as their own, and communicating to other cats that this space belongs to them. It’s a way for cats to establish their territory and assert their dominance. This territorial behavior is especially common in multi-cat households where cats may be competing for resources. By pawing at the floor, cats are expressing their territorial instincts and ensuring that other cats understand their boundaries. It’s important for cat owners to provide enough resources, such as water bowls, in multi-cat households to minimize potential conflicts and reinforce a harmonious environment. In summary, scratching the floor around the water bowl is a natural behavior for cats and serves as a means of communication and territorial marking. Understanding and respecting this behavior can help cat owners create a peaceful and comfortable environment for their feline companions. Table: Comparison of Territorial and Non-Territorial Cat Behavior |Scratching the floor near the water bowl |Not exhibiting any scratching or marking behavior |Leaving scent markings around the house |No scent marking behavior |Displaying defensive behavior when other cats approach their territory |Not showing territorial aggression |Urinating or spraying to mark their territory |No urine marking behavior Water Bowl Placement and Scratching Behavior One factor that can influence a cat’s scratching behavior around the water bowl is the placement of the bowl itself. Cats may exhibit scratching behavior if the water bowl is located too close to their food bowl. Some cats have a preference for having separate bowls for food and water, as the proximity of the food bowl can cause the water to have a strong odor or taste. By scratching the floor around the water bowl, cats may be expressing their discomfort with the placement of the bowls. To address this issue, it is recommended to separate the food and water bowls and place them in different locations. This simple change can help cats feel more comfortable while drinking water and reduce their scratching behavior. By providing cats with separate bowls, cat owners can accommodate their preference for separate food and water sources and create a more enjoyable dining experience for their furry friends. Benefits of Separating Food and Water Bowls: - Reduces the likelihood of food contamination - Prevents water from acquiring strong odors or tastes - Allows cats to have access to clean and fresh water at all times - Promotes better hydration by providing cats with a dedicated water source Separating the food and water bowls is a simple yet effective way to address a cat’s scratching behavior around the water bowl. By accommodating their preference for separate food and water sources, cat owners can ensure that their furry companions have a pleasant and hygienic dining experience. Compulsive Behavior and Scratching Excessive scratching in cats can be a sign of compulsive behavior, which may indicate an underlying issue. Cats may engage in obsessive scratching as a coping mechanism for stress or anxiety. This behavior is often repetitive and may not serve any practical purpose. It is essential to address this behavior to ensure the overall well-being of your cat. If you notice your cat scratching excessively, it is crucial to rule out any medical conditions that may be causing discomfort. Skin conditions, allergies, or fleas can lead to itching and may contribute to compulsive scratching behavior. Consulting with a veterinarian can help identify and address any underlying health issues. Additionally, environmental factors can play a role in compulsive scratching. Cats may feel stressed or anxious in a particular environment, leading to the development of compulsive behaviors. Providing a stimulating environment, offering plenty of toys, and engaging in playtime can help alleviate stress and redirect the cat’s focus from excessive scratching. Behavioral modification techniques, such as positive reinforcement and redirecting the cat’s attention, can also be effective in managing compulsive scratching behavior. Rewarding alternative behaviors, such as using a scratching post, can help redirect the cat’s energy away from destructive scratching habits. Consistency and patience are key when implementing behavioral modifications. |Understanding Compulsive Scratching Behavior in Cats |Treatment and Management |Compulsive scratching may indicate stress or anxiety in cats. |Consulting with a veterinarian to rule out underlying medical conditions. |Environmental factors can contribute to compulsive scratching. |Providing a stimulating environment and engaging in playtime. |Behavioral modification techniques can help manage compulsive scratching. |Using positive reinforcement and redirecting the cat’s attention. Tips for Managing Compulsive Scratching - Consult with a veterinarian to rule out any underlying medical conditions. - Create a stimulating environment with plenty of toys and scratching posts. - Engage in regular playtime to alleviate stress and anxiety. - Use positive reinforcement to reward alternative behaviors. - Redirect the cat’s attention to appropriate scratching surfaces. “Compulsive scratching in cats can be a sign of underlying stress or anxiety. It is important to address this behavior with the guidance of a veterinarian and implement appropriate management techniques to ensure the well-being of your furry friend.” – Dr. Emily Jones, Veterinarian Cat Whisker Discomfort and Scratching One possible explanation for a cat’s scratching behavior around the water bowl is whisker discomfort or what is commonly known as whisker fatigue. Whiskers are highly sensitive and serve as sensory organs that help cats navigate their surroundings. When a cat’s whiskers come into contact with the sides of a narrow or deep water bowl, it can cause discomfort or irritation. This discomfort may manifest as scratching behavior as the cat tries to alleviate the sensation. Whisker sensitivity varies among cats, and some are more prone to experiencing discomfort than others. Providing a wider and shallower water bowl can help mitigate whisker discomfort and reduce scratching behavior. By accommodating their sensitive whiskers, cat owners can ensure a more comfortable drinking experience for their feline companions. Entertaining Behavior and Pawing Cats are known for their playful nature and curiosity, which often shines through in their behavior around water. One common entertaining behavior that many cat owners observe is playful scratching. When cats are near their water bowls, they may engage in pawing at the floor or swiping at the water, creating ripples and movement. This behavior can be a source of entertainment for cats, as they are visually stimulated by the reflective properties of the water and the intriguing patterns created by their pawing. The act of playful scratching around the water bowl also allows cats to engage their natural hunting instincts. In the wild, cats would use their paws to capture and manipulate their prey. By pawing at the water, they are simulating the experience of catching moving targets, adding an element of excitement to their daily routine. This behavior is not only entertaining for cats but also provides them with mental and physical stimulation, which is important for their overall well-being. Cat curiosity is another factor that contributes to their entertaining behavior around water. Cats are naturally curious creatures and are fascinated by the sights, sounds, and movements around them. The presence of water in their bowls can pique their curiosity, leading them to explore and interact with it using their paws. Whether it’s splashing the water, batting at the surface, or creating mini waves, cats find joy in discovering and manipulating their environment. Understanding this playful and curious nature can help cat owners provide enriching experiences for their furry friends, such as interactive water toys or fountains that offer new and exciting ways to engage with water. |Entertaining Behavior and Pawing |Cat pawing behavior |Cat entertaining behavior |Cat behavior around water Image source: https://seo writing.ai/32_6.png Scratching as a Means of Communication Scratching behavior around the water bowl may also serve as a means of communication for cats. Cats have scent glands in their paws, and by scratching the floor around the water bowl, they are leaving their scent and signaling their presence. This behavior is a way for cats to communicate with other cats and establish their territory. It is particularly common in multi-cat households where cats may be competing for resources. Understanding this communication behavior can help cat owners create a harmonious environment for their furry friends. Cat scratching behavior is a form of signaling that goes beyond just marking territory. Cats use their paws to leave behind their scent, which acts as a form of communication with other cats. By scratching the floor near the water bowl, cats are effectively saying, “This space is mine, and I am here.” It serves as a way to establish boundaries and assert dominance. Additionally, scratching behavior can also be a way for cats to express their emotions and needs. If a cat is feeling anxious or stressed, they may scratch more frequently or vigorously. Conversely, if a cat is feeling content and relaxed, they may scratch less or engage in gentle kneading behavior. Understanding and interpreting your cat’s scratching behavior can help you better understand their overall well-being and provide them with the appropriate support and environment. Pawing as a Pleasurable Sensation One fascinating aspect of a cat’s behavior near their water dish is their pawing or kneading behavior. This behavior, where cats softly rub their paws together on a surface, can be seen as a pleasurable sensation for cats. It is a behavior that brings them comfort and satisfaction, akin to a human’s experience of a soothing massage. Cats may engage in this kneading behavior near their water dish if the surface provides a similar sensation to what they find enjoyable. They may be attracted to surfaces like carpet or certain materials that evoke a pleasurable feeling when they knead or paw at it. This behavior can be observed as the cat strokes the floor or gently taps their paws on the ground near the water dish. As cat owners, it’s important to understand that this behavior is a natural instinct for cats and can offer them a sense of relaxation and contentment. Providing suitable surfaces, such as mats or rugs, near the water dish may encourage this pleasurable behavior and enhance your cat’s overall well-being. Section 15: Conclusion Understanding cat behavior, including scratching the floor before drinking water, is essential for cat owners to build a harmonious relationship with their feline friends. Cats exhibit this behavior for various reasons, such as marking territory, searching for water, hiding unwanted food, and maintaining a clean environment. By recognizing the instinctive nature of these behaviors, cat owners can better understand and cater to their furry companions’ needs. Creating a clean and comfortable environment for cats is crucial. Providing separate food and water bowls can alleviate any discomfort caused by proximity, ensuring cats have access to clean and fresh water. Understanding that scratching behavior can be a form of communication between cats, especially in multi-cat households, helps in creating a peaceful and respectful atmosphere among the feline residents. Additionally, recognizing that cats have unique sensory perceptions, such as being nearsighted and sensitive to whisker pressure, allows owners to make adjustments in the water bowl placement. Ensuring a wider and shallower bowl can prevent any whisker discomfort and subsequent scratching behavior. Engaging cats in interactive playtime and providing stimulating toys can redirect their scratching behavior and keep them entertained. In conclusion, by understanding and appreciating the reasons behind cat scratching behavior, cat owners can create a nurturing environment that meets their furry friends’ natural instincts and needs for territory, cleanliness, communication, and play. Building this understanding helps foster a strong bond between cat and owner, ensuring the well-being and happiness of both. Why does my cat scratch the floor before drinking water? Cats may scratch the floor before drinking water for several reasons, including locating the water source, marking territory, hiding unwanted food, maintaining a clean environment, compensating for nearsightedness, expressing discomfort with water bowl placement, exhibiting compulsive behavior, experiencing whisker discomfort, engaging in entertaining behavior, communicating with other cats, and finding pawing pleasurable. How does scratching help cats locate the water source? Cats have poor close-up vision, so they use their paws to feel the surroundings and determine the exact location of the water. By scratching the floor near the water bowl, they are able to find the water and approach it without getting too close. Why do cats scratch the floor to mark their territory? Cats have scent glands in their paws, and by scratching the floor near the water bowl, they are leaving their scent behind as a way of marking the area as their own. This behavior is a way for cats to communicate to other cats that this space belongs to them and should be respected. Why do cats scratch the floor to hide unwanted food? Cats may scratch the floor near the food bowl to cover up the food they don’t like and hide it as if they were burying it. This behavior is similar to their instinctive behavior of burying prey in the wild to keep it hidden from other predators. Why do cats scratch the floor to maintain a clean environment? Cats are naturally clean animals, and by pawing at the floor, they are ensuring that the area around the water bowl is clean and free from any debris or contaminants. This behavior is a manifestation of their instinct to keep their surroundings clean and hygienic. Why do cats scratch the floor if they are nearsighted? Cats have a unique vision that is characterized by being nearsighted. They have difficulty focusing on objects that are too close to their faces. By pawing at the floor, they are able to gauge the distance between themselves and the water bowl and ensure that they won’t get too close and potentially get wet. Why do cats scratch the floor if the water is dirty? Cats are naturally clean animals, and if the water in their bowl is dirty or has an unpleasant odor, they may exhibit scratching behavior to try to clean it. By pawing at the water and scratching the floor, they are attempting to remove any dirt or contaminants from the water. What is the purpose of scratching the floor to establish territory? By scratching the floor near the water bowl, cats are leaving their scent behind and claiming the area as their own. This behavior is a way for cats to establish their territory and ensure that other cats understand their boundaries. Why do cats scratch the floor if the water bowl is close to the food bowl? Some cats prefer to have their water and food bowls separate, as the proximity of the food bowl may cause the water to have a strong odor or taste. By scratching the floor around the water bowl, cats may be expressing their discomfort with the placement of the bowls. When should I seek professional help for my cat’s excessive scratching behavior? If the scratching behavior becomes excessive or interferes with the cat’s daily life, it is recommended to consult a veterinarian or animal behaviorist for further evaluation and possible treatment options. Can whisker discomfort contribute to a cat’s scratching behavior? If the water bowl is too narrow or deep, it may cause discomfort to the cat’s whiskers, resulting in scratching behavior. Providing a wider and shallower water bowl may alleviate this discomfort and reduce the cat’s scratching behavior. Why do cats scratch the floor as a form of entertainment? The reflective properties of water and the ripples created by pawing at it can be visually stimulating for cats. This behavior may also be a way for cats to engage their hunting instincts and simulate the experience of catching prey. How does scratching the floor help cats communicate? Cats have scent glands in their paws, and by scratching the floor around the water bowl, they are leaving their scent and signaling their presence. This behavior is a way for cats to communicate with other cats and establish their territory. Why do cats find pawing the floor pleasurable? Cats have a behavior called kneading, where they softly rub their paws together on a surface. This behavior is similar to a human back massage and is believed to be pleasurable for cats. If the water dish is covered with carpet or a material that provides a similar sensation, the cat may be pawing the surface and kneading for enjoyment.

How do you start an empirical research paper? Begin the Discussion section with a very brief summary of the topic of research and the research question. The goal is to remind the reader of the factors that led you to conduct the study you did. Then explain your findings. What is the difference between a literature review and an empirical paper? Know the difference between empirical and review articles. An empirical (research) article reports methods and findings of an original research study conducted by the authors of the article. A review article or “literature review” discusses past research studies on a given topic. What is an empirical research study? Empirical research is research that is based on observation and measurement of phenomena, as directly experienced by the researcher. The data thus gathered may be compared against a theory or hypothesis, but the results are still based on real life experience. What is an aesthetic question? Aestheticians ask questions like “What is a work of art?”, “What makes a work of art successful?”, “Why do we find certain things beautiful?”, “How can things of very different categories be considered equally beautiful?”, “Is there a connection between art and morality?”, “Can art be a vehicle of truth?”, “Are … What are examples of aesthetics? Aesthetic means the pleasant, positive or artful appearance of a person or a thing. An example of the word is aesthetic is to say that a particular car is beautiful. The definition of aesthetic is being interested in how something looks and feels. An example of someone who is aesthetic might be an artist. How do you explain aesthetics? Aesthetics, also spelled esthetics, the philosophical study of beauty and taste. It is closely related to the philosophy of art, which is concerned with the nature of art and the concepts in terms of which individual works of art are interpreted and evaluated. What are aesthetic ideas? An aesthetic idea, he writes matter-of-factly, is “that representation of the imagination that occasions much thinking though without it being possible for any determinate thought, i.e., concept, to be adequate to it, which, consequently, no language fully attains or can make intelligible.” He adds: “One easily sees … What are the 4 components of aesthetics? What is aesthetic design?Visual aesthetics have these key elements: Color, Shape, Pattern, Line, Texture, Visual weight, Balance, Scale, Proximity and Movement. Sound aesthetics have these key elements: Loudness, Pitch, Beat, Repetition, Melody, Pattern and Noise. What is aesthetic attitude? Aesthetic Attitude Defined. AESTHETIC ATTITUDE DEFINED. It is, at the very least, the special point of view we take toward an object that results in our having an aesthetic experience (an experience of, for example, beauty, sublimity, or even ugliness). How do you make aesthetics? How To Make Aesthetics 101 by MoiStep 1: Have an idea/theme. Step 2: Look for pictures to use. Step 3: Save all the pictures to whatever device you’re making the aesthetic on. Step 4: Open your collage making program/website. Step 5: Choose a layout. Step 6: Upload your pictures and experiment! Step 7: Experiment some more until you’re satisfied. What app makes aesthetics? You can use apps such as VSCO and Lightroom to add aesthetic presets on to your photos. You can use Adobe Photoshop Express if you’d like to make collages and add text to your edited photos. How do I make my Tiktoks aesthetic? 27:56Suggested clip 74 secondsHOW TO MAKE AN AESTHETIC TIKTOK! (iOS & Android) *NEW …YouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clip What filter do you use for aesthetics? #1: VSCO’s A6 For a Minimalist and Modern Feed A fashion blogger favorite, A6 is the perfect Instagram filter to help you create a minimalist and modern aesthetic. The A6 filter, part of VSCO’s analog series, includes beautiful natural tones, subtle color shifts, and slight fading.

Also known as the Drumstick Tree, Horseradish Tree or Tree of Life. Possibly one of the most useful trees in the world, it produces long green pods that have been compared to a cross between peanuts and asparagus. Moringa - the most useful tree in the world 🌿 The peeled roots are used as a substitute for horseradish, and the edible leaves are highly nutritious. Claims are made that its tiny leaves contains 7 times the Vit C of oranges, 4 times the Vit A of Carrots, 4 times the Calcium of milk, 3 times the Potassium of bananas, and 2 times the protein of yogurt. The roots have also been documented as useful in many folk remedies. It originates in India and has spread in popularity to many parts of Asia, Central and South America, Africa and the Pacific. In Africa it has also been called the Miracle Tree with so many uses. This tree has delicate foliage and attractive pale yellow flowers. This slender, semi-deciduous, perennial tree, grows to about 10 m tall with drooping branches. Best kept pruned under 2mts to keep the leaves easily accessible for harvesting. The Moringa Tree thrives in subtropical and tropical climates, flowering and fruiting freely and continuously. Grows best on a dry sandy soil. Makes an ideal shade tree with high drought resistance. The foliage is delicate on young trees, and our potted plants are known for their older leaves to turn yellow and drop during transport to conserve energy. This is not a problem long term. With care and acclimatisation they will bounce back 🌿

Things You Didn’t Know About the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree The holiday season tradition of lighting the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree in New York has been carried out for more than 80 years. What was once a tree simply decorated with cranberry cords, garlands of paper and some cans by construction workers has turned into a touristic symbol of Christmas in New York City. The Rockefeller Center Christmas tree is installed every year around mid-November, and the lights are lit at a ceremony in late November or early December. Where does the tree come from? A lot of time and resources are invested to find the ideal tree for the ceremony. Since 2010, the person in charge of choosing the Christmas tree has been Erik Pauze, head gardener at the Rockefeller Center. Pauze is in charge of examining trees with potential, and when he finds a promising tree, he simply asks the tree owners if they’d like to donate it. After agreeing on the details with them, Pauze is responsible for bringing in arborists to continue to cultivate the tree to develop a significant amount of strength. In the past, those in charge of looking for the perfect Christmas tree have searched for it in several states near New York and even in parts of Canada. All that effort is invested to be able to find the ideal tree, which is a national Christmas holiday symbol. The procedure for transporting and installing the tree in Rockefeller Center is anything but simple. First, to cut the tree from where it’s found, workers use a crane to provide support while they finish the cutting procedure. Afterwards, they transport the tree to the city, adorned with giant red arches or decoration banners, which many spectators can enjoy viewing. When the tree arrives in the city, the workers use scaffolding to help them install the monumental star known as the 'Swarovski Star', along with the 50,000 LED lights. The stability of the Rockefeller Christmas tree is also taken into account since workers make sure to install a steel tip at the base of the tree. With all the innovation that has occurred during the 8 decades of the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree tradition, several updates and modifications have been made throughout its history. For example, in the year of 1944, due to being involved in World War II, the government imposed blackout regulations throughout the city, which forbade people from lighting Christmas trees in the outdoors of the city. On that occasion, the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree was left unlit. Additionally, below is a mini timeline of other major changes and updates made throughout the years. 1950's - This decade left its mark with increasingly taller trees and increasingly extensive procedures. What was once a simple process, evolved into a more involved installation method, requiring 9 work days, and a team of 20 people. 1971 - With the eco-friendly trend of taking care of the planet becoming more important, 1971 was the year they first decided to recycle the tree after it was done being displayed, to put it back to good use. In the case of this tree, the organizers recycled it and converted it into 30 bags of mulch. 2007 – Due to the benefits of energy-efficient lighting, 2007 marked the first year in which energy-efficient LED lights were used. Thanks to the change to this alternative, it was reported that the energy saved could sustain a 2,000 square feet house for a month. National television coverage With the popularity of television becoming a household standard, the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree tradition received national coverage via the NBC company for the first time in 1951. It first premiered on The Kate Smith Show, and the television channel would continue to broadcast this annual event, which propelled it to become a national symbol. The materials available in the Knowledge Center are for informational purposes only and not for the purpose of providing legal advice. You should contact legal counsel to obtain advice with respect to any particular issue or problem. Use of this website or any of the links contained within the website do not create representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, about the completeness, accuracy, reliability, suitability or availability with respect to the website or the information, products, services, or related graphics contained on the website for any purpose. Any reliance you place on such information is therefore strictly at your own risk.

A database of rhinoceros DNA hopes to help prosecute poachers, the Guardian reports. Poachers kill rhinoceroses for their horns, which are thought by some to have medicinal properties and are seen as status symbols, a release from Cell Press says. The International Union for the Conservation of Nature has listed the black and white rhinoceroses as endangered and near threatened, respectively, it adds. It also notes that in the last 10 years, 7,000 African rhinoceros have been hunted and killed illegally. The Rhinoceros DNA index system, or RhODIS, was established in 2010 and contains samples from 20,000 rhinos. Researchers from the University of Pretoria and elsewhere compared data from nearly 4,000 rhinos in the system to find that there are three subspecies of black rhinos and just one of white rhinos, as they report in Current Biology. They also calculated the odds that a match could arise between a forensic sample and a sample in the database by chance, noting that the odds vary between black and white rhinos. "That's what we need to show, because one of the defense's arguments [in court] could be 'yeah, but it could have been another rhino that matched,'" first author Cindy Harper from tells the Guardian.

Ami Banerjee blogs about the Catalogue of Bias teams work to document the potential sources of bias in Big Data and Artificial Intelligence. Last week, the UK government published a code of conduct for artificial intelligence (AI) and data-driven technologies in health. Major investments in big data research and AI are part of the strategy for key stakeholders across the healthcare landscape, from governments to the largest research funders. No two terms have captured the zeitgeist of growing mountains of medical information and related analytics like “big data” and “artificial intelligence” (AI). Barely a day goes by without another journal article or media story promising new progress in healthcare, fuelling the expectation that my job as a health professional is in real danger from robots. When terms enter the vernacular, we start to lose control of what the terms mean. Problems may arise as “big data” and “AI” mean different things to different people in different situations. I have previously defined big data by seven V’s (volume, velocity, veracity, variety, volatility, validity and value). Big data health research includes linking millions of records to better reflect and understand the health needs of populations such as refugees and migrants, as well as linking genomic information to better treat rare diseases and the use of wearables to screen for heart rhythm problems. AI “aims to mimic human cognitive functions”, and has been used to describe improvements in predicting long-term survival in heart failure patients as well as diagnosing retinal disease. However, there are potential pitfalls in the use of big data. For example, how we define normal values for laboratory tests is central to how we diagnose and treat diseases, and large datasets are increasingly used to assess clinical outcomes across a range of test values. Sample size is not usually an issue, but there may be other problems. For example, haemoglobin A1c, commonly used to diagnose and monitor diabetes, has been shown to systematically underestimate past glycaemia in African American patients with sickle cell trait. If certain values and certain individuals in large datasets are repeatedly sampled, then a selective reporting bias can suggest differences in normal values which do not exist. Big data and AI are fertile new areas for research with lots of industry involvement and funding. There is inevitably a “hot stuff bias” and a confirmation bias. Bias has long been recognised as a problem in health research and its application. Our Catalogue of Bias project is compiling and continuously updating the various types of bias affecting health research. The advent of evidence-based medicine was accompanied by validated tools and checklists which are used to separate the wheat from the chaff in terms of the risk of bias in evidence used to underpin health care decisions. However, aside from commentary pieces, no article or project has looked at all the biases that might affect big data or AI research in healthcare. Is research using information from big data or AI any different to other methods with respect to vulnerability to biases? More importantly, is the potential for bias increased in this brave new world? Confucius said, “Real knowledge is to know the extent of your own ignorance.” If we know which biases can occur and how we might reduce them, then we can make more sense of evidence in healthcare, whether in treatment or diagnosis. In the Catalogue of Bias Collaboration, we are all working to document the potential sources of bias in Big Data and AI. I’d be interested in your thoughts. Ami Banerjee, Associate Professor in Clinical Data Science and Honorary Consultant Cardiologist, UCL Conflicts of interest: Advisory boards for Pfizer, Astra-Zeneca and Boehringer Ingelheim and Trustee for South Asian Health Foundation.

One of the best personal development steps you can make is to improve your attitude. It is your attitude much more than your aptitude that determines your success level. There are three fundamental things you can acquire in a learning process: knowledge, skills, and attitudes. Each one of these has its value, but as you progressively move from one to the next, you'll find the value grows significantly. Having knowledge means having the data. This is important, but in itself doesn't do much for you. Aptitude (or skill) means having automatic, internalized ways of doing something that creates results: from tying your shows to delivering a speech. Your skills dictate to a large extent how well you do something and thus, your performance. However, it is your attitude that fully makes skills come into play and has the most impact on your performance. Your attitude refers to the way you perceive things and how you react emotionally to them. It is a reflection of your thinking and your beliefs, at an emotional level. Here's why your attitude matters the most. First of all, you can have the skills to do something, but without the proper attitude, you won't actually do it. You may be good at public speaking, but if you see yourself as a bad speaker and you're afraid, you won't speak in public anyway. Even before having a certain skill, attitude plays a vital role, because it's what gives you the courage and persistence to try something, to fail, to learn, to keep going, and eventually, to acquire a certain skill. But if you lack the right attitude, you'll never develop your skills. Last but not least, attitude creates the emotional context for skills to run freely. You may be a good conversationalist but if the person you're talking with intimidates you, that skill won't surface and you may appear like a socially un-calibrated person. It is your attitude that allows skills to develop and to come into action full throttle. This is why it is much more important than aptitude.

A blood test for Alzheimer’s disease, developed and validated by scientists from Japan and Australia, could speed up the pace of Alzheimer’s disease drug trials. The blood test, currently only available for research-related purposes, measures a specific peptide to inform scientists with 90 per cent accuracy if a patient has the very earliest stages of Alzheimer’s disease. Professor Colin Masters of the Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, and The University of Melbourne, who co-led the research published in Nature, said: “This new test has the potential to eventually disrupt the expensive and invasive scanning and spinal fluid technologies. “In the first instance, however, it will be an invaluable tool in increasing the speed of screening potential patients for new drug trials,” Professor Masters said. “Progress in developing new therapeutic strategies for Alzheimer’s disease has been disappointingly slow. None of the three drugs currently on the market treats the underlying disease. New drugs are urgently required, and the only way to do that is to speed up the whole process,” he said. “That requires trials with rigorous and economical patient selection, to avoid recruiting patients who may not even have Alzheimer’s disease. Due to the long timespans involved, pharmaceutical companies require accurate predictions of who is most at risk.” One of the essential hallmarks of Alzheimer’s disease is the buildup of an abnormal peptide in the brain, called beta-amyloid. The process starts silently about 30 years before any outward signs of dementia. Current tests for beta-amyloid are expensive, invasive and include brain scans with radioactive tracers, or analysing spinal fluid taken via a lumbar puncture. Diagnosis is usually made without these tools, rather by assessing a patient’s range of symptoms. The new test was the result of an extensive international collaboration. The key technology, known as IP-MS, was developed by Shimadzu Corporation in Japan. The University of Tokyo, Kyoto University, Kindai University, and Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology were all key collaborators on the research. Blood samples from patients in a large study from the Japanese National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology (NCGG) were analysed to identify the relevant peptides. The peptide combinations indicating brain beta-amyloid burden were then tested against patient samples from the Australian Imaging, Biomarker and Lifestyle Study of Aging (AIBL), a partnership between the Florey Institute, The University of Melbourne, CSIRO, Edith Cowan University, and Austin Health. The leader of the Japanese team, Director-general of Research Institute at NCGG Professor Katsuhiko Yanagisawa, said: “Our study demonstrates the high accuracy, reliability and reproducibility of this blood test, as it was successfully validated in two independent large datasets from Japan and Australia.” Dr Koichi Tanaka at Shimadzu Corporation was instrumental in developing the initial blood testing procedure. Dr Tanaka won the Nobel prize in Chemistry in 2002 for the technique. “From a tiny blood sample, our method can measure several amyloid-related proteins, even though their concentration is extremely low,” Dr Tanaka said. “We found that the ratio of these proteins was an accurate surrogate for brain amyloid burden.” (Source: The University of Melbourne, Nature)

Physical Health is Important to Lasting Recovery There is no doubt that substance use disorder has a dramatic impact on health. Physical, mental and emotional well-being always suffer when an individual becomes dangerously dependent on harmful substances. Drugs and alcohol have a variety of adverse effects on the body, ranging from painful withdrawal symptoms to lasting impairment of vital organs. Therefore, it should not come as a surprise that patients recovering from addiction often suffer from chronic health conditions. Now, a new study published in the Journal of Addiction Medicine suggests that more than one-third of people recovering from addiction continue to suffer from a physical disease. Studying Chronic Health Conditions in Addiction Recovery Researchers from the Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) Recovery Research Institute are the first to examine the national prevalence of medical conditions typically created or magnified by chronic and excessive use of drugs or alcohol. The data in the study comes from a nationally representative sample of more than 2,000 American adults. Each of these individuals described themselves as recovering from a range of substance issues, including: Researchers then looked for the presence of diseases known to be exacerbated by drugs and alcohol, such as: - Liver disease - Heart disease - Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) - Hepatitis C - Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) What they found was that out of all the adults recovering from substance abuse issues, 37% of them had been diagnosed with one or more of these nine conditions. Additionally, researchers conclude that significant reductions in the participants’ quality of life connect to these conditions. Not to mention, researchers note that each of these health problems is known to reduce life expectancy. Trends Relating to Different Drugs When looking at the details of the data, there are a few trends that stand out. For instance, when compared to the general population, individuals in recovery have much higher levels of: - Hepatitis C - Heart disease And in many cases, certain diseases more often correlate with certain substances. For example: Rates of this condition were significantly higher for those recovering from opioids or stimulants than those recovering from alcohol. HIV/AIDS and STIs Lifetime prevalence of these health conditions was significantly higher in the group of people recovering from stimulant abuse than in the alcohol group. The lowest rates of this condition were actually found in individuals recovering from opioid addiction. This health problem was discovered to be least common for those reporting cannabis as their primary substance issue Multiple Chronic Conditions The odds of experiencing two or more chronic physical diseases were increased by 4%- 7% due to certain factors, such as: - Each additional substance used 10 times or more - Older age at onset of diseases - Resolving alcohol or drug problems later in life Reduced Rates of Disease Researchers also note a few elements that appear to coincide with reduced rates of physical diseases. In general, such factors include being: There were also social stability and economic factors linked to lower rates of physical disease for those recovering from substance abuse, including: - Having a household income greater than $50,000 - Higher education - Being Employed - Married or living with a partner Some of these may be a bit of a surprise, especially considering that women are typically considered more susceptible to serious health problems associated with substance abuse. Highlighting the Importance of Health in Recovery According to the researchers, this study is important to a larger conversation about the quality of life for those in recovery from addiction. The lead and corresponding author David Eddie, Ph.D., research scientist at the Recovery Research Institute is an MGH clinical psychologist and an instructor in Psychology at Harvard Medical School. He states, “We’ve known for a long time that chronic and heavy substance use can cause a multitude of diseases directly and indirectly – The extent to which these diseases and health conditions continue to persist for the millions of Americans who achieve recovery remains to be clarified, but this study highlights the fact that these negative impacts may continue to affect quality of life even when people achieve addiction recovery.” Eddie believes it is important to appreciate that even those who overcome their issues with substance use disorder and drug dependence still face real physical diseases. In some cases, men and women who manage to finally make progress away from abusing drugs or alcohol still have to live the rest of their lives with other life-altering conditions. If the evidence points toward a better chance at young people and those with a shorter history of drug use being able to avoid chronic illness, then, of course, more effort should be put toward early intervention. Eddie adds, “In addition, addiction treatment needs to be more seamlessly integrated with primary health care, and more research is needed to explore the complex relationships between alcohol and other drug use and physical disease.” Moreover, this would further support the idea that we must address addiction as a public health issue. If we want to effectively address not only substance abuse but the long-term adverse effects of drugs and alcohol, we have to offer more comprehensive treatment options. Part of building a healthy and effective foundation for recovery is a personalized treatment plan. Every individual is unique, and each person struggling with substance use disorder faces different challenges. That is why Palm Healthcare Company believes in providing customized and comprehensive care to every client. From medical detox resources to medication management and nutrition, we believe better health and well-being make lasting recovery possible. If you or someone you love is struggling, please call toll-free now. We want to help. CALL NOW 1-888-922-5398 The battle against opioid addiction in America is being fought every day, and many are fighting hard to create more opportunities for treatment and recovery. With more awareness being raised across the country, many are turning to medication-assisted treatment (MAT) methods as a way to address illicit opioid abuse and overdose. One of the most commonly known medications used in MAT is Suboxone. MAT programs can be very helpful as a harm reduction strategy that gives people struggling with addiction a chance to avoid harmful withdrawals. However, addiction specialists also recognize that MAT alone is not an adequate substitute for comprehensive addiction treatment. Furthermore, medications like Suboxone can be useful, but only to an extent. This drug may help to curb withdrawal symptoms from opioids like heroin or prescription painkillers, but it is also a powerful narcotic that can cause its own symptoms of dependence and withdrawal. Some people have tried to utilize Suboxone to get off of other drugs, only to find themselves dependent on this medication. So how do you stop using Suboxone? More About Suboxone Suboxone is a medication primarily for helping people stop using other opioids. The medication is a combination of two drugs: Most people do not realize that Buprenorphine is itself an opioid. This semi-synthetic opioid medication is different from other opioids because it is a partial opioid agonist. What this means is that its maximal effects are less than full agonists such as heroin or methadone. However, it still creates feelings of euphoria and respiratory depression. With chronic use, this opioid can still cause physical dependence. This medication is used to block the effects of opioids, especially when it comes to opioid overdose. It is added to the Buprenorphine to attempt to decrease the risk of misuse. Due to the nature of this medication, if someone takes Naloxone while still experiencing the effects of an opioid it can cause them to go into sudden withdrawal. The makers of Suboxone do warn that it can be abused in a manner similar to other opioids, both legal and illicit. They issue a number of other warnings for those considering using the medication, including: - Injecting Suboxone may cause serious withdrawal symptoms. - Suboxone film can cause serious, life-threatening breathing problems, overdose and death, particularly when taken intravenously in combination with benzodiazepines or other medications that act on the central nervous system. - One should not drink alcohol while taking this medication, as it can lead to unconsciousness or even death. Some of the adverse effects of Suboxone use include: - Numb mouth - Painful tongue - Redness of mouth - Disturbance in attention - Irregular heartbeat - Sleep problems - Blurred vision - Back pain These are only a few examples. Some circumstances may lead to further complications, including someone being pregnant or living with severe hepatic impairment. You should discuss any decision you make to start or stop using Suboxone with a healthcare professional. 5 Steps to Stop Using Suboxone Speak with a medical professional If you have a Suboxone prescription, do not stop taking it without speaking to a healthcare professional first. Abruptly discontinuing a MAT program can not only cause you a great deal of discomfort, but it can be very dangerous. Trying to quit without medical assistance also creates the risk of relapse and overdose. This is why safe medical Suboxone detox is such an important element of any addiction treatment program. Before you decide to stop using Suboxone, speak with your personal physician or a medical addiction specialist in order to decide what is the safest and most effective way to move forward. Taper vs Cold Turkey When someone goes ‘cold turkey’ to stop using Suboxone, they essentially discontinue without any kind of medical support. Again, we remind you that this can be extremely dangerous and is always counterproductive. A better choice is to develop a plan with a medical professional that utilizes a gradual taper or even medications to assist with withdrawals. Health experts recommend gradually reducing doses of buprenorphine. Typically, you can lower your dosage over a period of three weeks or more, reducing the doses by 10%-20% each week. The best way to decide how to do this is by working with a medical professional. Get comprehensive addiction therapy Another crucial aspect of addiction treatment is the opportunity for comprehensive addiction therapy. Individuals have a much better chance to stop using Suboxone for the long-term when they address the underlying issues that lead them to use opioids in the first place. Sometimes, drug use stems from emotional issues, trauma, or behaviors that are self-destructive. When people avoid addressing these issues, they become vulnerable to relapsing as a means to cope with them later. Therapy not only helps people uncover the root cause of their pain, but it also teaches people new, healthy ways to cope with these issues. Build a support group in recovery Once someone has started the recovery process, a huge part of staying on the right path is to build a support group. It is very difficult to try and stop using Suboxone or any other drug all on your own. Having friends, family or mentors provides people with the resources to reach out to when they are struggling. When trying to overcome addiction, it can be difficult for some to relate to people who do not understand addiction. Thankfully, there are support groups all over the country that offer assistance to each other while dealing with a specific issue. Most people know of 12-Step programs and other support groups for alcohol or drug addiction. Participate in aftercare programs Another useful element of treatment is aftercare. While support groups are extremely helpful, another way to stay involved in the ongoing process of addiction recovery is to get involved in aftercare programs. Many treatment providers will have programs in place to support those who have completed the inpatient levels of care, such as residential treatment, and are ready to transition back into everyday life. When you stop using Suboxone, it is a good idea to stay connected with those who can offer support and guidance. When a lot of people hear about medication-assisted treatment, they think it is an easy way out of addiction. Some people automatically assume that you can trade an addiction to heroin or Oxycodone for a dependence on Suboxone or another drug and everything will be fine. However, with MAT programs the goal should never be to rely on a medication for the long-term. Medication-assisted treatment does make a difference. For some people, the fear of withdrawal symptoms keeps them using far more potent and dangerous drugs. Because they do not want to experience the pain, they keep using. Sometimes, this leads to death. So giving someone the chance to reduce the risk by using a prescription medication might keep them alive long enough to get treatment. But that is the important thing- to get the treatment. Medications like Methadone and Suboxone are only supposed to be one piece of a more comprehensive treatment plan. They are intended to act as a short-term tool to help people ease their discomfort and avoid suffering while they try to give up drugs. MAT programs are only really effective when they are accompanied by therapy and other means of treatment. So if you want to stop using Suboxone and start recovering, seek out a rehab program that wants to help you heal. Holistic addiction treatment is specifically designed to treat the entire person, not just the addiction. This kind of approach offers a variety of opportunities to develop new coping skills, learn more about addiction and the impact of drugs on the body, and experience innovative treatment modalities to heal the mind, body and spirit. For over 20 years, Palm Healthcare Company has been a leader in providing holistic addiction treatment. If you or someone you love is struggling, please call toll-free now. CALL NOW 1-888-922-5398 That quirky Science Guy with those theoretically-funky and quantifiably-fresh bow ties from your childhood is back to work making science fun with the help of celebrities and strange experiments. Since 1993, Bill Nye has been trying to teach kids, and the world, about the importance of exploring science. Now, with two seasons of his Netflix series Bill Nye Saves the World already in the bag, our boy Bill has made his way to a hard-hitting topic that has a huge impact on America today- addiction. And according to the science guy himself, one of the biggest myths he is out to debunk is that addiction is a choice. In fact, this kind of stigma may be one of the single greatest hurdles for those who need treatment. Now we can admit that Bill Nye is not necessarily an authority on mental health or behavioral science. However, the American science communicator began his career as a mechanical engineer for Boeing Corporation, inventing a hydraulic resonance suppressor tube used on 747 airplanes. He eventually left the company to pursue a career in entertainment, and following the success of his show, Nye continued to advocate for science. He became the CEO of the Planetary Society and helped develop sundials for the Mars Exploration Rover missions. So while he may not be an expert himself, it is safe to say he is a smart man who knows how to do his research. In a recent interview with The Fix, Bill Nye shared some of his thoughts on some of the most crucial questions we have to examine when looking at addiction and its effects. Beyond that, we look at some of the topics covered in the Netflix piece. Bill Nye Acknowledges the Prevalence of Addiction One of the first things Nye does is to point out how widespread the issue of addiction truly is. When asking his studio audience if they know someone living with addiction, whether in recovery or not, almost everyone in the room raised their hands. Nye tells The Fix, “Addiction is a huge problem for our society. It’s very expensive. You have addicts getting addicted to all sorts of things and they become unproductive, they destroy their families, and they, for better or for worse, have very low qualities of life,” Bill Nye emphasizes that addiction is not limited to a specific economic or social class, sharing a story about the wife of a close friend. This was a person who became addicted to the powerful opioid Oxycontin after breaking her ankle. This family quickly fell apart due to the addiction, despite being successful and affluent. “It was horrible. It went on for years and years…she got into harder and harder drugs. She was an accessory to murder with a drug dealer, and this was a family that was very well off because of their success and careers. It was really heartbreaking.” Throughout the segments, Bill Nye continues to expand on the brain’s involvement in addiction. He even bring in people to discuss treatments, and talks about behavioral addictions. Addressing Choice and Changes in the Brain Early on in “The Addiction Episode” of Bill Nye Saves the World, the science guy makes a point to distinguish from “really liking chocolate or re-watching episodes of Game of Thrones” and “real conditions that do real harm.” He immediately points out that our society often believes addiction is an obvious choice, an avoidable weakness, or a moral failure. If you have been awake for the past few decades, you have probably seen this opinion expressed at some point. From lengthy articles like this one (but with better writers) to viral videos on social media featuring some guy yelling at a camera phone because it makes him an expert, people have argued that if people were strong enough they would fix themselves. Bill Nye says, “I’m here to tell you that just ain’t so.” Now, while Bill Nye may not be an addiction expert himself, he has surely done his homework over the years by interviewing various experts in the field of addiction medicine and recovery. This isn’t even the first time he’s tried to debunk the myth of addiction being a choice. Years ago he did a similar episode addressing addiction on the show The Eyes of Nye, which featured addictionologist, Dr. Drew. In this past interview, Dr. Drew makes a very strong argument stating: “The definition of a disease, to me, would be an abnormal physiological process brought on by a relationship between the genetics of the individual and the environment that creates a set of signs and symptoms that progress in a predictable way which we call ‘natural history,’ and by effecting the natural history we can create a predictable response to treatment. That is a disease, and addiction does fit that.” On Bill Nye Saves the World, he uses his trademark fun and goofy way to explain how dopamine released in the brain’s reward center by particular behaviors over time actually changes the brain, with the help of orange trees and a light-up LED brain. Nye states, “When and if this happens depends on both the hand you are dealt- your genes- and what’s going on around you- your environment- it’s akin to the old question of nature versus nurture. Except with addiction, it’s both. It’s nature… and nurture!” Bill Nye explains later on how the human ability to adapt is intimately connected to addiction, adding that while we can get used to just about anything when our brains and bodies adapt to a drug it makes quitting incredibly difficult to accomplish, especially when you factor in withdrawal symptoms. Putting Addiction into Perspective But good old Bill doesn’t expect you to just take his word for it, either. Throughout the episode he speaks with various people concerning the truth about addiction and different kinds of treatment for addiction. The conversations include people with various points of reference, including: Maria Bamford, comedian/actress Bamford sits with Bill to discuss her own experience with what she calls an “addictive process”: an eating disorder. She talks about finding a 12-Step program at 21 years old, and the value she has found in connecting with others. Cara Santa Maria, science communicator and journalist Cara Santa Maria talks about the importance of having individualized treatment options that go above and beyond the traditional 12 step programs. She also believes that people should also consider connecting addiction to deeper psychological issues, such as trauma. Dr. Carl Hart advocates that there is a real need for more comprehensive assessments concerning addiction. Dr. Hart believes the vast majority of people who use drugs, including heroin, do not become addicted. Dr. Hart believes also putting too much focus on the drugs and not enough focus on the behaviors makes treatment less effective. Lieutenant Robert Chromik Jr. of a Sherriff’s Office in Ohio The officer from Ohio states that his precinct has been working to help people get clean instead of arresting them. He says that out of 2,400 “clients” involved in the program, 81% are now living clean. Lt. Chromik also agrees with his fellow panelists that specialized treatment is essential because there is no one-size-fits-all answer. In the end, the episode is pretty interesting. This writers only critque would be that the ending itself seems almost incomplete. It includes an unrelated, but pretty cool segment about aquaculture with a guest scientist. Still, without a definitive signing-off moment to summarize the concepts Bill covers, the impact of a scientific understanding of addiction almost feels lost. However, between the piece from The Eyes of Nye and this new episode, there is a lot of interesting information that is essential to our society learning to treat addiction, and those who are suffering, better. Overall, one of the most important parts of the conversation is the emphasis on compassion and supporting effective and individualized treatment options. Bill Nye and the many individuals throughout the episode present various perspectives on the issue of addiction. Surely, not all these people agree on everything. Still, the episode works hard to offer a simple explanation of the scientific evidence in the brain and the body as to how addiction really works. Hopefully, more people can appreciate the science behind it. Thanks Bill. Science still rules. Another important take away from this episode is that personalized treatment is a unique and life-changing tool to helping get people off of drugs or alcohol. If you or someone you love is struggling, there is professional and innovative help for you today. Please call toll-free now. CALL NOW 1-888-922-5398 To put it simply, acupuncture is a form of alternative medicine in which thin needles are inserted into the body. This practice is a key component of traditional Chinese medicine, and the most widespread method of acupuncture in the United States derives from traditional Chinese medicine. Acupuncture therapy has been used to help heal and promote wellness for over 2,000 years. Modern medicine explains the benefits of acupuncture using neuroscience. Traditional Chinese medicine focuses on the balance and flow of energy. Western practitioners tend to identify acupuncture points as places where stimulation to nerves, muscles, and connective tissue increases blood flow and activates the body’s natural endorphins. There are critics who say many studies on acupuncture are hard to prove because of the nature of the treatment versus control groups. Some would say any improvements may merely by placebo effects. However, many have experienced benefits from trying this method of treatment as part of personalized addiction recovery programs. It is typical to use acupuncture for pain relief, although it can help with a wide range of other conditions as well. Generally, acupuncture is used in combination with other forms of treatment and has been known to be an effective addition to holistic addiction treatment. In 1997, the U.S. National Institute of Health (NIH) publicized acupuncture’s safety and efficacy for helping treat various conditions. Relapse and Craving Prevention One acupuncture technique applies small needles called “seeds” to the ear. A large study examining three auricular acupuncture protocols such as this looked at relapse prevention in drug users. This study concluded that all three protocols were associated with reductions in drug use over time. In another study examining acupunctures impact on relapse prevention, an 8-week randomized study of 32 subjects compared two groups: - One group was given acupuncture treatment with two prescription medications used for craving reduction - The other received a placebo for cocaine addicts on methadone maintenance therapy Half of the subjects in the test dropped out, so the results were not so concrete. However, almost 90% of those who completed the treatment achieved abstinence by the end of the study. The patients who completed the trial and achieved abstinence reported: - Diminished craving - Significantly improved mood Over the years there have been hundreds of clinical studies on the benefits of acupuncture. According to the UC San Diego Center for Integrative Medicine, some studies claim that it can successfully help treat: Although again, these treatments can often include medications and other forms of therapy. Opiate Addiction and Acupuncture The mesolimbic dopamine system originates in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) and projects to regions that include: - Nucleus accumbens - Prefrontal cortex Expert believe these areas play a pivotal role in the development of opiate addiction. Opioid abuse causes changes in the levels of dopamine in the brain. These reactions are typically associated with feelings of pleasure and well-being. This positive association helps drive the development of opiate abuse. So when someone discontinued opioid use, it reduces dopamine outflow in the nucleus accumbens. This is what creates opioid withdrawal. Many studies in animals and humans have demonstrated that acupuncture causes multiple biological responses. The best-known mechanism is via endogenous opiates and their receptors. In 1993, Han and Zhang reported the effectiveness of EA on morphine abstinence syndrome in a rat experimental model. The authors found that acupuncture point 100 Hz EA produced a statistically significant suppression of symptoms such as: - Wet shakes - Teeth chattering - Escape attempts - Weight loss They also discovered acupuncture point 2 Hz EA produced a mild but significant suppression in: - Escape attempts - Wet shakes These results suggest that 100 Hz EA was far more effective than 2 Hz EA in suppressing drug withdrawal syndrome. Further studies suggested that EA suppresses opiate withdrawal syndrome by activating κ opioid receptors and dynorphin release. In short, there are researchers who believe that acupuncture is an effective method of therapy for helping treat those recovering from opioid addiction. Again, it may not be a good enough treatment on its own, but it can have an impact on cravings and other stressors in the body that help prevent relapse. So whether you believe in balancing the flow of energy in the body, or just pinpointing the nerves, acupuncture might be one way to enhance your recovery program. Palm Healthcare Company offers acupuncture therapy as one of the many holistic treatment options to help each individual customize their own recovery plan. Acupuncture provides another opportunity to cultivate a state of physical and mental wellness in addiction recovery. Everyone struggling deserves a chance to be as healthy and happy as possible while overcoming drugs or alcohol. If you or someone you love is struggling, please call toll-free now. CALL NOW 1-888-922-5398 Support for Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) has continued to grow in recent years as the opioid epidemic in America has put a mounting strain on the country. While the numbers of overdoses and opioid-related deaths have steadily climbed to devastating heights there has been more effort to explore treatment options. A better understanding of the medical and mental health aspects of addiction has become a priority. Stigma has slowly begun to carry less weight while advocates push for more effective and supportive routes to care for recovering addicts. One thing people have turned to heavily is medications like Suboxone of Methadone in attempts to steer away from more illicit and dangerous substances like heroin or fentanyl. The application of medication in treatment can be very useful. It is a strategy that can help with the preservation of life by helping people stay off more unpredictable and life-threatening substances. However, some would say that if used for long-term this form of treatment is still relying on the idea of substitution. Often times these drugs have their own very harsh withdrawal symptoms, especially with extended use. Taking a look at the more popular drugs used for medication-assisted treatment, one may ask- can you quit medication-assisted treatment with no withdrawals? Understanding Medication-Assisted Treatment Medication Assisted Treatment is the use of anti-craving medications to try and help address issues related to drug dependence, withdrawal, and relapse. The more common medications used in MAT include: But MAT is also utilized alongside comprehensive therapy and other forms of support. Experts and advocates for addiction recovery, including the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), insist that maintenance medications alone are not sufficient enough treatment. Advocates for medication-assisted treatment will compare MAT to someone taking medication for diabetes or asthma, with the belief that maintenance drugs are an essential part of staying healthy. However, others in the world of addiction recovery still believe it is possible to be healthy in recovery without the prolonged use of powerful medications. The truth is the answer may not be the same for everybody. Different treatments may be more useful for different people. No one should be ashamed of the method they use to get help. But we also want to look at how some drugs used in medication-assisted treatment might make things more complicated for certain people. Looking at the most popular maintenance drugs for opioid addiction, of course, we find Suboxone. To better understand Suboxone withdrawals, we first have to know what it is. This popular brand name is used to identify a prescription medication that contains active ingredients: - Buprenorphine- a narcotic opioid medication - Naloxone– an opioid blocker that impedes the effect of opioid medications This medication functions as a partial opioid agonist and diminishes cravings as well as prevents other opioids from reacting to the brain’s opioid receptors. Taken in low doses for short periods of time, the drug can be helpful in curbing opioid withdrawal symptoms while tapering off without too many residual effects. The tricky part comes when someone uses Suboxone for an extended amount of time as a replacement for heroin or other opioids. Sometimes this can lead to its own form of recreational use and physical dependence. Even the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration reports that Suboxone is commonly susceptible to abuse. It is still a powerful drug. Suboxone Withdrawal Symptoms While Suboxone and other maintenance drugs may be a preferred tactic for going ‘cold turkey’ off of heroin or other opioids, the drug itself still has the power to cause its own set of withdrawal symptoms. These symptoms can include: - Irritability or agitation - Difficulty sleeping - Profuse sweating - Runny nose - Frequent yawning - Stomach pain or cramping - Dilated pupils - Nausea and vomiting - Changes in mood Not to mention precipitated withdrawal, when the ingredients in this medication can actually induce the onset of unpleasant symptoms rapidly, if not immediately, for someone actively engaged in opioid use. Methadone is a long-acting opioid medication utilized since the 1970s to try and help people get off of heroin. It is typically used today under strict medical supervision because the drug is very potent and has a high risk of addiction. In fact, a 2012 National Survey on Drug Use and Health found that approximately 2.46 million people reported to using methadone for a non-prescribed purpose at least once. According to another study, in 2009 methadone was responsible for 1 out of every 3 opioid overdose deaths. Because of the risks, a gradual taper should be utilized to wean someone off of methadone. Often times doctors will prescribe another detox medication to help with this process, with the tapering to be done under medical supervision. But as with trying to quit heroin or other powerful opioids ‘cold turkey’, trying to abruptly discontinue methadone can bring on intense withdrawal. This includes physical and psychological symptoms such as: - Runny nose - Tearing or watery eyes - Muscle aches - Joint pain - Abdominal cramps Many of these symptoms are similar to the symptoms of withdrawing from heroin or other opioids. So in a sense, this drug can create similar withdrawal symptoms as the drugs it is supposed to be used to treat. Quitting Medication Assisted Treatment Is it possible to quit medication-assisted treatment- yes, there are always other options for getting comprehensive care and lasting recovery without the prolonged use of these medications. Even relapse prevention is possible without relying on medications to fight cravings. Can you quit medication-assisted treatment with no withdrawals? Well, that may be a process. It depends on a number of factors, such as the specific maintenance medication and the length of time using it. For example, someone who has been using methadone for years could probably have a much harder time getting off methadone than someone who used another medication for a month or so to help get off opioids. Safety is crucial when deciding to quit MAT. Quitting medication-assisted treatment without a taper or other forms of medication can cause intense withdrawals. It is not suggested that someone try to quit MAT ‘cold turkey’ or without consulting a doctor for help with changing the dosage and slowly tapering off the drugs. Again, just because it isn’t heroin or fentanyl doesn’t make it harmless. MAT or Detox? Medication-assisted treatment holds a lot of value, but the question becomes whether or not it is the kind of sustainable solution you want. Recovery isn’t one-size-fits-all. Medication-assisted treatment can be helpful in saving someone’s life who cannot stop using drugs. But is it something that will completely eliminate cravings and withdrawals, or will it just postpone these symptoms? Remember, these are still powerful narcotic drugs that have a high risk for abuse. Some people end up using medication maintenance for life. Others will use it for a short period of time, with a detox period afterward. Either way, it is your choice; how long do you want to rely on substances, and to what extent? Other models believe in providing holistic treatment and personalized therapy after a detox period, helping to reduce and remove chemical dependence and build a foundation for personal recovery. Using medication to help with the painful and often overwhelming symptoms of withdrawal from opioids and other drugs can be essential to a smooth and healthy transition. In fact, with a safe medical detox, each individual is given an initial assessment to see what medications will be helpful in making this phase of treatment comfortable and safe. This can include medications for anxiety, mood disorders, physical pains and various other side-effects of substance abuse. And when it comes to some of these medications, it can sometimes be necessary to continue using them. The biggest difference is whether narcotic maintenance medications like Suboxone or methadone become a long-term prerequisite to recovery, or if they are used to help someone who is sick get better so that the real healing can happen. Palm Healthcare Company believes in providing a safe medical detox to allow for a comfortable and healthy transition from active drug or alcohol use. Our facilities utilize an experienced and professional medical staff who help to monitor each individual’s progress and provide effective medical support for lasting recovery. If you or someone you love is struggling with substance abuse or addiction, please call toll-free now. We want to help. CALL NOW 1-888-922-5398 Recently I heard about a new product making a little noise online for being advertised as an all-natural supplement used for drug detox. I had never heard of Mitadone before, but I had heard about people trying to promote what they call more natural home remedies for treating withdrawal symptoms. Some claim to use natural juice cleansing regiments, or synthetic herbal compounds, or various other forms of healthy dietary routines to assist in their recovery from drug or alcohol addiction. However, it seems some people are looking to Mitadone as some kind of ‘miracle supplement.’ So what is Mitadone? Does it Work? When visiting the official website for Mitadone, one of the first things you will see is that the company claims to offer a variety of detox programs, including: Some of these options have a number of supplement plans, with different combinations of supplements which seem to imply they assist with different functions at different stages. For Example- the Opiate Aid Program has a 3 step program with: - Opiate Withdrawal Aid- 120 Tablets - 5 Day Detox- 60 Capsules - Anxiety, Stress Relief, and Mood Support- 90 Capsules Each with a different purpose and including different ingredients. So what kind of all-natural ingredients are there? Anit-Opiate Aid Plus Extra Strength This product is advertised on the site as helping with withdrawal symptoms and cravings from opioid medications and illicit opioids like heroin. The ingredients are listed as: - Vitamin A (as Beta Carotene) - Vitamin C (as Ascorbic Acid) - Vitamin D3 (as Cholecalciferol) - Pantothenic Acid - Vitamin E (as D-Alpha Tocopheryl Succinate) - Vitamin K1 - Kudzu Root - Vitamin B1 - Vitamin B2 - Vitamin B6 - Folic Acid - Vitamin B12 - John’s Wort - Rutin Bioperine - Dicalcium Phosphate - Microcrystalline Cellulose - Croscarmellose Sodium - Stearic Acid - Vegetable Stearate - Silicon Dioxide - Pharmaceutical Glaze Quite a mouth-full, right? Oh and guess what- its Gluten Free! The site states the product is “manufactured by a GMP (Good Manufacturing Practices) approved facility that employs FDA certified manufacturing and quality control procedures.” Essentially, the Mitadone program is a large supply of multi-vitamins and other supplements. There are no prescription chemicals or habit-forming substances, according to their description. Does it Work? So are these multi-vitamin routines enough to combat such powerful addictions as opioids or alcohol? Well, Mitadone claims with their products you can detox from home, but is that really safe? With alcohol detox, some withdrawal symptoms can be particularly harmful to your body. Others can even be lethal. With opioids, withdrawals can be extremely uncomfortable or even painful. So while these supplements may be able to help supply nutrients to the body, they aren’t exactly going to be able to support every aspect of the detox process. If you look closer at the descriptions of these products, it seems Mitadone also knows how limited its impact can be. The fine-print acknowledges that everyone’s body chemistry is different, so the supplements will not always affect everyone the same. Some of the better reviews on Amazon.com still say that while the supplements made them feel a little better in some aspects, they were still extremely sick. Others claim the supplements did nothing to ease the more severe symptoms of opioid withdrawal. When looking into the product and reading reviews, it is often but in the same category as Kava, which is a beverage or extract that is often advertised as a more natural substance. Some use Kava for recreational purposes. Others also use Kava to try and fight their withdrawals. If we look closer at Kava, it has much of its own controversy. There is a lot of contention as to whether Kava is responsible for liver damage and other health risks. While Mitadone is a totally different product, people associate them both with the concept of self-detoxing through ‘natural remedies’. Yet, many still question how safe or effective they are. Even on the Mitadone website, in the Opiate Aid and Alcohol Aid programs you can see statements like: “Increases the chances of substance abuse patients to stay in any maintenance therapy program.” “Addiction doesn’t necessarily conclude after the patient exits a rehab program.” So even in their product descriptions, they seem to admit that these supplements are not a solution on their own, but a product that might give someone a better chance while pursuing other specific treatment options. In short, these kinds of nutritional products can be an asset to your recovery plan, but they are ineffective as a primary recovery strategy. Nutraceutical Therapy and Addiction Treatment Incorporating a healthier diet and perhaps even vitamins and other supplements can be very beneficial for some, but they should be utilized as part of a more holistic approach to addiction recovery. Palm Healthcare Company offers Nutraceutical Therapy as part of a holistic addiction treatment program. We understand the importance of nourishing the body while also healing the mind. The value of vitamin and supplement therapy should not be underestimated. There is a benefit to supplements such as: - Digestive enzymes - Essential fatty acids Combine these with a healthy, balanced diet and physical therapy can provide an exceptional advantage to someone on the path to recovery. But we emphasize that recovering from addiction to drugs or alcohol is not just about balancing out the body to help it break its dependence on substances. Recovery is also about comprehensive addiction education, developing new coping skills and addressing personal traumas. There is so much more to a future in recovery. Mitadone may have a decent product, but people should always remember that with drug addiction it is not always effective, or even safe, to detox on your own. Medical detox is a resource that exists to help people get off drugs as safely and effectively as possible, while providing various lines of support, including nutrition. Nutritional therapy in addiction treatment recognizes the importance of what we put into our bodies, but it is most effective as part of a complete treatment plan. For those trying to find ways to overcome withdrawal symptoms, a medical detox with experienced professionals can make the process safer and easier. If you or someone you love is struggling, please call toll-free now. CALL NOW 1-888-922-5398

When the inner nerve of a tooth becomes affected by decay or infection, root canal therapy may be required to restore the tooth. The tooth may become extremely sensitive to both pressure and temperature and intense pain can be expected. No symptoms may be present in the initial stages. However, in the advanced stages of decay and infection, an abscess (pimple-like inflammation on the gums) will form. When confronting this type of decay or infection, the patient has two options: pull the affected tooth or save the tooth through root canal therapy. When extracting a decayed or infected tooth, significant and costly dental problems will arise for adjacent teeth. In the end, tooth extraction may cause more problems than it will solve. Root canal therapy is a much more desirable alternative, as it will provide full functionality to the tooth and mouth, and will not cause any future problems with adjacent teeth. The Reasons a Dentist Will Recommend Root Canal Therapy Include the Following: - Decay has reached the tooth pulp (the living tissue inside the tooth) - Development of infection or abscess inside the tooth or at the root tip - Trauma or injury to the tooth The restoration that root canal therapy provides will usually last a lifetime. It will provide full functionality back to your tooth and mouth. There may be a need in the future to retreat the tooth, but this would only be necessary if a new, separate infection arose. Root Canal Procedure Root canal procedures will usually require more than one visit to a dentist or an endodontist (root canal specialist). Using special instruments, the dentist or endodontist will remove pulp, nerve tissue, bacteria, and tooth decay (if present). Once the tooth is thoroughly cleaned, it is sealed by either a permanent filling or a temporary filling, depending on the need of additional appointments. On the next appointment (usually a week later), the roots and the inner cavity of the tooth will be filled and sealed with medicated dental materials. The tooth will then be sealed with a filling, and then a crown (cap). This will protect the tooth, prevent further breakage, and restore full functionality. It is considered normal to experience some pain and discomfort for a short time after the treatment. All pain will subside as the tooth and gums heal. The doctor should give you some care and instructions regarding how you can maintain health and functionality to your tooth, as well as recommendations on how to care for your tooth during the healing process. To prevent any future infection and decay, good oral hygiene practices as well as regular dental visits will aid in the overall health of your mouth, and provide greater longevity in the life of your root canal treatment.

It may be helpful to identify the triggers of panic attacks and anxiety when faced with them. This can be difficult to do by itself. How do you begin to treat this condition? This article contains all the information you need to take care of anxiety attacks. *Play the opposites of panic attacks when you are having them. If you feel like running, stop. If you feel the need to cry, laugh. Your body will relax and be able to let go of the negative actions. Avoid taking on unnecessary responsibilities to prevent panic attacks and anxiety. To avoid anxiety attacks, it is important to be clear about your needs and limitations. It is important to learn how to say no in order to prevent attacks. If you have a friend or family member who is susceptible to panic attacks, be aware of the situations that could trigger them and try to avoid them. You can calmly distract your friend or relative from panicking by speaking in calm tones. You can calm your nerves by placing wet towels on your forehead, neck and arms. This will slow down your heart rate and help you get rid of panic attacks and anxiety. You will be able to relax and focus on the towel’s amazing cooling effect. Stop negative dialogue. A panic attack can be caused by negative dialogue. Talking to yourself is one of the main reasons panic attacks continue. Instead of dwelling on your fear, learn to talk yourself out of being afraid. You are in control of your panic attacks and can stop allowing them to consume you. Talk to yourself in a calm, relaxing way. The panic attacks will soon pass. *An important piece of advice for anyone suffering from panic attacks or anxiety attacks is to be aware of what’s going on in their brain when they experience them. You are likely experiencing an over-stimulation of the nervous system and no physical harm. This will ease your symptoms and help you see the bigger picture. Although it may seem terrible, this advice is not meant to be used as a game. It is possible to get rid of some of your panicky feelings if you think this way. If your anxiety attacks are caused by worries about other people not liking you, think about whether there is anyone else in the world that everyone really likes. You won’t likely know anyone who has no enemies. So remember, you’re not the problem. Talking to someone who is sympathetic can help you feel less stressed. Talking to a friend or colleague can help you relax. Hugging someone can bring you more benefits. Touch is essential for all people and can be very comforting. Although anxiety and panic attacks can feel different for everyone, there are common symptoms of panic attacks: dizziness, hyperventilation and chest pain. Although panic attacks can be experienced in different ways by each person, it is important to know the signs and how to prepare yourself for an attack. It’s OK to admit that you are having an anxiety attack. It is important to understand that anxiety attacks are a normal part of your body and will pass soon. You can’t ignore anxiety attacks or pretend it isn’t happening. It is possible to manage anxiety attacks in progress. You don’t have to follow your thoughts and feelings. Even when you feel negative, try to be positive. You can regain control over your anxiety attacks by choosing to act differently from your emotions. Take inventory of your home and decide what items to keep, donate or get rid. It’s a great way of restoring your self-confidence and managing your possessions. You don’t have as much to worry about if you don’t own enough. *If your child is experiencing anxiety attacks, you should try to calm them down as quickly as possible. Talk to your child and encourage them to take deep, slowing down their breathing. You can also calmly soothe a child by playing soothing music. This will help reduce the severity of an anxiety attack. If you feel panic attacks coming on, you can go for a walk if you’re able. This will help to reduce the amount of adrenaline that your body makes if you panic. It will also remove you from the exact situation that caused the panic attack. So, despite what you’ve read, the most important thing about panic attacks and anxiety is actually what causes them. You should also consult a doctor to find the best treatment for you. Keep the above information in mind to help you feel better fast.

عنوان مقاله [English] After the collapse of the Soviet Union, the distribution of power in the international system changed from bipolar—based on the principle of power balance between two poles— to unipolar. Since then, one of the most important questions raised by the main international relations theorists, particularly realist theorists, is why in this type of order, there is no effective military balance against the sole pole of the system (i.e., the U.S.), according to the balance of power theory. In response to this question, optimists and pessimists have expressed different opinions regarding the occurrence of equilibrium in the unipolar system. This article presents a conceptual model with a different and expanded view of the concept of balance of power by considering the balancing to be a state behavior and not a mechanical process and the result of international politics. Based on this notion and on the conceptual model presented in this article, we conclude that in the unipolar system, we can witness the balancing behavior of secondary powers, middle powers, and even small states. Therefore, the main questions of this research are as follows: 1. Why do states turn to balancing strategies in the unipolar system? 2. What are the different types of these strategies? 3. How do states resort to balancing strategies in this type of international system? 4. When do they do so? A qualitative approach is used in this research, and the method of conceptual analysis of different viewpoints of the prominent international relations theorists is selected for qualitative data collection and hypothesis testing. Based on the conceptual model and considering the types of "positive and negative balancing", we are trying to reach a broader understanding of the concept of balance, in the sense that we assume the states balancing behaviors towards a unipole include different behavioral actions which are not be limited to strictly military balance emphasized by realist and neorealist theorists. "Negative balancing" refers to the attempts to undermine the relative power of the rival (unipole); while "positive balancing" involves the efforts to increase a state's own power. Each of these two strategies includes military and nonmilitary aspects. For example, military and nonmilitary positive balancing includes two types of “internal and external balancing”. Negative and positive military balancing also have different strategies such as buck passing, proxy balance, creation of hybrid threats, obliging, use of intertwined diplomacy, and so forth. Furthermore, the question of what type of balancing strategies each state considers in facing unipole is influenced by various variables, which encompass the following: the level and intensity of the threat of the unipolar state, the objective or subjective nature of the unipolar threat, "balance effectiveness" and "balance cost", the degree of economic interdependence between the unipolar state and other powers, the path to power of unipole and the nature of aims of the revisionist states. The findings are that balancing is a completely voluntary behavior based on completely different strategies ranging from "positive balancing" to "non-military negative balancing". The decision about which types of balancing strategy a government in any given point in time adopts in order to deal with the issue of unipolarity, is influenced by various factors that are discussed in this research. Moreover, it is indicated that there are balancing behaviors of the non-unipolar states in the unipolar international system, in addition to such behaviors of the unipole. In general, the primary strategy of the unipole in the unipolar system is to manage the internal balancing through efforts aimed at increasing its military power (positive military balancing) as well as its economic and technological power (positive nonmilitary balancing) to confront security threats and safeguard its superior position. Furthermore, its secondary strategy is to maintain the external balancing (i.e., positive military balancing and positive nonmilitary balancing) through the formation of alliances and coalitions with allies to deal with rising powers or lesser powers that are revisionist states.

What’s the meaning of the word coso in Italian? Read on to find out how to pronounce this word along with some example sentences. Let’s get started! Iniziamo! What does coso mean in Italian? Coso is a colloquial term that is used as a placeholder or a vague reference when someone can’t remember a particular name for something. It’s similar to saying “thingamajig”, “thingy” or “whatchamacallit” in English. Don’t use coso in formal language. So, how do you pronounce coso in Italian? The pronunciation of coso in Italian is similar to KOH-soh. Coso comes from the word cosa, which means “thing” or, in questions, “what”. For example, you can say: Cos’è quel coso sul tavolino del soggiorno? What is that whatchamacallit on the coffee table in the living room? Mi passi quel coso? Sì, quel coso azzurro. Can you pass me that thingamajig? Yes, that blue thing. Come si chiama quel coso per avvitare le viti? – Cacciavite. What do you call that thingamajig for screwing in screws? – Screwdriver. Title: Italian All-in-One For Dummies Language: English / Italian Publisher: For Dummies Learn to speak Italian like a native? Easy. Italian All-in-One For Dummies appeals to those readers looking for a comprehensive, all-encompassing guide to mastering the Italian language. It contains content from all For Dummies Italian language instruction titles, including Italian For Dummies, Intermediate Italian For Dummies, Italian Verbs For Dummies, Italian Phrases For Dummies, Italian Grammar For Dummies, and Italian For Dummies Audio Set. Now that we’ve covered the meaning of coso in Italian, you’re ready to put your skills to the test and start using it in your sentences! Aiuta Lingookies con un 👍! ❤️ If you liked this lesson on the meaning of coso in Italian, consider sharing it with your social media friends who are also studying Italian.

Crow scout left before the fighting. The image has been fossilized on film since 1909, when William Selig produced On the Little Big Horn at a reenactment on location. Curley, a man in his 50s playing himself as a boy just out of his teens, skulks up to Lieutenant Colonel George Armstrong Custer amid the handful of last men standing on Custer Hill, pantomiming with a buffalo robe that Custer should wrap himself up and cleverly escape disguised as an Indian. Custer disdainfully refuses and defies death laughing while Curley skulks away remorsefully. The first film ever made about Custer’s Last Stand encapsulated the Curley legend—the tale of the young Crow Indian scout who possessed the last friendly face Custer saw before his death. William Selig wasn’t exactly Ken Burns. The same year he made On the Little Big Horn, he bought a rickety old lion from a circus, bribed some black workmen to dress up in loincloths and took movies while a Teddy Roosevelt impersonator shot the hapless lion with a real bullet. Selig never said this was Roosevelt in Africa—but he never said it wasn’t. The man had a knack for simulated legends. The real Curley (sometimes seen as Curly) was not an utterly preposterous figure. It’s a matter of record that, alone and in hostile country, he brought word of Custer’s catastrophe to the outside world when he reached the Bighorn River. He came out of a willow thicket near the steamer Far West, riding a horse and clutching a Winchester as he held up both hands, palms out, to avoid being shot by mistake, shouting “Absaroka! Absaroka!”—the name the Crows called themselves. Curley’s first media breakthrough was literally a song-and-dance routine. The 20-year-old Crow couldn’t speak 10 words of English or Lakota, but he used two of them: “Heap Sioux!” Then he broke into a scalp dance, mimed hair lifting and threw out his arms in an embrace, gesturing as if sleeping— meaning death. The officers and traders who saw this took it to mean that Custer’s whole immediate command had been wiped out. The story was only too true. Curley the Lone Survivor hit the newspapers via the Helena Herald of July 15, 1876: “He alone escaped…the only story of the fight ever to be looked for from one who was an actual participant on Custer’s side—Curley being, in all probability, the only survivor of his command….Curley says the firing was more rapid than anything he ever conceived of, being a continuous roll like (as he expressed it) the snapping of the threads in the tearing of a blanket….Curley accomplished his escape by drawing his blanket around himself in the manner of a Sioux.” Walter Mason Camp, that indefatigable collector of Little Bighorn stories, spoke to Curley three times, through interpreters, straddling the William Selig cinematic version. In the 1908 version, Mitch Bouyer, the boss of Custer’s six borrowed Crow scouts, tells Curley to leave the surrounded regiment. Curley sees a Sioux warrior shot off his horse, grabs the Sioux’s Winchester, catches his horse with a drag rope and uses it to escape. In the 1909 version, Curley escapes by making a cape out of cut-up blankets, rides through the Sioux, who think he is one of them, and picks up the Winchester and a spare horse from a Sioux he finds dead on the field. But by 1909, the Selig movie had hit the theaters. Curley must have taken some ribbing. He disowned Selig’s version. “The story about my going to Custer on the battlefield and trying to persuade him to escape after the men were nearly all killed is untrue,” Curley told Camp in 1909. “I never told it. The fact that I could not speak English and Custer not a word of Crow shows how ridiculous it is.” Curley added that Camp was the first white man who ever tried to find out what had actually happened. In 1910 Curley told Camp that he had fled using a cape, but that his Winchester was his own. He also reported going back to Colonel John Gibbon, his original commander, and reading him the riot act about the transfer to Custer. “You enlisted us to fight the Sioux and then went and sold us six Crows to Custer for $600. I told this to Bouyer. I don’t like this and I want to go home.” “Well, you have nearly lost your life and you may go,” Gibbon told Curley. And he went. When he got back to Crow Agency, he found that the three Crow scouts who had bailed out on Custer before he had—White Man Runs Him, Goes Ahead and Hairy Moccasin—had told the tribe that Curley was dead with Custer. This started a reservation feud that lasted for decades. The last unfriendly faces to see Custer alive were not impressed with Curley’s blanket-head escape technique. At the 10-year anniversary in 1886, where white and Indian veterans of both sides walked around bumping into one another on unsteady feet and shaking hands, Gall, the Hunkpapa war chief, confronted Curley. “Where are your wings?” Gall demanded. “Wings?” Curley asked. “What do you mean?” “I mean that nothing but a bird could have escaped after we surrounded the whites.” Gall said. Gall nurtured a reputation. Curley kept quiet. “Ugh! I know Curley. He is a liar,” Rain-in-the-Face, another Little Bighorn stalwart, told two white friends on New York’s Coney Island in 1894. “He never was in the fight. His pony stumbled and broke something. He stayed behind to fix it. When he heard the firing, he ran off like a whipped dog.” Curley himself closed the books on the many purported versions with a talk with Russell White Bear shortly before his death from pneumonia in May 1923. White Bear said that Curley left the column, under instruction from Mitch Bouyer, at the same time “Custer wrote a message and handed it to a young man on a sorrel-roan horse—who galloped away.” Sergeant Daniel Kanipe of C Company was Custer’s next-to-last messenger; the last messenger, trumpeter Giovanni Martini, rode a white horse, so Curley was actually one of the last three friendly faces to see Custer alive—not counting four C Company troopers who showed up on Reno Hill after “horse trouble,” real or imaginary, stopped them short of the river. That’s the way it was. Suzie Yellowtail, the first Crow woman to become a registered nurse, was my wife’s adoptive clan mother, and a few years before her death 30 years ago I asked Suzie pointblank just how far Curley had gone into the valley. “He never went into the valley at all,” she said with conviction. “He wasn’t that stupid. He was young and he didn’t want to die. He felt bad about it afterward, though. I remember when my husband Tom and I were teenagers, we used to go to dances at Crow Agency and see all Custer’s old scouts—White Man Runs Him and the other old boys. Curley would never dance, even though he was the youngest—he was too embarrassed. He’d just stand there shaking his head and saying, “I told him not to go into that valley. I told him not to go into that valley….” Suzie Koster assisted with this story through her late foster mother,Suzie Yellowtail.Important books are Custer in ’76, by Kenneth Hammer,based on the notes of Walter Mason Camp; The Custer Myth, by W.A. Graham;and Son of the Morning Star, by Evan S. Connell. Originally published in the June 2007 issue of Wild West. To subscribe, click here.

A programming language is a standardized communication technique for designing and describing the instruction to the computer. Each programming language has a set of grammar and logic rules to define computer programs. The most important skill to learn in today’s world is to know how to write a computer program. Today’s business needs to search for automation which reduces the operation cost. We use different programming for development (web application, mobile applications, game development, distributed system, etc). Every type of developer ( beginners, intermediate, and experts) wants to learn the latest programming language. Here we discuss the most popular top5 ranking programming language. Python is an interpreted, high-level, general-purpose programming language. Created by Guido van Rossum and first released in 1991, Python’s design philosophy emphasizes code readability with its notable use of significant whitespace. Python Support artificial intelligence so python is the first choice of developer. Java is a general-purpose programming language that is class-based, object-oriented, and designed to have as few implementation dependencies as possible. Java is at the heart of our digital lifestyle. It’s the platform for launching careers, exploring human-to-digital interfaces, architecting the world’s best applications, and unlocking innovation everywhere—from garages to global organizations. PHP is a popular general-purpose scripting language that is especially suited to web development. It was originally created by Danish-Canadian programmer Rasmus Lerdorf in 1994; the PHP reference implementation is now produced by The PHP Group. C++ is a general-purpose programming language created by Bjarne Stroustrup as an extension of the C programming language, or “C with Classes. It is used for system program writing, kernel, etc. ASP.NET is a developer platform made up of tools, programming languages, and libraries for building many different types of applications. ASP.NET extends the .NET developer platform with tools and libraries specifically for building web apps. ASP.NET is an open-source, server-side web application framework designed for web development to produce dynamic web pages. It was developed by Microsoft to allow programmers to build dynamic web sites, applications, and services. if you need any trend Serch Use Google Trends https://trends.google.com/

A feed granulator, also known as a feed pelletizer, is a machine that is used to convert raw materials such as grains, corn, soybean, and other feed ingredients into compressed pellets. The pellets can then be used as animal feed for livestock, poultry, and fish. The process of making animal feed pellets involves compressing the raw materials under high pressure using a pelletizing machine. The feed granulator usually consists of a feed hopper, a conditioning chamber, a press chamber, and a cutting device. The raw materials are first fed into the conditioning chamber where they are mixed with steam and water to soften them. The softened mixture then passes through the press chamber where it is compressed into pellets. The cutting device is used to cut the pellets to the desired length. The advantages of using a feed granulator include: - Improved animal nutrition: Feed pellets produced by a feed granulator have a higher nutritional value and are easier for animals to digest, leading to improved growth and productivity. - Increased efficiency: Feed granulators can produce pellets in large quantities, making them ideal for commercial animal feed production. - Cost-effective: By producing their own animal feed using a feed granulator, farmers can save money and reduce their reliance on expensive commercial feed. - Ease of storage and transport: Feed pellets are easy to store and transport, taking up less space than raw materials. However, there are also some potential drawbacks to using a feed granulator, including: - High upfront costs: Feed granulators can be expensive to purchase, which may be a barrier for some farmers. - Maintenance: Feed granulators require regular maintenance and cleaning to ensure that they are working properly and producing high-quality feed pellets. - Raw material quality: The quality of the raw materials used to produce feed pellets can affect the nutritional value and quality of the pellets. Overall, a feed granulator can be a useful tool for farmers who want to produce high-quality animal feed efficiently and cost-effectively.

Topic: International Justice Team International Justice Researcher, Global Human Rights Defence. Introduction and Background On October 10, 2023, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) started hearing the case concerning the Application of the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (Canada and the Netherlands v. Syrian Arab Republic). The proceedings were initiated by Netherlands back in 2020, and subsequently Canada joined the proceedings in 2021, invoking a legal dispute under the Torture Convention for previous and ongoing torture committed by Syrian government and intelligence apparatus. Back in 2011, many countries in the Middle East and North Africa witnessed people’s uprising to achieve a democratic political system. The Syrian government responded with massive and systemized use of State violence and torture to crush Syrian people uprising against the regime, which eventually resulted in a prolong civil war. The human rights organizations and UN independent commission reports have repeatedly published reports demonstrating evidence of systematic and widespread torture committed against the political dissidents and protestors in Syria. This proceedings is a part of global efforts of international and Syrian human rights groups seeking accountability for systematic human rights abuses committed by Syria. Process of the ICJ Proceedings The Syrian government is a signatory to both Statute of ICJ and Torture Convention, and ICJ has the jurisdiction to adjudicate the merits of torture allegations due to their assent to Art 30 of the Torture Convention. The proceedings would likely take years to conclude, given the fact that Syrian government is non-responsive to the ICJ proceedings. At present, the ICJ is currently hearing the arguments on provisional measures that may give relief, till the final determination of the matter. On the day of oral hearing held on 10th October 2023, the delegation of Netherlands and Canada argued requesting ICJ to issue provisional measures to cease and prevent ongoing acts of torture and other inhumane treatment committed in Syria. The provisional relief by ICJ, in principally only prevents ongoing or future acts of torture, but it does not determine the legality or wrongfulness of the allegations of torture committed by Syria. However, there is overwhelming evidence demonstrating the systematic and widespread acts of torture and other cruel acts committed by Syrian government, which would be presented by the delegation of Netherlands and Syria during the merits hearing, and as a result there is high likelihood that ICJ may rule against the Syrian government. The decision by ICJ is binding among the parties, and the Syrian government is legally obligated under international law to comply with the ruling dictum regardless of its outcomes. In case, if Syria refuses to comply with the ruling, the UN Security Council has legal power to enforce the ICJ rulings on the request of the other party. But since Syria is a close ally of Russia, there is less likelihood of securing a UN Security Council Resolution in any scenario, as Russia would undoubtedly veto the resolution. Conclusion: Impact of the ICJ Ruling in Seeking Accountability for torture in Syria The ICJ’s decision could have a far-fetching impact in achieving accountability for human rights abuses and international crimes committed in Syria. There are already organizations, that are working various measures including universal jurisdiction to invoke accountability against State actors involved in the torture, but the ICJ decision could undoubtedly magnify and intensify such global efforts. Global Human Rights Defence (GHRD) is a dedicated advocate for human rights worldwide. Based in The Hague, the city of peace and justice. We work tirelessly to promote and protect the fundamental rights of individuals and communities. Our mission is to create a more just and equitable world, where every person's dignity and freedoms are upheld. Join us in our journey towards a brighter future for all. Stay informed and be part of change - Subscribe to our newsletter today!

How To Encourage Your Kids To Brush Their Teeth When you have children with difficult attitudes towards brushing their teeth, getting ready for bed can be a nightmare. Teaching your child to brush their teeth and getting them to actually do it is made all the more difficult when they’re fussy, resistant, and downright difficult. Here are a few things that you can do to help them learn how to love brushing their teeth. Teaching your child about why they need to brush their teeth is the most important step of getting them to brush their teeth. Explain why it is important, what can happen if they don’t brush their teeth, and how nice it feels and looks to have a clean mouth. Make them understand the importance of brushing their teeth and how doing it will make you feel happy and proud. Lead By Example Be a good role model for your child by brushing your teeth with them. When your child sees their parent brushing their teeth, they will want to do it too. This will also allow you to keep an eye on what they are doing and show them how to properly clean their teeth. Let Them Choose Their Own Toothbrush and Toothpaste Letting your child choose their own toothbrush and toothpaste gives them the sense of responsibility that they need to carry into their oral hygiene routine. Children will also most likely choose a toothbrush and toothpaste that features their favourite colour or character on it. This will make them associate brushing their teeth with fun When your child does a good job brushing and is enthusiastic about it, reward their behavior with something they like. This can be done in many different ways: a reward chart with stickers, choosing a special bedtime story, or doing something else that they enjoy before bed. Even saying positive reinforcements like “great job!” and “I’m so proud of you!” can go a long way. Make brushing teeth a fun activity by playing games with your child. This will associate brushing teeth with fun and will make your child want to do it. Try giving your child a toothbrush to brush their stuffed animals’ or dolls’ teeth with or allowing your child to brush your teeth. Make sure that your child brushes their teeth every morning and night to keep their teeth in healthy condition. Also be sure to visit your dental hygienist regularly for optimal oral health. To get expert guidance from a dental hygienist in Vaughan, call us today at 410.835.5002 or visit the Maple dental Hygiene care website to book an

The cacao bean (truly cacao seed) or just cacao, proportionally called the cacao bean (truly cacao seed) or cacao, is the dried and completely made seed of Theobroma cacao, from which cocoa solids (a kind of nonfat substance). mix) and cocoa margarine. (fat) can be taken out. Cocoa beans are the explanation of chocolate, and Mesoamerican food varieties set tejete, a nearby Mexican award that other than contains corn. To investigate more articles like this, follow whatisss. The cocoa tree is close by to the Amazon rainforest. It was first ready in tropical South America around a really long time back, going before being have some knowledge of Central America by the Olmecs (Mexico). All through an incredibly extensive time frame back, it was consumed by pre-Hispanic social orders along the Yucatán, including the Maya, and in huge affiliations when the Olmeca human advancement. It also fills in the lower region of the Andes in Colombia and Venezuela, in the Amazon and Orinoco bowls of South America. Wild cocoa truly makes there. Its compass might have been more critical as of now; Evidence of its wild reach might be blurred by the advancement of the tree here well before the presence of the Spanish. As of November 2018, proof proposes that cocoa was first confined in tropical South America, going preceding being ready in Central America near 1,500 years soon. Relics found at Santa-Ana-La Florida in Ecuador show that the Mayo-Chinchip individuals were making cocoa as far back as a shockingly prolonged stretch of time earlier. Produced assessment of pottery stays from unearthings at an archeological site in Puerto Escondido in Honduras shows that cocoa things were first consumed some spot in the level of 1500 and 1400 BC. Proof almost shows that, quite a while before cocoa seed (or bean) flavorings became prestigious, the sweet squash of the chocolate standard thing, utilized in making made (5.34% liquor) drinks, was first acquainted with the plant in a shockingly lengthy timespan. caused to take note. The cocoa bean was a generally typical money all through Mesoamerica before the Spanish accomplishment. Cacao trees fill in a bound land area of around 20 degrees north and south of the equator. Today, around 70% of the world’s harvests are filled in West Africa. The cacao plant was first given its standard name by Swedish ordinary expert Carl Linnaeus in his stand-separated Taxonomy of the plant area, where he called it Theobroma (“food of the splendid animals”) cocoa. Moreover, see what is a truffle. The three head mixes of the cacao plant are ‘Forastero’, ‘Criollo’ and ‘Trinitario’. The first is the most ridiculously totally utilized, containing 80-90% of world development of cocoa. Cacao beans of the ‘Criollo’ gathering are hair-raising and contemplated a delicacy. ‘Criollo’ is thusly less invulnerable to different infections that assault the cocoa plant, so not many nations truly produce it. Perhaps the best maker of ‘Criollo’ beans is Venezuela (Chuao and Porcelain). ‘Trinitario’ (from Trinidad) is a flavor between the ‘Criolo’ and ‘Forastero’ assortments. It is seen start around basically more clear than ‘Forastero’, has a prevalent return, and is more invulnerable to contamination than ‘Criollo’. A cocoa unit (conventional thing) is around 17 to 20 cm (6.7 to 7.9 in) long and around 2 to 3 cm (0.79 to 1.18 in) thick (this changes with the beginning and gathering of the case) filled Has a thick, fierce skin. A lemonade-like taste with sweet, stick pound (called baba de cacao in South America) containing 30 to 50 goliath seeds that are outstandingly delicate and pale lavender to lessen liberal purple in collection. During get-together, the units are opened, the seeds are put, and the unfilled cases are disposed of and the pound is changed into juice. The seeds are kept where they can be made. Considering the improvement of force in the improvement cycle, cocoa beans lose by a wide margin the greater part of the purple tone and become commonly brown, with an unassuming skin that consolidates the dried additional items of the regular thing pound. This skin tumbles off really following to cooking. White seeds are tracked down in a couple of striking cultivars, by and large blended in with purple, and are viewed as of high worth. Cocoa trees fill in hot, turning tropical areas inside 20 degrees scope from the equator. The cocoa hoard isn’t bound to one period dependably and the gather all over happens more than some time. Truly, in different nations, cocoa can be gotten whenever of the year. Bug showers are a tremendous piece of the time utilized on trees to battle capsid bugs and fungicides to battle dull unit infection. Young adult cocoa units have a system of groupings, yet most are green, red, or purple, and as they mature, their blend improvements to yellow or orange, particularly in the creases. Dissimilar to most customary thing trees, cocoa cases develop plainly from the end compartment or more undeniable piece of the tree, not from the fulfillment of a branch, like a jackfruit. This arrangements with it to collect by hand as predominantly a large portion of the units won’t set on high branches.

What Is the Healthiest Diet for Weight Loss? Reading Food Labels Identifying Nutrients in Food Labels Understanding Fad Diets and Trends Fasting and Limiting Calories Avoiding Unintentional Weight Loss As you grow older, the simple fact is that your body changes. Some of these changes will require adjustments to your diet in order to include the foods necessary to maintain optimal health. These dietary adjustments can also help avoid malnutrition, which if left unaddressed, could lead to more severe diseases or conditions. Figuring out how much food you need, your adequate caloric intake, and the nutrients you need as your body ages may be confusing. However, it is imperative that you understand these things to increase your overall well-being and health. How Does Aging Change Your Dietary Needs? As your body changes with age, so too do your dietary needs. Generally, the aging body follows two primary patterns: your metabolism, and overall level of activity, will decrease. As a result, seniors will usually need to consume fewer calories (since they’re burning fewer off). They will absolutely need these calories to provide the nutrients necessary to avoid malnutrition. Several changes may happen to an aging body that can directly affect the way you eat — which may impact the number of nutrients consumed by older adults. Physical and Sensory Changes Smell and taste are two major contributors to the sensual experience of eating. These senses can change with age, and it could make an older adult lose interest in eating if certain foods aren’t as appealing as they once were. Compounding on this, older people who do not maintain an active lifestyle may remain increasingly sedentary, losing muscle and potentially gaining weight. Sedentary behavior is relatively common among older people — with almost 60% of older adults reporting sitting for more than four hours per day. Additionally, postmenopausal women may experience hormonal changes that make them more likely to gain weight. Collectively, all of these physical changes can be helped by understanding the proper nutrition that an aging body needs to be its best. An aging digestive tract may not only affect the way you eat but could cause some gastrointestinal conditions as well. Atrophic gastritis — which is a decrease in the stomach acid that aids in nutrient absorption — affects approximately 20% of the elderly population. Another gastrointestinal disease that affects 20% of adults is GERD. GERD is a chronic acid reflux disorder that can affect your diet, and if left untreated, may lead to even more significant health problems. Peristaltic activity may also be affected by age. Peristaltic activity refers to the contractions and relaxations of your small intestine, colon, stomach, and esophageal muscles. These are the muscles that push food through your digestive tract, and changes in your peristaltic activity can affect the way the body receives nutrients. Dentition and Oral Health Dentition — or the condition of the teeth — generally deteriorates with age. Dentition is directly related to insufficient caloric intake and can cause seniors to weigh in below a healthy average. Those with impaired dentition have been shown to have lower levels of vitamin A, carotene, folic acid, and vitamin C. Essentially, if your teeth have been worn down or damaged so much so that you can’t eat, or that it hurts to eat, you may not be ingesting the necessary amount of food. Malnutrition and Vitamin Deficiencies Each digestive, physical, and sensory change that comes with age could ultimately lead to deficiencies in calcium, vitamin D and B12, omega fats, potassium, magnesium, fiber, and more. Malnutrition is a concern for the elderly population, but with the proper diet containing the necessary nutrients, malnutrition, vitamin deficiency, and weight fluctuations can be managed. What Nutrients Do You Need for a Healthy Senior Diet? A nutritious diet is recommended across the board to help contribute to overall well-being and to help support a healthy lifestyle. Seniors will need more of these particular nutrients while sticking to a regular diet. Since older adults generally require fewer calories, they will need to know how to get an adequate amount of nutrition through less food. Nutrients Aging Adults Need It should be no surprise that certain foods are more nutritious than others. For older adults, this may mean retooling your diet and working some of the following foods into your dietary habits to get the nutrients you need: - Protein-rich foods can help promote muscle strength, bone health, and other essential physiological functions. Protein can come in the form of lean meat, poultry, and fish. Additionally, beans, nuts, and eggs can be added to your diet to help receive the protein an aging body needs. - Adding fiber to your diet can help regulate your digestive system and lower the risk of heart disease and obesity. Adding whole-grain bread, breakfast cereals, brown rice and pasta, fruits, vegetables, and lentils to your diet can provide you with the fiber necessary to remain healthy. - Calcium-rich foods can promote bone strength and can be added to your diet in the form of milk, cheese, yogurt, cereals, and dark green leafy vegetables. - Vitamin D. The absorption of calcium can be made more accessible by eating foods that are rich in vitamin D. Additionally, vitamin D may protect against type II diabetes and rheumatoid osteoporosis. Excellent sources of vitamin D include cereals, milk, yogurt, juices, eggs, and fish such as salmon and tuna. - Vitamin B12. Vitamin B12 promotes brain and nervous system functions. B12 can be found in many meat and poultry dishes, and milk. - Potassium helps strengthen bones and reduces the risk of high blood pressure and kidney stones. Fruits and vegetables, including bananas, prunes, and potatoes are rich in potassium. - Magnesium can promote mental health, heart health, strengthening the immune system, and healthy bones. Get your magnesium from fruits and vegetables, or nuts and grains. - You can receive iron through many things — red meats, fortified cereals, seafood, and more. Iron is responsible for carrying oxygen throughout the blood to various parts of the body, helping to reduce feelings of lethargy. - Omega-3 Fatty Acids. Fatty acids can reduce inflammation (which could otherwise lead to cancer), rheumatoid arthritis, and can even help prevent heart disease and slow down macular degeneration. These fatty acids can be found in sardines, tuna, mackerel, and salmon as well as flaxseed, soybeans, and nuts. Maintaining a diet that contains these foods can get more of these specific nutrients into your body to help promote health and well-being. Some medications can interfere with the absorption of specific nutrients. One example is proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) used to treat acid reflux; they have been associated with malabsorption of B-121, iron2 and magnesium.3 It’s important to consult with your doctor and discuss how regular medications (prescription and over the counter) may impact your nutritional needs. Healthy Portions on Your Plate It is not enough to simply know which foods to add to your diet. A dietary plan that accounts for your calorie needs is also necessary to stay healthy as your body ages. The USDA’s MyPlate Plan can help you get started in tracking calories, monitoring your weight and exercise, serving size portions, and daily value percentage of certain nutrients you need for your lifestyle. For instance, if you want to maintain a 2000 calories/day diet, your MyPlate plan will create a daily menu for you — recommending 2 cups of fruits, 2 ½ cups of vegetables, 6 ounces of grains, 5 ½ ounces of protein, and 3 cups of dairy. Additionally, MyPlate can provide activities, cookbooks, and resources on how to eat healthy on a budget. Your Hydration Situation Water can provide enormous benefits for your health; it helps get rid of waste, keeps your temperature regular, lubricates and cushions joints, protects sensitive tissues, and more. Your sense of thirst can decline with age, so it is vital to include water — about 15.5 cups for men, and 11.5 cups for women daily — to help facilitate your overall health. What Is the Healthiest Diet for Senior Weight Loss? Out of the many diets focused specifically on weight, two stand out as smart choices for older adults — as they promote weight loss, as well as work to help manage conditions such as diabetes and high blood pressure. The DASH Eating Plan. This diet, based on a 2,000-calorie diet, provides heart-healthy recommendations without special foods. The DASH diet has been shown to increase physical activity, lower blood pressure, and LDL cholesterol based upon its recommendations of low-sodium and low-sugar foods and beverages. It also encourages the consumption of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, low-fat dairy products, fish, poultry, beans, nuts while limiting foods that are high in saturated fats. The Mediterranean Diet. The Mediterranean diet suggests a high consumption of fruits, vegetables, bread, potatoes, and more. It also utilizes olive oil as a monounsaturated fat source when cooking. While little red meat is recommended, fish and poultry can moderately be consumed on this diet. Additionally, and in moderation, wine can be consumed. The Mediterranean diet involves less saturated fat, and most of the calories are consumed through monounsaturated fats — which do not raise cholesterol levels as saturated fat would. Although sticking to a diet is paramount in receiving the calories and nutrition for a healthy lifestyle, stocking your pantry with the proper items is just as important. It may be the case that the foods you are buying seem healthy at first glance, but ultimately are not. Reading Food Labels Food labels can be confusing, or somewhat misleading. One of the important things you will need to look at when reading food labels will be serving size. A product you may think is healthy may very well be if you stick to the serving size on the label. If you assume that a single package is a serving size, and you eat a whole package of something, you may be surprised to find that the serving size was only a portion of the product. Here, you have consumed multiple servings in one sitting, which when done long-term, may affect your diet and weight. Calories (both per serving, and overall) warrant an investigation as well. To stick to your daily calorie count of any diet, knowing exactly how many calories you are ingesting can help you keep your daily caloric intake under control. It is additionally important to understand which calories are coming from fats and sugars. Other items to be wary of while reading food labels include the number of carbs and protein, fiber, sodium, and sugar. Although you may need these things for a healthy diet, too much or too little could negatively affect your weight and health. Identifying Nutrients in Food Labels Make sure you understand the nutrients you are getting in the food that you buy — specifically, note that if it is high in calories, but low in nutrients, you may need to consider a different product. Identifying relevant nutrients on food labels is done by understanding both the food labels and the nutrients your body needs. Understanding Fad Diets and Trends Many diet fads suggest restricting or eliminating entire food groups. It is essential to understand what specific diet trends restrict (and promote) and to further understand if they will allow for all the nutrition an aging body needs. Fasting and Limiting Calories For healthy adults under 50, restricting calories may be beneficial. Additionally, in lab animals, evidence suggests that limiting calories (but not nutrients) helped to increase their longevity. Fasting and/or limiting calories may be healthy for some, however, there is not sufficient evidence to confirm whether or not it is a healthy option for all older adults. Avoiding Unintentional Weight Loss Protein and whole grains are both recommended as nutrients seniors need to stay healthy. To help prevent unintentional weight loss that may occur as adults age, high protein and whole-grain intake are recommended to help keep healthy weight goals on track. What Are Preventative Dietary Changes for Specific Conditions? Dietary changes have the potential to alleviate symptoms of or prevent, certain diseases/conditions. A dietary change is highly recommended and is one of the first steps to ease GERD, or heartburn, symptoms. Typically, it is the food that we eat that are significant contributors to the development of specific conditions. GERD and Acid Reflux GERD, and acid reflux-related symptoms such as heartburn, maybe a condition most directly related to diet. Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) can be severely aggravated by eating and drinking certain things such as spicy foods, carbonated beverages, and more. It is crucial to understand if your acid reflux is severe enough to be or become GERD. Chronic acid reflux can be different and cause a wide range of symptoms for people. However, the most common GERD symptoms include: - Difficulty swallowing; - Excess salivation; - Gas and bloating; - Pain or discomfort in the chest; - Intolerance of certain foods and liquids; - Bad breath, or a sour taste in your mouth. If you have these symptoms frequently, you may need a medical professional to determine whether your acid reflux symptoms are GERD. A specialist may use the following tools to diagnose GERD: - Upper GI Series; - pH Monitoring; - Patient History Surveys. If you suffer symptoms of reflux twice or more per week or are diagnosed with GERD, you may want to consider evaluating making changes to your diet, alongside exploring other treatment options if your symptoms persist. The most common first step when exploring treatment options for GERD is a lifestyle change, primarily through your diet. Lifestyle and dietary changes to control GERD symptoms include: - Watching your diet; - Eating smaller meals more frequently; - Avoiding alcohol; - Watching your weight; - Avoiding reclining within three hours of eating; - Raising your head by 6 to 8 inches when resting or sleeping; - Quitting smoking; - Reducing the pressure on your stomach. Heart disease occurs when plaque develops in the arteries and blood vessels that lead to the heart. This plaque is a waxy substance that consists of cholesterol, fatty molecules, and minerals. Heart disease is often diagnosed alongside poor diet, unhealthy weight, and infrequent exercise. Some lifestyle changes to help battle heart disease include: - The Mediterranean, Ornish, and DASH diets are hailed as the top three heart-healthy diets, as they are low in fats and cholesterol. - Maintaining a healthy body weight. - Avoiding alcohol. - Quitting smoking. Two of the major causes of type 2 diabetes are being overweight and remaining sedentary. Changes in diet can help overcome both of these primary contributors. - Eating whole grains and healthy fats, while reducing sugary drinks and processed meat can have a significant impact on lowering your risk for type 2 diabetes. - Instead of sugary drinks, consider water, coffee or tea, and nuts, beans, poultry, or fish instead of processed meat. - Maintain a healthy level of activity and exercise, as approved by a doctor. - Avoid alcohol and smoking. Arthritis is an inflammation of the joints, which can be exacerbated by flare-ups. While there currently are no cures for most types of arthritis, this joint inflammation could be impacted by changing your eating habits. - Oils and foods high in sodium, sugar, and alcohol are all foods that can cause inflammation and should be avoided by those with this condition. - Foods high in omega-3 fatty acids can have anti-inflammatory effects. - The Mediterranean diet, high in fruits and vegetables, could also have positive effects for those with arthritis. Maintaining a healthy diet is essential for the human body’s overall health. Due to the changes that aging adult experiences, their nutritional intake will need to be carefully evaluated. Understanding the nutrition, you need as an older adult cannot only help you manage your weight, it can help prevent or minimize the symptoms of several diseases and conditions.

Vitamins, also referred to as dietary supplements, basically are a significant and intensely vital a part of a wholesome way of life however they should be taken with warning. The Tolerable Upper Consumption Level (UL) for vitamin D is about at a hundred mcg for individuals 9 years of age and older (Desk 2). Excessive doses of vitamin D dietary supplements coupled with massive quantities of fortified meals might trigger accumulations within the liver and produce indicators of poisoning. The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for vitamin E is based on the most active and usable kind referred to as alpha-tocopherol (Desk 1). Meals and complement labels list alpha-tocopherol because the unit International items (IU) not in milligrams (mg). Our wide range of vitamins, minerals and well being dietary supplements help to ensure you’re getting the nutrients you want every single day. Research suggest that people who get enough vitamin D and calcium of their diets can gradual bone mineral loss, assist prevent osteoporosis and cut back bone fractures. Although they are all thought-about micronutrients, vitamins and minerals differ in basic methods. To search out out, scientists track large teams of individuals to see if taking vitamins reduces the risk of getting sure diseases. For example, vitamin C blocks your body’s potential to assimilate the important mineral copper. A balanced weight loss plan normally gives sufficient of those vitamins. However, in some cases, fortified meals and supplements could also be acceptable. Every drink has solely 10 energy and delivers Vitamin A, folic acid and B6, C, E, and D for well being and wellness, and Sodium, Potassium, calcium, magnesium, and Chloride for optimum hydration. Most vitamins can’t be synthesized by the body, but are found naturally in foods obtained from crops and animals. Multivitamins did not help ward off persistent disease in two new medical trials, including to a big body of evidence that has proven the dietary supplements to haven’t any health advantages – and even some dangers in sure circumstances. Vitamins: The nutrients that your body must function and combat illnesses. Nutrient deficiencies are particularly widespread amongst populations such as the aged, athletes (who have the next requirement for a lot of nutrients), and people with low incomes (who may not eat as many healthy foods). Folks taking blood-thinning medication or anticoagulants ought to average their consumption of foods with vitamin Okay, because extra vitamin Okay can alter blood clotting times.

The air amplifier is used to boost air pressure in work situations when the available working pressure is insufficient to act. To increase the productivity of this equipment, it is frequently combined with air-driven tools. Air amplifiers with a variety of characteristics are now widely available. This apparatus can generate pressures ranging from 30 to 4350 PSI. Every application and working environment that uses air amplifiers must have one that is the correct size. With so many options available for purchase, a user could feel overwhelmed by the options. Several things must be considered while building an air amplifier to ensure uninterrupted operation. Which ones are they? An Introduction to an Air Amplifier Our air amplifier device can increase compressed air pressure to levels above that of the majority of standard shop air systems. This is an ideal air amplifier system for amplifying compressed air from 100 psi to 1,000 psi. It is a single-acting, single-stage air booster and is fully pneumatically operated, requiring no electricity. Features of the air amplifier are the following: - An efficient, space-saving design - Simple installation - It only requires a supply of compressed air equal to or greater than 100 psi. - A pressure switch that can be altered and set to pressures between 435 and 1,000 psi is already built into the system. The key advantage of the pressure switch is that it automatically turns off the system when the required pressure is reached. It may also restart the system when compressed air is removed from it. The amplifier will resume and start to cycle once more, producing additional compressed air to refill what has been withdrawn, as soon as the system detects a 10% drop in pressure from the predetermined pressure. This amplifier is perfect for modest applications that need access to a few liters of compressed air and comes with a 1-gallon sample container attached to the system. 3 Factors of sizing air amplifiers The size of air amplifiers is influenced by several factors. While some issues may include broad parameters, others may entail application-specific parameters. The combination of both is as follows: Air Flow: Understanding the airflow requirement is critical when developing an air amplifier. It could be challenging to get the correct judgment at times. The demand for each task can vary greatly. However, summarizing the order of numerous jobs can help you grasp the requirement. Pressure: Determine the minimum and maximum air pressure requirements once you’ve determined the volume of air flow needed. Additionally, some particular pressure characteristics need to be taken into consideration. These consist of Supply Pressure, Outlet Pressure, Minimum Air Drive Pressure, and Required Flow at Outlet Pressure. Specific Application Needs: After figuring out the airflow and pressure, you should focus on other particular application needs such as the Volume of the Vessel, High Pressure Required to Test the Vessel, Cycle of Volume Requirements (Part Ejection) Actuator Single or Double Acting Types Required, Actuator/Actuators Involved Bore and Stroke, Cycle Requirements, and Air Pressure Required on Each Stroke. After you read this article, you can get tips to determine the right size of an air amplifier. If unable to make the right decision, you can always approach a compressed air amplifier supplier.

William Henry Dunning: The Quiet Man Keywords:Architecture, New Zealand, Aotearoa, History, 20th Century Tasmanian-born architect William Henry Dunning (1872-1933) commenced his New Zealand practice in Timaru in 1907. Initially trained in Hobart, under the notable church designer Alexander North, Dunning's experience as a colonial architect was further extended in Cape Town. His association with fellow Tasmanians Alfred and Sidney Luttrell drew him to Dunedin where he supervised the construction of the New Zealand Express Company Building. Dunning was an ambitious architect. His competition entries included designs for the New Zealand Parliament Buildings (1911) and the Auckland War Memorial Museum (1922). Despite the quality of his work, and efforts towards self-promotion, Dunning's most significant contribution to the city's architecture, the National Bank (1911) has been frequently attributed to another designer. The remainder of his work is also little known. This paper seeks to explore the ways in which architects asserted authorship during the period and will attempt to map the shifting responsibilities between architects and builders that allowed Dunning's contribution to the National Bank project to become obscured. How to Cite Copyright of individual papers is held by the author.

Five Ways to Help Your Child Overcome Needle Fears American children receive over 30 shots for vaccinations during the course of their lives. That doesn’t include Novocain shots at the dentist’s office and injections to draw blood for tests. Yet In a recent study, 63% of children reported mild-moderate fears of receiving shots (as did about 24% of adults). By Katherine K. Dahlsgaard, Ph.D. American children receive over 30 shots for vaccinations during the course of their lives. That doesn't include Novocain shots at the dentist's office and injections to draw blood for tests. Yet In a recent study, 63% of children reported mild-moderate fears of receiving shots (as did about 24% of adults). Estimates vary, but studies have suggested 2-8%of children have injection phobias (i.e., extremely intense fears combined with high anticipatory anxiety that results in impairment in everyday living). While intense fears may need counseling, parents can help kids overcome mild to moderate fears with these steps: Educate your child about shots, the more explicitly the better. Much of the fear surrounding injections is due to misconceptions; visual education will correct these. For instance, many children imagine that a needle is HUGE and that shots take forever. It isn't and they don't – but nothing will make your child believe that until he sees it for himself, repeatedly. There are lots of great YouTube videos that feature instruction and education about shots – here is a good one for younger children and here is a good one for tweens and teens. Provide him some visual role models. Have your child watch YouTube videos of other children receiving shots who show brave behavior. Remember, being brave doesn't mean not being scared. Brave means scared, but I do it anyway. It's fine – great, even! – to have your child watch these videos over and over until he has seen children his age or younger model brave behavior so many times, he believes it is possible for him. Here are some really great ones. Watching the videos repeatedly will also habituate your child to the sight of needles and injections, such that he will be far less distressed when he actually encounters them at the doctor's office. [Note: please avoid any videos that depict adults or children receiving injections where they aren't acting brave.] Have your child practice the "Brave Body" pose --sit up straight, head up, arms and face relaxed-- while he is watching the videos. When it comes time for the actual shot, he'll be reminded to adopt the same attitude. Several days before, help your child develop an explicit, written coping plan for the shot. Generally, helping your child plan what he will DO ("I will sit up straight") will work much better than telling your child what NOT to do (i.e., "don't be scared" or "don't cry"). Things he can do: Develop a playlist of "Power Songs" or "Songs of Triumph" that he can listen to on the ride to the doctor's office and in the waiting room (bring headphones). These should be songs that make him feel confident and like he can take on the world. Write a "Coping Card." This should be a message to himself on a notecard or his iPad that he can read out loud to you while receiving the shot. Reciting it will keep him from looking at the injection site and distract him from the overall process. Here, for instance, is the text of an actual coping card written by an 11 year old patient of mine who, indeed, now takes shots like a Rock Star: It will hurt for a second but then it will be over. Millions of people have gotten shots before me, this is no different, I can do it. Younger children or those who cannot read can plan to sing a verse from a Brave Power Song during the shot. Offer a reward, to be provided immediately after your child shows SPECIFIC brave behaviors. Write out the agreement like a contract, which both of you can sign. For example: "To earn my reward, I must: a) Listen to my Power Playlist on the way to doctor's office. b) Do "Brave Body" while getting the shot c) Read my Coping Card to Mom during the shot When I do those three things, then we will go out for lunch at my favorite restaurant immediately afterwards(tween or teen) / I will receive the sheet of Star Wars stickers that mom will be dangling right in front of my eyes during the shot (younger child)." Note: it doesn't matter how scared your child actually is DURING the shot; you will be rewarding him for following the plan and showing brave behaviors! Katherine K. Dahlsgaard, Ph.D., is lead psychologist at the Anxiety Behaviors Clinic in the Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.

The koala diet is almost exclusively eucalyptus leaf of which they will eat a variety depending on availability and location. They do however eat some wattles, bottle brush as well as casuarinas and Melaleuca quinquinerva (a paper bark) used for medicinal digestive purposes. They need to consume about 500 gms of leaf a day. They will eat the several varieties prominent in their home range. Eucalyptus is toxic to most creatures. The koala’s specialised digestive system isolates toxins in the liver and excretes them as waste. A joey in the pouch will feed on the female version of this specialised waste called “pap” at around 3 to 4 months of age to build the necessary bacteria to digest eucalyptus. As eucalyptus leaves are low on nutrients and hard work to eat, koalas are fairly sedentary, sleeping high in trees during the day and waking up to feed, mate and travel at night as well as at dawn and dusk. Interesting fact: Koalas, particularly males, are often quite mobile during the day so look out for them, particularly during mating season.

Edith Nesbit was an English writer who used the shortened “E. Nesbit” on her book covers. She was an active socialist who transferred her political ideals into her stories that were, on the whole, for children. She did this by moving away from children’s story telling methods used by the likes of Lewis Carroll and Kenneth Grahame. These authors created alternative, fantasy worlds while Nesbit preferred her young readers to remain rooted in the “real world” most of the time. Hence the story behind one of her most famous stories, The Railway Children, which was turned into a successful film in 1970. Although a large part of her output was children’s stories she wrote a great deal of poetry as well plus a sprinkling of novels for adults, including a few horror stories. Edith was born in August 1858 in Kennington, South London and she lost her father only four years later. As a result her mother moved her family constantly over the next few years. They lived in Brighton on the south coast, Buckinghamshire and several locations in France. They also had spells living in Spain and Germany and then settled at a place called Halstead Hall in Kent. It has been said that this location inspired Edith to write The Railway Children much later in her life. After three years they all moved to London, when Edith was 17. She married at the age of 19 but this was a very unconventional marriage. They had the same political views, and both helped to found the Fabian Society in 1884, a socialist movement that later spurned the English Labour Party. Edith dedicated some of her writing to her children. Her son Fabian died at only five years old and she dedicated several of her books to him, including Five Children And It and The Story of the Treasure Seekers. The name E Nesbit was becoming very famous in children’s writing circles and she and her husband lived well on the proceeds. They lived in a grand residence in Eltham, Kent for over 20 years and Well Hall House was immortalised in a number of her books, including The Red House. Her poem, A Kentish Garden, is almost certainly about this house and is reproduced below: As mentioned above, Nesbit endeavoured to expose her young readers to the realities of life and a great example of this was her famous story The Railway Children. Itportrayed the pain and anguish of children growing up without their father. He was in prison having been falsely accused of spying. It’s a charming story with a happy ending. In the 1970 film version it ends with a heart-wrenching scene when the daughter, Roberta, sees him appear from the cloud of steam from the locomotive standing by the railway platform, exclaiming “Daddy, my Daddy!”. Most people would probably call it one of the most magical children’s’ movie moments of all time. The story was first serialised in 1905, in “The London Magazine” and came out in book form the following year. She was regarded as a “modern” writer and was very popular during her lifetime as well as in the years since her death. Her contemporaries held her in high regard as well and the famous Noël Coward was quoted as saying of her: She would later inspire other famous writers such as P L Travers (Mary Poppins) and J K Rowling (Harry Potter series). Edith Nesbit contracted lung cancer and died in May 1924, aged 65.

The ecumenical movement started at the time of the First World War and was molded by the nationalism that ignited this war. In 1914-1918 it became clear that the nations had become a hindrance for the churches. At first, internationalism seemed the answer to this problem, but in the 1920s and 1930s it turned out that internationalism still was too abstract, and nationalism was still too dominant. In the early 1920s W.A. Visser ’t Hooft was active in the international Christian student movement, where he learned the relevance of Christianity as an alternative for nationalism, and in the 1930s he explicitly chose for the church as an alternative for the nation. In order to make the church relevant over against nationalism and rising totalitarianism the national, liturgical and confessional differences between churches had to be overcome to enable the church to speak with one voice. This aim was not realized yet at the time of the Second World War, but the ecumenical movement encouraged churches to formulate its own identity and develop its own mission amidst nationalism and totalitarianism. |Translated title of the contribution |The church as an alternative for the nation: A vision of the early ecumenical movement |Number of pages |Documentatieblad voor de Nederlandse Kerkgeschiedenis na 1800 |Early online date |1 Dec 2020 |Published - Dec 2020 Bibliographical notePublisher Copyright: © 2020, Amsterdam University Press. All rights reserved. - Karl Barth - W.A. Visser ’t Hooft

The Consumer Guide to Dentistry lists eight different components of a smile, practically from ear to ear, beginning with the frame (lips) and ending with the buccal corridor (that’s the dark space between the corners of the mouth and the upper teeth, for those who might not know). While smiling might seem like a complicated process, especially when you consider that it takes anywhere from 11 to 17 muscles just to prop up both sides of your lips, the life benefits that smiling provides are immeasurable. “A beautiful smile is a combination of factors that communicate a sense of well-being to those who see it,” says Dr. Jamie Reynolds, an orthodontist, national and international lecturer and author of “World Class Smiles Made in Detroit” (www.AskDrReynolds.com). “A smile works on both the physical and emotional level to transfer positive feelings between the parties involved.” It can also have the opposite affect. “I’ve had some patients who are self-conscious about their smile, and it has seriously affected them,” says Reynolds. “It made them feel timid, hesitant or even like they were poor or not intelligent because their teeth were crooked.” Here is a closer look at how your smile can directly affect your life: • Your longevity might depend on it. A 2010 study by Wayne State University measured the span of smiles on Major League Baseball players from their 1952 trading cards. The study found that those who didn’t smile in their pictures lived an average of 72.9 years, versus 79.9 years for the players who did smile. • Smiling has therapeutic effects. There are a number of therapeutic effects that smiling has on a person’s brain and demeanor, Reynolds says. Smiling reduces stress hormone levels, taking on similar conditions to cortisol, adrenaline and dopamine, while increasing mood-enhancing endorphins. British researchers found that one smile can provide the same level of brain stimulation as 2,000 chocolate bars, while lowering blood pressure at the same time. • Smiles are a universal language. Non-verbal communication doesn’t always translate well between cultures. In the United States, for example, a thumbs-up signals that all is well. Try that gesture in Australia and the reaction might be a little different than expected, thanks to a vulgar meaning of the hand sign. Smiling at that same person, however, should give the recipient the intended positive response. In every culture and every country across the world, a smile means the same thing, essentially making it a universal language. “If you have a smile you are proud of, you want to show it off to others,” says Reynolds. “I’d like to see everyone giving off honest, heart-felt smiles.” About Dr. Jamie Reynolds Dr. Jamie Reynolds (www.AskDrReynolds.com) is recognized on annul basis as one of the top orthodontists in Detroit. His book, “World Class Smiles Made in Detroit,” puts an emphasis on the many benefits of having a great smile. His aim is to help consumers intelligently sort through the noise and confusion to make an informed decision about their treatment or the treatment of loved ones. Reynolds – who is a national and international lecturer on high-tech digital orthodontics and practice management – attended the University of Michigan for both his undergrad education and dental studies. In his spare time he likes to travel and play beach volleyball.

As students in New Hampshire sit down this month to take new state mathematics and reading tests, they won’t be alone. Their fellow students in Rhode Island and Vermont will be taking the same exams along with them. In the first collaboration of its kind under the federal No Child Left Behind Act, those three New England states have joined forces to create the reading and math tests in grades 3-8 that states must give starting this school year. They’ve also jointly developed writing tests in grades 5 and 8. By pooling expertise and resources, state officials say, they’ve devised better tests at less cost: just shy of $7 million a year for all three states combined over the life of their five-year contract with a commercial test-maker. “For Vermont, our total assessment budget really hasn’t changed that much,” said Michael L. Hock, the director of assessment for the state education department. “What it’s done is given us a kind of test that we never could have afforded on our own. It’s given us an extremely good, custom-designed test at off-the-shelf test prices.” Working with the Dover, N.H.-based Measured Progress, the test developer, and the Center for Assessment, a nonprofit group also based there, the states jointly crafted grade-level expectations for the tested subjects that served as the blueprint for the tests. Content-area teams of teachers from the three states helped set the expectations and reviewed test items. The states also agreed to give the tests within the same dates, Oct. 3-26, under the same conditions, and with the same list of accommodations available for students who need them. Come January, the states will set common performance standards for the exams and common ways of reporting results. Teachers also will be involved in setting the standards. “All of us are very proud of these tests,” said Mary Ann Snider, the director of assessment and accountability for the Rhode Island Department of Education. She added that the exams “have lots of constructed-response items” that require students to write short answers, “and I don’t know that we would have been able to have as many constructed-response items if we had gone into this individually.” The states and Measured Progress also brought in Norman L. Webb, a professor of education at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, to provide training on how to design items that truly reflect the depth of knowledge described in the grade-level expectations. In addition, they worked with the National Center on Educational Outcomes at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities and the Center for Applied Special Technology, in Wakefield, Mass., to produce tests based on the principles of “universal design,” an approach that aims to make tests accessible to the widest possible range of students. All of the math items, for example, were reviewed to remove unnecessary wording that might trip up students with language deficits, Mr. Hock of Vermont said. And while students need to describe how they solved problems, the written responses will be scored only on math content, not on writing skills. Ms. Snider estimates that over the period of the testing contract, Rhode Island will save more than $5 million from the cost of giving an off-the-shelf test developed by a commercial test publisher. Measured Progress estimates each state will save about $1 million a year compared with the costs of having done the tests alone. “Particularly for smaller states, states that maybe aren’t quite as well off financially, it seems to me that there are some real efficiencies here,” said Stuart D. Kahl, the company’s president. Shift From Spring In an unusual move, the states shifted their grades 3-8 testing from the spring to the fall and will measure what students learned the previous school year. The shift will enable the states to get results back to schools in the winter, and to let schools know whether they have met their performance targets under the No Child Left Behind law in the spring, instead of in late August. That schedule will give schools more time to plan if they have to offer students school transfers or supplemental services under the federal law. And it will provide them with information for designing any teacher professional development that occurs over the summer. In addition, said Ms. Snider, “a lot of teachers felt that March testing really put a lot of pressure on them to shut down their classrooms during one of their peak instructional times.” “We thought it kind of made sense,” she said, “for kids to come back into school in late August and early September, engage in some review work, and we thought that review work could also serve as test preparation.” Fall testing has proved unpopular, though, with some school administrators, who worry that students will have forgotten over the summer what they learned the preceding year. Still, by delaying testing from spring until fall, Mr. Hock said, “we know we’re testing enduring skills.” To make the transition, the three states did not give state reading and math tests last spring. Instead, they received permission from the U.S. Department of Education to use other academic indicators to measure whether elementary and middle schools made adequate yearly progress—the central requirement for ensuring accountability under the nearly 4-year-old federal law—in the 2004-05 school year. Rhode Island, for example, used student-attendance rates, while Vermont also used a developmental-reading assessment given to 2nd graders. “We felt it would be silly to test the same cohort of kids twice in a six-month period, which is what would have happened,” Mr. Hock said. The three states hope to have their standards-and-assessment systems peer-reviewed by the federal government in May to determine whether they have met the NCLB requirements. “We tried to talk the [federal department] into doing one big review among all three states, but they weren’t crazy about that idea,” said Mr. Hock, “so we’ll all go through the review process in May, but we will each have individual submissions.” Probably the greatest challenge, according to those involved in the new tests’ development, has been working out the details of test design and administration in states with different assessment cultures and histories. “I spend at least a day a week driving up to New Hampshire for meetings,” Ms. Snider of Rhode Island said. The experience has succeeded so well, officials say, that the states are about to release a joint request for proposals to develop science tests in elementary, middle, and high school, which also are required under the federal law starting in 2007-08. And they may collaborate on high school reading and math exams. Under the NCLB law, beginning this school year, students must be tested once in those subjects during high school for federal accountability purposes. All three states currently are using their existing high school tests for that purpose. A version of this article appeared in the October 19, 2005 edition of Education Week as Small States Find Benefits In Jointly Developed Tests

Project name：Gigabit Ethernet. Specific requirements：Data transmission is done via Gigabit Ethernet. A high-speed port to 2.54 interface adapter board is used in the design, and the detailed design is as follows 1：Change the source MAC address in the code to the MAC address of your own computer. If you don't know the mac address of your PC network card, check it in the DOS command window with the ipconfig-all command. 2：The Ethernet module is connected to the development board through an adapter board, and the pin assignment is as follows after connection. 3：Modify the IP address of the PC to 192.168.0.2. The IP address of the PC needs to be the same as the one set in the transmitter module (ipsend.v), otherwise the PC will not receive the UDP packets sent by the development board. Of course, the user can also change the target IP address in the code. 4:In the DOS command window to bind the IP address and MAC address of the development board, (because the test project does not support ARP protocol, so only through this IP and MAC binding to force the development board IP address and MAC address associated together, so that when the PC sends a packet to 192.168.0.3, the target MAC address is automatically the development board's (MAC address.) Run the command：arp - s 192.168.0.3 ff-ff-ff-ff-ff-ff View command：arp -a 5:Install the network packet capture tool Wireshark, we can use this tool to view the data sent and received by the PC network port during the experiment. 6:Open the packet capture tool after the project is off the board, select the packet capture interface. (Select the last one) 7：Start grabbing packets, you can see the data captured and the number of programs sent consistent.

The African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (Commission), through its Committee on the Protection of the Rights of People Living with HIV and Those at Risk, Vulnerable to and Affected by HIV, joins the entire world in commemorating the World AIDS Day on 1 December. The World AIDs Day has been celebrated since 1988 as an international day specially dedicated to solidarity with people living with HIV/AIDS (PLHIV/AIDS), mourning those who have died of AIDs and sensitizing the global public about the AIDS pandemic caused by the continuing spread of HIV. This year’s campaign theme, “Equalise”, is a call to action to Governments, national human rights institutions, human rights defenders, civil society organisations, (especially women, youth, PLHIV/AIDS and persons with disabilities organisations), academic, traditional and faith-based organisations, developed countries and development partners, to work together through concerted efforts to address inequalities and help role back the spread of the HIV/AIDS pandemic. There is a general sense in Africa that the global AIDS campaign is under threat. Since the advent of the Covid-19 pandemic over two years ago, the fight against Covid-19 and the economic as well as humanitarian crises that have ensued from it have almost overshadowed existing national, regional and international responses against the spread of the HIV/AIDS pandemic. With about 60% of the world’s poorest in debt distress or the risk of it, and with almost 100 million people pushed into poverty, developing and least developed countries, especially in Africa, have been most affected in their ability to respond. Furthermore, the Commission is concerned that the continent continues to post the highest prevalence rate of the HIV pandemic (with countries in the Southern Africa region such as Eswatini (27%), closely followed by Lesotho (25%), Botswana (20%) and South Africa (19%) being the most impacted). Despite some notable progress in reducing annual HIV infections in West and Central Africa – led by improvements in Nigeria – infections in other regions of Africa and globally remain alarming. According to the UNAIDS Global Aids Update 2022, HIV infections have surged in 38 countries globally since 2015, including in 10 African countries, namely: Algeria, Cape Verde, the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Madagascar, Mauritania, Senegal, South Sudan, Sudan, and Tunisia. Currently, an estimated 4 000 people – composed of 1 100 young people aged 15 to 24 years – get infected with HIV every day. By this metric, 1.2million people are projected to get infected with the virus by 2025 – summing up to three times as many as the 2025 target of 370 000 new infections. The Commission is particularly concerned about the slowing down of progress in the fight against HIV/AIDS since Covid-19 and pursuit of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Data from the UNAIDS Global AIDS Update 2022 show that the human impact from the disruption in HIV responses globally is particularly concerning. In 2021, 650 000 people died of AIDS-related causes, while a small increase of just 1.4 million people had access to HIV treatment relative to those living with the virus, those at risk or vulnerable to HIV. If urgent action is not taken to accelerate access to anti-retroviral treatment and prevent PLHIV from reaching an advanced stage of the disease, not only will HIV and AIDS-related diseases such as cryptococcal meningitis and tuberculosis continue to heighten the vulnerability and risk to PLHIV, but also these diseases will continue to be the leading causes of death for a long time. The Commission calls for urgent measures by governments and international development partners to address the problems associated with the pandemic, with particular concern for the youth in Africa, especially women and girls aged 10 to 24 years, who account for a significant portion of new HIV infections. Governments should channel more resources to urgently address the lack of access to HIV-related prevention, care and treatment services, inadequate healthcare service delivery, gender inequalities and gender-based violence, lack of decision-making power for persons with disabilities living with or most vulnerable to the virus, the exclusion of historically disadvantage ethnic-minority communities (including indigenous populations) from access to basic health services, and stigma. The Commission takes this occasion of the World AIDS Day to urge States Parties to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (the African Charter) to revitalize and increase their prevention programmes through actions targeted at promoting sex education and access to healthcare for at-risk groups to effectively fight against the risk of high infections and vulnerability among adolescents, especially girls and young women. The Commission calls on States Parties to the African Charter to adopt the necessary measures for compliance with their national, regional and international commitments by developing HIV/AIDS responses through legal frameworks, programmes, and strategies that effectively protect the rights of PLHIV/AIDS, vulnerable persons and those at risk, and improve their access to quality HIV treatment, care and support services. In the light of this year’s African Union theme on Nutrition, the Commission further calls on State Parties to prioritise the right of access to food, good nutrition for PLHIV/AIDS and anti-retroviral medicines in accordance with their express and implied obligations under the African Charter and other relevant international human rights laws. Honourable Commissioner, Dr Litha Musyimi-Ogana Chairperson of the Committee on the Protection of the Rights of People Living with HIV and those at Risk, Vulnerable to and Affected by HIV

Synthetic biology (synth bio) is an interdisciplinary field combining biology and engineering. Its goal is to design and construct new biological parts, devices, and systems not found in nature, or to redesign existing biological systems for useful purposes. It applies engineering principles to biology, enabling the creation of new biological systems or the modification of existing ones. As a pioneering field at the forefront of technological innovation synth bio has a wide range of applications that extend from genetic engineering and the creation of novel biomaterials to biofuel production and the development of synthetic organisms for medical, agricultural, and environmental sustainability. It is rapidly advancing, continually harnessing the latest advancements in genomics and bioinformatics. Synth bio will shape the future in profound ways. For instance, it will be instrumental in transforming physical products into digital services enabling the "digitization of matter." In this emerging paradigm, consumers might purchase source code, then use tools like DNA synthesizers and 3D printers to materialize products. DNA synthesizers enable the fabrication of custom genetic materials, leading to bespoke biological products. Similarly, 3D printers convert digital code into physical objects by layering material, such as plastic, metal, or resin. This integration of technology represents a paradigm shift, where physical products are no longer merely traded in conventional ways, but rather, are accessible online and produced on-site and on-demand. When DNA synthesizers and 3D printers become widely adopted, they will lead to lower marginal costs in both the production and distribution of products. As someone without an academic background in biology, I've been eager to figure out how to deepen my understanding of synth bio, so I've turned to several books on the subject. I began my exploration with a series of accessible lectures called "Synthetic Biology: Life’s Extraordinary New Worlds" by Milton Muldrow Jr., PhD, and I have recently started reading "The Genesis Machine" by Amy Webb and Andrew Hessel. Some of the topics I've enjoyed learning about: - DNA sequencers are instruments used to determine the precise order of nucleotides within a DNA molecule. Understanding the sequence of DNA is crucial for a wide range of biological and medical research. DNA sequencers have revolutionized biological sciences, enabling detailed studies of genetics and driving advancements in medicine, agriculture, and biotechnology. - DNA sequencers, adapted to work with RNA through a process called reverse transcription, were pivotal in decoding the SARS-CoV-2 virus. In this process, the virus's RNA was converted into complementary DNA using an enzyme called reverse transcriptase. This is necessary because RNA and DNA, while structurally similar, have key differences such as the sugar in their backbone and the use of uracil in RNA instead of thymine in DNA. Once converted, the genetic sequence was analyzed using standard DNA sequencing techniques. This allowed scientists to quickly identify the virus, understand its genetic structure, and expedite the development of diagnostic tests and vaccines. - DNA synthesis refers to the process of artificially creating strands of DNA in the laboratory. DNA synthesizers are instruments used to chemically construct DNA molecules. - After the SARS-CoV-2 virus was genetically sequenced, DNA synthesizers were used to create segments of the virus's genome for research purposes. - Since the virus is RNA-based, DNA synthesizers were used to create DNA sequences complementary to the RNA genome of the virus. - The synthesized DNA was then used as a template to produce RNA segments that correspond to parts of the viral genome. This RNA was used to study the virus's properties, mechanisms of infection, and immune response it elicited in the body. - This allowed for a remarkably quick response from the scientific community, leading to the unprecedented rapid development of effective vaccines and treatments. - Metabolic engineering is a scientific field focused on altering metabolic pathways in organisms, aiming to boost the production of specific substances or to imbue these organisms with novel capabilities. Commonly utilized in the production of pharmaceuticals, biofuels, and various materials via microbial systems, this discipline is pivotal for operations involving genetically engineered yeast or bacterial cells. In tandem with bioreactors, metabolic engineering significantly improves the efficiency and output of bioproduction processes. - I've been inspired by how the company Perfect Day applies metabolic engineering to produce dairy proteins from plant sugars at scale. - Directed evolution is a technique in molecular biology and bioengineering that simulates the natural selection process in a laboratory setting, guiding the evolution of proteins or nucleic acids towards specific objectives set by researchers. This method significantly speeds up the evolutionary process that naturally takes millennia, enabling the rapid evolution of biomolecules in the lab. As a result, it has emerged as an influential tool for the engineering of biomolecules across various applications. Particularly effective when our grasp of biological systems is incomplete, directed evolution leverages nature's own mechanisms to steer these modifications to achieve desired results. - Increasingly, directed evolution, CRISPR, and biological modification approaches such as metabolic engineering are being used together to evolve organisms or biomolecules towards specific desired outcomes. 🤯 - DNA computing uses DNA, along with biochemistry and molecular biology tools, to store and process data, diverging significantly from traditional electronic computing. Its standout feature is the remarkable data storage capacity of DNA, with a single gram capable of holding approximately 215 petabytes (215 million gigabytes) of data. Beyond storage, DNA strands can be specifically designed and synthesized to perform logic operations, essential for computing tasks. This capability is advantageous for problems that benefit from massive parallel processing, and it's more energy-efficient compared to traditional computing methods. - Transcriptors act as the biological equivalent of an electronic transistor, but they operate using DNA and RNA to carry out logic gate operations, key in computing for decision-making processes. Fundamental computer components—data storage, information transfer, and basic logic—can theoretically be replicated with biological substances. Transcriptors highlight the capability of DNA and RNA to imitate conventional computing components, reinforcing the significance of biological substances in the ongoing advancement of computing technologies. - Gene drives are a genetic technology that alters the typical rules of inheritance, ensuring a specific gene is passed down at a higher rate than the usual 50% in sexual reproduction. This is achieved through gene editing techniques like CRISPR, which insert a gene drive into an organism’s DNA so that it is copied into both chromosomes of a pair. This ensures almost all offspring inherit the engineered gene. Gene drives have potential uses in public health, agriculture, and conservation, such as controlling disease vectors or invasive species. However, they pose significant ecological and ethical concerns, including the risk of unintended consequences on ecosystems, which necessitates careful consideration and regulation. Gene drive reversal involves the use of additional gene editing techniques to either neutralize or overwrite the effects of the original gene drive. It can be achieved by introducing a second gene drive designed to counteract the first one, or by using methods that specifically target and inactivate the components of the original gene drive. The concept of reversibility is important in the development and ethical deployment of gene drives, as it provides a potential way to mitigate unintended ecological effects or other risks associated with their use. As I continue to delve deeper into synth bio, the convergence of biology with technology not only fascinates me but also reinforces my optimism about the ongoing transformative impact of technology on our collective future.

In December we took a trip to the Hula valley, a wetland reserve located in northern Israel and a few hours out from Haifa by bus. The site is a major destination for ornithologists as it lies in the intersection of two major migration flyways. An estimated 500 million birds of over 400 different species pass through the valley each year, although I imagine that current environmental situation may mean those figures are out of date. Climate change notwithstanding we were able to see an awful lot of birds — mostly Cranes — taking a break from the long a perilous journey between breeding and wintering. If we had visited the valley a hundred years earlier, it would have been a very different experience. We would have run the serious risk of catching Malaria for one thing, because the entire valley was swampland. Only in the 1950s was the process of draining these swamps undertaken. Canals were dug out canals and the river Jordan was deepened. The project was ostensibly a successful; the swamp was gone and the land could be used for agricultural purposes. As is often the case with such human enterprises, however, there were some unintended consequences. These swamps were full of peat — semi-decomposed vegetable matter — that when dried out tends to be seriously combustible. Sure enough the drained Hula valley was struck disastrous underground peat fires. Unlike the forest fires that were sweeping California last year, which caught headlines and could be seen by satellites in orbit, peat fires can be incredibly hard to detect. They are a deeper, smoldering, slow burning kind of fire that takes place underground. They also happen on enormous scales. If they aren’t caught early enough the only thing that can put them out is torrential rain. Peat fires are, globally speaking, the largest fires on earth and are estimated to make up 15% of mankind’s contribution to greenhouse gases. In the Hula valley the damage caused by the peat fires was extensive. In some places the damaged caused to the soil caused depressions as deep as 6-7 meters. This would go on to cause environmental damage to the Sea of Galilee and deterred migrating birds from stopping in the valley. In the 90s the decision was made to flood the Hula valley again. The idea was to develop a nature reserve by controlling the underground water levels. While the valley would remain drained during the winter, it wouldn’t dry out during the summer. And as they restored the valley, the birds began return. The summer in Israel, for me at least, are months of enduring the ordeal of endless mosquito bites. I am however grateful that I’m not running the risk of malaria, a disease that thrives in the swamps such as the one that existed in the Hula valley. So I can’t say I disapprove of the original desire to transform the land. The individual who we can really credit of the elimination of the disease from Israel however is Gideon Mer. Visiting Rosh Pina a number of years ago during Passover I was taken to his old house and told that this was the man who had cured Malaria. Given that most diseases aren’t eradicated by the miracle drug or vaccine, but rather through public health policy, I think it is fair to say this is close enough to the truth, in Israel at least. Here is his obit in the British Medical Journal: On the bus back to the Technion, we could see the fields still used for agriculture, less than a kilometer away from the wetland reserve. It seems amazing that you could maintain a bird sanctuary while growing crops next door. If birds like to do anything, or so I’ve been led to believe, it is to fly into a farmers field and gobble up all the seeds. Indeed, we could see guards on patrol, circling the fields in what looked like little golf carts, ready to scare off any hungry cranes. It was enough to make me wonder: do scarecrows actually work? I’m more familiar with scarecrows as a trope in popular culture. And bizarrely scarecrows are usually depicted as being almost entirely ineffective in repelling birds, while being a very scary staple of the horror genre. If you visit the Wikipedia page for scarecrows, you’ll find there is far more page space devoted to scarecrows in fiction than to their alleged real world function. I’m certainly not the first person to wonder this, or indeed to take to the internet to find an answer. Steve Coll in his New Yorker Diary back in 2009 describes being struck by the same question, but finds nothing helpful in his search results. It is a good example of an area of knowledge where the internet feels incredibly non-definitive. Since Coll’s own inter-quest for an answer something closer to a definitive answer appears close to the top of googles listings: a Mental Floss article linking to scientific studies, government webpages, and the Daily Mail. If you are also beginning to wonder if the ostensible legitimacy of areas of the web are giving way to a wave of jankiness then this article — the most informative survey of they literature on scarecrow efficacy I could find — is only going to stoke your fears.

BETTER TOUCH BETTER BUSINESS Contact Sales at Vowin. Advancing Manufacturing with Prototype CNC Machining: Precision Meets Progress In the fast-paced world of manufacturing, precision and progress are paramount. To meet the ever-increasing demand for high-quality products, companies are turning to innovative techniques such as prototype CNC machining. This advanced manufacturing process combines computer numerical control (CNC) technology with prototyping to revolutionize the way products are designed and produced. In this article, we will explore how prototype CNC machining is advancing the manufacturing industry, highlighting the benefits and challenges faced by companies embracing this cutting-edge technology. I. What is Prototype CNC Machining? Prototype CNC machining is a manufacturing technique that utilizes computer-controlled machines to create precise prototypes of components or products. By following a set of programmed instructions, these machines can precisely cut, drill, and shape raw materials into the desired form. The use of computer technology and automation streamlines the manufacturing process, allowing for faster production and higher accuracy. A. The Role of Computer Numerical Control (CNC) At the heart of prototype CNC machining lies computer numerical control (CNC). CNC technology enables precise control over the machining process by translating design specifications into machine-readable code. This eliminates the need for manual intervention, reducing the chances of human error and increasing productivity. With CNC, manufacturers can easily make adjustments to the design and produce multiple prototypes quickly and efficiently. B. The Benefits of Prototype CNC Machining 1. Enhanced Precision One of the biggest advantages of prototype CNC machining is its ability to produce components with unparalleled precision. Each cut and shape is executed with exactitude, eliminating any discrepancies that might arise from manual production methods. The high precision ensures that the manufactured prototypes conform to the exact design specifications, enabling manufacturers to identify and address potential issues at an early stage. 2. Improved Efficiency Prototype CNC machining enables manufacturers to optimize the production process, resulting in increased efficiency. By automating the machining process, companies can significantly reduce the time and labor required to manufacture prototypes. Additionally, CNC machines can work continuously, minimizing downtime and increasing productivity. This increased efficiency allows manufacturers to meet tighter deadlines and respond quickly to changing customer demands. 3. Cost-Effective Production While the initial investment in CNC machines can be considerable, prototype CNC machining offers long-term cost-effectiveness. The precision and efficiency of CNC machines result in minimal material wastage and lower labor costs. Furthermore, the ability to produce multiple prototypes with minimal setup times reduces overall production costs. This cost-effectiveness makes prototype CNC machining an attractive option for both large-scale manufacturers and small-scale operations. II. Revolutionizing Rapid Prototyping Rapid prototyping is an integral part of the product development cycle, enabling manufacturers to test and refine their designs before full-scale production. Prototype CNC machining has revolutionized this process, offering several advantages over traditional rapid prototyping methods. A. Design Flexibility With prototype CNC machining, design iterations can be easily implemented. The precision and efficiency of CNC machines make it possible to prototype complex geometries that would be difficult to produce using traditional methods. This flexibility allows designers and engineers to explore new possibilities and refine their designs without compromising accuracy or compromising on functionality. B. Faster Turnaround Times In today's fast-paced market, speed is of the essence. Prototype CNC machining allows manufacturers to significantly reduce the time required to produce prototypes. Unlike traditional methods that rely on manual labor, CNC machines can work continuously, producing prototypes at a faster rate. This faster turnaround time enables companies to bring their products to market quicker, gaining a competitive edge in the industry. C. Quality Control and Testing The precision and accuracy of prototype CNC machining ensure that the manufactured prototypes meet strict quality standards. By using CNC machines, manufacturers can create high-fidelity prototypes that accurately represent the final product. This allows for thorough testing, ensuring that any potential flaws or defects can be identified and rectified early in the development process. The ability to conduct extensive quality control and testing minimizes the risk of costly errors or delays during mass production. III. Challenges and Considerations While prototype CNC machining offers numerous benefits, it is not without its challenges. Manufacturers must consider several factors when implementing this advanced manufacturing process. A. Initial Investment and Training The initial investment in CNC machines and related software can be substantial. Companies must carefully evaluate the cost-benefit ratio before deciding to adopt prototype CNC machining. Additionally, specialized training is required to operate and program CNC machines effectively. Employing skilled operators who can effectively utilize the potential of CNC technology is crucial for successful implementation. B. Material Selection and Compatibility Different materials behave differently during the CNC machining process. Manufacturers must consider factors such as material hardness, heat resistance, and machinability when selecting materials for prototype CNC machining. Compatibility issues can arise if the chosen material does not respond well to the CNC processes, leading to potential failures or compromised product quality. Balancing material compatibility and design is crucial to ensure the successful application of prototype CNC machining. C. Design Limitations and Complexity While CNC machines offer exceptional precision, there are limits to their capabilities. Designers must consider the specific capabilities of the CNC machine being used and design within those limitations. Complex geometries and intricate designs may pose challenges due to the constraints of the machining process. Collaboration between designers and manufacturing experts is essential to overcome these limitations while maximizing the potential of prototype CNC machining. IV. The Road Ahead: Future Implications Prototype CNC machining has already proven to be a game-changer in the manufacturing industry, but the future holds even more exciting possibilities. A. Integration with Industry 4.0 As the world moves towards Industry 4.0, prototype CNC machining is poised to become an integral part of the smart manufacturing revolution. The seamless integration of CNC machines with the industrial internet of things (IIoT) will enable real-time monitoring and data analysis. This integration offers improved machine performance, predictive maintenance, and enhanced productivity. B. Advancements in Material Science With ongoing advancements in material science, manufacturers can expect to see an expanded range of materials specifically designed for prototype CNC machining. These materials will offer enhanced machinability, allowing for even greater design flexibility and improved product performance. C. Simultaneous Multi-Axis Machining The future of prototype CNC machining lies in simultaneous multi-axis machining. This technique enables machines to work on multiple axes simultaneously, further reducing production time and increasing machining precision. Simultaneous multi-axis machining will unlock new design possibilities and set the stage for groundbreaking manufacturing innovations. Prototype CNC machining has transformed the manufacturing industry, combining precision and progress to revolutionize the way products are designed, developed, and produced. The benefits of enhanced precision, improved efficiency, and cost-effective production make this advanced manufacturing process an attractive option for companies seeking a competitive edge. Despite the challenges and considerations, prototype CNC machining offers exciting opportunities for future advancements in manufacturing. As technology continues to evolve, the impact of prototype CNC machining is set to grow, shaping the future of manufacturing.

Peeling back the curtain of the canine world, you’ve likely wondered about your dog’s nighttime habits, specifically, whether they sleep with their eyes open. It’s a curious notion, isn’t it? This question leads us into a maze of understanding canine physiology, sleep patterns, and the fascinating realm of dog behaviors. As we explore this topic together, you’ll gain insights that can help you better understand your furry friend’s sleep habits. Ready to venture into this uncharted territory? - Dogs typically do not sleep with their eyes open, contrary to a common myth - Dogs’ eyelids usually close completely during sleep, except for some brachycephalic breeds with unique facial structures - Sleeping with eyes open can be a medical issue called ‘lagophthalmos’ - Observing your dog’s sleep behaviors, such as sleep positions and dream behaviors, is important for their rest and detecting any potential health issues Understanding Canine Sleep Patterns To fully grasp why dogs might sleep with their eyes open, you need to delve into the intricate patterns and stages of canine sleep. Just like humans, dogs go through various stages of sleep, each having its own significance. The first phase is light sleep, where a dog can easily be awakened. This is followed by deep sleep, wherein their body repairs and regrows tissues, builds bone and muscle, and bolsters the immune system. Lastly, they enter REM sleep, the stage associated with dreaming. However, sleep duration in canines isn’t uniform and depends on factors like age, breed, and health status. Puppies and older dogs tend to sleep more, while working breeds may sleep less. Nighttime activity also affects their sleep patterns. Dogs are naturally crepuscular, which means they’re most active at dawn and dusk. However, they’ve adapted to their human’s sleep schedule over centuries of domestication. Observing the time when your dog’s eyes remain open during sleep can help you understand their sleep cycle. They might doze off with their eyes open during light sleep, but as they enter deep and REM sleep, their eyes generally close. This is when they’re truly resting and rejuvenating. Eye Movements in Dogs While observing your dog’s sleep patterns, you might also notice peculiar eye movements that can offer additional insight into their state of rest. This involves looking at the pupillary response in dogs and your dog’s blink rate. Pupillary response pertains to how a dog’s pupils react to light and darkness. When your dog is in a deep sleep, you’ll find that their pupils are less responsive to light changes. This is due to a decrease in neural activity during this sleep phase. On the contrary, if you notice the pupils contracting and dilating frequently, it might indicate your dog is in a lighter sleep stage or even dreaming. The blink rate of your dog can also reveal a lot about their sleep quality. A slower blink rate could suggest they’re in a restful, deep sleep. If the blink rate is fast and erratic, it might point to disrupted sleep or even potential health issues. Understanding these eye movements is crucial not only for deciphering your dog’s sleep patterns but also for their overall wellbeing. It’s a subtle yet profound way of tuning into your beloved pet’s needs and ensuring their comfort. Canine Sleep Disorders Just as humans can suffer from sleep disorders, your dog can also fall prey to various sleep-related issues that significantly impact their health and quality of life. Two common canine sleep disorders are ‘Snoring Dogs’ and ‘Twilight Barking’. Snoring in dogs, much like in humans, can signify a potential health issue. It can be a sign of obesity, respiratory problems, or even an allergy. Twilight barking, on the other hand, is a phenomenon where dogs bark excessively during the early night hours. It’s often linked to separation anxiety or disturbances in their sleep cycle. Understanding these disorders is key in ensuring your furry friend’s health and wellbeing. The table below provides a brief overview: |Loud, disruptive snoring |Obesity, allergies, respiratory issues |Excessive barking at night |Separation anxiety, sleep cycle disturbances The Myth of Dogs Sleeping With Open Eyes Contrary to popular belief, dogs don’t typically sleep with their eyes open; this widespread misconception stems from misinterpretations of canine sleep behavior. Dog myths, such as this one, tend to circulate due to the human tendency to anthropomorphize our furry friends. Eye-related misconceptions can be easily debunked with a basic understanding of canine physiology and sleep patterns. When dogs sleep, their eyelids usually close completely, just like in humans. This aids in protecting their eyes from debris and drying out, while also enabling them to dive deeper into sleep and attain the restorative REM stage. Some dogs, especially brachycephalic breeds, may appear to sleep with their eyes open due to their facial structure. Their short noses and flat faces often mean that their eyes don’t fully close, even during sleep. However, this doesn’t mean they’re consciously observing their surroundings. In rare instances, a dog may suffer from a condition called ‘lagophthalmos’ that prevents them from fully closing their eyes. This is a medical issue, not a normal sleeping behavior. So, if you notice your dog consistently sleeping with its eyes open, it’s essential to seek veterinary advice. Observing Your Dog’s Sleep Behaviors As a responsible pet owner, you’ll want to carefully monitor your dog’s sleep behaviors to ensure they’re getting proper rest and to detect any potential signs of health issues. Observing your dog’s sleep positions and signs of dreaming can provide valuable clues about their health and well-being. Let’s focus on three key aspects – sleep positions, movement during sleep, and the frequency of “dreaming” behaviors. These elements can be tracked and noted in a simple table like this: |Movement During Sleep |Rapid Eye Movement Sleep positions can indicate comfort and temperature preference. Movement during sleep often suggests dreaming, but excessive movement may signal discomfort. Dreaming dogs exhibit behaviors like whining, barking, or growling and rapid eye movement. While some movement and noise are normal, excessive or distressed behaviors may require veterinary attention. Understanding your dog’s sleep habits is a significant step towards ensuring their health and happiness. By observing their sleep behaviors, you’re not just a pet owner, you’re their guardian. So, you’ve been on a Sherlock-style investigation about your pooch’s sleep habits. The notion that dogs sleep with their eyes open is nothing more than a tall tale. They do, however, exhibit unique eye movements during different sleep stages. Keep an eye out for any peculiar patterns, as they might indicate a sleep disorder. Remember, a dog’s sleep is as complex as a jigsaw puzzle, each piece significant for understanding their overall well-being.

“This method is not education of the violin. It is education by the violin.” — Shinichi Suzuki The late Shinichi Suzuki developed the Suzuki Method of violin instruction that over 400,000 children use worldwide. The goal of Suzuki was not to teach children to be elite violinists. The ultimate goal was to use the learning process to develop the inherent talents for music that he believed all children possess. “Suzuki believed achieving a certain level of mastery on the violin was only an example—albeit powerful—of what all children could accomplish with proper guidance from an early age. The broad acceptance of the Suzuki Method in the U.S. community attests to a deep appeal. As one homeschool blogger writes, “the Suzuki Method trains her children to set realizable goals and work hard for them while improving their concentration and instilling habits of discipline that can be applied to other tasks.” WSJ A similar sentiment of developing a positive work ethic and discipline might be applied to club volleyball. Although some are solely motivated to become skilled players and receive a college scholarship, most coaches and parents believe that discipline, teamwork, and hard work are worthy by-products of participation. The Suzuki Method involves several vital components. I wanted to examine the integral parts of Suzuki’s approach to learning the violin and see if aspects might transfer to club volleyball. The Suzuki Method encourages a mix of group and private lessons A varied lesson plan allows Suzuki students to learn privately from an instructor. These private lessons are combined with small group classes where students will practice with other students of various ages. The feeling is the small group lessons provide camaraderie, along with challenging the young students to improve their skills to match their older counterparts. The different learning environments expose the students to various conditions and lesson styles that can considerably progress their skills. For VB Clubs The typical volleyball club trains almost exclusively as a team and has little interaction with other players outside of their immediate teammates. Any individual work is done outside the regular practice hours and often includes an additional cost. Most coaches value time spent in solo or small group sessions focusing on skill enhancement. However, how might a club director adapt this principle to a club environment? Could the club organize individual, small group, or positional “lessons” without tacking on an extra fee? If a format that includes private, small group, and team activities could be implemented, the result might be expedited skill development. Suzuki students listen to a lot of music outside of formal lessons Suzuki students learn through listening and must listen to hundreds of hours of music. Just as one learns to speak before learning to read/write, so does the Suzuki student learn to play and produce sounds on the instrument before reading music. Listening daily to the recordings is essential to appreciate the quality tone and develop an ear for quality play. For VB Clubs Along the same lines of developing an appreciation for the correct tone of a musical piece, can volleyball coaches incorporate, as an educational tool, having players study high-level players in both competitive and training environments? The coach can highlight the key aspects of play, providing players with a visual model of the best playing techniques. Similarly, having younger players watch high-level practice sessions can impact how a player or team trains. Suzuki students prioritize the importance of repetition Repetition will develop and hone the skills necessary to play with refined skills. Repetition also contributes to the memorization of pieces allowing them to play proficiently without reading music. Larger compositions are broken into smaller units to develop mastery. The ability to master music without needing to read music is similar to mastering volleyball skills without conscious thought. For VB Clubs Repetition is a critical component of developing volleyball skills. The goal of practice is to facilitate correct skill execution. The player must repeat the skill to the point where positive habits are formed. However, repetition by itself is not the goal. The repetition must challenge the player and be very specific. The coach must remember that the repetition must replicate game activities as much as possible. Drills with constraints to focus on specific aspects of skill or team play are in order. Suzuki students use progressive music books to monitor their progress The students using the Suzuki Method go through their lessons using a series of books/lessons organized with increasing complexity. The students take great pride in advancing through the books as a testament to their improving skills. For VB Club Generally, inside the club system, players advance to the next level without regard for skill development. The criteria for advancement are age, not skill. A more organized skill evaluation and improvement system would positively serve the athlete. Such a “grading” system will also give the club director good feedback if their methods foster improvement. Unfortunately, we tend to grade improvement on competitive results instead of skill development. The Suzuki Method prioritizes parental involvement Suzuki teachers and students aren’t the only ones involved in the child’s music education. The student, the teacher, and the parent work as a team in the development of the student. Parents attend lessons (when possible) and actively participate in the student’s home training (listening to recorded pieces with their child and encouraging at-home practice). The parents’ close involvement can breed support and foster deeper relationships between family members. The parent will also learn basic violin pieces they will play with their child. For Club VB Parental involvement is undoubtedly a hot point for club coaches. Often the club asks the parent to be invisible. On one level, this is understandable. However, is there potential for embracing parental involvement instead of constantly fighting a losing battle over-involved parents? Can time be budgeted to have parents go through some simple drill practices so they might appreciate the challenges of the sport? Have regular meetings with the director about the progress made by the athlete or team, and encourage a better understanding of the methods used in practice. Before I get taken to the woodshed by club coaches, understand I’m not making a case for volleyball replicating or incorporating the Suzuki Method in the club volleyball system. I wonder if there are components that could positively impact what a coach is attempting to accomplish. Club directors and coaches should always be “pushing the envelope” to pursue better teaching programs. Perhaps there are elements of the Suzuki program that would benefit club volleyball programs.

Start your robotics journey with a line follower robot If you have never built a mobile robot in your life and want to take on a fun robotics project, a line follower robot would be a good place to start. Line follower robots are able to move along a line and make simple decisions to ensure they follow the line as closely as possible. Let us look into what goes behind the scenes in making a line following robot- both the hardware and software needs and what all you can learn in the process. Where are line following robots used? Line follower robots may sound naïve, but are often used in robotic competitions, to get a robot to navigate through a predefined path. Line follower robots can also be used in certain industrial applications, like automated warehouses and manufacturing floor logistics. What are the components of a line follower robot? Building a line follower robot requires a few basic supplies. These include a small microcontroller, such as the Arduino, wires, motors and sensors. Additionally, you will need a set of batteries and wheels to power up the robot and move it around. As for the chassis, it can be a very simple build such as a segway robot built using the LEGO Mindstorm NXT 2.0 kit, an arduino based DIY robot car, or, any other design you can imagine. Sensors used for the line follower robot The most important component of the line follower robot is the sensor that it uses to detect the line and make sure it follows it. Typically, the most common type of sensors used for line following robots are infrared (IR) sensors. These sensors can detect the difference between the bright line, and the dark background. How many sensors does a line follower robot need? Ideally a line follower robot would comprise of 2-3 IR sensors to detect if it is undershooting or overshooting the line to the right/left. In case of 2 IR sensors, you would want to place one IR sensor along each interior and exterior border of the track such that when both sensors detect the track, the robot is following the line. In case only one of them detect the track, the robot is off the track and needs to correct its course. In case of 3 IR sensors, the one in the middle is ideally place on top of the line/track. The other two are ideally placed are over the surface just outside the outer boundary of the tracks. One could also argue, that building a line follower robot with a single IR sensor is also possible. Rightly so, it is very possible though the control logic can become slightly tricky with a single IR sensor only offering limited information. Steering the line follower robot Steering is a crucial aspect of controlling a line follower robot, which is designed to follow a specific path or track a line marked on the ground. The steering mechanism determines how the robot maintains its position relative to the line and makes the necessary adjustments to stay on course. Line follower robots often employ differential drive as their steering mechanism. This mechanism utilizes two independently powered wheels, with each wheel driven by a separate motor. By varying the speed and direction of each wheel, the robot can turn, follow curves, and adjust its position along the line. Assembling the components for line follower robot Once you have the supplies, it’s time to start putting the robot together. First, connect the microcontroller to the motor and sensor. Then, attach the navigation wheel to the motor, allowing it to freely rotate. Next, wire the motor and motor control circuits and connect the motor to the microcontroller. Finally, add the batteries and you’re ready to start programming! How does a line following robot work? Now that the robot is all assembled, it is time to build some decision making abilities for the robot to be able to follow a line. The rationale behind the line follower is quite simple: Step-1: Draw a line/track to follow The first step is to draw a track or a line for the robot to follow. This will typically be a black line on a white background, which will be detected by the robot’s sensors. Step-2: Detect if the robot is off the line Once the robot is set up and ready to go, the robot’s sensors will detect the black line in a given environment. If the robot detects that it is on the line, it will follow it. If the robot detects that it is off the line, it will take corrective action and adjust its position so that it can get back onto the line. Step-3: Taking corrective actions to follow the line To turn the robot in the correct direction, the microcontroller will compare the readings from the sensors and determine the direction in which the robot should turn: left or right, in order to stay on the line. The microcontroller will then send commands to the motors to execute the desired movement. If you simply try to turn the right/left motors on/off, you will end up with a zig-zag behavior. To obtain a smoother correction, you would need to proportionately control the left and right motors simultaneously to maintain the course. For proportionate control of the motors, one could employ the PID (Proportional-Integral-Derivative) controller. What next after building a line follower robot? Think of a line follower robot as a minimalistic robot with a pea sized brain (it’s microcontroller). There is a very simple autonomy on-board by virtue of the PID controller but it isn’t a very fancy robot per say. The next step could be to think about a robot that has more flexibility to roam freely in its environment instead of being tied down to a line. Think about adding localization and mapping abilities for your robot and drop it in an arena similar to the Robocup- a league for robot soccer. Building a line follower robot is a fun and rewarding experience. With some patience and practice, you can get it up and running and see it in action! Through the assembly and programming, you will learn a lot of valuable skills and gain knowledge on robotics that you can apply to other projects in the future. The basic principles of line following robots can also be applied to more complex robots, such as those for navigation and mapping. So, if you are interested in robotics and want to take on a challenging project, consider building your first line follower robot!

“Creativity to me is just like… poof… it’s like a bird, like a friendly bird that embraces all… ideas, and just like shoots, out of its eyes all kinds of beauty.” —Liz Lemon (character played by Tina Fey) the television show 30 Rock. “Creativity is just connecting things.” — Steve Jobs What is creativity? Where is it found? And why is it important? Creativity is art. Creativity is engineering and technology. It is science and math. Creativity is music, problem solving, underwater basket weaving, and more. But at a general level, creativity is about new creation, and the production of ideas, artifacts, designs, technologies, products – or really anything – that may be novel, effective and whole. In recent years, the growth of digital technologies has further fueled a tremendous burst of creativity and innovation. We believe that 21st century learning demands creative thinkers and innovative problem solvers who are fluent in working and learning from and with technology. This SIG explores issues of creativity across many different disciplines in the context of learning, teacher education and technology. We seek to understand through sound research questions such as how we support and nurture creative teaching in the classroom (and out of it)? How we help our students develop a creative mind-set and what the role of technology is in all of this. Through this SIG we seek to provide networking opportunities for scholars, faculty and graduate students interested in the role of technology in creativity research and practice. This SIG is open to a range of creative expressions and modes, and is a forum for explorations of creativity across many different fields of learning. We are open to unique or alternative modes of presentation (interesting papers or talks on creativity/technology are welcomed, both in conventional and unconventional formats). If you have an interesting idea for exploring creativity (whether though a research paper, a presentation, a work of performance art, a flash mob style presentation, or something else), join us… We have lots of ideas (and are looking for more) – so we need volunteers to make this the most fun and active (and dare we say creative) SIG that we can be. Drop us an email if you are interested… We look forward to working together.

New definition measures South Africa’s GDP 11% higher than previously thought This week, authorities in South Africa announced that the country’s economy is 11 percent larger than previous estimates after Statistics South Africa altered its method for calculating gross domestic product. The national statistical service’s new definition utilizes a refined, more modern classification of activities, new sources of information, and a new reference year (2015 instead of 2010). The new definition also changed estimates for other key variables, including household consumption relative to GDP and GDP per capita, which became 16 percent and 9 percent higher, respectively. This higher GDP also means that Africa’s (still) second-largest economy has a lower debt burden than previously thought. According to Annabel Bishop, chief economist at Investec Bank Ltd, the new definition suggests that South Africa’s debt-to-GDP ratio will remain below 80 percent through 2023-2024, whereas earlier estimates had it at 87.3 percent by that time. For more on South Africa’s debt burden and how the country’s economy has fared during the pandemic, read “From stimulus to debt: The case of South Africa.” Meanwhile, South Africa’s unemployment rate has become the highest in the world, according to Bloomberg, which regularly monitors the indicator in 82 countries. The unemployment rate increased to 34.4 percent in the second quarter of 2021, up from 32.6 percent in the first quarter. South Africa is not the only country in the region with such high unemployment rates: The country’s jobless mark barely eclipses fellow sub-Saharan African countries Namibia (33.4 percent) and Nigeria (33.3 percent), which rank second and third in Bloomberg’s database. An expanded measure of unemployment, which includes those available for but not seeking work, reached 44.4 percent in South Africa, an increase of 1.2 percentage points from the first quarter. For recommendations for policies to create jobs for youth in South Africa, see “Solving South Africa’s unemployment: Could tourism, horticulture, agro-processing, or logistics hold the key?“ New energy projects announced, including transforming landfills in Rwanda, expanding solar and wind capacity, and building and upgrading nuclear power plants This week, the Rwandan capital of Kigali announced a new environmentally friendly project that aims to use the Nduba landfill to generate energy for the national grid. In 2020, the area was designated an environmental and health hazard, and this new project will transform the landfill so that it will capture gases (such as methane) that it produces and convert those gases into power instead of releasing them into the air. The solid waste can also be turned into other materials like plastic and repurposed into items like bricks, electric poles, and chairs. According to The New Times, the capture and use of landfill gas, the transformation of waste to energy, and aerobic composting can all make major contributions to the reduction of gas emissions that cause global warming. Overall, the government plans on investing $28 million in projects that can utilize gas landfills for power generation and which are also expected to create new green jobs. The government argued that such action is essential as Rwanda’s cities undergo rapid urbanization—the population of Kigali alone has skyrocketed from just over 600,000 people in 2002 to 1.6 million in 2021. At the launch, Environment Minister Jeanne d’Arc Mujawamariya explained the reasoning and outlined hoped-for next steps in the effort: “The waste should not be wasted. We should turn waste into revenues. Once investors generate revenues from recycling waste, we will work with them to reach the level of providing incentives to households.” The project is part of an agreement between Rwanda’s Ministry of Environment and the government of Luxembourg and is also a part of efforts to strengthen diplomatic ties and aid in the transfer of technology between the two nations. Other renewable energy sources like solar continue to grow throughout the continent. Investment companies Gridworks and New GX have announced investments of $40 million into the company Sustainable Power Solution Investments (SPS), which will be used to build additional solar plants that can collectively generate 100 MW of power across sub-Saharan African countries, especially Ghana and Nigeria. The investment in SPS is Gridworks’ second since 2019, when it committed $31 million to facilitate the installation of 45 MW of solar energy across the region. In related news, South Africa moved forward with plans to expand its solar and wind capacity by 2.6 GW and, this month, received 102 bids from companies for such projects. The Department of Mineral Resources and Energy, which will fund the projects, said that it would announce the successful bidders in October and November of this year, and the winners must complete the projects by April 2024. Also as part of efforts to reduce the country’s dependance on carbon-intensive energy sources, South African energy regulators are looking to increase the country’s nuclear energy capacity. Last week, Mineral Resources and Energy Minister Gwede Mantashe announced plans to build a new 2,500 MW nuclear power plant by 2024. The announcement was met with some early opposition, though, with the civil society group Organization Undoing Tax Abuse (OUTA) arguing that the project is “not affordable, not appropriate and should not be approved.” South Africa currently has the continent’s only nuclear plant, the Koeberg Nuclear Power Plant near Cape Town, which generates 5 percent of the country’s electricity. Notably, a new $1.2 billion program was recently launched to extend the operating life of that plant, which will involve replacing six steam generators and forced air cooler units, as well as perform needed maintenance on the turbine system. The modifications are expected to extend the operational life of the plant, which has been connected to the national grid since 1984, by 20 years. Nigeria deepens relationships with Russia, South Korea This week, Nigeria and Russia signed a military cooperation agreement that details the framework for the supplying of equipment from and training of troops by Russia to the West African country. According to the Nigerian ambassador to Russia, President Muhammadu Buhari feels Russia can aid Nigeria in defeating Boko Haram, which continues to contribute to insecurity in northern Nigeria. This deal is another step in the strengthening of ties between the two countries: For example, in October 2019, Russia hosted its first summit with Africa that included 43 heads of state or government, with the purpose of reviving the economic, political, and military influence of Russia in Africa. At the summit, Russia made the first of many security and economic deals, including a contract to supply attack helicopters to Nigeria. For more on the Africa-Russia relationship see the 2019 op-ed, “Vladimir Putin is resetting Russia’s Africa agenda to counter the US and China.” In related news, Nigeria and South Korea have been working to expand their political, economic, and defense relationships, as recently demonstrated by the visit of Korea’s First Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Choi Jong Kun to Nigeria early this week. In fact, during his visit, Kun stated that, COVID situation pending, within the next five years, he wants to see a direct flight between the capitals of both countries, as well as increased cultural collaboration, technology, education, and trading. The two countries are looking to cooperate on security issues as well, as Kun and the Nigerian Minister of Transportation Rotimi Amaechi met to discuss maritime security during the visit. This trip was another step in Korea’s pursuit of a long-term, mutually beneficial relationship with Africa in recent years: For example, Korea has sent $200 million in masks and medical equipment to the continent to aid its fight against COVID-19. In March of this year, the South Korean Ambassador to Nigeria stated that the embassy of South Korea was interested in a joint program for children as well as other cultural programs to aid Koreans in understanding Nigerians culturally. The Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) has also been rapidly increasing its aid to the region since 2016.

This course provides a basic level of understanding regarding the REDD+ concept. It begins with background information on climate change and drivers of deforestation. It then covers the essential aspects of the technical, political, financial, social and environmental issues related to REDD+.ÍIt concludesÍwithÍthe basics on implementing REDD+ activities at a national or sub-national scale. The course is four modules long with many lessons in each module. All lessons are highly interactive, keeping students engaged as they progress through the training. Each lesson also contains test questions and assessments. Student activities break up the very scientific content, and assignments provide a way for the student to relate course content to their own climate work. CTCN Keyword Matches:

Discover why dogs eat cigarettes, the dangers it poses, and how to prevent it. Keep your furry friend safe and healthy. Learn more at The Nerdy Dog! As dog owners, we strive to keep our furry friends safe and healthy. However, there are times when their curious nature leads them to engage in behaviors that can be harmful. One such behavior that often perplexes dog owners is when their dogs eat cigarettes. In this article, we will delve into the reasons behind this behavior, the potential dangers it poses to our beloved pets, and most importantly, how to prevent it. So, if you’ve ever wondered, “why does my dog eat cigarettes?” – read on to find out! Why Dogs Eat Cigarettes Dogs exhibit various behaviors that can lead to them consuming cigarettes. Curiosity is a common culprit. Dogs are naturally inquisitive creatures, and the smell and taste of cigarettes intrigue them. Additionally, some dogs may resort to eating cigarettes out of boredom, anxiety, or even as a habitual behavior they have developed over time. Signs and Symptoms of Cigarette Consumption in Dogs Identifying whether your dog has consumed cigarettes can be challenging, as they may not exhibit immediate signs of distress. However, there are certain behavioral changes and physical symptoms to watch out for. If you notice your dog becoming unusually hyperactive or experiencing tremors, vomiting, or diarrhea, it’s crucial to consider the possibility of cigarette consumption. If these symptoms persist, it’s vital to seek veterinary assistance promptly. Dangers and Health Risks for Dogs Cigarette consumption can have severe consequences for dogs. Nicotine, the addictive substance present in cigarettes, is highly toxic to dogs. Even a small amount can lead to nicotine poisoning, which may manifest as increased heart rate, respiratory distress, tremors, seizures, and even death. Furthermore, the chemicals in cigarettes can cause long-term organ damage and raise the risk of cancer in dogs. Preventing Access to Cigarettes The best approach to protecting your dog from the dangers of cigarette consumption is to prevent their access to cigarettes altogether. Here are some practical steps you can take: Keep cigarettes out of reach: Store cigarettes in secure cabinets or high shelves that your dog cannot access. Ensure that guests and visitors are aware of the importance of keeping cigarettes safely stored as well. Create a dog-friendly environment: Designate specific areas of your home where your dog can roam freely and ensure these spaces are free from any potential hazards, including cigarettes. Training techniques: Implement training methods to discourage cigarette consumption. Teach your dog commands such as “leave it” and “drop it” to prevent them from picking up or ingesting harmful substances. Alternatives and Diversions for Dogs Dogs need mental and physical stimulation to divert their attention from potentially harmful behaviors. Here are some effective alternatives and diversions to keep your dog occupied: Suitable chew toys and treats: Provide your dog with a variety of safe chew toys and treats to redirect their chewing instincts. This will not only entertain them but also help satisfy their oral cravings. Engage in interactive playtime: Regular play sessions with your dog, using interactive toys or engaging in activities like fetch or tug-of-war, can keep them mentally and physically stimulated, reducing their inclination towards destructive behaviors. Mental stimulation exercises: Engage your dog’s brain by incorporating puzzle toys, treat-dispensing toys, or training sessions into their daily routine. Mental stimulation can tire them out and reduce their desire to engage in harmful behaviors. FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) Q: Can a small amount of cigarette be harmful to my dog? A: Yes, even a small amount of cigarette can be highly toxic to dogs. Nicotine poisoning can occur rapidly and lead to severe health complications if not addressed promptly. It is crucial to keep cigarettes out of your dog’s reach. Q: How long does it take for nicotine poisoning to occur in dogs? A: The onset of nicotine poisoning can vary depending on the amount of nicotine ingested. Symptoms may manifest within 15 minutes to several hours. If you suspect your dog has consumed cigarettes, immediate veterinary attention is essential. Q: What should I do if my dog has eaten cigarettes? A: If you suspect your dog has consumed cigarettes, contact your veterinarian immediately. They will provide guidance on the next steps, which may involve inducing vomiting or other necessary treatments to mitigate the potential harm caused by nicotine ingestion. Understanding why dogs eat cigarettes is crucial for ensuring their safety and well-being. Curiosity, boredom, anxiety, or habit can drive dogs to engage in this dangerous behavior. It is our responsibility as dog owners to take proactive steps in preventing access to cigarettes and providing suitable alternatives and diversions for our furry friends. By doing so, we can safeguard them from the health risks associated with cigarette consumption. Remember, at The Nerdy Dog, we aim to provide expert advice and assistance in handling various dog behavior issues. If you have any concerns or questions about your dog’s behavior, feel free to visit our website thenerdydog.com/behavior for valuable resources and guidance. Together, let’s create a safe and enriching environment for our beloved dogs. Note: The Nerdy Dog is here to help you with professional research, study, and practice.

This article describes the development and uptake of two dual-language, culturally relevant picture books in five primary schools in Papua New Guinea (PNG). The purpose of the books was to disseminate agricultural and livelihood messages both at school and at home. Schools were provided with big-book versions as permanent school resources and asked to send small-book versions home to families to both support children’s reading and encourage the uptake of the agricultural messages. Evaluations at two different time points showed that, although many teachers valued and used the books, some schools were reluctant to share the books with families. Teachers appreciated the dual-language text and culturally relevant pictures and stories, and many requested that more of these types of books be made available. For more effective book distribution, mobile phones and church networks should be used to distribute books to families and support obtained from school boards and provincial education departments of PNG.

What's in Your Closet? Your challenge is to tell a story that incorporates items, found in your closet. You will have 1 minute to think and discuss the problem and 5 minutes to respond. You may ask the judges questions; however, time will continue. You are not allowed talk to each other during response time. Your challenge is to tell a story that incorporates these items (point to items). The first team member will put a token in the container, select an item and give a response that starts the story. The next team member will put a token in the container, select a different item, give a response that adds to the story, and so on. For example, you could hold up this piece of wood (hold up wood) and say, “I found a hidden shelf in my closet.” The next team member could pick up the shoe and say, “It’s where I hide my shoes.” Your team is not allowed to use the same item two times in a row and you are not allowed to damage any of the items. Before making a response you will place a response token in the container. Each team member may make as many or as few responses as they wish. You will be finished when response time ends or when you have used all of your response tokens. Place the following items on a table: a watch, hat, shoe, shoelace, piece of wood (similar to shelving), sock, dress, small toy horse, small stuffed animal, sunglasses. Place 35 response tokens and a container within reach of the team. You will receive: 1 point for each common response 3 points for each creative response, 5 points for each highly creative response. Responses will be judged on creativity and how well they add to the story. You will receive 1 to 15 points for the overall creativity of your story. When scoring overall creativity of the story, consider originality, variety of responses, how items are incorporated, improvisation, etc. Examples of Common Responses: Statements that do not make sense. Statements not associated to the previous one. Statements that are plausible but do not add to the story. Statements similar to a previous one. General descriptive statements (for example, “I’m wearing sunglasses”). Statements that add to the story but are predictable. Examples of Creative Responses: Original, unexpected or humorous statements that continue the story. Incorporating the item in an interesting way. Statements that continue the story and allow an opportunity to change the story completely. Statements that rhyme and continue the story. Unusual or humorous comments about a previous response. Puns, for example, putting the dress on the horse and referring to it as a “clothes horse.” NOTE: Once a response is given, if the same or a very similar response is given, count it as common only. Do not interrupt the team. Time continues. Have the team video themselves. Did the team use the items creatively or follow along with their usual associations? Did the team manage time well?

The introduction of Blender was a sigh of relief to most animators when the tool was publicly released in 1998. Blender is a crucial 3D computer graphics software that aids users in 3D art, animation, and rendering. This high-powered tool is equipped with features for 3D modeling, parametric and polygonal modeling, and sculpting, which contribute to the final output and renders. It also has features such as texturing and compositing, which are crucial for rendering. Cloud rendering is one of the crucial must-haves, especially for complex projects. The benefits of cloud rendering include ample scalability of the project resources based on the demands, efficient backups and security, and cost and time efficiency. Blender Cloud Rendering allows for user collaboration and enhances fast rendering output and cost efficiency. Getting Started With Blender for Cloud Rendering Blender is a 3D software with a user-friendly interface for first-time users. Users can acquire Blender from the official website, Blender.org, in the download section. After choosing their operating system, users can download the most compatible Blender version to their operating system. The installation has a series of instructions to follow for completion and launching. Once complete, users can configure the settings based on their preferences. Understanding the Interface The Blender Interface has the top bar with the main menu, with options such as configuration settings, saving, render blender, and importing and exporting files. The middle section is the workspace, and the bottom status bar shows shortcuts and crucial statistics. Switching the tabs at the top allows users to access various layouts, such as modeling and animation. Available preferences allow interface customization and smooth transition of users with experience in another 3D software. Optimizing Your Workflow in Blender Project Organization Tips The Blender render engine is highly efficient for cloud rendering, and for smooth sailing, one must acquire project organization skills to get the most from Blender. The first step is to create a folder titled Blender Projects to compile all your work from Blender. The second step is to create a folder for each project you work on while using Blender. If the project is diversified into various files of images, textures, and renders, create sub-folders for each and compile them in one project folder. Efficient Modeling Techniques For superb quality renders, you must familiarize yourself with the basics of using Blender Cloud Render. Such techniques include hotkeys necessary for rendering, modeling, and sculpting that reduce the project delivery time. Mesh modeling also allows the manipulation of Blender 3D render grids. Maximizing sculpting and textures creates a significant effect in appealing details. Grip and snapping features also help to create alignment and clean output. Retopology is also vital in optimizing the model’s mesh for efficient animation and rendering in Blender. Blender equally has UV texturing and mapping, which are helpful to users in creating realistic models by integrating surface details and patterns. Texture and Material Optimization The texture and choice of material used highly contribute to creating the realism of the render in Blender. Texture lets the user add the model’s feel, describing the substance used. An understanding of the textures and materials allows their efficient application. Surface and light interaction, texture, and color are some of the essential elements. On assigning a texture or material to the model, shade editors allow the creation of the material through nodes. Texture coordinate nodes and UV mapping are critical in enhancing the mapping of the textures. The best render engine for Blender is also equipped with vertex painting, volume rendering, and halo painting. Leveraging Blender Cloud Rendering for Faster Results Advantages of Cloud Rendering The Blender render engine allows users to achieve timely deliveries through simultaneous frames. It is easier to scale up projects as cloud rendering can handle higher volumes than a traditional PC. A Blender Cloud render farm has limitless computing resources, which reduces ongoing expenses. Collaboration is also made effortless in Cloud Render Farm Blender by submitting work to the cloud, allowing efficiency. Learning how to render on a Blender render farm can improve efficiency among team members, thus increasing workflow and project performance. Setting up for Cloud Rendering Preparation is crucial to ensure impeccable output results. Render engines for Blender are well-equipped with all the necessary tools. However, Blender render farm services such as add-ons can be installed to allow for efficiency in usage. Render settings should also be set based on the desired specifications, to guide Blender on rendering. Ensuring all necessary materials, textures, and models are accessible within your project allows for a smooth workflow. Users must upload their work to the cloud and then start rendering. Once done, the rendered images are ready for download. Troubleshooting Common Issues Some common glitches with Blender renderings include graphics hardware crashes, Python errors, difficulty recovering data, and startup challenges. Some acceleration settings may cause setbacks; in such cases, turning off the settings may fix the issues. Blender render service add-ons may contribute to system glitches, and in such cases, the add-ons should be disabled to solve the problem. Corrupted graphics drivers can be salvaged by uninstalling the drivers and commencing a fresh installation from the manufacturer’s websites. Advanced Tips and Tricks Enhancing Render Quality Blender has several tools to enhance optimum render quality. After perfecting the basics and skills of rendering using textures and materials, users can advance to use other tricks to improve their output. Examining various camera angles and lighting can enhance the realism of the models. The lighting must be balanced against the HDRI. YouTube tutorials can help users to navigate this feature. Cloud Rendering via Plugin vs. Cloud Rendering via Upload Cloud rendering via plugin allows for seamless integration and smooth software workflow. The user-friendly interface has automated setups such as file packaging, and users can also monitor their projects through instantaneous updates. RebusFarm is an example of a cloud rendering service that is highly user-friendly. After registering, downloading, and installing RebusFarm, users can configure rendering for Blender and then submit their render job from within their Blender software. The RebusFarm control center allows monitoring and control of the jobs. Completed jobs are downloaded automatically to the local computer. Cloud rendering via upload asks the user to upload the project to the render farm without any integrated tool in the 3D software. Everything needs to be set up manually with this process. This makes the upload process longer and more complicated than with a render plugin solution. Cost-effectiveness and project delivery are at the core of resource management. The chosen Blender render farm service must ensure resource scaling based on the project considerations. Cost-effectiveness is ensured through planning budgets guided by several nodes and rendering time. Resource management can also be ensured by activating auto-scaling to adjust the nodes based on the workload. You can also use other features like budget alerts to notify you of budget progress. Rendering 3D art and animations has been made effortless through cloud rendering which provides computing resources to generate render graphics. Cloud rendering has also been enhanced through software such as Blender. Modeling techniques such as sculpting and rendering are key aspects of Blender Render. Mesh modeling, integrating textures and materials, and experimenting with lighting and camera angles are features that can be used to transform your renders from average to superb. Cloud rendering is impactful for many artists and rendering firms, and through familiarizing with Blender, users can tap into its full potential.

As I pointed out in my previous post, the “purity” of Israel was seen as massively important to most of the writers of the Hebrew Scriptures, including the various sources that eventually came to make up the Pentateuch and the other books (Joshua – 2 Kings) that describe the history of ancient Israel. Nowhere can that be seen more clearly than in narratives about the children of Israel as they journey from Egypt to the Promised Land, after God delivered them from their slavery at the Exodus under their leader Moses. Once Israel escapes (Exodus 1-15), Moses leads them to Mount Sinai, where he is given the Law — starting with the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20 all the way through Leviticus). Much of this law is about how Israel is to worship and live, now that they have been chosen by God to be his people. Once they receive the law, the Israelites journey to the promised land, but they sin en route, and God judges them by forcing them to remain in the wilderness for forty years, until the entire generation that had escaped from Egypt had died off. He will then give the next generation the Promised Land. Their time in the wilderness is described in the book of Numbers. The book is called that in English Bibles because a census of the people is taken at the beginning of the book and at the end. A census in antiquity was normally taken to determine the number of soldier-aged men. You have to know what kind of army you have before you can plan a military operation; according to Numbers 1:46, at the time of the Exodus there were 630,550 military aged men. That would mean there were two or three million Israelites wandering around the wilderness for forty years. (To forestall the inevitable question: no, there is no archaeological or material reference to 2-3 million people spending decades in the Sinai – let alone escaping Egypt — and no reference to these events in any other source outside the Bible). After the forty-year hiatus, the people are commanded to march to Palestine, to the west of the Arabah and Dead Sea; they will take over the land after crossing the Jordan River from the east. The book of Numbers describes the journey and initial battles in the Transjordan area and then in the land of Moab (on the Eastern side of the Dead Sea). These battles prefigure the two problems that the children of Israel will face throughout their biblically-recounted history. The first is the most obvious: the Promised Land is already someone else’s land. There are If you’re interested enough in reading this far, you should think about reading more. This is where it gets interesting. So why not join the blog? Click here for membership options

News:The Belum Caves Festival has been postponed in Andhra Pradesh after the dates clashed with Governor’s visit to the district. About Belum Caves festival: - The Belum Caves festival was named as Kandanavolu Sambaralu.It was being organised to popularize the Belum caves in Kurnool district,Andhra Pradesh. About Belum Caves: - Belum Caves are also known as Belum Guhalu.They are located in Kurnool district of Andhra Pradesh. - They are the second-longest cave in the Indian subcontinent open to the public.The first longest is the Krem Liat Prah caves in Meghalaya. - This cave system was formed over the course of tens of thousands of years by the constant flow of underground water from the now disappeared river Chitravathi. - These caves are renowned for their speleothem structures.The caves also have long passages, spacious chambers, freshwater galleries and siphons. - Belum caves are also indications that Jains and Buddhists monks were occupying these caves centuries ago.The presence of 4500 years old vessels from the pre-Buddhism era ensures the same. About speleothem structures - Speleothems are commonly known as cave formations.They are secondary mineral deposits formed in a cave. - Speleothems are typically formed in the form of stalactites, stalagmites, limestone or dolomite solutional caves. - A secondary mineral is one which is derived by a physicochemical reaction from a primary mineral in bedrock or detritus and/or deposited because of a unique set of conditions in a cave such as environment conditions.

According to Bitcoin’s founder Satoshi Nakamoto, there are only 21 million Bitcoins (BTC) available to be mined in total. Some of these coins have already been lost due to forgotten passwords or misplaced private keys. But even lost coins remain part of the total supply of Bitcoins. The fixed supply of Bitcoin means that there will only ever be so many coins in circulation. This scarcity helps increase Bitcoin’s real value over time. It is common to look at Bitcoin’s valuation today in terms of dollars, but this can be problematic. Dollars are a form of fiat currency and because fiat currency is always being printed; if you look at Bitcoin solely in terms of its dollar denominated value, it can be misleading. The Price of Bitcoin The price of Bitcoin is very volatile due to the speculative nature of the cryptocurrency market. - Bitcoin isn’t just a currency. It is a disruptive technology in modern finance. - Bitcoin may not yet be accepted by the traditional finance industry, but it has features that make it an ideal digital electronic peer-to-peer (P2P) payment method using a decentralized, permissionless system. - Bitcoin is also valuable not just in terms of dollar prices, but as a system for storing and transferring value in the future. As such, many call Bitcoin “digital gold”. There is a misconception that when the price of a Bitcoin goes down, it loses its value. To unravel this misconception, we have to look at Bitcoin in terms of its overall market. If the price of one Bitcoin is $50,000, then that is its current price in fiat terms. If the price per coin goes down from $50,000 to $25,000, the common thinking is that Bitcoin just lost half its value. But this price reduction is only terms of its relationship to fiat currency. In reality, one Bitcoin is still equal to one Bitcoin. Market Cycles in Cryptocurrency The cryptocurrency market moves in cycles. This is at least one reason why price fluctuations are very common with Bitcoin. The value of Bitcoin is linked to its halving cycles which occur after every 210,000 blocks are mined. This happens roughly every four years. - The payment of awards to miners is how new Bitcoins are put into circulation from the remaining supply. - Halving reduces the number of Bitcoins paid as awards to Bitcoin miners (miners are also sometimes called “nodes”). - The miners produce “blocks” – similar to copies of a digital checkbook – on the Bitcoin network. Their responsibility is to validate blocks of Bitcoin transactions and add them to a decentralized database called a blockchain. - To receive an award of Bitcoins, a miner must solve a cryptographic puzzle. - Many miners compete with each other to solve the puzzle. The miner that is able to solve it first receives the award as an incentive. - The Bitcoin “hashrate” is a reflection of how much computing power from miners is currently at work to solve the cryptographic puzzle. - When the hashrate goes higher, due to more mining power, the Bitcoin code adjusts to make the cryptographic puzzle more difficult to solve. This “difficulty” adjustment – up or down – happens automatically every two weeks. Halvings are part of Bitcoin’s design to gradually decrease its circulating supply. This helps safeguard Bitcoin’s scarcity. Analysts have noticed that after halving events, Bitcoin’s price value tends to increase. The term HODL became synonymous with Bitcoin holders as the price began to move up after 2009. - A HODLer is someone who holds their Bitcoin despite bear market cycles, when prices dip. - Another term given to HODLers is “diamond hands” because of their willingness to hold onto Bitcoin rather than sell it during market downtrends. Many believe that, only when you sell your Bitcoin, does it actually lose its value. Further, if you HODL Bitcoin for the long-term, you can regain losses when the market rallies back into a bull-cycle. Bull-cycles occur when fresh inflows of capital pour into the market for Bitcoin. New investors in Bitcoin often panic when the price of the cryptocurrency suddenly drops. It’s important for these people to look at Bitcoin’s value in the future and beyond its current “fiat” price. Bitcoin’s total supply is not diluted when prices drop. This means, even if the price of one Bitcoin goes down in fiat terms, it is still worth one Bitcoin. Fluctuation in the price of Bitcoin is normal. What new investors must overcome is the desire to panic and sell when the price dips. They must understand that one Bitcoin will always be equal to one Bitcoin. With patience, new investors can reap the long-term advantages of Bitcoin ownership over time. Follow us on Social Media: Introduction As the world of cryptocurrency expands, so does the infrastructure supporting it. Bitcoin ATMs have become one of the most sought-after services in the cryptocurrency ecosystem. With over 19,000 Bitcoin ATMs operating globally, it's crucial to know how to... Learn about rent prices for Bitcoin ATM locations and how to negotiate the rent with potential store owners. In this article, we are bringing the best practices for renting a Bitcoin ATM location. Introduction In the dynamic and rapidly evolving financial world, one revolutionary concept that has come to the fore is the Bitcoin ATM. Due to the increasing acceptance of digital currency and the growth of Bitcoin, the emergence of Bitcoin ATMs has altered how...

This beautifully fragranced plant has been deemed by The World Health Organization as the most effective treatment available for malaria. It is also known for its' ability to help cleanse the blood of various other parasites. Made from fresh leaves. This tall annual herb is famous for two quite distinct attributes. It is regarded as the most promising new medicine for malaria in over 300 years. It is also a favourite of craftspeople because of its sweet, spicy lingering fragrance and its versatility in flower arrangements. Sweet Annie is a bushy plant that is native to southeastern Europe and northern Africa. It grows 3 to 9 feet tall and has tiny greenish yellow flowers in loose panicles that develop along the branches in late summer. Although living for only a single growing season, it usually acts like a perennial because it self-sows so readily. Known in China as qing-hao, it has been used in treating malaria and fever since the seventh century. In the 1970s, a Chinese woman scientist, Professor Youyou Tu, who was researching anti-malarial medicines extracted a compound from Artemesia annua called artemisinum, which later earned her a Nobel Prize in medicine. Many African countries utilize the herb in its natural form for its anti-malarial properties and it is also catching on as a possible preventative for Covid viruses. Herbalists value it as well for its effectiveness against diarrhea, indigestion and certain bacterial diseases. Sweet Annie leaves can be brewed to make a pungent but pleasant medicinal tea. Artemesia annua is a sun lover that is adaptable to many soil types. Seeds can be started in warm flats two months before last frost by barely pressing them into the potting mix or they can be sown directly in the ground in May. It can take 3-4 weeks for the feathery-leaved seedlings to appear. The plants should eventually be spaced 2-3 feet apart so they can grow to be full and well branched. Sweet Annie’s most common home use is in crafts. It foliage makes an excellent base filler in wreaths and an admirable component of bouquets and arrangements. Its appealing, intoxicating scent is more pronounced during humid weather and it is often hung in bathrooms where the damp air will release its fragrance.

Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) and Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) are security protocols that add an extra layer of protection to the traditional username and password system. They require users to provide two or more pieces of information in order to log into a system or access sensitive data. In a 2FA system, the user is required to provide a password and a second form of identification, such as a security token, a fingerprint, or a one-time code sent to their mobile device. This ensures that even if someone knows a user's password, they will still be unable to access the system without the second form of identification. Multi-Factor Authentication goes one step further by requiring multiple forms of identification in order to access a system. This could include a password, a security token, and a fingerprint or facial recognition. There are several reasons why 2FA and MFA should be implemented in the workplace: Improved Security: The biggest reason for implementing 2FA and MFA is improved security. By requiring multiple forms of identification, it becomes much more difficult for unauthorized users to access sensitive data and systems. Prevent Data Breaches: Data breaches can be incredibly damaging to a business, leading to loss of revenue, loss of reputation, and legal consequences. By implementing 2FA and MFA, organizations can reduce the risk of data breaches and protect themselves from cyber attacks. Compliance with Regulations: Many industries are subject to regulations that require strong security protocols, including 2FA and MFA. By implementing these protocols, organizations can ensure that they are compliant with these regulations and avoid costly fines and penalties. Increased User Trust: By implementing 2FA and MFA, organizations can demonstrate to their users that they are serious about protecting sensitive data and that they take user security seriously. This can increase user trust in the organization and lead to increased customer loyalty. Easy to Implement: Implementing 2FA and MFA is easier than ever before. There are many available solutions that are simple to set up and use, and which can be integrated into existing systems and workflows. In conclusion, 2FA and MFA are essential components of any strong security strategy. By adding an extra layer of protection to sensitive data and systems, organizations can reduce the risk of data breaches, comply with regulations, increase user trust, and improve the overall security of their operations. Implementing 2FA and MFA is a smart investment for any organization looking to protect their data and ensure the long-term success of their operations. Find out how we can help protect you.

According to the Llfyr Baglan, Brochmail succeeded his father, Petroc, as ruler in the West Country during the mid-7th century. Nothing else is known of him. It was probably during his supposed reign that the Dumnonians made a push against Wessex in 658. Unfortunately, they were defeated at the Battle of Peonna (Penselwood, Wilts) and the Dumnonian border was set at the River Parrett. Cenwalh of Wessex was thus encouraged to try his luck further. In 661, he defeated the Dumnonians at the Battle of Posentesburh (Posbury, Devon). Having conquered the eastern portion of Brochmail's kingdom, Cenwalh introduced the Somerton-settlers, and Saxons began moving in as far west as Crediton. It was probably also during Brochmail's reign (682) that the West Saxons "drove the British as far as the Sea" (possibly around Bideford).Brochmail was traditionally succeeded by his son, Culmin, and then by his grandson, Dungarth. Brochmail only appears in the 17th century Llyfr Baglan. He is considered apocryphal. |© Nash Ford Publishing 2001. All Rights Reserved.

What to know: Reading the articles/books you find, taking notes, and citing them correctly are important steps in writing a paper or project that shows everything you’ve learned. While these aren’t really things librarians help with, we want you to succeed, so here’s some information about how to do each. What you'll learn: One way to organize your notes. How to summarize, paraphrase, and quote from the materials you’ve found – and to cite each. Why you should care: Not citing a summary, paraphrase, or quote from another person’s work is plagiarism, a kind of theft, which can result in you receiving a poor grade on your work.

Anger is a normal emotion. It's ok! What we do with our anger isn't always ok. Does your child ever have outbursts? Do they simmer? hold anger? Or tip it all over everyone? As parents we are well intentioned - always looking for the best way forward for our child. Helping them to see past their difficulties. But sometimes in doing so, we step over a little place of pain, so instead of working through it - they store it. If Pain doesn't find Empathy it goes in search of Anger All pain looks for empathy It starts with acceptance: "I want to understand." "I get you." "You are allowed to feel this way." Followed by empathy: "I'm so sorry that happened." "This must be so hard for you." If a child hears variations of those responses they will feel that their pain, frustration or difficulty is acceptable and that your heart empathises with the impact it's had on them. That can be an easy intuitive response when our child has been hurt, bullied or experienced injustice. However, it's a little harder when the issue seems: Trivial to us our fault (or a decision we've made) Let's make those into some hard examples. How easy is it to say "I'm so sorry, that must be hard for you," to the following... "She got a bigger portion than me." "I left the iPad in the doctor's waiting room." "I can't walk any further, my legs hurt." "I've lost my orange colouring pencil." "I don't want to go to ballet/practise piano/grandpa's party." "I'm so sorry, that must be hard for you," Really? Isn't it easier to say... "You did what?" "Well, you have to." The fact is they may well stop fussing, feel suitably ashamed, man-up (whatever that is), borrow yours and tow the line. But they may also feel ANGRY. Angry at not being heard Angry for being minimised Angry for being made to feel bad Angry for having your solution imposed Angry for not being understood Does that mean they'll scream and shout and bang doors and protest? Certainly some will. Some will just appear to take it on the chin and carry on. Anger isn't always loud It can be quietly stored ...for the teen years Lying, cheating, manipulation, bullying, coercion, dominance, passive aggression, self pity, victim-mindsets, to name a few, will find their roots in childhood - places where their feelings were minimised, solved, shamed, overlooked or undervalued. So many of these experiences aren't down to mean-spirited or cruel parenting. Quite the reverse...they're well intended moments of wanting our child to leap over their problem to a better mindset. But in doing so, we leap over the place where the magic happens; where pain finds empathy. Where a child finds acceptance. Does that mean we don't get to encourage, help them to solve, set appropriate consequences, hold our nerve over decisions we've made or generally grow and develop them? quite the opposite. Our children will be far more ready to solve, resolve, restore, move to a happier mindset and even apologise once they have been heard, understood and accepted. If you accept a child's feelings, you accept them.

Level: Beginner to Intermediate At the heart of the data science process is the analytic model, which provides deep insights that improve decision-making and deliver business value from data. This course provides an overview of the practices that data scientists use to build, validate, and deploy these machine learning and AI models. In the context of data science project stages, students will learn key principles of analytic modeling, with an emphasis on techniques such as classification, regression, and clustering. Students will receive an overview of common statistical techniques and algorithms that are used in analytic models, how they are matched to business objectives and available data, and how the models are tuned and validated. The course will also cover key technologies that enable model development and management, and examples will reinforce key concepts. This is part of an optional Data Science Bootcamp. Learn more about the courses offered, or attend this individual course. You Will Learn - What analytic models are, and how they are developed to support business solutions - The statistical and algorithmic basis of analytic models - The purpose of machine learning, deep learning, and AI - Common analytics techniques such as classification, clustering, association, sequencing, and more - Statistical methods such as linear regression and their role in data science - Common algorithms such as k-means and neural networks, and how they are used in data science - How models are tuned and validated - Key concepts such as sample selection, training, bias, over-fit, and drift This course is geared to technical and non-technical professionals getting started with data science, including: - Business analysts - Business stakeholders - Data scientists - Analytics practitioners - Data engineers - Analytics project leads - BI and data management professionals Experienced data scientists will find this course to be a review, but they will find it valuable if they have not been formally exposed to key principles and practices.

SPAchip® Technology Concept SPAchip® is the perfect tool for cell sensing by dynamic film about cell feeling Welcome to the Future of Live Cell Imaging! One of the main technological challenges we face today is to understand the critical role of cellular metabolism in disease. New tools must be designed to simplify and improve cell studies and to get a better understanding of diseases behavior. Imagine a lab inside a living single cell capable of performing any analysis instantly and over time. SPAchip® technology makes this possible. What is SPAchip® Technology? SPAchip® (Suspended-Planar Array chip) technology arises from the fusion of cellular biology and microelectronics fields to monitor cellular processes in real time and to create a dynamic film about cell sensing. SPAchips are intracellular silicon microchips functionalized with several biomolecules (fluorescence probes, proteins, peptides, and other biomolecules) designed to monitor any cellular pathway in real time without inducing physiological changes or affecting cell viability. Thanks to a cutting-edge miniaturization process, SPAchips can be easily internalized in living cells and printed with multiple fluorescent probes. By simply changing the SPAchip® fluorescence, you can gain valuable insights into cellular activity. The first device of its kind SPAchip® technology stands out as the first intracellular device that can be multiplexed with probes emitting in the same wavelength. Surface functionalization techniques allow SPAchip® to be printed with nucleic acids, proteins, carbohydrates, lipids, or synthetic chemicals, facilitating the tracking of cell metabolism. Using this revolutionary approach, science will be able to conduct unprecedented living single cell analysis to discover new drugs with a perfect ratio of cost-effectiveness and lower risk. Real-time monitoring of cellular processes Try SPAchip® technology today and see the difference it can make for your research. SPAchip® Technology Benefits - Non-toxic for living single cells. - Long-term intracellular measurements by changes in fluorescence intensity. - Composed of fluorescently labeled silicon microparticles that can be internalized in the cytosol of cultured cells. - Provides a more comprehensive study of single-cell physiology and metabolism. More sensitive by locally concentrating the fluorescent probe on the chip surface rather than in solution. - Maximizes the performance of most imaging analyzers. - Cell type flexibility, no lower limits. - An easy to use, robust, and ready-to-use procedure that can be applied immediately. - SPAchip® technology workflow fits easily into common existing lab infrastructure and seamlessly integrates with a range of leading platforms, including High-Content Screening (HCS) platforms, confocal microscopes, cell imaging readers, live cell metabolic assay platforms, flow cytometry systems, and more. SPAchip® as an Early Discovery Tool Your go/no-go decisions can be informed by high content imaging of your compound interactions with targets. Using multiplex SPAchip(R) cell-based assays, you can analyze multiple profiles simultaneously in the same sample well. During the testing of safety and the potential toxic effects of the compounds you can predict translational success in vivo by monitoring compounds in complex cellular systems. The potential uses of SPAchip(R) in drug discovery are at the early stages, in assay development (creating new test systems) and in vitro & in vivo (assessing safety and toxic effects). Early drug discovery phases are facilitated by SPAchip(R) in several ways: |Identification of Rare Responders |Cellular Signaling Pathways |Drug Combination Studies |Allows the observation of living single cell |Identify these rare responders |Study how individual cells from patients with specific diseases respond to drug candidates |Detecting adverse effects before they become apparent in population-level assays |Elucidating complex cellular signaling pathways and their responses to drugs |Collecting a wealth of data on individual cell morphology, protein expression, and subcellular localization, providing a comprehensive view of drug effects |Allowing for the tracking of dynamic cellular responses over time. |Using to assess the effects of drug combinations on individual cells |Provides insights into how drugs affect different cells |Understanding drug resistance or uncovering new therapeutic opportunities |Help to develop personalized medicine and more targeted therapies |Having time and resources in the drug development process |Helping in the design of drugs that target specific components of these pathways |Studying drug kinetics, including drug uptake, metabolism |Identifying synergistic drug combinations and optimizing therapeutic regimens |Better understanding of drug mechanisms |Leading to more effective therapies with fewer side effects |Informing the doses, regimens, and drug delivery strategies Applications and Cell Types Because each cell is a Storyteller…. The SPAchip® abilities to monitor living single cells during drug discovery offers a deeper understanding of drug responses. Leads to the identification of new targets and therapeutic opportunities, and can improve the efficiency and safety of the drug development process. It is a powerful tool that has the potential to accelerate drug discovery and improve patient outcomes. Timelapse of HEK293 cell line (from Human Embryonic Kidney) spheroid formation with internalization of CytoCHECK SPAchip® pH Single-Detection Kit Green. DRAQ5™ in red stained live nuclei. SPAchip® technology allows pH measurement at the different time points of spheroid formation. HEK293 cells were incubated with CytoCHECK SPAchip® pH Single-Detection to allow spheroid formation at 24 A), 28 B), 48 C), and 52 hours D). A4cell is delighted to present you a disruptive technology able to analyze living single cells for extended periods offering innovative assays with huge advantages: VERSATILITY / LACK OF TOXICITY / TRACKING ABILITIES MULTIPLE ANALYSIS POSSIBILITIES ONE WAVELENGHT FITS ALL! Connect us to gain from our SPAchip technology! A Commitment to Advancement As part of our continuous optimization of our SPAchip® technology, we can offer high value to our customers in terms of High Content Analysis (HCA), High Content Screening (HCS), and cell imaging platform analysis. We are committed to providing the researchers community with the latest advancements in the field of cellular analysis, with the aim of encouraging innovation and ensuring progress in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries throughout the world. Join the SPAchip® Revolution Get ready to experience the difference SPAchip® technology can make in your routine lab workflow. A versatile, non-toxic tracking technology with multiple analysis possibilities. One wavelength fits all with SPAchip®! Like an eye in the cell! What would you use SPAchip® technology for? Tell us and help understanding and developing our product

No one can ever fully predict the consequences of their actions. Still, some warning bells should be hard to ignore. Take Alfred Nobel, for instance, the founder of the Nobel Prize. For most of his life, he had a different reputation—as the inventor of dynamite, one of the most destructive technologies of the age. Though he maintained his motives were pure, Nobel had no shortage of signs telling him his creation might do at least as much harm as good. He persevered and lived to regret it, it’s said. Born in Sweden in 1833, Nobel became obsessed with explosives at a young age after meeting the inventor of nitro-glycerin. He spent some formative years trying to harness its power, even after a botched nitro-glycerin experiment at a factory killed his younger brother and five other workers. Nobel patented dynamite in 1867, a “new, transportable explosive,” notes the Sydney Morning Herald video above, that “was an instant hit in the mining and construction industries.” Originally called “Nobel’s Blasting Powder,” the chemist and engineer soon choose a new name, from the ancient Greek work for “power.” It wouldn’t take long before dynamite became a conveniently devastating weapon of war, especially in the Spanish American War, which began two years after Alfred’s death. But ten years earlier, in 1888, when the bottle was already well uncorked, Alfred received a shock when a French newspaper misidentified him for his brother, Ludwig, who had just died. His erroneous pre-mortem obituary appeared with the headline “The Merchant of Death is Dead!” The unsparing bio went on to say that Nobel “became rich by finding ways to kill more people faster than ever before.” This may have not been his intention, so he believed, but when he saw the image reflected back at him, he immediately sought to atone for his wayward invention. “Legend has it, Nobel was mortified… and spent the rest of his life trying to establish a positive legacy.” He sought to connect people around the world, pioneering an early version of Google Earth “with balloons and rockets instead of satellites.” And when he died in 1896, he left half of his wealth, “over half a billion dollars today, to establish the Nobel Prizes.” It is a fascinating case, if we credit the mistaken obituary for turning Nobel’s life around. Adam Grant—whom Preet Bharara introduces on his podcast Stay Tuned as “an organizational psychologist and star professor at the Wharton School”—mentions Nobel as a “pretty radical example of people changing in pretty radical ways.” There are several problems with this interpretation. Nobel may have seen the light, but he did not radically change as a person. He was already an idealistic inventor, as a Vanderbilt University biography has it, a supporter of “the peace movement” and a “truly international figure.” Called by Victor Hugo the “wealthiest vagabond in Europe,” Nobel wrote novels, poetry, drama, and letters in five languages. He had a broad humanist outlook but for some reason could or would not see the worst uses of his product, even as his company sold weapons—to Italy for example, an act for which his adopted nation of France deemed him a traitor in 1891. Nobel’s first Swedish patent was for “ways to prepare gunpowder” and his father, also an inventor, managed the family factory before him and made arms for the Crimean War. Like many a gilded age industrialist, Nobel turned away from the suffering he caused, endowing the arts and sciences after death to ease his conscience in life, many think, but not to truly ameliorate the damage done. Nobel’s companies have survived him, making rocket launchers and the like as well as undeniably useful mining and construction tools. His prizes, whatever his intentions, have also done the world much good, not least in creating a global platform for deserving luminaries. (Those who have rejected Nobels have vigorously argued otherwise.) Nobel was a sensitive and complicated individual whose life was filled with grief and loss and who left a lasting legacy as a patron of intellectual culture. He was also a manufacturer of deadly weapons of mass destruction. Both of these things were true. But even if he did not radically change—either his character or his business model—he did shift his perspective enough to have a tremendous impact on his legacy, which is the lesson Grant draws from his story. “Too often,” he tells Bharara, “we’re looking at our lives through a microscope,” oblivious to the larger scale. “What we actually need is a wide-angle lens where we can zoom out and ask, what is my legacy? What is the impact of this behavior on my reputation?” Sometimes, says Grant, “people do not like the person that’s staring them in the mirror, and they decide they want to change.”

Ranges of some smaller molecules referred to as metabolites in the physique might affect your hazard of stroke, a new examination implies. Metabolites arrive from the foodstuff individuals eat, and they trigger chemical processes within the bodies and microbes. An examination of beforehand posted scientific studies discovered that the stages of 10 of these are connected to the hazard of stroke. These incorporate lipids, fatty acids, amino acids and carbs. Ranges of metabolites can modify in reaction to components this kind of as sickness, genetics or the ecosystem and are indicators of total overall health, the researchers observed. “With stroke being a major trigger of demise and serious extended-phrase incapacity around the globe, researchers are on the lookout for new means to recognize large-hazard people, establish the triggers of stroke and create prevention techniques,” reported researcher Dr. Dina Vojinovic, of Erasmus College Medical Heart in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. “For our examination, we examined a big sequence of metabolites to get new insights into the metabolic alterations that might materialize major up to a stroke.” For the analyze, Vojinovic’s team seemed at seven scientific studies, which incorporated practically 39,000 individuals. In all, practically 1,800 individuals experienced a stroke throughout the two to 10 decades of adhere to-up. In the analyze, posted on the internet Dec. 2 in the journal Neurology, the researchers discovered 10 metabolites have been associated with the hazard of stroke. The amino acid histidine was the a single most tied to reduced stroke hazard. Histidine arrives from meat, eggs, dairy and grains. It is an necessary amino acid that will help manage lifetime and was tied with a reduced hazard of stroke. “Histidine can be converted to histamine, which has been proven to have a powerful outcome on the dilation of the blood vessels,” Vojinovic described in a journal information release. “It also functions as a neurotransmitter in the mind and has been proven in some scientific studies to minimize blood tension and swelling, so this finding is not shocking.” With each and every a single standard deviation raise in stages of histidine, individuals had a 10% reduced hazard of stroke, the researchers discovered. They also discovered the large-density lipoprotein cholesterols, HDL and HDL2 — the “fantastic” cholesterols — have been connected with a reduced hazard of stroke. Reduced-density lipoprotein cholesterol, or “bad” cholesterol, and triglycerides have been tied with a greater hazard of stroke. The metabolite pyruvate, which is made when cells break down sugar, also enhanced the hazard of stroke. With each and every a single standard deviation raise in pyruvate, the hazard for stroke rose 13%, the researchers discovered. “Pyruvate is crucial for providing electrical power to a cell and has been proven in preceding scientific studies to lessen swelling, even though in contrast, to also raise a person’s hazard for cardiovascular sickness, so much more research is needed,” Vojinovic reported. “Our examination gives new insights into how the hazard of stroke might be afflicted on the molecular amount.” A lot more information For much more on stroke, see the American Stroke Affiliation. Supply: Neurology, press release, Dec. 2, 2020 Copyright © 2020 HealthDay. All legal rights reserved.

A national charity is urging parents and guardians to talk with children about the potential dangers of electronic devices amid a concerning rise in harmful sexual behaviours in kids. Child protection organisation Act for Kids is encouraging parents to talk with their children about technology risks before devices are gifted this Christmas. Act for Kids CEO Dr Katrina Lines said the organisation had noticed an increase in technology-assisted harmful sexual behaviours in kids over the past year. “We have seen a variety of examples of how technology has assisted and increased sexualised behaviour in children,” she said. “The most common examples are when children have been able to view pornography on internet accessible devices and then have distributed it to their friends. “The current trajectory of these incidents suggest they will certainly continue to rise in the year ahead.” Dr Lines advised this harmful sexual behaviour was also presenting in both young and older children, with parents and children themselves reporting this to authorities. “Many people assume this is an issue for children who are more technologically-savvy than younger children. This isn’t always true, as younger children are equally inquisitive and curious,” she said. “This curiosity leads to exploration and them wanting to borrow or use somebody else’s device to access the internet.” Dr Lines said parents and guardians should have a frank conversation with their children about the dangers the internet can pose before gifting laptops, iPads, smart phones, gaming consoles and smart TVs. Here are three more simple steps to keep kids safe online: - Secure household devices by setting passwords or child-locks on kids’ devices. This includes smart fridges, gaming consoles and even Google Home. - Supervise children online and monitor the material they are accessing by keeping devices in a shared family area. This will assist to regularly check their privacy settings and internet search limitations as well as yours. - Discuss strategies that can be used to stay safe and keep others safe online. – ENDS – For photo, video and interview opportunities, please contact Harriett Carter on: M: 0427 794 666

Each organ in the body is different. The liver, for example, is the largest internal organ. Some people think of the liver as a complicated chemical factory that is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Your liver is involved in almost every process: everything you eat, everything you drink, even everything you rub on your skin is processed by your liver. And those are just a small part of the liver’s functions. The primary function of your liver, as you may know, is to process toxins and flush them out of your body. But when large parts of the liver become damaged, your liver fails to deliver and cannot function properly. The good news is that there are signs of liver damage that will warn you just in time to do something. But if you fail to recognize these signs, liver failure is actually a life-threatening condition. Before we go to the signs, let’s list what causes liver damage. Causes of liver failure There are few common causes for liver damage. Here are some that cause the liver to fail over months, sometimes even years. It all comes down to prolonged ignorance of the signs of liver damage: Hepatitis B and C Long-term alcohol consumption in large doses Hemochromatosis, a disorder that causes your body to absorb too much iron Cirrhosis, as a result of excessive use of alcohol There are also causes for instant / fairly quick liver failure: Ingestion of poisonous wild mushrooms Reactions to certain prescriptions Viruses like hepatitis A, B, and C in children Now let’s take a look at some of the signs of liver damage that you can recognize, so you can act accordingly. One of the first signs you’ll notice when your liver is failing is abdominal swelling, which points to a condition doctors call “ascites.” Simply put, a liver malfunction causes an imbalance of proteins in your abdomen area. As a result, fluid builds up in the tissue, and your abdominal area swells. To know for sure whether this is a sign of a liver damage or not, you need to look for the exact area. The area in which you’ll notice abdominal swelling is the upper left corner, just behind the rib cage. This area is part of the lymph system. Swelling is just one thing you’ll notice in your abdomen when your liver is malfunctioning. Swelling is usually accompanied by pain, which also comes in the upper abdominal area, just under the lower ribs. The pain feels like stabbing or throbbing, and it comes and goes. However, if the pain is intense and constant, you should instantly check with your doctor. One of the most common and frequent symptoms of liver failure is fatigue. The reason is simple: your liver cannot process toxins, and your body has to work overtime. As a result, you feel tired and exhausted. What is important to note here is that fatigue is more than just a physical symptom. When your liver is failing, you’ll feel mentally fatigued as well. It’s normal to be fatigued from time to time, but if it’s constant, check with your doctor. As mentioned previously, once your liver starts failing, it produces fewer proteins. Most of these proteins are necessary for blood clotting, and as a result, you bruise easily. Bleeding and bruising are among the common visual signs of liver damage. Being prone to bruises is a common blood disorder. And people with liver disease or liver damage are more prone to blood disorders. With your liver not working properly, your blood doesn’t clot properly either. The result is a low platelet count, accompanied by easy bruising and bleeding. If you can’t explain the origin of your bruises, the cause might be a blood disorder linked to liver damage. For people with liver damage, nausea is prolonged. Every one of us can experience a short-lived nausea episode from time to time (the sensation of an urge to vomit). Most people are familiar with the unpleasantness of nausea. However, when it is prolonged, it can be devastating. Both physical and mental factors cause nausea, but in the case of liver failure, the reason is poor liver functionality. After fatigue, nausea is one of the first visible signs of liver damage. When you experience nausea, it’s only logical that you experience vomiting as well. Even though some people don’t vomit when they’re nauseous, nausea and vomiting go hand in hand for people with liver damage. The reason is simple: your liver can’t eliminate toxins, and your digestive distress increases. That being said, if you experience persistent vomiting, it is imperative that you visit your doctor. Spotting the signs of liver damage early is crucial for effective treatment. Another digestive problem that occurs due to liver failure is diarrhea. Similar to vomiting and nausea, diarrhea is among the first visible symptoms. As said previously, the liver is responsible for breaking down and processing what we eat, drink, and even touch. When it isn’t functioning properly, all other systems respond negatively to “unfavorable materials.” In the case of the digestive system, diarrhea is a common response. Loss of appetite Many doctors argue that this is more of a mental condition than a physical one. Patients with liver damage are repulsed by the idea of eating because they know that their digestion system is not working properly. The whole process becomes unpleasant, strained, and, quite frankly, difficult. As a result, the brain sends signals that it is not hungry, just so the patient can save himself from the pain, trouble, and discomfort of eating. Mostly associated with newborns, this medical condition occurs in adults as well. As your liver fails and stops functioning properly, waste and toxins are no longer eliminated from the body. And then bilirubin, a bile pigment, builds up in the bloodstream. As a result, your skin and eyes take on a yellowish color, your urine appears darker, and your stool is lighter. For babies, the condition can be treated by putting them under a special lamp. However, for adults, the condition is a sign and symptom of liver damage, and requires more severe treatment. We mentioned previously that the brain also reacts to your liver functioning improperly. One way that the brain reacts is by sending a signal that you are not hungry. But there are more severe cognitive issues that develop as a result of toxin buildup. Confusion and difficulty concentrating are the first signs of toxin overload in the brain. More severe cognitive issues are changes in sleeping habits and forgetfulness. Treatments for liver failure There are different treatments depending on the severity of the liver damage; it all comes down to your diagnosis. In some cases, liver problems can be treated just with lifestyle modifications. However, that applies only if the signs of liver damage are detected early; in such cases, eliminating alcohol consumption and losing weight are two modifications to your lifestyle that might help. However, if the damage is worse, surgery and liver transplant are required. Prevention of liver damage The best cure for any disease is prevention. In the case of liver failure and liver damage, there are a few things you can do to prevent the situation from escalating. Consume alcohol in moderate doses. For healthy adults, that means one drink for women, and up to two drinks for men. Three drinks per day is defined as heavy drinking. Get vaccinated for hepatitis A, B, and C. Use medications wisely. Do not put stress on your liver by consuming medications unnecessarily. Avoid contact with blood and body fluids from other people, as hepatitis is spread through blood. Protect your skin when using insecticides and toxic chemicals. You might think that they are harmless if not consumed, but as we mentioned, even toxins that touch your skin are processed by the liver. Maintain a healthy weight.

Have Crisis, Feed Kids “Here is public health’s bind,” wrote science journalist Ed Yong recently in The Atlantic: “Though it is so fundamental that it can’t (and arguably shouldn’t) be tied to any one type of emergency, emergencies are the one force that can provide enough urgency to strengthen a system that, under normal circumstances, is allowed to rot.” Building on the work of Elizabeth Fee and Ted Brown, Yong rightly laments that this panic-neglect cycle has resulted in a disastrous response to the COVID-19 pandemic and left US public health infrastructure fragmented and chronically underfunded. But it is also a mistake to equate public health with disease prevention and control. Earlier this year, California and Maine became the first US states to authorize free meals for all public school students since the National School Lunch Program began 75 years ago. Other states are considering similar bills, and national legislation may now be within reach. There are few public health interventions as impactful as providing up to two meals and a snack to every child attending a non-profit educational institution, and research indicates that such interventions reduce food insecurity and improve students’ diets, academic performance, and even their future earnings. Recent success obtaining permanent funding for universal free school meals was due in part to emergency measures taken to address the impact of COVID-19 on communities, which begs the question: Why have public health nutrition programs not suffered from the same “rot” as infectious disease control? Why have emergencies led instead to more robust, sustained program development? There are many factors involved, including the medicalization (and thus individualization) of infectious disease prevention and control, but perhaps the most important is the extent to which emergencies have mobilized powerful reform movements. Major epidemics in recent history (including COVID-19, Ebola, and SARS) have generated significant emergency responses, but those have not typically been translated into sustained activism for broader preparedness. Emergencies have been much more successfully leveraged to mobilize support for public health nutrition programs such as school meals, especially around issues of access and equity. Part of the issue is also that nutrition problems, such as hunger and malnourishment, are generally endemic, and they become more visible (or perhaps less ignorable) during times of crisis. In his work on the history of cholera, Louis Chevalier argued that epidemics do not cause extreme situations so much as they reveal existing imbalances in health and welfare. Those imbalances amplify vulnerability and thus the asymmetric effects of crises on different groups, what Paul Farmer termed the “biological reflections of social fault lines.” Sometimes the crises arrive suddenly, in the form of an epidemic or natural disaster, but the same applies to what is often termed slow crises, which may become suddenly visible but reflect long-term underlying processes. It was a slow crisis that spurred the first sustained development of school meal programs in the United States beginning at the turn of the twentieth century. The emergence and rapid expansion of school medical inspection in the 1890s, and medical inspection of men enlisting for service during World War I, revealed shockingly high levels of ill health among young people. Much of the ill health documented by medical inspectors was preventable, and a significant portion was attributed to chronic undernourishment and lack of basic medical care. In addition to making visible a crisis of child health, the findings of medical inspectors mobilized a broad coalition of reformers—home economists, club women, physicians, nurses, and philanthropists—to organize meal services and establish public-private partnerships with schools to feed children, and especially poor children. This required private, charitable financing, as schools were not typically authorized to provide food for students. As late as the 1920s, only Wisconsin and Vermont explicitly authorized public schools to provide meals to poor students at less than cost—that is, to subsidize those meals using public funds. In Wisconsin, the means testing was left to boards of education, so long as “the conditions under which, and the pupils to whom, such food is furnished at less than cost, shall not be disclosed to any other pupils.” This was a common refrain in programs across the country, which sought to provide nutritional support for poor children without calling attention to their poverty. Without federal legislation, school meal programs were subject to state law. Although the federal government traditionally had no role in education and little involvement in public health, the economic crisis of the Great Depression enabled reformers to obtain emergency federal support for school meals. Beginning in 1933, the federal government provided food to schools, first by distributing surplus agricultural commodities and then by providing cash reimbursements for local food purchases. After 1935, the federal government also provided labor through the Works Progress Administration; nearly 20% of the agency’s labor force worked in school meal programs. Reformers were able to leverage the tremendous popularity of the emergency federal meal programs, which continued during the war, to obtain permanent legislation. The passage of the National School Lunch Act in 1946 entitled states to matching federal funds for school meals, making it possible for schools in any state to offer free or reduced-cost meals to children “determined by local school authorities to be unable to pay the full cost of the lunch,” with a proscription against stigmatization. But the legislation represented a significantly watered down version of the school meal program that reformers wanted, prioritizing agricultural surplus disposal over children’s health (to appease the farm bloc) and ceding considerable operational power to state and local authorities (to appease Southern Democrats). The National School Lunch Act’s empowerment of local authorities to set eligibility criteria and lack of significant federal oversight left minoritized and structurally marginalized students at the mercy of bureaucratic machines designed to exclude them. In 1968, two decades after the National School Lunch Program began, two-thirds of schools were participating but fewer than 10% of children living in the impoverished urban neighborhoods had access to lunches, and schools in remote rural areas had very low rates of participation. Racial discrimination was even worse than economic discrimination, with Black, Native American, and Latine students almost completely excluded, and humiliation was rampant—recipients of free meals often stood in separate lines, ate separate meals, and at times even worked for their food. Against the backdrop of the civil rights movement and President Johnson’s War on Poverty—and specifically, the (re)discovery of hunger and poverty in the land of plenty, a perennial but cyclical crisis—the Right to Lunch movement emerged in the late 1960s, driven by a coalition of organizations as disparate as the Catholic Church, national women’s councils, and the Black Panther Party. Grassroots groups mobilized nationwide under the idea that nourishing meals at school were a basic human right, and they successfully lobbied to increase funding for free and reduced price meals and to establish federal eligibility standards and uniform reimbursement rates. Despite increasing participation rates, driven largely by increased provision of free and reduced-price meals, widespread economic and racial discrimination persisted for decades, abetted by federal apathy to enforcement of program requirements and chronic underfunding. Even decades later, numerous cities that received federal money to provide free and reduced-price meals were providing inexpensive cold lunches to poor students while providing warm meals in more affluent districts. And poor and minoritized students were much more likely to have unhygienic lunchrooms and kitchen facilities. Parents in the Bronx, for example, advocated for plastic utensils and disposable plates because schools lacked dishwashers, and staff often had to buy soap themselves. It took another crisis, this time the Great Recession of 2008, to provide the activation energy needed to address continued inequities. When President Obama signed the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act into law in 2010, its signature feature was the Community Eligibility Program: the act authorizes schools to provide free meals to all students in a school if at least 40 percent of attending students would qualify for free meals individually. This was a major advance in the struggle for access and equity, but it was also a bureaucratic compromise: more children would receive free meals, and the costs would be offset in part by the significant reduction in effort required to means test individuals and certify eligibility, not to mention the elimination of debt collection and lunch shaming. Perhaps even more importantly, the Community Eligibility Program empowered many cities to enact universal free meals for all schools, even those that may not qualify under the federal criterion. That is, the program made universal meals permissible in a way that they hadn’t been previously. When the COVID-19 pandemic caused the number of food insecure children to more than double—from 5 million to 12 million—the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which administers school meal programs, authorized every school to provide free meals to all children through a series of waivers on program requirements and increased reimbursement rates, which were recently extended through June of 2022. The popularity of these measures has led to legislation making them permanent in two states. Despite the panic-neglect cycle that has characterized the United States’ response to epidemics and subsequent infectious disease preparedness, other elements of the country’s public health infrastructure have been less prone to “rot.” In the case of school meals, reformers and activists have used emergencies, including epidemics, to mobilize the support needed for incremental but critical progress, often by pursuing incremental if suboptimal gains. But this has been possible due to persistent and sustained mobilization of both national leaders and local communities around a clear and compelling issue: that all children have the right to be fed. - Elizabeth Fee and Theodore M. Brown, “The Unfulfilled Promise of Public Health: Déjà Vu All over Again,” Health Affairs 21, no. 6 (2002): 31–43. ↑ - HIV-AIDS is perhaps an exception to this pattern in that it did generate significant mobilization and activism, but as Fee and Brown suggest, that had limited impact on infectious disease prevention and control more broadly. ↑ - Louis Chevalier, Le Choléra: La Première Epidémie du XIXe Siècle (Impr. Centrale de l’Ouest, 1958). ↑ - Paul Farmer, Infections and Inequalities: The Modern Plagues (University of California Press, 1999), 5. ↑ - This is, essentially, what my book on the origin of school meals explores: A. R. Ruis, Eating to Learn, Learning to Eat: The Origins of School Lunch in the United States (Rutgers University Press, 2017). ↑ - A third state, Massachusetts, assigned this power to local governments beginning in 1915: William R. Hood, Stephen B. Weeks, and A. Sidney Ford, Digest of Laws Relating to Public Education in Force January 1, 1915 (US Department of the Interior, Bureau of Education, 1916), 594. ↑ - C. P. Cary, School Law Supplement Giving the Amendments and New School Laws as Enacted by the Legislature of 1917 (Democrat Printing, 1917), ch. 427 § 486t. ↑ - Final Report on the WPA Program, 1935–43 (US Government Printing Office, 1946), 36. ↑ - National School Lunch Act, Pub. L. 396 (4 June 1946), § 9. ↑ - Susan Levine, School Lunch Politics: The Surprising History of America’s Favorite Welfare Program (Princeton University Press, 2008), 128, 136 ff. ↑ - Annelise Orleck, Storming Caesars Palace: How Black Mothers Fought Their Own War on Poverty (Beacon Press, 2005). ↑ - Lana Dee Povitz, Stirrings: How Activist New Yorkers Ignited a Movement for Food Justice (UNC Press, 2019). ↑ - Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act, Pub. L. 111–296, (13 December 2010), §§ 204, 208. ↑

Alternative energy is electricity which can be restored effortlessly from renewable methods, which might be by natural means reconditioned on a long lasting, for example gusts of wind, wind, waters, tides and sunlight and geothermal high temperature, among many more. Some examples of electricity means range from the tides, sun’s rays and wind flow and dunes. These resources can’t be lowered, compared with fossil fuels running out and so are subsequently burned up. They all are close to us, at the least in some type. In this article, we’ll take a look at electricity, itsdisadvantages and advantages, and attainable employs in this each day existence. First, let’s determine renewable power, as this is what we are speaking about all through this short article. It can be explained as any specific strength constructed from all-natural means that can not be decreased. Examples of these assets are power from the sun, wind vitality, and hydroelectricity. All of these are forms of renewable power that have become more popular then ever over the past decade, greatly assist ecological advantages and price performance at the same time. Most people ask the question, “What exactly is renewable energy? ” Madness is very basic: something that could be refurbished is renewable power. By way of example, if somebody will take wind turbines to generate energy, that is important being an “easy” renewable power practice. When solar power systems are employed deliver power, that is important as an “straightforward” sustainable energy method as well. So when you have wave power power away from the picture, that numbers as being an “easy” electrical power procedure as well. Even as we looked at alternative energy previous, additionally it is sorted as “non-renewable energy resource energy”, because it is souped up that can come completely from the global region and purchased through using up. It can also originate from natural and organic components which include plants and animals. Concerning biodegradable substances, bio-mass is easily the most well-liked form of it, as it’s made the natural way. The two major solutions for biomass – woody seed materials (for instance, do) and coal. Coal can additionally be created utilizing nuclear power, on the other hand such type of biomass is a bit more scarce and therefore, particularly beneficial – defining it as an incredibly valuable learning resource. Renewable types of energy have a lot of unique pros about conventional standard fuels, and they advantages are in particular easy for those who find themselves concerned about our surroundings. The primary reason is common non-renewable fuels leave filth for the environment with noxious gas, when sustainable energy generates no these kinds of by-products. Most of the essential if you think that we’re at the moment burning way too much of the Earth’s fresh air in the url of strength, and then for some other reasons. Also, the majority of the planet’s fresh water is eaten by our by using standard fuels, even though with renewable places, you can simply beverage bad weather waters while not having to be worried about contamination in any respect. Aside coming from all that, on the other hand, there are some important limitations to electrical power. It wouldn’t make energy at the consistent ample degree to totally come in handy. That is maybe an important constraint. This is especially valid behind closed doors, when the majority of the massive conventional electrical power plants and flowers need backup capacity to complete the waiting that could be a consequence of significant hard storms or earthquakes. Also, geothermal crops are not able to bring in energy in the evening or underneath serious cold conditions, so most of these resources tend not to enjoy effectively while using reliability the energy power grip that exists in the country. Geothermal plants are not able to, hence, source power throughout power blackouts, and they do not normally perform at the best possible total capacity. One of the largest restrictions of replenishable reasons for energy, on the other hand, is because they cannot exchange non-renewable fuels, that are the anchor of recent living we all know it. At the world wide level, losing non-renewable fuels has resulted in the devastation on the world’s weather conditions solutions, a good deal earth’s weather conditions are rapidly changing suggests that human being routines will continuously produce terrible coffee. Fossil gas burning, even just in its cleanest sorts, causes the making of and also carbonmethane and dioxide, and also other greenhouse un wanted gas that further aggravate the condition. Human hobby is constantly slowly surge in the environment, and also this approach will probably hasten unless considerable work is carried out to scale back garden greenhouse gas polutants, for that reason. Once we keep using classic fuels since the source of energy. Hydro electricity, alternatively, can often substitute standard fuels for the electrical energy age group and since a source of water for many different applications which includecleansing and consuming, along with residential utilizes, some gurus think it may be impossible to avoid the augmenting surge in Planet’s carbon content. Hydro wind turbines may be placed on the top of business buildings or even in our bodies of water, and in addition they can also be used to build power for remote communities. 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An international study led by University of Queensland (UQ) researchers has tracked the re-emergence of a childhood disease which had largely disappeared over the past 100 years. Researchers at UQ’s Australian Infectious Diseases Centre have used genome sequencing techniques to investigate a rise in the incidence of scarlet fever-causing bacteria and an increasing resistance to antibiotics. UQ School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences researcher Professor Mark Walker said the disease had re-emerged in parts of Asia and the United Kingdom. “We have not yet had an outbreak in Australia, but over the past five years there have been more than 5000 cases in Hong Kong (a 10-fold increase) and more than 100,000 cases in China. “And an outbreak in the UK has resulted in 12,000 cases since last year,” he said. Scarlet fever, which mainly affects children under 10, is spread by Group A Streptococcus(strep throat bacteria) known as GAS. Symptoms include a red rash on the skin, sore throat, fever, headache and nausea. Serious illness can be treated with antibiotics. UQ School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences researcher Dr Nouri Ben Zakour said the research results were “deeply concerning”. “We now have a situation which may change the nature of the disease and make it resistant to broad-spectrum treatments normally prescribed for respiratory tract infections, such as in scarlet fever. She said penicillin continued to provide an excellent treatment for patients who were not allergic to it. Dr Ben Zakour said the rise in scarlet fever could pre-empt a future rise in rheumatic heart disease, which causes permanent heart damage. “With this heightened awareness, we can now swiftly identify scarlet fever-associated bacteria and antibiotic resistance elements, and track the spread of scarlet fever-causing GAS strains,” she said. Dr Ben Zakour said the evolutionary forces driving the outbreaks were unknown, but bacterial causes, the immune status of people contracting scarlet fever, and environmental factors such as temperature and rainfall could all play a significant role. “Only a continued study of the patterns, causes and effects of health and diseases will determine the full impact these recent gene changes will have on the global GAS disease burden,” she said. The research, published in Scientific Reports, was conducted by Associate Professor Scott Beatson’s microbial genomics group at UQ, with collaborators at the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, UK, and in China at the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, the Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, The University of Hong Kong, and the Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology.