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Ed-Tech, or educational technology, is on the rise. It refers to the technology used mainly for education. There are two main functions of Ed-Tech: as an academic discipline and as a practice. Ed-Tech as an academic discipline is the use of technology to analyze and solve problems related to teaching and learning. Ed-Tech as a practice is using modern technology, such as programs, apps, machines, and tools, in learning and/or teaching. Why is Ed-Tech important to us? 1. To improve the educational system The goal of Ed-Tech is to help and improve education. It’s a way for teachers to properly deliver their concepts with the help of tools, machines. Handing out piles and piles of books or manuals for students to read and taping different pictures on the board whenever a discussion needs an illustrated material should be a thing of the past! Instead, utilize Microsoft Office to help you with illustrated learning materials. The modern society is in a time where apps and programs are becoming basic needs. It’s high time for our schools to keep up with today’s technology. The students will benefit a great deal with Ed-Tech for a number of reasons. They don’t need to carry a lot of materials in their bags because all their textbooks will be in one app or device. No need to scour the library for books for their research work because there are websites that are readily available to provide any information that a hundred libraries can give. These are just the basic examples of how technology can help them. 2. To make learning easy and fun Teachers shouldn’t be limited to using books and the blackboard for teaching. Surprise, surprise. The young ones aren’t a fan of boring lectures. They’re more engaged when they see what’s being discussed in action. Teachers can be very creative with their lessons by using audio and video materials. Students will find it easier to remember information through moving images and captivating sounds. Have you tried creating a song out of your lesson just so you can remember it during an exam? Watching educational videos, such as those in clutchprep.com, works the same way. With Ed-Tech, the students’ learning abilities and memory retention will be greatly improved. Imagine how excited students will be in going to class every day when they know that their teacher will use a cool app to teach lessons! 3. To give students a better chance of landing great jobs Most companies today use modern technology in every aspect of their business like coding to create business website. It’s essential that fresh graduates have a good grasp of how basic technologies work when they encounter them in the workplace. Where will the students learn modern technology? In school. It’d be a shame if the real world is already advancing to the future but the education system isn’t. The young generation is filled with so much life and enthusiasm that they want to do so much more than sitting around and listening to the teacher all day. They want to be involved. They want to work on things with their hands. That’s how they learn, through hands-on experience. That’s also how they’ll be in the future with their chosen career. Nobody would want to be sitting in the office from 9 to 5. Give them machines and tools to work with to be efficient and productive. Ed-Tech ensures that the students are prepared for a fulfilling career. A better career means a better life. With the advancement of technology, we wouldn’t want our teachers and students to be left behind. It’s now time to step up the game one notch higher. Teaching will still be done by teachers. Ed-Tech is just an educational resource that’ll help in preparing our youth for tomorrow.

Mass extinctions & paleoenvironments Paleoclimates, including those related to mass extinctions, are being investigated over short and long timescales using differences in the abundances and stable isotope ratios of biomarkers preserved the rock record. Some of the most significant pulses of evolution throughout Earth’s history have coincided with extinction boundary events. The largest five extinction events [end-Ordovician, Frasnian-Famennian (F/F), Permian-Triassic (P/Tr), Triassic/Jurassic (Tr/J) and Cretaceous-Tertiary (K/T)] are usually referred to as “mass extinctions”. No common root or single cause has been identified for these five events, and several aspects remain contentious. There is however a consistent association of large magmatic provinces with all five events, suggesting that volcanism could be a major contributor, but not necessarily the sole cause (for example, the K/T extinction was triggered by major volcanism coinciding with a bolide impact). Fossil and geochemical evidence tends to suggest that the P/Tr, F/F, K/T and Tr/J transitions were prolonged periods of biotic stress triggered by a combination of tectonically induced hydrothermal and volcanic processes, leading to eutrophic oceans, global warming, sea-level rise and global anoxia. The consequences of abrupt global warming, generally associated with most extinction events, are considered to have been mainly harmful to the biosphere (especially the marine ecosystem) in the geological past. Restoration of the marine ecosystem is a vital process, and several models have been produced that can be used for comparative purposes on a global scale. Significance of Biomarkers in the Study of Extinction Events Traces of past life are recorded in the rock record as morphological fossils and/or molecular fossils (biomarkers). Biomarkers carry a wealth of information concerning the composition, ecology and diversity of ancient communities. Many biomarkers encountered in sediments and oils have also been discovered in living organisms (land plants, algae, bacteria and heterotrophs), allowing recognition of their precursor lipids and the establishment of a biomarker connection. Lipids are the molecular components of cell membranes with examples including sterols, hopanols, alcohols, phospho-lipids, ether-lipids & intact lipids. Some of the most valuable biomarkers discovered are 2-methylhopanes, derived from 2-methylbacteriohopanols synthesised by certain cyanobacteria. These diagnostic biomarkers are especially abundant in black shales and other sediments associated with oceanic anoxic events. Another significant set of biomarkers are those originating from the photosynthetic pigments of green/ brown photosynthetic sulfur bacteria. These organisms are strict anaerobes that utilise H2S during photosynthesis to fix CO2 and play a significant role in the sulfur cycle at the chemocline in stratified water columns. The Permian-Triassic extinction, which occurred 252 million years ago, was the largest extinction event in Earth’s history. 96% of marine and 70% of terrestrial species were wiped out. Research by Prof. Grice and colleagues at WA-OIGC has shown that this extinction event was the result of a number of combined causes, including global warming, the release of large amounts of carbon from methane hydrates, ocean stagnation & marine anoxia, and massive volcanic activity during the formation of the supercontinent Pangaea. End-Cretaceous event – the Chicxulub impact crater The end-Cretaceous mass extinction event and its recovery in the actual Chicxulub impact crater has recently been investigated using an organic geochemical and molecular microbial ecological approach. We revealed that within hours after the impact, ocean resurge flooded the crater followed by tsunami bringing terrestrial debris from the surrounding shorelines into the crater. The material contained diagnostic biomarkers of land plants, nitrogen-fixing cyanobacteria and photosynthetic sulfur bacteria from coastal microbial mats. Although the loss of sunlight following the impact led to a massive decline in ocean productivity in the crater waters, land derived biomass and nutrients helped to fuel blooms of unicellular cyanobacteria days to years later. When this nutrient supply decreased, the basin returned to oligotrophic conditions dominated by the abundance of nitrogen-fixing heterocystous cyanobacteria. From biomarkers and stable isotopes in UK sections we have recently shown that the main extinction phase occurs slightly later in marine strata, where it is coeval with terrestrial extinctions and ocean acidification driven by Central Atlantic Magmatic Province (CAMP)-induced increases in pCO2; these effects should not be conflated with the carbon isotopic excursion. The mass extinction event at the end-Devonian period (359 Ma) strongly affected reef-building communities and associated fauna in tropical, marine settings. Work at WA-OIGC has shown that marine settings during the end-Devonian developed anoxic and euxinic bottom waters. The rise of land plants during the Devonian period resulted in an increased input of terrigenous organic matter to the oceans, which sank to the sea floor and was metabolised by bacteria. This consumed the oxygen in the bottom waters, leading to oxygen depletion and the build-up of toxic hydrogen sulfide in the water column. Cockell, C.S., Schaefer, B., Wuchter, C., Coolen, M.J.L., Grice, K., Schnieders, L., Morgan, J.V., Gulick, S.P.S., Wittmann, A., Lofi, J., Christeson, G.L., Kring, D.A., Whalen, M.T., Bralower, T.J., Osinski, G.R., Claeys, P., Kaskes, P., de Graaff, S.J., Déhais, T., Goderis, S., Hernandez Becerra, N., Nixon, S., IODP-ICDP Expedition 364 Scientists, 2021. Shaping of the Present-Day Deep Biosphere at Chicxulub by the Impact Catastrophe That Ended the Cretaceous. Frontiers in Microbiology 12, 668240. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2021.668240 Lounejeva, E., Steadman, J.A., Rodemann, T., Large, R.R., Danyushevsky, L., Mantle, D., Grice, K., Algeo, T.J. 2021. Marcasite at the Permian‐Triassic Transition: A Potential Indicator of Hydrosphere Acidification. In Large Igneous Provinces: A Driver of Global Environmental and Biotic Changes (eds. Ernst, R.E., Dickson, A.J., Bekker, A.). American Geophysical Union, Geophysical Monograph 255. Washington, D.C. p.p. 377-399. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781119507444.ch16 Fox, C.P., Cui, X., Whiteside, J.H., Olsen, P.E., Summons, R.E., Grice, K. 2020. Molecular and isotopic evidence reveals the end-Triassic carbon isotope excursion is not from massive exogenous light carbon. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 117, 30171-30178. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1917661117 Whalen, M.T., Gulick, S.P.S., Lowery, C.M., Bralower, T.J., Morgan, J.V., Grice, K., Schaefer, B., Smit, J., Ormö, J., Wittmann, A., Kring, D.A., Lyons, S., Goderis, S., IODP-ICDP Expedition 364 Scientists. 2020. Winding down the Chicxulub impact: The transition between impact and normal marine sedimentation near ground zero. Marine Geology 430, 106368. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.margeo.2020.106368 Georgiev, S.V., Stein, H.J., Yang, G., Hannah, J.L., Böttcher, M.E., Grice, K., Holman, A.I., Turgeon, S., Simonsen, S., Cloquet, C. 2020. Late Permian–Early Triassic environmental changes recorded by multi-isotope (Re-Os-N-Hg) data and trace metal distribution from the Hovea-3 section, Western Australia. Gondwana Research 88, 353-372. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gr.2020.07.007 Bralower, T.J., Cosmidis, J., Fantle, M.S., Lowery, C.M., Passey, B.H., Gulick, S.P.S., Morgan, J.V., Vajda, V., Whalen, M.T., Wittmann, A., Artemieva, N., Farley, K., Goderis, S., Hajek, E., Heaney, P.J., Kring, D.A., Lyons, S.L., Rasmussen, C., Sibert, E., Rodríguez Tovar, F.J., Turner-Walker, G., Zachos, J.C., Carte, J., Chen, S.A., Cockell, C., Coolen, M., Freeman, K.H., Garber, J., Gonzalez, M., Gray, J.L., Grice, K., Jones, H.L., Schaefer, B., Smit, J., Tikoo, S.M. 2020. The habitat of the nascent Chicxulub crater. AGU Advances 1, e2020AV000208. https://doi.org/10.1029/2020AV000208 Smith, V., Warny, S., Grice, K., Schaefer, B., Whalen, M.T., Vellekoop, J., Chenot, E., Gulick, S.P.S., Arenillas, I., Arz, J.A., Bauersachs, T., Bralower, T., Demory, F., Gattacceca, J., Jones, H., Lofi, J., Lowery, C.M., Morgan, J., Nuñez Otaño, N.B., O’Keefe, J.M.K., O’Malley, K., Rodríguez-Tovar, F.J., Schwark, L., the IODP–ICDP Expedition 364 Scientists. 2020. Life and death in the Chicxulub impact crater: a record of the Paleocene–Eocene Thermal Maximum. Climate of the Past 16, 1889-1899. https://doi.org/10.5194/cp-16-1889-2020 Bralower, T.J., Cosmidis, J., Heaney, P.J., Kump, L.R., Morgan, J.V., Harper, D.T., Lyons, S.L., Freeman, K.H., Grice, K., Wendler, J.E., Zachos, J.C., Artemieva, N., Chen, S.A., Gulick, S.P.S., House, C.H., Jones, H.L., Lowery, C.M., Nims, C., Schaefer, B., Thomas, E., Vajda, V. 2020. Origin of a global carbonate layer deposited in the aftermath of the Cretaceous-Paleogene boundary impact. Earth and Planetary Science Letters 548, 116476. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.epsl.2020.116476 Lyons, S.L., Karp, A.T., Bralower, T.J., Grice, K., Schaefer, B., Gulick, S.P.S., Morgan, J.V., Freeman, K.H. 2020. Organic matter from the Chicxulub crater exacerbated the K–Pg impact winter. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 117, 25327-2533. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2004596117 Rigo, M., Onoue, T., Tanner, L.H., Lucas, S.G., Godfrey, L., Katz, M.E., Zaffani, M., Grice, K., Cesar, J., Yamashita, D., Maron, M., Tackett, L.S., Campbell, H., Tateo, F., Concheri, G., Agnini, C., Chiari, M., Bertinelli, A. 2020. The Late Triassic Extinction at the Norian/Rhaetian boundary: Biotic evidence and geochemical analysis. Earth-Science Reviews 204, 103180. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.earscirev.2020.103180 Schaefer, B., Grice, K., Coolen, M.J.L., Summons, R.E., Cui, X., Bauersachs, T., Schwark, L., Böttcher, M.E., Bralower, T.J., Lyons, S.L., Freeman, K.H., Cockell, C.S., Gulick, S.P.S., Morgan, J.V., Whalen, M.T., Lowery, C.M., Vajda, V. 2020. Microbial life in the nascent Chicxulub crater. Geology 48, 328-332. https://doi.org/10.1130/G46799.1 Cesar, J., Grice, K. 2019. Molecular fingerprint from plant biomarkers in Triassic-Jurassic petroleum source rocks from the Dampier sub-Basin, Northwest Shelf of Australia. Marine and Petroleum Geology 110, 189-197. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpetgeo.2019.07.024 Gulick, S.P.S., Bralower, T.J., Ormö, J., Hall, B., Grice, K., Schaefer, B., Lyons, S., Freeman, K.H., Morgan, J.V., Artemieva, N., Kaskes, P., de Graaff, S.J., Whalen, M.T., Collins, G.S., Tikoo, S.M., Verhagen, C., Christeson, G.L., Claeys, P., Coolen, M.J.L., Goderis, S., Goto, K., Grieve, R.A.F., McCall, N., Osinski, G.R., Rae, A.S.P., Riller, U., Smit, J., Vajda, V., Wittmann, A., the Expedition 364 Scientists. 2019. The first day of the Cenozoic. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 116, 19342-19351. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1909479116 Holman, A.I., Grice, K. 2018. δ13C of aromatic compounds in sediments, oils and atmospheric emissions: A review. Organic Geochemistry 123, 27-37. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.orggeochem.2018.06.004 Spaak, G., Edwards, D.S., Allen, H.J., Grotheer, H., Summons, R.E., Coolen, M.J.L., Grice, K. 2018. Extent and persistence of photic zone euxinia in Middle–Late Devonian seas–Insights from the Canning Basin and implications for petroleum source rock formation. Marine and Petroleum Geology 93, 33-56. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpetgeo.2018.02.033 Pagès, A., Barnes, S., Schmid, S., Coveney Jr, R.M., Schwark, L., Liu, W., Grice, K., Fan, H., Wen, H. 2018. Geochemical investigation of the lower Cambrian mineralised black shales of South China and the late Devonian Nick deposit, Canada. Ore Geology Reviews 94, 396-413. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.oregeorev.2018.02.004 Spaak, G., Edwards, D.S., Foster, C.B., Pagès, A., Summons, R.E., Sherwood, N., Grice, K. 2017. Environmental conditions and microbial community structure during the Great Ordovician Biodiversification Event; a multi-disciplinary study from the Canning Basin, Western Australia. Global and Planetary Change 159, 93-112. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gloplacha.2017.10.010 Cesar, J., Grice, K. 2017. δ13C of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons to establish the facies variations in a fluvial deltaic Triassic record (Dampier sub-Basin, Western Australia). Organic Geochemistry 107, 59-68. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.orggeochem.2017.03.001 Grotheer, H., Le Métayer, P., Piggott, M.J., Lindeboom, E.J., Holman, A.I., Twitchett, R.J., Grice, K. 2017. Occurrence and significance of phytanyl arenes across the Permian-Triassic boundary interval. Organic Geochemistry 104, 42-52. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.orggeochem.2016.12.002 Pagès, A., Schmid, S., Edwards, D., Barnes, S., He, N., Grice, K. 2016. A molecular and isotopic study of palaeoenvironmental conditions through the middle Cambrian in the Georgina Basin, central Australia. Earth and Planetary Science Letters 447, 21-32. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.epsl.2016.04.032 Whiteside, J.H., Grice, K. 2016. Biomarker records associated with mass extinction events. Annual Review of Earth and Planetary Sciences 44, 581-612. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-earth-060115-012501 Naeher, S., Grice, K. 2015. Novel 1H-Pyrrole-2,5-dione (maleimide) proxies for the assessment of persistent photic zone euxinia. Chemical Geology 404, 100-109. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemgeo.2015.03.020 Tulipani, S., Grice, K., Greenwood, P.F., Schwark, L., Summons, R.E., Böttcher, M.E., Foster, C.B. 2015. Molecular proxies as indicators of freshwater incursion-driven salinity stratification. Chemical Geology 409, 61-68. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemgeo.2015.05.009 Tulipani, S., Grice, K., Greenwood, P.F, Haines, P., Sauer, P., Schimmelmann, A., Summons, R.E., Foster, C.B. Böttcher, M.E., Playton, T., Schwark, L. 2015. Changes in palaeoenvironmental conditions in Late Devonian Reef systems from the Canning Basin, WA: A biomarker and stable isotope approach. Gondwana Research 28, 1500-1515. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gr.2014.10.003 Williford, K.H., Grice, K., Holman, A., McElwain, J.C., 2014. An organic record of terrestrial ecosystem collapse and recovery at the Triassic-Jurassic boundary in East Greenland. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta 127, 251-263. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gca.2013.11.033 Jaraula, C.M.B, Grice, K., Twitchett, R.,J., Böttcher, M.E., Le Metayer, P., Dastidar, A.G., Opazo, L.F. 2013. Elevated pCO2 leading to Late Triassic extinction, persistent photic zone euxinia, and rising sea levels. Geology 41, 955-958. https://doi.org/10.1130/G34183.1 Luo, G., Wang, Y., Grice, K., Jia, C., Xie, S. 2013. Microbial-algal community changes during the latest Permian ecological crisis: Evidence from lipid biomarkers at Cili, South China. Global and Planetary Change 105, 36-51. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gloplacha.2012.11.015 Melendez, I., Grice, K., Schwark, L. 2013. Exceptional preservation of palaeozoic steroids in a diagenetic continuum. Nature Scientific Reports 3, 2768. https://doi.org/10.1038/srep02768 Melendez, I., Grice, K., Trinajstic, K., Ladjavardi, M., Thompson, K., Greenwood, P.F. 2013. Biomarkers reveal the role of photic zone euxinia in exceptional fossil preservation: An organic geochemical perspective. Geology 41, 123-126. https://doi.org/10.1130/G33492.1 Metcalfe, I., Nicholl, R.S., Willink, R., Ladjavardi, M., Grice, K. 2013. Early Triassic (Induan-Olenekian) conodont biostratigraphy, global anoxia, carbon isotope excursions and environmental perturbations: New data from Western Australian Gondwana. Gondwana Research 23, 1136-1150. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gr.2012.07.002 Hays, L., Grice, K., Foster, C.B., Summons, R.E. 2012. Biomarker and isotopic trends from a Permian-Triassic sedimentary section at Kap-Stosch, Greenland. Organic Geochemistry 43, 67-82. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.orggeochem.2011.10.010 Nabbefeld, B., Grice, K., Schimmelmann, A., Summons, R.E., Troitzsch, A., Twitchett, R.J. 2010. A comparison of thermal maturity parameters between freely extracted hydrocarbons (Bitumen I) and a second extract (Bitumen II) from within the kerogen matrix of Permian and Triassic sedimentary rocks. Organic Geochemistry 41, 78-87. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.orggeochem.2009.08.004 Nabbefeld, B., Grice, K., Schimmelmann, A., Sauer, P.E., Böttcher, M.E., Twitchett, R.J. 2010. Significance of δDkerogen, δ13Ckerogen and δ34Spyrite from several Permian/Triassic (P/Tr) sections. Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 295, 21-29. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.epsl.2010.03.015 Nabbefeld, B., Grice, K., Twitchett, R.J., Summons, R.E., Hays, L., Böttcher, M.E., Muhammad, A. 2010. An integrated biomarker, isotopic and palaeoenvironmental study through the Late Permian event at Lusitaniadalen, Spitsbergen. Earth and Planetary Science Letters 291, 84-96. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.epsl.2009.12.053 Nabbefeld, B., Grice, K., Summons, R.E., Hays, L., 2010. Significance of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in Permian/Triassic boundary sections. Applied Geochemistry 25, 1374-1382. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apgeochem.2010.06.008 Grice, K., Lu, H., Atahan, P., Hallmann, C., Asif, M., Greenwood, P.F., Tulipani, S., Maslen, E., Williford, K.H., and Dodson, J. 2009. New insights into the origin of perlyene in geological samples. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta 73, 6531-6543. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gca.2009.07.029 Fenton, S., Grice, K., Twitchett, R., Bottcher, M., Looy, C.V., Nabbefeld, B. 2007. Changes in Biomarker Abundances and Sulfur Isotopes of Pyrite across the Permian-Triassic (P/Tr) Schuchert Dal Section (East Greenland). Earth and Planetary Science Letters 262 230-23. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.epsl.2007.07.033 Grice, K., Nabbefeld, B., Maslen, E. 2007. Source and Significance of Selected Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Sediments (Hovea-3 well, Perth Basin, Western Australia) Spanning the Permian-Triassic Boundary. Organic Geochemistry 38, 1795-1803. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.orggeochem.2007.07.001 Grice, K., Cao, C., Love, G.D., Bottcher, M.E., Twitchett, R.J., Grosjean, E., Summons, R.E., Turgeon, S., Dunning, W.J., Yin, Y. 2005. Photic zone euxinia during the Permian-Triassic Superanoxic event. Science 307, 706-709. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1104323 Grice, K., Twitchett, R.J., Alexander, R., Foster, C.B., Looy, C. 2005. A potential biomarker for the Permian-Triassic ecological crisis. Earth and Planetary Science Letters 236, 315-321. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.epsl.2005.05.008 Grice, K., Backhouse, J., Alexander R., Marshall, N., Logan, G.A. 2005 Correlating terrestrial signatures from biomarker distributions, δ13C , and palynology in fluvio-deltaic deposits from NW Australia (Triassic-Jurassic). Organic Geochemistry 36, 1347-1358. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.orggeochem.2005.06.003 Grice, K., Summons, R.E., Grosjean, E., Twitchett, R., Dunning, W.J., Wang, S., Bottcher, M.E. 2005. Depositional conditions of the Northern onshore Perth basin (Basal Triassic). The APPEA Journal 45, 263-273. https://doi.org/10.1071/AJ04023 Thomas, B.M., Willink, R.J., Grice, K., Twitchett, R.J., Purcell, R.R., Archbold, N.W., George, A.D., Tye, S., Alexander, R., Foster, C.B., Barber, C.J. 2004. Unique marine Permian/Triassic boundary section from Western Australia. Australian Journal of Earth Sciences. 51, 423-430. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1400-0952.2004.01066.x Grice K., Gibbison, R., Atkinson, J.E., Eckardt, C.B., Schwark, L., Maxwell, J.R. 1996. 1H-pyrrole-2,5,-diones (maleimides of anoxygenic photosynthesis in paleowater columns. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta 60 3913-3924. https://doi.org/10.1016/0016-7037(96)00199-8

An allergy is an acquired hypersensitivity response of the immune system to an environmental substance. The propensity to develop allergies is anchored in a person’s genes in that the risk of developing an allergy is increased in the biological children of people who have allergies. In Austria, about 20% of the population suffer from allergies. Allergy triggers, otherwise known as allergens, are delivered in a number of ways: they can be breathed onto the skin or the mucous membranes of the respiratory tract, may be ingested, or be transferred by an insect bite or sting. In a person with allergies, the immune system produces an allergic response to these allergens in an attempt to “defend” the body against substances that do not actually pose a threat to humans, such as pollen, dust mites, animal hair, mould, food, bee venom, medicines, metals, chemicals, etc. Upon contact with the allergen, the immune system is activated and produces antibodies or, as with contact allergies, specialised defence cells. These antibodies and/or defence cells cause an allergic reaction upon renewed contact (and from that point onward in every contact) with the same substance. - Nose: runny nose, sneezing - Eyes: conjunctivitis - Bronchi / Lungs: cough, bronchitis, bronchial asthma - Skin: swelling, rashes, eczema - Gastrointestinal tract: diarrhoea, vomiting Circulation: drop in blood pressure, unconsciousness (fainting) The diagnosis of an allergy consists of an allergy test carried out by an expert. This comprises a detailed conversation (= anamnesis, recording the medical history), a skin test, and a blood analysis. Only a thorough examination can be used to derive appropriate treatment. In principle, allergies are not completely curable. The right treatment, however, influences the severity and the course of an allergy favourably. Waiting an allergy out is pointless, because allergies often have serious consequences. For example, untreated allergic rhinitis often turns into bronchial asthma. The method of treatment depends on the severity of the allergy. In people with an established allergy or allergic predisposition (elevated levels of allergy antibodies), the allergy situation should be reviewed at least once every 1-2 years as it may change over time.

A respirator must be fit-tested before it is used for protection against an actual airborne hazard. Fit-testing ensures an adequate seal between the user’s face and the material of the respirator. The fit test method can be quantitative or qualitative. The Quantitative Fit Test (QNFT) uses an instrument that measures either leakage of an aerosol test agent or face piece pressure loss. Qualitative Fit Testing (QLFT) is performed using odor, taste or irritation response. Odor testing is done using banana oil (isoamyl acetate). Taste testing uses saccharin or Bitrextm (denatonium benzoate). Irritating smoke (stannic chloride) is used as an irritant to test a respirator’s seal.

The common-emitter amplifier At the beginning of this chapter we saw how transistors could be used as switches, operating in either their "saturation" or "cutoff" modes. In the last section we saw how transistors behave within their "active" modes, between the far limits of saturation and cutoff. Because transistors are able to control current in an analog (infinitely divisible) fashion, they find use as amplifiers for analog signals. One of the simpler transistor amplifier circuits to study is the one used previously for illustrating the transistor's switching ability: It is called the common-emitter configuration because (ignoring the power supply battery) both the signal source and the load share the emitter lead as a common connection point. This is not the only way in which a transistor may be used as an amplifier, as we will see in later sections of this chapter: Before, this circuit was shown to illustrate how a relatively small current from a solar cell could be used to saturate a transistor, resulting in the illumination of a lamp. Knowing now that transistors are able to "throttle" their collector currents according to the amount of base current supplied by an input signal source, we should be able to see that the brightness of the lamp in this circuit is controllable by the solar cell's light exposure. When there is just a little light shone on the solar cell, the lamp will glow dimly. The lamp's brightness will steadily increase as more light falls on the solar cell. Suppose that we were interested in using the solar cell as a light intensity instrument. We want to be able to measure the intensity of incident light with the solar cell by using its output current to drive a meter movement. It is possible to directly connect a meter movement to a solar cell for this purpose. In fact, the simplest light-exposure meters for photography work are designed like this: While this approach might work for moderate light intensity measurements, it would not work as well for low light intensity measurements. Because the solar cell has to supply the meter movement's power needs, the system is necessarily limited in its sensitivity. Supposing that our need here is to measure very low-level light intensities, we are pressed to find another solution. Perhaps the most direct solution to this measurement problem is to use a transistor to amplify the solar cell's current so that more meter movement needle deflection may be obtained for less incident light. Consider this approach: Current through the meter movement in this circuit will be β times the solar cell current. With a transistor β of 100, this represents a substantial increase in measurement sensitivity. It is prudent to point out that the additional power to move the meter needle comes from the battery on the far right of the circuit, not the solar cell itself. All the solar cell's current does is control battery current to the meter to provide a greater meter reading than the solar cell could provide unaided. Because the transistor is a current-regulating device, and because meter movement indications are based on the amount of current through their movement coils, meter indication in this circuit should depend only on the amount of current from the solar cell, not on the amount of voltage provided by the battery. This means the accuracy of the circuit will be independent of battery condition, a significant feature! All that is required of the battery is a certain minimum voltage and current output ability to be able to drive the meter full-scale if needed. Another way in which the common-emitter configuration may be used is to produce an output voltage derived from the input signal, rather than a specific output current. Let's replace the meter movement with a plain resistor and measure voltage between collector and emitter: With the solar cell darkened (no current), the transistor will be in cutoff mode and behave as an open switch between collector and emitter. This will produce maximum voltage drop between collector and emitter for maximum Voutput, equal to the full voltage of the battery. At full power (maximum light exposure), the solar cell will drive the transistor into saturation mode, making it behave like a closed switch between collector and emitter. The result will be minimum voltage drop between collector and emitter, or almost zero output voltage. In actuality, a saturated transistor can never achieve zero voltage drop between collector and emitter due to the two PN junctions through which collector current must travel. However, this "collector-emitter saturation voltage" will be fairly low, around several tenths of a volt, depending on the specific transistor used. For light exposure levels somewhere between zero and maximum solar cell output, the transistor will be in its active mode, and the output voltage will be somewhere between zero and full battery voltage. An important quality to note here about the common-emitter configuration is that the output voltage is inversely proportional to the input signal strength. That is, the output voltage decreases as the input signal increases. For this reason, the common-emitter amplifier configuration is referred to as an inverting amplifier. A quick SPICE simulation will verify our qualitative conclusions about this amplifier circuit: common-emitter amplifier i1 0 1 dc q1 2 1 0 mod1 r 3 2 5000 v1 3 0 dc 15 .model mod1 npn .dc i1 0 50u 2u .plot dc v(2,0) .end type npn is 1.00E-16 bf 100.000 nf 1.000 br 1.000 nr 1.000 The simulation plots both the input voltage (an AC signal of 1.5 volt peak amplitude and 2000 Hz frequency) and the current through the 15 volt battery, which is the same as the current through the speaker. What we see here is a full AC sine wave alternating in both positive and negative directions, and a half-wave output current waveform that only pulses in one direction. If we were actually driving a speaker with this waveform, the sound produced would be horribly distorted. What's wrong with the circuit? Why won't it faithfully reproduce the entire AC waveform from the microphone? The answer to this question is found by close inspection of the transistor diode-regulating diode model: Collector current is controlled, or regulated, through the constant-current mechanism according to the pace set by the current through the base-emitter diode. Note that both current paths through the transistor are monodirectional: one way only! Despite our intent to use the transistor to amplify an AC signal, it is essentially a DC device, capable of handling currents in a single direction only. We may apply an AC voltage input signal between the base and emitter, but electrons cannot flow in that circuit during the part of the cycle that reverse-biases the base-emitter diode junction. Therefore, the transistor will remain in cutoff mode throughout that portion of the cycle. It will "turn on" in its active mode only when the input voltage is of the correct polarity to forward-bias the base-emitter diode, and only when that voltage is sufficiently high to overcome the diode's forward voltage drop. Remember that bipolar transistors are current-controlled devices: they regulate collector current based on the existence of base-to-emitter current, not base-to-emitter voltage. The only way we can get the transistor to reproduce the entire waveform as current through the speaker is to keep the transistor in its active mode the entire time. This means we must maintain current through the base during the entire input waveform cycle. Consequently, the base-emitter diode junction must be kept forward-biased at all times. Fortunately, this can be accomplished with the aid of a DC bias voltage added to the input signal. By connecting a sufficient DC voltage in series with the AC signal source, forward-bias can be maintained at all points throughout the wave cycle: common-emitter amplifier vinput 1 5 sin (0 1.5 2000 0 0) vbias 5 0 dc 2.3 r1 1 2 1k q1 3 2 0 mod1 rspkr 3 4 8 v1 4 0 dc 15 .model mod1 npn .tran 0.02m 0.78m .plot tran v(1,0) i(v1) .end With the bias voltage source of 2.3 volts in place, the transistor remains in its active mode throughout the entire cycle of the wave, faithfully reproducing the waveform at the speaker. Notice that the input voltage (measured between nodes 1 and 0) fluctuates between about 0.8 volts and 3.8 volts, a peak-to-peak voltage of 3 volts just as expected (source voltage = 1.5 volts peak). The output (speaker) current varies between zero and almost 300 mA, 180o out of phase with the input (microphone) signal. The following illustration is another view of the same circuit, this time with a few oscilloscopes ("scopemeters") connected at crucial points to display all the pertinent signals: The need for biasing a transistor amplifier circuit to obtain full waveform reproduction is an important consideration. A separate section of this chapter will be devoted entirely to the subject biasing and biasing techniques. For now, it is enough to understand that biasing may be necessary for proper voltage and current output from the amplifier. Now that we have a functioning amplifier circuit, we can investigate its voltage, current, and power gains. The generic transistor used in these SPICE analyses has a β of 100, as indicated by the short transistor statistics printout included in the text output (these statistics were cut from the last two analyses for brevity's sake): type npn is 1.00E-16 bf 100.000 nf 1.000 br 1.000 nr 1.000 β is listed under the abbreviation "bf," which actually stands for "beta, forward". If we wanted to insert our own β ratio for an analysis, we could have done so on the .model line of the SPICE netlist. Since β is the ratio of collector current to base current, and we have our load connected in series with the collector terminal of the transistor and our source connected in series with the base, the ratio of output current to input current is equal to beta. Thus, our current gain for this example amplifier is 100, or 40 dB. Voltage gain is a little more complicated to figure than current gain for this circuit. As always, voltage gain is defined as the ratio of output voltage divided by input voltage. In order to experimentally determine this, we need to modify our last SPICE analysis to plot output voltage rather than output current so we have two voltage plots to compare: common-emitter amplifier vinput 1 5 sin (0 1.5 2000 0 0) vbias 5 0 dc 2.3 r1 1 2 1k q1 3 2 0 mod1 rspkr 3 4 8 v1 4 0 dc 15 .model mod1 npn .tran 0.02m 0.78m .plot tran v(1,0) v(4,3) .end Plotted on the same scale (from 0 to 4 volts), we see that the output waveform ("+") has a smaller peak-to-peak amplitude than the input waveform ("*"), in addition to being at a lower bias voltage, not elevated up from 0 volts like the input. Since voltage gain for an AC amplifier is defined by the ratio of AC amplitudes, we can ignore any DC bias separating the two waveforms. Even so, the input waveform is still larger than the output, which tells us that the voltage gain is less than 1 (a negative dB figure). To be honest, this low voltage gain is not characteristic to all common-emitter amplifiers. In this case it is a consequence of the great disparity between the input and load resistances. Our input resistance (R1) here is 1000 Ω, while the load (speaker) is only 8 Ω. Because the current gain of this amplifier is determined solely by the β of the transistor, and because that β figure is fixed, the current gain for this amplifier won't change with variations in either of these resistances. However, voltage gain is dependent on these resistances. If we alter the load resistance, making it a larger value, it will drop a proportionately greater voltage for its range of load currents, resulting in a larger output waveform. Let's try another simulation, only this time with a 30 Ω load instead of an 8 Ω load: common-emitter amplifier vinput 1 5 sin (0 1.5 2000 0 0) vbias 5 0 dc 2.3 r1 1 2 1k q1 3 2 0 mod1 rspkr 3 4 30 v1 4 0 dc 15 .model mod1 npn .tran 0.02m 0.78m .plot tran v(1,0) v(4,3) .end This time the output voltage waveform is significantly greater in amplitude than the input waveform. Looking closely, we can see that the output waveform ("+") crests between 0 and about 9 volts: approximately 3 times the amplitude of the input voltage. We can perform another computer analysis of this circuit, only this time instructing SPICE to analyze it from an AC point of view, giving us peak voltage figures for input and output instead of a time-based plot of the waveforms: common-emitter amplifier vinput 1 5 ac 1.5 vbias 5 0 dc 2.3 r1 1 2 1k q1 3 2 0 mod1 rspkr 3 4 30 v1 4 0 dc 15 .model mod1 npn .ac lin 1 2000 2000 .print ac v(1,0) v(4,3) .end freq v(1) v(4,3) 2.000E+03 1.500E+00 4.418E+00 Peak voltage measurements of input and output show an input of 1.5 volts and an output of 4.418 volts. This gives us a voltage gain ratio of 2.9453 (4.418 V / 1.5 V), or 9.3827 dB. Because the current gain of the common-emitter amplifier is fixed by β, and since the input and output voltages will be equal to the input and output currents multiplied by their respective resistors, we can derive an equation for approximate voltage gain: As you can see, the predicted results for voltage gain are quite close to the simulated results. With perfectly linear transistor behavior, the two sets of figures would exactly match. SPICE does a reasonable job of accounting for the many "quirks" of bipolar transistor function in its analysis, hence the slight mismatch in voltage gain based on SPICE's output. These voltage gains remain the same regardless of where we measure output voltage in the circuit: across collector and emitter, or across the series load resistor as we did in the last analysis. The amount of output voltage change for any given amount of input voltage will remain the same. Consider the two following SPICE analyses as proof of this. The first simulation is time-based, to provide a plot of input and output voltages. You will notice that the two signals are 180o out of phase with each other. The second simulation is an AC analysis, to provide simple, peak voltage readings for input and output: common-emitter amplifier vinput 1 5 sin (0 1.5 2000 0 0) vbias 5 0 dc 2.3 r1 1 2 1k q1 3 2 0 mod1 rspkr 3 4 30 v1 4 0 dc 15 .model mod1 npn .tran 0.02m 0.74m .plot tran v(1,0) v(3,0) .end common-emitter amplifier vinput 1 5 ac 1.5 vbias 5 0 dc 2.3 r1 1 2 1k q1 3 2 0 mod1 rspkr 3 4 30 v1 4 0 dc 15 .model mod1 npn .ac lin 1 2000 2000 .print ac v(1,0) v(3,0) .end freq v(1) v(3) 2.000E+03 1.500E+00 4.418E+00 We still have a peak output voltage of 4.418 volts with a peak input voltage of 1.5 volts. The only difference from the last set of simulations is the phase of the output voltage. So far, the example circuits shown in this section have all used NPN transistors. PNP transistors are just as valid to use as NPN in any amplifier configuration, so long as the proper polarity and current directions are maintained, and the common-emitter amplifier is no exception. The inverting behavior and gain properties of a PNP transistor amplifier are the same as its NPN counterpart, just the polarities are different: - Common-emitter transistor amplifiers are so-called because the input and output voltage points share the emitter lead of the transistor in common with each other, not considering any power supplies. - Transistors are essentially DC devices: they cannot directly handle voltages or currents that reverse direction. In order to make them work for amplifying AC signals, the input signal must be offset with a DC voltage to keep the transistor in its active mode throughout the entire cycle of the wave. This is called biasing. - If the output voltage is measured between emitter and collector on a common-emitter amplifier, it will be 180o out of phase with the input voltage waveform. For this reason, the common-emitter amplifier is called an inverting amplifier circuit. - The current gain of a common-emitter transistor amplifier with the load connected in series with the collector is equal to β. The voltage gain of a common-emitter transistor amplifier is approximately given here: - Where "Rout" is the resistor connected in series with the collector and "Rin" is the resistor connected in series with the base.

An estimated 88 million American adults—more than 1 in 3—have a condition called prediabetes, which means a person’s blood sugar levels are higher than normal, but not yet high enough yet to be diagnosed as type 2 diabetes. When you have prediabetes, there are steps you can take to eat healthier, move more, and manage your stress to reduce your risk of developing type 2 diabetes. The CDC’s National Diabetes Prevention Program (National DPP) lifestyle change program can help you make these changes. The lifestyle change program, such as the National Diabetes Prevention Program (National DPP) , is inclusive for everyone who has prediabetes. This May for Mental Health Awareness Month, CDC-led National DPP is taking the time to recognize lifestyle change program participants who don’t let challenges or disabilities related to mental health stand in their way of reducing their risk for developing type 2 diabetes. Take lifestyle change program participant Joe for example. Joe has a mental health disability called bipolar disorder, which causes unusual shifts in his mood, energy, activity levels, concentration, and ability to carry out day-to-day tasks. To manage his bipolar disorder, he takes six medicines daily, many of which come with side effects, such as weight gain, extreme fatigue, and difficulty concentrating. Joe had struggled with his weight, and when he found out from his doctor that he had developed prediabetes, it was hard for him to imagine what he could do to make healthy lifestyle changes. In addition to the side effects from his medicines, an increase in mental or physical activity makes him more likely to have panic attacks. With these challenges to overcome, Joe could have given up. Instead, Joe wouldn’t let anything stop him from improving his health to reduce his risk for developing type 2 diabetes. That’s when Joe joined a local lifestyle change program and met his coach, Lonna. As a coach, Lonna often works with participants who have mental health disabilities, teaching them strategies for making healthy lifestyle changes in ways that work for them. For example, since Joe can’t increase his physical activity to lose weight, Lonna helped him focus more on healthy eating. She recommended using measuring cups to help with portion control. Joe uses the cups to measure out each meal and snack to make sure that he doesn’t overeat. “Before putting the food on my plate, I put it into a one-cup measuring cup,” says Joe. “If I have pasta, I know that I can only have one or two cups. A cup of pasta is still a lot of pasta – I didn’t realize how much it was!” Joe says he learned a lot about food and nutrition during the program and how to make better choices to improve his health. Using what he learned, he was able to lose 30 pounds! “It’s nice for people to tell me that I look better or I look good,” says Joe. “I was proud of myself. My parents were proud of me. Lonna would weigh me and see I lost two or three pounds and I felt good about my success.” Joe shows the strength and resilience of so many people who have overcome barriers to improve their health. He has successfully lost weight and lowered his triglycerides, cholesterol, and blood sugar levels. He says that anyone with prediabetes can reduce their risk for type 2 diabetes through the lifestyle change program, like he did. No matter what obstacles you face on the road to better health, the most important thing is to keep working at it and never give up! Challenge yourself to better health! Learn more about how you can be like Joe and reduce your risk for developing type 2 diabetes. Visit the National Diabetes Prevention Program (National DPP) lifestyle change program for more information. Get started on your health journey today. The National Center for Farmworker Health Improving health care access for one of America's most vulnerable populations

Tuesday, January 22, 2008 Volcanic Eruption in Antarctica...2,000 years ago Just because a volcano is buried under ice does not mean it is not active. Researchers recently discovered that more than 2,000 years ago a volcano erupted from underneath the ice in Antarctica breaking through the ice and covering the continent in ash. The evidence of this is a layer of ash found in the ice sheet. They suspect this volcano is still active and although buried by ice may be melting the bottom of the ice causing the fast glacial flow of the nearby ice. Read more about this discovery here.

- A person is considered homeless when he/she resides in places not meant for human habitation, such as cars, parks, sidewalks, and abandoned buildings; or in an emergency shelter; or in transitional housing. More than 20 transient camps are located in Spokane, and the City of Spokane cleans up their trash on a regular basis. The city does have a homeless outreach team that tries to connect people with services; however, new camps show up each year. To report a camp, call Code Enforcement at (509) 625-6730. (KREM 2 News, September 29, 2015) - One huge misconception of the poor is that they have all made poor choices, and the result is their current state. There is something about our culture that says if you are not making it, it’s your fault. Therefore, there is a tendency to blame those who are suffering, saying they have brought this misery upon themselves due to poor choices—therefore, I will not help them, for they deserve their misery. - The world of the homeless may be quite near for many. Total despair may come quickly after the loss of a job, the death of a spouse or child, a severe physical disability, or family problems. Less than 6% choose to be homeless. Most are victims of unplanned and unforeseen situations. - The greatest need is housing. 70% of homeless families have no government housing resources. Only 30% qualify for HUD, because HUD’s definition does not include (1) Families who are doubled up with other families, or (2) Families who are paying for motels, because they have no other place to go. This is due to the fact that the U.S. Census does not ask the right questions to determine multiple and homeless families in homes, asking questions like: Who is in the household? What is everyone’s income and employment? - Reducing Poverty. Poverty will not be solved by throwing money at the situation, or passing laws, or creating more housing, or feeding everyone. However, poverty can be greatly relieved through sharing by society, and helping people change their lives. We have to get to the core reason why a man is homeless to help him. It is not about spending more money on housing. It’s about changing a person’s life. The best way to get people out of poverty, is to have someone mentor them tho is not in poverty themselves. - Spokane Homeless Agencies. The safety net of social services in Spokane has become so interconnected that a relatively minor change at one agency can trigger problems around the city. - Government Funding Reduced. Due to the withdrawal of much of the federal and state government funding for social services and charitable agencies, much of the obligation to help the poor has been shifted to religious and nonprofit organizations. The federal government requires cities to county the number of homeless residents every year in late January in order to receive federal grant funding. This survey does not ask homeless people to give their names. ("City Looks to improve homeless count," by Rachel Alexander, The Spokesman-Review, January 26, 2018) - Community Churches. Christians feel a special obligation to share with our neighbors and assist the poor, the fatherless, and others who are suffering. - Serving Blesses the Receiver and the Giver. As individual citizens and churches find someone who needs their service, they will discover the secret to a happy, fulfilled life. Each time we help someone who has a greater need than ours, our own burdens seem lighter. We can’t help others without also helping ourselves. (see “Those Who Serve are Happier, Healthier, and More Prosperous” under the Inspiration link on this website.) - Hate Crimes. Florida passed legislation to include the homeless population in its hate crimes law, and this has led to a dramatic decrease of crimes committed against the homeless in that state. The study calls for similar legislation nationwide and education about homelessness in general and its implications. We have a subculture that glorifies violence against the homeless in particular, due to negative stereotypes and not viewing the homeless as human. This exploitation is viewed in “bum fight” videos on the internet showing attacks on homeless victims. Some of the reasons people are homeless - “HIDDEN HOMELESS." These are the millions of people in our country who are one crisis away from losing their homes. They may be doubled or tripled up in housing, or 48 hours from evict ion, or about to leave a hospital with nowhere to go. - ADDICTIONS. Research suggests less than 25% suffer from addictions to alcohol and drugs. - CHILDREN WHO AGE-OUT OF FOSTER CARE. Every year several hundred children age-out of foster care in Washington State—40% fail to finish high school, 20% go into shelters, and 20% spend time in jail. - ELDERLY. Many of elderly are on fixed incomes and afraid to go to a shelter or soup kitchen. Others live in poverty—not homeless, but home-bound without needed utilities. - EMPLOYMENT ISSUES. Many have lost their jobs. In America we are told that if you work hard, you will be successful. Poverty can strike without warning as a result of job loss. Thousands are losing jobs as factories close and jobs are outsourced, leaving people with only the skills that served them so well on the assembly line. Many of the homeless are willing to work and want to work, but lack the opportunity. All are looking for a chance. - FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN. One-quarter of the homeless are children. There are 1500 homeless children and teens in Spokane, and that is increasing. - FLEEING DOMESTIC VIOLENCE. Spokane County law enforcement agencies receive more than 10,000 phone calls a year asking for help with domestic violence. Domestic violence can affect people from all walks of life. Half of all women and children experiencing homelessness are fleeing domestic violence from a bad relationship. More than 50% of women in the U.S. are battered at some time in their lives. An estimated 3-4 million women are beaten repeatedly in their homes each year by their husbands, ex-husbands, or lovers. The Justice Department says that one in four American women experience domestic violence. Battering is the single largest cause of injury to women in the U.S., resulting in many homicides as a result of domestic violence. - HOMELESS ON THE STREET. Do NOT take homeless people home with you. Many of those people who appear to be homeless, standing on street corners and holding signs requesting money or food, are not legitimate. Some feel it is better to feed 10 imposters than to pass by one truly needy person. Be advised that people who really need help are usually already in the system. - ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS. This group is growing rapidly. - LOW INCOME. A homeless person may be someone with a job! 25% of the homeless are working people. Sometimes they hold down one or more jobs, but are unable to afford housing, or pay for day-care. In every state, more than the minimum wage is required to afford a one-or-two bedroom apartment. Many people live paycheck to paycheck, and are just 2 paychecks away from needing help. The “working poor” in Spokane do not live on the streets and beg for money—the poor are not all homeless. The poor are not strangers—they are all around us—they are the people you meet every day. Their kids sit next to your kids in the classroom. - EDUCATED. Many of the poor are educated people with work histories. Many have completed high school; some have attended college, and even graduate school. However, having a job is no longer a guarantee of self-sufficiency. They have no savings for an emergency, or money to replace an old car. All it takes is an illness, combined with the car breaking down, or less hours at work, or some other bad luck, and many are in need of outside help. - MEDICAL ISSUES. Poverty can strike without warning as a result of illness. In addition, the number of homeless who are AIDS victims is increasing rapidly. Many have been crippled by enormous medical debt. One-third of our population is uninsured or under-insured with medical coverage. It is easy to criticize people for choosing to not have health care, but that expense is often the last thing they can afford, because a roof over their head and food on the table comes first. About 2/3 of the homeless families would qualify for government-sponsored coverage for their children if parents would apply. The problems are mainly that parents don’t know about government assistance, and the enrollment process is cumbersome. - MEN. The majority of homeless people are males. Thousands of Spokane’s homeless are men; and 40% of them are disabled Veterans with emotional issues and disabilities. Most of them are from the Vietnam conflict, where veterans of that war were abandoned and discouraged, even dishonored. Many wound up on our streets, some of them disabled; others mentally traumatized by their war experiences; others simply unable to find work. - MENTAL ILLNESS. Spokane has a high rate of mental illness. The State average is 5%--Spokane’s average is 8%. Many of the homeless suffer from serious depression, mental illnesses, and disabilities. Most can become self-sufficient with help. - TEENAGERS. Hundreds of teenagers (as young as 13) run away from home. They would rather live on the streets, independent of their families. Most are victims of violence, rape, incest, strained relationships, addiction of a family member, and parental neglect. - The January 2017 homeless count in Spokane was as follows: - 325 chronically homeless people. Spokane sheltered most homeless people this past winter. - 19% were under age 18, many as part of a family - 7% were between ages 18 and 24 - 13% of those counted remained unsheltered NOTE: It costs about $1.5 million a year for the shelters to bring in everyone off the streets. Spokane is currently trying to house all of the homeless. (Source: "Full shelters a good sign?" by Shawn Vestal, The Spokesman-Review, May 19, 2017) - There were 5,000 homeless people in Spokane County in 2015. Just over 3,000 of the 5,000 homeless are children grades K-12, which is 33% higher than the statewide average. This number includes people who are couch-surfing, living in cars, and staying in shelters. Of the roughly 3,000 homeless children in Spokane County schools, 76% of them are "doubled up." ("Spokane's youth homeless rate 33% higher than state average, study says," by Eli Francovich, The Spokesman-Review, Nov. 2, 2015) In the fall of 2016, there were 350 students from about 200 families in the CVSD who were homeless; and 75-80% are doubled up with family and friends. The County reports that it is difficult to identify the homeless living in the County and outside of the city of Spokane, because they are not staying in shelters; and it is more difficult to locate and count those who are homeless when they are living in cars in parking lots, in tents and under bridges throughout the entire County. (GVSN, March 2017) The city of Spokane reported a 2014 PIT (point-in-time count) of approximately 1,033 homeless people who are living on the streets (not those who are couch-surfing or staying in shelters). This included 146 homeless families with children. The characteristics of this number consisted of approximately 257 people experiencing severe mental illness; 182 people with a chronic substance abuse condition; 238 survivors of domestic violence; and 151 chronically homeless individuals. “Chronically homeless” is defined as having been without housing for more than a year or at least a total of four times in three years. All it takes to be homeless and out on the street is one missed paycheck, losing a job, or an illness. According to the SRHD's new study, a family of four in Spokane must make over $43,000 to provide basic needs, including food, housing, utilities, transportation, child care, health care, personal and household expenses. One in three Spokane families do not meet that criteria. The root cause of homelessness in Spokane is poverty and lack of affordable housing. Mental illness and drugs are only a small percent of this population. If you are homeless with children, or think you know someone who is homeless, please say something to school counselors. (Sources: "Youth homeless rate high," The Spokesman Review, November 3, 2015; Spokane Regional Health District's Kim Papich and Reporter Caiti Currey of KXLY News, November 6, 2015; City of Spokane; "Homeless numbers in Spokane County Higher," by Jody Lawrence-Turner, The Spokesman-Review, June 6, 2014; Spokane Community Indicators for 2014, EWU) - 1,033 homeless individuals, or a total of 772 households including families with children, adult-only families, and other households were reported in a 2015 one-day count of the homeless. (Missing the Foundation, SRHD, 2015) - One out of 4 homeless persons is a child. - Families with children are the fastest growing segment of the homeless population, now accounting for up to 40%. - Approximately 3.5 million people experience homelessness over the course of a given year, and 1.35 million of them are children. (Source: Family Promise of Spokane, U.S. statistics, 2016) - Statistics from Community Indicators and Priority Spokane (2015) - 12% increase in homelessness in Spokane County from 2013-2014 (The Spokesman Review) - 26% of homeless individuals are children, half of which are under the age of 6. - 3.8% of Spokane's students are homeless (Spokane County) - 83% of homeless students have experienced a violent event by the age of 12. - 75% of homeless students do not graduate. - 776 homeless students attended Spokane's Public Schools during the 2014 school year. (District 81) - Homeless students are 4 times as likely to get sick than other children. - Homeless students are twice as likely to have learning disabilities as non-homeless children. (http://www.familyhomelessness.org) - 1 out of every 5 children in the U.S. lives in poverty. (Annie Casey Foundation) - l out of 4 homeless people are children. (Family Promise of Spokane) (Source: Priority Spokane 2015 - http://www.priorityspokane.org/ps--research.html) - Collect winter clothing (old or new) for your local homeless shelter. - Donate your change to "Give Real Change," at specified downtown Spokane parking meters. This money will be given to local homeless services, rather than panhandlers. - Attend Spokane's monthly Homeless Coalition meetings held by Spokane's Housing and Human Services Department, and ask what you can do to help. Representatives from Spokane's homeless agencies meet the first Thursday of every month from 9:00 - l0:30 am at the Gathering House, 733 W. Garland Avenue, Spokane, WA http://www.spokanehc.com. - Research homeless programs which are making the biggest difference, and share them with local mayors and city councils so we can learn from the successes of others. (see Resources below) - The homeless need far more than coats and food, they need jobs. When shelters are too overwhelmed and under supported to house them, the homeless have to sleep on the streets. Veronika Scott started the nonprofit The Empowerment Plan in Detroit to help the homeless. She hires previously homeless women to make sleeping bag coats, coats that transform into sleeping bags, to empower them to be independent. (CBN News, February 6, 2015) - City of Spokane: If you need assistance with finding shelter, and are located in City of Spokane, please call Spokane's Homeless Family Coordinated Assessment, before calling the homeless shelters. The Assessment team will assess your situation, and direct you to the agencies which serve your particular needs. Homeless Family Coordinated Assessment (a program of Catholic Charities) Family Resource Center Bldg. 19 W. Pacific (Myrtle Woldson Institute building) Spokane, WA 99201 (509) 325-5005 (answered 24/7) Walk-in Hours: Monday - Thursday from 12:30 pm to 5 pm. Spokane County: If you need assistance with finding shelter, and are located in Spokane County and outside of the City of Spokane, please contact: Spokane County Community Services Housing, and Community Development Department (an assessment for homelessness and housing) Learn if you are eligible for an application for County-administered programs, connect to City administered programs, access publicly and privately funded emergency shelters info, and link to Washington Connections website to apply other governmental benefits. - DSHS Home and Community Services Food, Cash, Medical assistance Dept. of Social and Health Services - Washington State (509) 227-2200 North Office (509) 227-2500 Central Office, 1313 N. Maple Street (509) 227-2400 Southwest Office (509) 227-2700 Valley Office, 8517 E. Trent Ave, Ste 202 - Homeless people in Fort Lauderdale, Florida have an alternative to shelters: A one-way bus ticket out of the city, thanks to a $25,000 program approved by city commissioners. This program is designed to get people off the streets and get them into a healthy, positive environment; although, it doesn’t guarantee a person won’t become homeless again. To qualify, participants who truly want help must prove they have a network of support (family and friends who truly care about them and are willing to help) in their destination city that is willing to let them move in. Money used to purchase the bus tickets comes from money confiscated from criminals. (“Florida, a city to buy one-way bus tickets for homeless to leave,” Florida’s The Sun Sentinel report and Elizabeth Chuck at NBC News) - The Bowery Mission (lower Manhattan, New York City) offers more than a helping hand. They restore the broken lives of homeless men and women. Opened in 1879, the Bowery Mission treats more than just the symptoms of homelessness—they treat the root causes of the problem. They provide food and shelter to thousands of people. Every day they serve 800 nutritious, made-from-scratch meals with food donated from top restaurants all over the city. In 2012, they served soup to lobster, 30,000 bags of groceries, and nights of shelter for 80,000 homeless people. The mission offers a 6-month live-in drug and alcohol recovery program. Participants are enrolled in computer classes where they receive hands-on training and job counseling. Services provide hope and nourishment to the souls of the city’s homeless, with hymn singing, prayer and sermons in its chapel. As a privately funded group, the mission receives donations from private citizens, but no government money, which allows it to implement spiritual guidance in its programs. They have found that when you really change a man or woman’s heart, it tends to last, especially if you support them after they graduate. Four out of five of their graduates are still clean and sober a year later; and that is a wonderful result. That is not true of the city’s secular programs. There is a significant cost to helping the homeless at this or any other shelter, but it is far less than at government-funded shelters. For a man to go through their program and graduate clean and sober and connected to Christ, it costs about $12,500.00. In contrast to that, it takes $20,000/year just to warehouse a man in one of New York City’s shelters, and even more if he has committed a crime and is in jail. “The city of New York is committed to doing what they can with shelters, to get people off the streets and give them food and shelter; but, if you don’t address the deeper spiritual, more fundamental issues of what it means to be a human being, you will continue to have shelters that are full of people who come back day-after-day, and week-after-week for the same thing. The problem of homelessness is beyond the scope of local, state and the federal government. It is really best and most efficient in the hands of private individuals or organizations who manage the homeless.” (Craig Mayes, Director of New York City Rescue Mission, The 700 Club, January 2013)

This article has been written for highschool art students who’re working upon a essential research of art, sketchbook annotation or an essay-based mostly artist research. A fundamental physique, divided into paragraphs , that builds an argument utilizing evidence from the textual content. Analyze the narrative and magnificence of writing. In case a hero of our time you analyze a scientific essay, you possibly can analyze the creator’s fashion. The time-frames are specified by our buyer. Nonetheless, we suggest to put the order for as a lot time as you can enable as it is not solely about writing the paper but in regards to the researching related materials as well. This is the place you must be familiar with the rest of your literary gadgets. One which instantly jumps out on the reader includes the animals talking to one another – ‘ personification’ That’s a begin. You may argue that there are innumerable literary gadgets at play here as properly (the use of ‘character foil,’ possibly a little bit of ‘suspense,’ the creation of ‘hubris’ in a personality). Explaining Sensible Methods In essay samples The Latest On Convenient Plans For literature essay examples Writing a literary essay will not be so tough if you happen to fastidiously learn the book and take all the necessities for writing such works critically. Be attentive and uphold your ideas. Only in this approach are you able to create a worthy essay. Before you learn to begin a important essay, it is best to understand some fundamentals of penning this paper. In different words, you have to perceive tips on how to write an excellent analysis. A ebook analysis essay summarizes literary research and consists of examples, overview components, and so forth. The purpose of such a paper is to help readers perceive the e book better. Identical to some other essay, it should be appropriately structured: an applicable introduction, a number of physique paragraphs, a logical conclusion. Practical criticism at the moment is more often treated as an ancillary ability rather than the muse of a critical method. It is a part of many examinations in literature at virtually all levels, and is used to check students’ responsiveness to what they read, as well as their information of verse forms and of the technical language for describing the way in which poems create their effects. Reviewing the analysis ought to result in more research questions and those questions will likely lead you to either revise your initial research question or go back and discover more literature related to a more specific facet of your analysis question. When creating a company, we meant to gather like-minded individuals who seek to help students with their finding out issues. The group of people that work for IQEssay is not only employees. They’re writing experts and empathetic people who are prepared to assist. Updates On Convenient Plans Of literature essay examples Or, instead of specializing in theme, you possibly can say, The cleverness of the third little pig is the pressure that shapes the story of ‘The Three Little Pigs,’ and you then would present how his cleverness impacts the plot of the story and creates the principle battle for the wolf. It is also the pig’s cleverness that brings concerning the climax of the story when he takes the lid off the pot of boiling water simply in time for the wolf to fall into it.

A Presentation by Terry Brainerd Chadwick General Usability | Accessibility | W3 Consortium Guidelines | ADA and Disabilities Guidelines | Usability References and Resources | InfoQuest! |Usability and Accessibility Introduction| There are few things that annoy Web users more than not being able to accomplish easily the task for which they have come to a Web site. (Giga Information Group analyst Martha Bennett, May 22, 2000) This is what website accessibility and usability is all about: making sure your audience gets what they want and need from your website efficiently and effectively. The sad fact is that many websites don't do this. That is why website usability has become a hot topic. It is why the World Wide Web Consortium (W3) has put out a set of accessibility guidelines. It is why the Americans with Disabilities Act includes websites in its accessiblity guidelines.This presentation provides a general overview about usability and accessibility, particularly focusing on the W3 and ADA accessibility guidelines. Copyright 2000-2001 InfoQuest! Information Services Last updated: November 4, 2000 Please send any comments to firstname.lastname@example.org or 503-228-4023. Terry Brainerd Chadwick InfoQuest! Information Services 2324 NW Johnson St., Ste.4 Portland, OR 97210-5221

Eggs have historically been given a bad reputation. Websites, news shows and even doctors spread the word that eggs (due to their cholesterol content) are bad. As a result, this myth is known almost worldwide. Eggs have been accused of many bad things, but I hope this article will prove to you eggs are safe and actually promote good health. First, cholesterol is important. It serves important, irreplaceable roles in health. It’s important to realize where our body gets cholesterol from. Two Sources of Cholesterol Cholesterol ends up in our blood. There are two sources of cholesterol: the liver and diet . Liver: 85% of our blood cholesterol is made in the liver and sent out into the blood packed into molecules VLDL or LDL . Diet: 15% of our blood cholesterol comes from the diet, including foods like eggs . Dietary Cholesterol Does Not Need to Be Avoided For years, we had been told to avoid high-cholesterol foods such as eggs for heart health, but this has since been disproven . New dietary guidelines from 2015 have stated that dietary cholesterol is no longer of concern when it comes to heart disease. What’s in an Egg? Eggs are nutrient dense and rich in essential amino acids. It is true, eggs contain cholesterol, but remember, cholesterol is not bad, like we once thought it was . Eggs contain about 141-234 milligrams of cholesterol, depending on size . The old US guidelines used to recommend limiting daily cholesterol to 300 mg per day . Now this upper limit has been removed. Since cholesterol is vital to health, our body will make as much as it needs. On average, we need about 1000 mg a day so if you got 200 mg through diet, the liver would make about 800 mg . Vitamins and Minerals Fat soluble vitamins A, D, E and K as well as B vitamins (B1, B2, B3, B6 and B12) are found in whole eggs. Trace minerals such as calcium, iron, phosphorus, zinc, magnesium, copper, manganese, selenium, and potassium are also plentiful in eggs , . As you’ll soon see, cholesterol itself can be considered heart healthy. In addition to cholesterol, eggs have other heart-healthy antioxidants such as lutein and zeaxanthin, which may protect against lipid peroxidation . They are also one of the few natural food sources of choline, which has a protective role against both cardiovascular and liver disease . Like many animal-based products, eggs are considered a complete protein source. What makes a protein source complete is the presence of all nine essential amino acids at proportions required by humans. Eggs deliver about 6 grams of protein per egg, with almost half of that coming from the yolk. Research on Eggs Old, Outdated Research Since the 1970s eggs have always been associated with a higher risk of cardiovascular disease. These initial associations were based on observational studies , a research method which isn’t very good at proving cause and effect relationships. In fact, eggs have been studied in many different patient populations, and shown to have no negative effects, and in some instances even to be beneficial. Egg Consumption in Healthy Individuals Studies looking at healthy individuals showed 3 eggs a day didn’t affect blood cholesterol at all , . In addition, eggs improved HDL, increased plasma antioxidants, increased plasma choline levels and favored less atherogenic LDL particle profiles , . All of these are good outcomes! Egg Consumption in Individuals at High Risk for Cardiovascular Disease High risk is determined by a combination of factors, including: hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidemia, age and family history. One study looked at people with high risk of cardiovascular disease. Half the people were given 2 whole eggs a day, while the other half were given a cholesterol-free egg substitute. The trial lasted only 1 month. The findings showed that eggs improved cholesterol profiles , whereas the cholesterol-free egg-substitute did not. Total cholesterol in the egg group did go up, but HDL went up and the LDL profile favored the less dangerous, large buoyant LDL particles . Again, the egg group showed favorable outcomes. Egg Consumption in Diabetics A systematic review, looking at multiple studies on diabetic patients, those with prediabetes, insulin resistance or metabolic syndrome have found that egg consumption did not affect cardiovascular risk factors . Studies have looked at consuming from 6-12 eggs per week and found no impact on plasma concentrations of total cholesterol, LDL, triglycerides, fasting glucose, insulin or c-reactive protein. To further show eggs’ importance in this population, 66% of the studies looked at showed an increase to HDL, showing its protective effects on heart health . Nutrition advice for diabetics and anyone else with blood sugar dysregulation should encourage eggs, but they should be part of an otherwise healthy diet in the context of cardiovascular and diabetic health promotion. Furthermore, egg consumption has no link to causing diabetes or inducing blood sugar dysregulation in non-diabetic individuals. Studies have been done on overweight and obese patients and consuming 3 eggs a day for 12 weeks did not impair glucose metabolism . The same is true for healthy individuals – eggs do not negatively affect glucose or insulin concentrations . Egg Consumption in Obese, Diabetic Individuals Studies have looked at a 3-egg breakfast versus bagel-based breakfast in obese diabetics. The eggs proved to be advantageous in helping HDL-C and having no effect on the bad LDL-C . This experiment was done in the context of a calorie restricted diet to promote weight loss. To further prove eggs' efficacy, eggs also enhanced fat loss versus the bagel breakfast . In another study, looking at how many eggs to eat, it was found that eating anywhere from 2-4 eggs a day increased HDL-C and had favourable effects on LDL-C. This study lasted 4 weeks . Egg Consumption in Patients with Metabolic Syndrome Metabolic syndrome is characterized by a combination of dyslipidemia, impaired endothelial function and vascular stiffening . These patients typically have dyslipidemia, hypertension and diabetes and are known to have a high risk of cardiovascular events. These are the typical patients being told to avoid eggs at all costs. Well, research shows otherwise. In one study with 2 eggs a day for breakfast, there was no negative effect on endothelial function (assessed by flow mediated dilation) in obese individuals with metabolic syndrome, proving to have no detriment to vascular health . Another study provided 3 eggs a day, which improved inflammatory markers (CRP and TNF-a). They compared it to cholesterol-free egg substitute – which had no such effect . Eggs Consumption and Stroke Risk Stroke is the 4th leading cause of death and is often associated with sub-optimal diet. Although having too much cholesterol is a risk factor, a big study called NHANE-1 found that eating more than 6 eggs a week did not increase risk for stroke . Egg Consumption and Overeating In addition to the improvements in cholesterol profiles mentioned above, eggs have also been shown to help with satiety (the feeling of fullness) after a meal. Those having eggs for breakfast versus oatmeal showed improved satiety – meaning they were less likely to snack and overeat throughout the rest of the day , . Most people eat eggs and nothing significantly changes in their cholesterol values . Hyper-responders are the minority of people (about 20%) who do experience a change in plasma (blood) cholesterol. However, the increase tends to be both HDL and LDL lab values. This equates to the same cholesterol ratio. As you may know, the ratio between HDL and LDL is the most important predictor for heart health. Eggs can be part of a healthy diet. All of the studies I referenced in this article were done on humans and prove eggs (and their cholesterol) are not a driving force behind cardiovascular disease. Eggs can be safely eaten as part of a healthy diet – in healthy populations and those with atherosclerosis, hypertension or diabetes. It's true eggs may increase dietary cholesterol, but has no effect on serum (blood) cholesterol and cardiovascular events. Studies have shown up to 3 eggs a day to be beneficial to health, and this is a number I recommend to most patients who want to incorporate eggs back into their diet. Interested in learning more? Read on in our series of articles on Heart Health! About the Author - Dr. Johann de Chickera Dr. Johann is a licensed naturopathic doctor and co-owner of Absolute Health and Wellness. He completed his 4-year degree at the Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine (CCNM). His clinical focus lies in chronic disease, such as those related to the Gastrointestinal, Endocrine, and Immune Systems. His approach to medicine relies on working with the patient to come up with a feasible, multi-factorial approach that addresses all complaints at once. He employs a strong background in diagnostic medicine and human physiology and pathology to diagnose and treat. His treatment involve a combination of nutritional counselling, botanical medicine, eastern medicine (acupuncture), nutraceutical supplementation and hands on physical medicine. To book in please call us at (519) 442-2206 or click here.

Understanding and Controlling Process Variation Let’s discuss sources of variation and how to measure, monitor, and control processes to minimize the differences from one part to the next. Statistical process control (SPC) is a set of tools that provide insights into the changing nature of processes. Product designs include the design engineer’s desired dimensions along with an allowance for variation. Engineers use tolerance analysis to determine a range of sizes that will enable assembly into the final product. If every component complied with the design’s nominal values without variation, every assembled product would work as intended. Unfortunately, components, materials, and parts vary. They vary within or beyond the design specification because the variation occurs as a direct result of the processes that create the part and not the design intent. Manufacturing processes create parts that are different from one another. Even a well-controlled and stable process has variation. When the design calls for restricting the variation with a tolerance smaller than the natural range of variation, parts will still have dimensions outside the specifications. Manufacturers may include an inspection to sort out faulty parts, thereby incurring higher yield losses and higher costs. Some ‘out-of-spec’ parts might only be found after assembly into a final product, compounding the cost of the error. Where is the root cause of the out-of-spec parts? What element of the process led to the faulty product? When the design does not account for the normal variation of the manufacturing processes, it is inevitably the designer’s fault. Variation happens. In this webinar, we will discuss the various sources of variation and how to measure, monitor, and control processes to minimize the differences from one part to the next. Statistical process control (SPC) is a set of tools that provide insights into the changing nature of processes. Making variation visible allows the entire team to minimize excessive variation. Even if we accept that no two parts are the same, it is not safe to assume that all parts are within the expected or defined range of values. A process that is not monitored or controlled will generally create results with excessive variation. This Accendo Reliability webinar originally broadcast on 14 June 2016. Please login with your site registration to view the video recording. If you haven’t registered, it’s free and takes only a moment. You may view an MP4 movie version of the event here (for non Flash playing devices)

Inborn error of metabolism present in the neonatal period and characterized by tachypnea or Kussmaul breathing, hypotonia, and seizures. Severe metabolic acidosis with ketosis and hyperammonemia. If present during infancy and childhood, lethargy, hypotonia, seizures ataxia; apnea/hyperventilation, and frequent stridor are characteristic. Usually corrected with oral biotin. Biotinidase Deficiency; Holocarboxylase Synthetase First described in 1971 by Wolf et al. It was immediately observed that biotin administration was curative. 1:112,000-129,000 live births (biotinidase deficiency). Autosomal recessive; more than 40 different mutations have been described. Gene locus on chromosome 3p25 (biotinidase) or 21q22.1 (holocarboxylase). Biotinidase is essential for generation of free biotin from endogenous recycling or protein-bound biotin found in diet. Holocarboxylase synthetase is required to catalyze binding of biotin to carboxylases. Biotin is required as a cofactor for carboxylases within the body, which are involved in the metabolic pathways for a number of amino acids, gluconeogenesis, and fatty acid synthesis. Defects in either enzyme lead to organic acidosis. Clinical features, particularly skin rash and alopecia, but variability of symptoms according to importance of deficiency and amount of free biotin intake. Organic aciduria. Deficiency of specific enzyme measured in plasma. Included in neonatal screening programs in many Deficiency of holocarboxylase synthetase presents in more than 50% of cases in the neonatal period with tachypnea or Kussmaul breathing, hypotonia, and seizures. Severe metabolic acidosis with ketosis and hyperammonemia. Untreated patients and those with less severe defects present with mental retardation, hair loss, and skin lesions (erythematous rash often with superinfection with Candida). Deficiency of biotinidase presents later in infancy or childhood. Lethargy, hypotonia, seizures, ataxia; respiratory problems (apnea/hyperventilation, frequent stridor). Skin manifestations such as periorificial eczematoid dermatitis and alopecia are less common. Intermittent organic aciduria. Immune deficiency leads to recurrent infections. If untreated, psychomotor delay and permanent neurologic deficit (hearing loss, optic atrophy). Treatment: In both conditions there is a dramatic response to biotin, with resolution of clinical and biochemical abnormalities but not fixed neurologic sequelae. The dose of biotin varies from 2.5 to 5 mg/week (partial deficiency in biotinidase) to 2.5 to 10 mg/day (profound deficiency in biotinidase) or even more; 10 to 20 mg/day in case of holocarboxylase deficiency. Patient should be receiving his or her usual biotin supplements until the morning of surgery. However, if the patient has not received biotin supplementation, a complete evaluation of the cardiovascular, respiratory, and muscle functions should be done. Seizure medications should be continued until the morning of surgery. Anesthesia management in this condition has not been described. Patients who are receiving adequate supplementation with biotin may be free of clinical and biochemical abnormalities. Intravenous administration of biotin may be necessary in the perioperative period. Perioperative monitoring of glycemia, lactates, and ammonium (NH4). If the patient has not received his or her medication, then cardiovascular, respiratory, and muscular ...

CHIN1.3: Develop a regional definition of critical areas and key habitats and coordinate data Summarize accomplishments from: Regional Priority Approach Description Approach - Develop a regional definition of critical areas and ecologically important habitat, including coordination of data (GIS exercise) to compile this overlay. Desired Outcome - Based on enhanced understanding of critical areas and ecologically important salmon habitat, protection and restoration efforts are directed to areas where actions will have a high impact. Policy Needs - N/A Example Actions - Convene a task force at the regional scale to develop the overlay. Collect and analyze data necessary to create the overlay. Proposal Guidance - N/A Local Context - Local context provides additional specificity on how a Regional Priority approach should be implemented in each local area; examples include sequencing, partners to consider, and critical areas. Local context for this Regional Priority approach is available here.

Locating romance tends to be particularly burdensome for bisexual everyone. Can you be sure – or only thought you know – the erotic orientations of individuals an individual love? People’s online dating and erotic behaviour may not constantly mirror their unique self-ascribed sexual placement (Silva, 2017; Wu, mark, immature, & Beasley, 2019). Some individuals learn from a young age that they are attracted to people of multiple sex but may stay glued to heterosexual norms in online dating behaviors, at the least initially. People that decide as a sexual minority may wait a long time out over family members. Released as Bisexual Bisexual people are more unlikely that than homosexual men or girl to girl girls are totally out over essential members of his or her life (Pew exploration heart, 2013). One basis might public stigma of bisexuality known as biphobia. Biphobia is “prejudice, dread, or hatred instructed toward bisexual consumers” and contains laughs, side responses, or news that spread urban myths about bisexual men and women invalidate bisexuality (personal legal rights plan base, n.d.a). Bisexual folks are often assured “it’s a level,” “you only want to play," or “you haven’t opted however” (Wandrey, Mosack, & Moore, 2015). These biphobic statements can negatively affect bisexual everyone.

Do Maine Coons like to burrow? This is a question that many people ask themselves when they are considering adopting one of these beautiful animals. Maine Coons are beautiful felines that are often said to be “like dogs,” but do they burrow like one? The answer isn’t quite as simple as you might think it is. Allow me to explain why in this article! Do Maine Coons Like to Burrow? Maine Coons aren’t known for burrowing in the soil, however. While dogs may enjoy digging and Maine Coons share many of their characteristics, they are not generally burrowers. Like all cats, they can dig. And some individuals may enjoy doing so, but they are not known for burrowing underground – although many enjoy being under the blanket on a bed! Why Do Some Cats Dig? There are several reasons some cats dig – and whether you get a “digging” cat or not is somewhat down to chance. Some felines show an interest in digging and turning the earth, while others will not ever think of doing so. If you have ever seen a cat – a Maine Coon or otherwise – digging, you might have wondered what it is doing this for. After all, we usually associate digging with dogs. So, let’s look at why a cat might dig. Below are some of the explanations a Maine Coon will burrow. A Maine Coon might be digging to scent mark its territory. Cats have scent glands in their paws, so digging and turning the earth marks it as theirs, which is common for digging. Although Maine Coons are not particularly territorial felines, they may start marking the ground as theirs by digging it up if they feel threatened. If so, you are more likely to see them digging at the edges of their territory, where intruders will come across their scent. Your cat may dig simply to exercise their muscles and give themselves something to do. Remember, Maine Coons are huge, strong cats, so they may feel inclined to stretch and challenge their bodies sometimes. Digging can help to keep them strong and may stimulate their brains. Although it is relatively rare for most cats to engage in this sort of activity, you may see it happen from time to time, especially if your cat enjoys being outdoors and exploring. Most cats do not hide their food by burying it, but yours may do at times. This is more of a dog characteristic, but some cats seem to feel the need to conceal tasty morsels under the earth. You might, on occasion, see your cat burying food in the garden. It is probably more likely to do so with something it has caught itself than with food from its dish. Sometimes, a cat covering food up is showing their disdain for it – so if you’ve just decided to try your Maine Coon on a new kind of food, burying it could be a sign of displeasure! However, it is pretty rare for a cat to take food outside actively. Usually, they will demonstrate their annoyance by scratching at the floor around the dish as though they intend to bury it, even if the floor is hard and cannot be dug up. Many cats pay little attention to insects, but others find them very interesting. So if your Maine Coon is curious about the critters in the garden, it may dig to try and get closer and examine the bugs or worms it might see outdoors. Your cat might decide to try and dig up all sorts of different things, so don’t worry if you see it scratching away at the earth and sniffing out tiny insects. It shouldn’t do itself any harm. Hiding Their Toilet Some cats dig where their “litter box” is, and some will dig at the soil even when they haven’t used it because the feeling of bare soil underneath their paws stimulates their burying instinct. Bear in mind that in the wild, many felines cover up their waste to conceal it from potential threats. Domesticated Maine coons are likely to still have this instinct. Most cats prefer to cover their waste with at least some dried leaves, while others actively try and bury it in the soil. If you find that your cat is digging at the soil, it is pretty likely that they have left a little deposit around somewhere. Do Maine Coons Like To Burrow Under The Duvet? Some people report that their Maine Coon likes to sleep in the bed with them and isn’t happy unless they get under the blankets! It’s not surprising if your Maine Coon insists on sleeping on the bed. But you might be a little taken aback by them wanting to cuddle up under your duvet. Why do they do this? It’s quite likely that they do this mostly for warmth and physical contact. Maine Coons are highly affectionate cats, so they like to be as close to you as possible. Some prefer sleeping under the duvet is and will burrow in the bed until they get in their favorite position. It is also probable that being large cats, they don’t feel as concerned about potentially being squashed or find the duvet as suffocating as some smaller felines may do. Nevertheless, if your Maine Coon insists on burrowing under the duvet by you, don’t be too surprised. Why Do Maine Coons Dig Around Their Water Bowls? Most Maine Coons love water. Maine coons drink a lot of water, but most develop a habit of playing with their water bowl than drinking it’s contents. Some people say that their Maine Coons dig in the bowls or wave their paws around above the bowls. Some Maine Coons like to dip their paws in and then lick the water off their paws. Why isn’t totally clear, but it’s likely some instinct left over from their ancestors. For example, Maine Coons are often so enthusiastic about their water bowls that owners have to place the dishes inside another container to prevent them from making too much mess. Some Maine Coons also like to dip their food in the water. Again, it isn’t really known why they do this, although it may be some leftover instinctive behavior, or it may just be done for the fun of it. So the answer to whether Maine Coons like to burrow in their water seems to be yes! Should I Be Worried About My Maine Coon Digging? Digging is not likely to indicate a problem. Although a stressed cat might turn to digging as a way to mark its territory and relieve stress. If you believe your Maine Coon is not happy. Look out for behavior such as excessive licking or running frantically around the house. Digging could be another sign of stress, but it isn’t particularly known for this. Usually, it will just be because your cat is playing, hiding food or waste, or has spotted something of interest disappearing into the soil. You probably don’t need to worry about it. If you are concerned about your Maine Coon burrowing. Talk to your vet about it, but on the whole, this behavior would not be considered abnormal or concerning. Maine coons are not known for burrowing in the soil. Although they do often like to burrow under the blankets on your bed. If your cat is a keen digger, it is probably simply exercising its muscles and marking its territory.

Methods used to determine age of fossils: a) relative dating, b) radiometric dating. No matchmaking csgo series of alpha and beta decays is known as the uranium-238 decay series. Phosphate fertilizers are made from. Does radioactive dating with isotopes of uranium and thorium - Join the leader uranium isotope radiometric dating relations services and find a date today. For example, uranium-238 is an isotope of uranium-235, because it has 3 more neutrons in the. One way to do this is to find another isotope which doesnt participate in the radioactive decay (call it isotope B. The uranium atom is the heaviest atom present in the natural environment. Jun 2017. Study of isotopes of carbon, thorium, and uranium in travertine and. The growth uranium isotope radiometric dating daughter isotopes. At least two other radioactive clocks are used for dating geological time spans. Uranium-238 is the most common isotope of uranium, accounting for more than. Amazingly, this was all done before isotopes were known, and before the decay. It is one of several radiometric dating techniques exploiting the uranium radioactive decay series, in which 238U undergoes 14 alpha and beta decay events on the way to the stable isotope 206Pb. Bnn bloomberg is the most common radiometric dating one per cent oftotal uranium 238. Jan 2017. Thus confidence uranium isotope radiometric dating U-Pb radioisotope dating uranium isotope radiometric dating the “gold standard” is. The naturally occurring radioactive isotopes of the heaviest elements fall into chains of. Radiometric dating. Of the four isotopes of lead, two are formed from the uranium isotopes and one is formed from the. Uranium-235 half-life = 704 million years Dating whatsapp group link mumbai half-life = 4.5 billion years Thorium-232 half-life = uranium isotope radiometric dating billion years. Jan 2010. Its Official: Radioactive Isotope Dating Is Fallible. Other dating techniques using this decay series include uranium–thorium dating and uranium–lead dating. Many different radioactive isotopes and techniques are used for dating. The two uranium isotopes decay at different rates, and this helps make uranium-lead dating one of the most reliable methods because it provides a built-in cross-check. These radioactive isotopes are unstable, decaying over time. British geologist (1890-1965) first person to date a rock using radiometric. U and 238U).. is derived from radiometric dating of lunar rocks and meteorites in addition to. Dec 2010 - 10 minCarbon 14 Dating 1.. Uranium 235 dating process. Radioactive dating, the most having extremely long half-lives. The isotopes 2 Isochron dating and U-Pb 3 Zircons 4 The method.. Give examples of other isotopes used in radioactive dating... Uranium series dating techniques rely on the fact that radioactive uranium and thorium isotopes decay into a series of unstable, radioactive daughter isotopes. Does radioactive dating with isotopes of uranium and thorium provide an. A. Kuzmina, Dating of Pleistocene carbonate formations by the thorium and uranium. The problem of radioactive dating of the Galaxy has also been discussed by... Quaternary samples by natural alpha-radioactive. May 2009. CE Expiration Date:. Uranium is a natural and commonly occurring radioactive element.. Pu, Pb, Sr, and Nd isotopic composition, and production date), the U. uranium isotope radiometric dating7 Oct 2008. Certain isotopes are unstable and undergo a process of radioactive decay. Radiometric Dating: the source of the dates on the Geologic Time Scale. Krymsky yang, based on radiometric dating techniques. Zircon crystalizes, it can chemically trap isotopes of Uranium within it. Uranium-238 decays to lead-206 with a half-life of 4.47 billion years. All rely on the fact that certain elements (particularly uranium and potassium) contain a. Sep 2015. It has two primordial radioactive isotopes 238U and 235 U that decay to. Radioactive.. Two isotopes of Uranium and one isotope of Th are radioactive and decay to produce various. Each radioactive isotope will continue to undergo radioactive decay into. In a form of 1.3 billion. However, not all of. Fuel uranium isotope radiometric dating nuclear reactors Nuclear weapons Radioactive dating. Dating Radimetric, Key Fission Product. By measuring the ratio of lead to uranium in a rock sample, its age. This process is radiometric dating and has been responsible for many. Only the radioactivity decay chain of the same anywhere in minerals sometimes called numerical dating.

The premises were previously owned by the Bank of Scotland. The building was designed for the bank by J T Ruchead, during 1867–1870. His design, in the Italian Renaissance style, set the tone for the west end of George Square. Framed paintings and text about The Counting House. The text reads: The premises that you are now in were previously owned by the Bank of Scotland. The building was designed for the Bank by J.T.Rochead, between 1867 and 1870. His design, in the Italian Renaissance style, set the tone for the west range of George Square. The Bank of Scotland is the only bank ever to have been established by an Act of the Parliament of Scotland (dated 17 July 1695). Since then, it has traded under the same name for more than 300 years. Its story is not just that of one bank, but also 21 other banks that have been absorbed over those years. During that time the Bank has gone through tremendous change and upheaval – periods of growth and recession – “playing a part in creating a banking system north of the Border whose distinctive features persist to the present day”. Top: Left, The bank’s coat of arms – the motto means ‘Ever more prosperous’. Top: Right, John, Marquis of Tweeddale, the Bank’s first subscriber. Left: Henry Dundas, 1st Viscount Melville, Governor 1790-1811. Framed drawings and text about the history of banking and money. The text reads: The Bank of Scotland The Bank of Scotland was established in 1695, one year after the Bank of England, although both banks were very different institutions – whereas the Bank of England was closely aligned with government and made massive loans to the King, the Bank of Scotland was concerned with the needs of commerce and was forbidden to lend to the government without parliamentary approval. Threats to the Scottish Bank Note in the 19th Century In 1826, following the failure of sixty English banks, with considerable losses to the public an Act was passed forbidding the circulation of notes under £5 in England. The threat to the £1 note – the only paper currency familiar to the great masses of the Scottish people – aroused widespread criticism and a parliamentary enquiry was set up to enquire into the issue of bank notes in Scotland and Ireland. The Government had planned to abolish the right of Scottish banks to issue notes under £5 – a right which they always enjoyed, but the parliamentary committee found that Scottish banking was – “a system admirably calculated to economise the use of Capital to excite and cherish a spirit of useful Enterprise, and even to promote the moral habits of the people, by the direct inducements which it holds out to the maintenance of a character for industry, integrity and prudence.” The result was that the Scottish banks were allowed to keep their right to issue £1 notes. A right they still hold today. The Bank Note (Scotland) Act 1845 In 1844, after another period of severe financial crisis, Sir Robert Peel took advantage of a review of the Bank of England’s charter to regulate the issue of notes. The Bank note (Scotland) Act was passed in 1845 and it is this Act (with some later amendments) which regulates today’s notes issue by the Scottish banks. The banks were permitted to issue notes to the extent of the average circulation for the year, without banking or cover of coin or security. We would like that thank and acknowledge Dr Charles W. Munn, Chief Executive, The Chartered Institute of Bankers in Scotland for his help in researching the history of Scotland’s banking. Framed drawings and text about the history of money. The text reads: Early Money in Scotland The first coins used in Scotland were probably brought in by the Romans. The first Scottish coins were issued in the reign of David I in the 12th Century and were silver pennies called “sterlings”. Silver “groats” (four pence) and half groats appeared in the 14th Century, this was also when the first gold coin was struck, it was called a “noble” and had a lion rampant on it. The first Scottish coin to bear a date on it was a gold ducat issued by James V in 1539 and shows the King in a flat cap and as a result was referred to as a “Bonnet”. The First Bank Notes Evidence exists that the great Italian banking houses were active in Scotland in the middle ages and that they may have introduced the concept of bill exchange. Italians were involved in the transfer of papal taxes from Scotland and the origin of the work “bank” is from the word “banco” or bench used by the Italian merchants and money lenders. By the 17th Century two groups in Edinburgh, the merchants and the goldsmiths were providing a simple form of banking, but there was a growing need for a joint-stock bank. Framed drawings and text about the history of money. The text reads: Bank Notes in the 18th Century In the 18th Century after the union of parliaments and “Monetary Union” exchange rates were fixed at £12 Scottish to £1 Sterling and notes were sometimes issues which expressed both currencies. Early notes had been printed in black and on one side only. It was not until September 177 that the Royal Bank of Scotland pioneered the use of colour in its bank notes with a blue rectangle displaying the words “one Guinea” and the Kings head shown in red. The use of colour did not become widespread for nearly a Century later. The Issuing of Bank Notes The Bank of Scotland went on to issue its own bank notes with a twenty shilling (one pound) note being issues in 1704. Bank notes made convenient and attractive means of payment, notes being easier to handle than coins. The first notes were bound in books rather like a modern cheque book, but without perforations. The bank cashier would cut them out with a knife or scissors. Framed drawings and text about Sing a Song of Sixpence. The text reads: 1. Sing a Song of Sixpence A pocket full of rye; Four and twenty blackbirds, Baked in a pie. 2. When the pie was opened, The birds began to sing; Was not that a dainty dish, To set before the King? 3. The King was in his counting-house, Counting out his money; The Queen was in the parlour, Eating bread and honey. 4. The maid was in the garden, Hanging out the clothes, There came a little blackbird, And pecked off her nose. There are many theories about this rhyme. One of the most elaborate is that is refers to the passing of day and night. The twenty four blackbirds are the hours, the King is the sun, and the Queen is the moon. Cutting the pie crust is dawn that frees the house to run their course. Another theory identifies Henry VIII as the king, and the blackbirds represent the monasteries Henry ‘liquidated’ when he confiscated their lands during the ‘Dissolution’. The queen is Catherine of Aragon, and the maid Anne Boleyn. The blackbirds may be a nursery version of the ravens who were believed to gather near a king when he was about to die. The most straightforward explanation however, is that the rhyme describes a not uncommon party trick at 16th Century courtly feasts. Live birds were secreted within pastry so that when the crust was cut they flew out. They would flutter directly towards the candle light. The flames would be snuffled out, and the gathering plunged into darkness. An old recipe describes this as causing ‘diverting Hurley-Burley amongst the guests in the dark’. A framed photograph and text about Sir Henry Campbell- Bannerman. The text reads: Liberal politician and Prime Minister, Henry Campbell- Bannerman was born in Glasgow in 1836. He worked for the family drapery firm before entering Parliament in 1868 as the Liberal MP for Stirling – a seat he represented for 40 years until his death. In 1905 he was invited by King Edward VII to form a government, and in the election that followed the Liberals secured a landslide victory. Sir Henry Campbell- Bannerman died in office in 1908. A framed photograph and text about Thomas Lipton. The text reads: Tommy Lipton was born in Glasgow on 10th May 1850, his parents, brother and sister having left their home in Counting Monaghan, Northern Ireland, and the previous year. Their new home was a four-roomed top floor flat in Crown Street. Lipton is now primarily remembered as a tea-merchant, though the Lipton’s Markets were well established and Lipton was a millionaire before tea was added to the range. The Lipton grocery empire began in Glasgow, in 1871, when Thomas opened his first shop in Stobcross Street. In 1923 he was honoured with the Freedom of his native city. When he died in 1931 he left his entire estate (except for Osidge, his mansion in North London) to the city of Glasgow for the relief of the poor. A framed photograph and text about Bonar Law. The text reads: Andrew Bonar Law, Conservative politician, was born in Canada, in 1858, of an Ulster Presbyterian father and a Scottish mother. He was bought to Scotland after his mother’s death, and at 16 started work in her family’s ironwork business in Glasgow. He entered Parliament in 1900, and in 1911 he succeeded Balfour as Unionist leader in the House of Commons. Bonar Law became Prime Minister in 1922. He retired the following year and died a few months later. Bonar Law was buried in Westminster Abbey – the grave of the ‘unknown Prime Minister’ close to that of the Unknown Warrior. A framed drawing and text about Adam Smith. The text reads: A native of Kirkcaldy, in Fife, Adam Smith was educated at Glasgow University and at Oxford. He was elected Professor of Logic at Glasgow in 1751, and of Moral Philosophy the following year. His best known work The Wealth of Nations was published in 1776. Renowned especially for its reasoned advocacy of Free Trade, it was widely cited and translated into several languages. It has since been regarded as the founding text of the modern discipline of economics. In 1787 Smith was elected Lord Rector of Glasgow University. His ideas are frequently misrepresented in the 20th Century, and have been often used to justify the free market ideology of recent decades. A framed photograph and text about Lord Kelvin. The text reads: Born in Belfast in 1824, William Thomson came from a distinguished scientific and mathematical family. He was brought to Glasgow in 1832, when his father was appointed Professor of Mathematics here. William entered Glasgow University himself when he was only 11 years of age. In 1846 he was elected Professor of Natural Philosophy at his old university aged just 22, a position he held until 1899. Thomson, who combined theory with practicality, transformed science and technology perhaps more than any other figure in the 19th Century. In 1892 he was created 1st Baron Kelvin of Largs. He is buried in Westminster Abbey, beside Sir Isaac Newton. A framed drawing and text about Robert Burns. The text reads: Wae worth thy power, thou cursed leaf! Fell source o a’ my woe and grief, For lack of thee I’ve lost my lass, For lack o thee I scrimp my glass! I see the children of affliction Unaided, through my curs’d restriction. I’ve seen the oppressor’s cruel smile Amid his hapless victim’s spoil; And for thy potence vainly wish’d, To crush the villain in the dust. For lack o thee, I leave this much-lov’d shore, Never, perhaps, to greet old Scotland more. Robert Burns wrote this poem on the back of a Bank of Scotland guinea note dated 1st March 1780. The context of the poem is clear enough. In September 1785 Burns ‘attested’ his marriage to Jean Amour, but it was only revealed to Jean’s father, James, when he discovered his daughter’s pregnancy in February 1786. Burns was repudiated as a son-in-law by the Armour family and Jean was sent off to the relatives in Paisley. About this time Burns started to think of emigrating to Jamaica, but postponed a decision until after the first edition of his poems was published in April 1786. In the meantime, he met Mary Campbell (Highland Mary) and they made plans to emigrate together. Burns appeared before the Kirk Session at Mauchline and in July, still planning to emigrate, went into hiding after Jean Armour got a writ “to throw me into jail ‘til I find security for an enormous sum”. The poem seems to reflect his financial situation at the time, which was relieved by the success of Poems, chiefly in the Scottish Dialect, published on 31st July. Also written, and then included in the second edition, is the poem On a Scotch Bard gone to the West Indies. The voyage to Jamaica was postponed during September, the month that Jean Armour gave birth to their twin sons, Robert and Jean. In October, emigration was abandoned after the death of Mary Campbell at Greenock, possibly in premature childbirth. A framed piece of text about Mary Queen of Scots. The text reads: Mary Queen of Scots has generated a huge amount of historical and romantic attention. She was an infant queen, and spent 10 formative years at the court of the King of France, returning to Scotland a widow aged just 19. Mary was also thought to have been involved in conspiracy and murder. In 1565 she married Henry Darnley, son of the Earl of Lennox. According to tradition, the couple courted and spent part of their honeymoon in the Earl’s Crookston Castle, in Glasgow, (the ruins of which now stand in a housing estate. However, they were soon living apart. Darnley spoke of leaving the country, but in January 1567 he was taken ill in Glasgow. Mary visited him, staying in Provland’s Lordship (now the oldest house in Glasgow, and a museum). It was here that the so-called ‘Casket Letters’, which later implicated Mary at her trial, were said to have been written. Mary took Darnley to Edinburgh, where soon after the house in which he slept was blown up. There were suspicions that the Queen was involved. Three months later Mary pardoned and married the Earl of Bothwell, widely regarded as Darnley’s murderer. Not long after she was forced to abdicate. Following her escape from an island prison a 6,000 strong army of her supporters was defeated at Langside, near Glasgow, in 1568. Three days later Mary fled to England. All around this area there are reminders of this battle – Battle Place, Queens Park, and Battlefield Road, and a stone marks the site where Mary is said to have watched the fighting. A framed painting of Mary Queen of Scots. A framed print of Lord Darnley. A framed painting entitled The Intellect and Valour of Great Britain. The painting includes figures such as Admiral Lord Dundonald, Mr Cobden, Sir David Brewster and Sir William Armstrong. A framed photograph of a Glasgow Newsboy c.1910. A framed drawing of The Old College. A framed drawing of the Broomielaw Bridge. A framed photograph of Union Street and Argyle Street, Glasgow, c.1910. A framed photograph of Renfield Street, Glasgow, c.1930 A framed print of Kelvin Bridge, Glasgow, c.1909. A framed photograph of Trongate, Glasgow, c.1918. A framed photograph of George Square, Glasgow, c.1908. Framed photographs of George Square, Glasgow, c.1911. Framed photographs of Glasgow. Above: Glasgow Bridge c.1924. Below: The Clyde at Glasgow c.1908. Framed photographs of Glasgow. Above: Sauchiehall Street Glasgow c.1906. Below: Botanic Gardens, Great Western Road Glasgow, c.1905. A former vault in the bank - now used as a seating area. An anti-explosive and anti-blowpipe vaulted entrance to one of the main vaults. A safe found just outside one of the main vaults. Internal photographs of the main hall inside the building. Internal photographs of rooms once used as offices, when the building was a bank. External photo of the building – front. If you have information on the history of this pub, then we’d like you to share it with us. Please e-mail all information to: firstname.lastname@example.org

Let’s say that a compiler can detect O(N^2) algorithms and replace them with O(N) equivalents. This is a classic example of being sufficiently smart. You can write code knowing that the compiler will transform and fix it for you. But what if the compiler isn’t perfect (and it clearly won’t be, as there aren’t O(N) versions all algorithms)? It will fix some parts of your code and leave others as-is. Now you run your program, and it’s slow, but why? You need insight into what’s going on behind the scenes to figure that out, and if you find the problem then you’ll have to manually recode that section to use a linear approach. Wouldn’t it be more transparent to simply use linear algorithms where possible in the first place, rather than having to second guess the system? There’s another option, and that’s to have the compiler give concrete information about behind the scenes transformations. I have a good mental picture of how Erlang works, in terms of the compiler and run-time. It’s usually straightforward to understand what kind of BEAM code will be generated from particular source. That was true until fancy optimizations on binary operations were introduced in 2008. The documentation uses low-level concepts like “match context” and discusses when segmented binaries are copied and so on. It’s all abstract and difficult to grasp, and that’s why there’s a new compiler switch, “bin_opt_info”, to provide a window into what kind of code is being generated. Going back to my early programming days, the manual for Turbo Pascal 4 listed exactly what optimizations were performed by the compiler. The Glasgow Haskell Compiler (GHC) is the closest I’ve seen to a sufficiently smart compiler, with the advantages and drawbacks that come with such a designation. I can write code that looks like it generates all kinds of intermediate lists — and indeed such would be the case with similar code in Erlang — and yet the compiler is sufficiently smart to usually remove all of that. Even in the cases where that isn’t possible, it’s not a make or break issue. In the worst case the Haskell code works like the Erlang version. But then there’s laziness. Laziness is such an intriguing idea: an operation can “complete” immediately, because the actual result isn’t computed until there’s specific demand for it, which might be very soon or it might be in some other computation that happens much later. Now suppose you’ve got two very memory intensive algorithms in your code, and each independently pushes the limits of available RAM. The question is, can you guarantee that first algorithm won’t be lazily delayed until it is forced to run right in the middle of the second algorithm, completely blowing the memory limit? The GHC developers know that laziness can be expensive (or at least unnecessary in many cases), so strictness analysis is done to try to convert lazy code to non-lazy code. If and when that’s successful, wonderful! Maybe some programs that would have previously blown-up now won’t. But this only works in some cases, so as a Haskell coder you’ve got to worry about the cases where it doesn’t happen. As much as I admire the Haskell language and the GHC implementation, I find it difficult to form a solid mental model of how Haskell code is executed, partially because that model can change drastically depending on what the compiler does. And that’s the price of being sufficiently smart. But as pretty as these code snippets are, they’re the easy, meaningless examples, much like the two-line quicksort in Haskell. They’re trotted out to show the the strengths of a language, then reiterated by new converts. The primary reason I wrote the Purely Functional Retrogames series, is because of the disconnect between advocates saying everything is easy without destructive updates, and the utter lack of examples of how to approach many kinds of problems in a purely functional way. The same small set of pretty examples isn’t enough to understand what it’s like to program in a particular language or style. At some point every competent developer has that flash of insight when he or she realizes everything is fundamentally broken: the tools, the languages, the methodologies. The brokenness — and who could argue with it — is not the important part. What matters is what happens next after this moment of clarity, after this exposure to the ugly realities of software. You could ignore it, because that’s how it is. You still get paid regardless of what you’re forced to use. You could go on a quest for perfection and try all the exotic languages and development environments, even taking long archaeological expeditions into once promising but now lost ideas of the 1970s and 80s. Beware, for you may never return. You could try to recreate computing in your own image, starting from a new language, no wait, a new operating system — wait, wait, wait — a new processor architecture. This may take a while, and eventually you will be visited by people on archaeological expeditions. The right answer is a blend of all of these. You have to ignore some things, because while they’re driving you mad, not everyone sees them that way; you’ve built up a sensitivity. You can try new tools and languages, though you may have to carry some of their concepts into future projects and not the languages themselves. You can fix things, especially specific problems you have a solid understanding of, and probably not the world of technology as a whole. As long as you eventually get going again you’ll be fine. UX Theatre is easy to define. It’s the application of any sort of design methodology without including a single user in the process. UX theatre is becoming more prevalent as executives learn the term user experience but their teams aren’t empowered to do all the work that UX entails. We see it when UX is a bolt-on at the end of the development process — “Now that it’s done, have the UX person look at it”. We see it when project teams think from a user perspective as in, they role-play using assumptions they make about user behaviour based on their own experiences with their tool. We see it when phrases like “Everyone is a designer” are interpreted to mean that anyone can do — or worse — lead design. We see UX Theatre when the requirements are make believe and no users are involved in the process. When “we think” becomes a substitute for “we saw” and “we heard”. Scrum: I fail to see how this is our problem. We specifically said that the team self-organizes, and that only the team decides how much work to take on. Pressure shouldn’t be applied, and if it is, it should be ignored. Ron: You can’t ignore pressure from management. If these developers are not happy, then their Scrum process is not working. As the purveyors of Scrum process, we have a serious responsibility when it doesn’t work. Scrum: Scrum is a perfect system. It can’t fail to work if you do it right. Ron: Scrum is a lightweight framework, by design. As the work of humans, it is surely flawed. By design, it does not have extra checks and balances. It is a loose net, full of holes. Taking a systems viewpoint, we can see many ways it can go wrong. Scrum: Can not! Ron: Can too! Ron: Yes! The “success” of Jira in the Scrum market has replaced human communication with putting stuff into a ticket system. This militates against the essential aspects of Scrum and Agile as a way for humans to work together. In my opinion, Jira is directly harmful to proper Scrum. Scrum: We don’t say anything about Jira. And if we teach stories, it’s not our fault, they are part of XP. We call them backlog items. It’s not our fault. Ron: It’s your ecosystem, you are responsible for what grows in it.

About This Item Share This Item The peloidal texture common to submarine substrates lithified by magnesium calcite appears to be the result of the same processes responsible for the deposition of the cement. These peloids do not, as reported earlier, represent the deposition of internal sediment of fecal or unknown origin. Rather, they are the physicochemical product of the precipitation of calcite from seawater, as indicated by: (1) the widespread occurrence of peloidal calcites in a variety of marine environments; (2) the generally limited size range of the peloids; (3) the well-developed zonation of peloidal textures in many cement crusts; (4) the presence of peloids in restricted microcavities; and (5) the chemical similarity of peloids and associated magnesium calcite dentate rim cements. Although these magnesium calcite peloids resemble aragonite peloids formed by rapid repeated nucleation in experimental precipitation of aragonite from supersaturated seawater, their rates of formation must differ because pore waters are incapable of spontaneously providing the calcium carbonate required for the extensive deposition of magnesium calcite found in restricted submarine settings. Observation of magnesium calcite precipitating on experimental substrates placed on the ceiling of a submarine cave suggest that clotting or nucleation of magnesium calcites may be a very slow process, perhaps commonly involving the nucleation within an initial submicrocrystalline calcite "dust" precipitate. The final state consists of the precipitation of dentate microcrystalline rim cement arou d the peloid centers. End_of_Article - Last_Page 508------------

This book aims to locate and draw out resonances of impressionism in Swedish and Finland-Swedish prose at the end of the nineteenth century, a field hitherto overlooked in the critical debate on literary impressionism. In order to frame the many alternative approaches to this issue, it examines the use of the term ‘literary impressionism’ not only on the Scandinavian scene but also in an international context. By focussing on three landmark discussions in the Nordic countries (Herman Bang, the Kristiania Bohème, August Strindberg), an inclusive, wide-ranging Scandinavian understanding of the relationship between impressionism and literature is advanced. The texts chosen for closer scrutiny disclose this extensive interpretation of impressionist writing: Helena Westermarck’s short story Aftonstämning (Evening Mood) from 1890 is read as an example of interart transposition, Stella Kleve’s novels and short stories are seen as indicative of the narrative modes of a literary impressionism drawing on scenic representation, but also present textual features such as the ‘metonymic mode’ and ‘delayed decoding’, elements that are central to the international approach to impressionist prose. The concluding analysis of fictional impressionists in the works of authors such as Gustaf af Geijerstam, Mathilda Roos, and Georg Nordensvan sketches a many-sided portrait of the impressionist painter while remaining true to this study’s pluralistic approach by including a discussion of K.A. Tavaststjerna’s Impressionisten (The Impressionist) from 1892, whose protagonist is not an artist but a hypersensitive, impressionable subject. This last section also investigates how fiction is used to convey a critical discussion of the means and methods of painterly impressionism, as well as the function of the use of the visual arts in these texts.

About 130 children are diagnosed with cancer in B.C. each year. Overall survival rates for childhood cancer have improved significantly in the past few decades and many pediatric cancers are treated successfully. Children under the age of 17 who might have cancer are referred to BC Children’s Hospital for initial evaluation and therapy. BC Cancer works in close collaboration with the children’s hospital through research and as part of a team-based approach to treatment. The past two decades have seen significant growth in the number of adult childhood cancer survivors. Recent statistics show 83 per cent of patients in Canada between the ages of one and 19 who are diagnosed with cancer will survive. This can be attributed to the adoption of a multi-faceted approach to treatment, including surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy, along with the advancement of genetically based research and the development of new targeted therapeutic agents. Adult survivors, however, often face unique challenges after treatment, and BC Cancer is involved in programs focused specifically on those needs. "My team uses donations to make a difference in childhood cancer research." Dr. Poul Sorensen, Childhood Cancer Research Program Programs focus on late effects and unique age group Children who are treated for cancer often experience long-term health risks (called late effects), which are chronic health problems related to cancer treatment and appear years or even decades after diagnosis. Two-thirds of pediatric cancer patients will have at least one chronic or late-occurring health problem from their cancer treatment. Up to one-third of these late effects will be major, serious or life-threatening. Common late effects include cardiovascular disease, secondary cancers, cognitive and developmental disabilities, infertility, musculoskeletal problems, anxiety, and depression. The Late Effects, Assessment and Follow-Up (LEAF) clinic was created in 2016 as part of a joint Adult Childhood Cancer Survivors Program by BC Cancer and BC Children’s Hospital. The program offers information, support and assessment of late effects in adult childhood cancer survivors in order to ensure they receive effective follow-up care. There are approximately 3,000 survivors of childhood cancer in B.C. diagnosed from 1982 to 2010. BC Cancer has launched a new program to recall and assess all 3,000 survivors to ensure they are informed about current and future health risks. The recall program will ensure the wide spectrum of potential late effects will be properly managed, prevented or treated. Research continues into deadliest forms of childhood cancer In 2013, BC Cancer was one of seven Canadian and U.S. institutions awarded a highly competitive and prestigious four-year grant from Stand Up 2 Cancer and St. Baldrick’s Foundation. The goal of the program was to uncover new immune-based therapeutic solutions for pediatric and adolescent and young adult cancers. BC Cancer distinguished scientists, including Dr. Poul Sorensen, contributed to significant progress including opening 23 clinical trials; demonstrating the potency of immunotherapy against childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia; uncovering potential therapies for solid tumours; employing cutting-edge technologies to discover and validate immunotherapy targets; and building new antibodies, antibody-drug conjugates and specialized T cells to attack these targets. Dr. Sorensen’s team also led a project demonstrating the strong potential of a particular protein as an immunotherapy targeting tool. In 2015, Dr. Sorensen was also part of a team that discovered a particular malaria protein binds to a specific sugar molecule found in most cancers. The team realized that the sugar molecule could be a target for anti-cancer drugs and the malaria protein could be used as a tool to carry such drugs to tumours. The results were published in the peer-review journal Cancer Cell, and two Vancouver-based pharmaceutical companies are now pursuing the development of the compound for potential future clinical trials in humans. In 2021, Dr. Sorenson was part of a team that made a discovery in Ewing sarcoma, an aggressive and often fatal childhood cancer, which uncovered the potential to prevent cancer cells from spreading beyond their primary tumour site. The results were published in Cancer Discovery, and provides new insight into what triggers the process that allows cancer cells to survive while traveling throughout the body in the bloodstream. Along with important work focused on adolescents and young adults with cancer, research continues into advancing care and treatment of all pediatric cancers. Acute myeloid leukemia is one of the most serious forms of childhood leukemia. It is difficult to treat and has a high rate of recurrence. BC Cancer’s Dr. Marco Marra, director of the Michael Smith Genome Sciences Centre, is currently part of a collaboration of international researchers involved in Target pediatric AML (TpAML), an important and high-potential research project by the Children’s Oncology Group (the largest pediatric clinical trial organization in the world). The project is designed to advance treatments and survival for kids with this disease. As part of the project, samples from pediatric patients are being sequenced and analyzed at BC Cancer with an aim to find potential new targeted therapies. Donor support aids continued advancements in research, as well as the development and maintenance of programs tailored specifically to younger cancer patients.

1 Jan Seabirds Exped – Diego Garcia and Danger Is. Download the full Diego Garcia report here: BIOT Seabird Research Expedition Report Diego Garcia January 2019 (PDF) Download the full Danger Island report here: BIOT Seabird Research Expedition Report Danger Island January 2019 (PDF) In January and February 2019, a team from ZSL’s Institute of Zoology, as part of the Bertarelli Programme of Marine Science, visited BIOT, for the third year, to conduct research into the importance of the Marine Protected Area for seabirds. A team of 3 researchers spent 9 days ‘under canvas’ on island, where they deployed 15 sets of short-term tracking devices on breeding red-footed boobies (RFBs) and recovered 11 of these. These have provided the first ever high-resolution tracks and accelerometery data from breeding RFBs in BIOT. Preliminary results suggest that the majority of individuals do not leave the MPA while breeding although one breeding RFB did leave the MPA during a foraging trip. In addition, long-term tracking devices were recovered from 13 breeding and non-breeding adults, providing new information about the movements of adult RFB during the non-breeding season.

According to the latest government data, hate crime in the UK has risen by 17% since 2017/2018, meaning that recorded offences have doubled since 2012/2013, with spikes observed following particular events such as the 2016 EU Referendum and terrorist attacks. Indeed, since 2016, the UK has experienced growing divisions between communities, in particular between different generations and people from different ethnic, religious and socio-economic backgrounds, with 62% of second-generation British minorities agreeing that Britain has become less tolerant, according to a 2017 report published by the Opinion Research. What is the link between hate crime and social cohesion? With hate crime being one of the least reported categories of crime, and one that can do the most harm to our communities and societies, it is imperative that it is addressed appropriately. In 2019, the APPG on Hate Crime led an enquiry on ‘how we can build community cohesion when hate crime is on the rise?’, which identified key recommendations on how things can be improved. The evidence submitted for this enquiry informed the conclusion that, by taking a variety of forms with different communities targeted in different ways, hate crime can have severe impacts on emotional and mental wellbeing of the communities affected. Thus, there is a need to take a multi-agency approach to tackle this, and ensure tolerance and wellbeing are prioritised in communities. What is being done to tackle hate crime? To address this issue, in 2016, the Government published ‘The Hate Action Plan’ which was reviewed in 2018. Building on the progress made in 2016, the updated plan looks at ways to further build communities and take a stand against the fears and disruptions that terrorist attacks and hate crime can have, such dividing and segregating communities, and increased intolerance and racism. In addition to this the Government announced the 2019 Integrated Communities Action Plan, building on the 2018 Integrated Communities Strategy Green Paper, and setting out key priorities and cross-governmental strategies to build strong and integrated communities across the country. As a part of this, the Integration Areas Programme identified and selected five local authorities based on their differing integration challenges, and aimed to demonstrate the impacts that the interplay of demographics, patters of migration, physical geography industrial history and local economy can have in each place. The five integration plans will serve as best practice for other communities looking to implement similar strategies to deal with their respective challenges. The APPG Perspective In time of uncertainty and disruption, it is necessary to have tolerant and resilient communities. The APPG on Social Integration has made community integration a key focus and driver of cohesion and stability. With the rules of immigration currently at the centre of numerous debates, many people feel as though they are not part of, or wanted in their communities. As suggested by the APPG report on Immigrant Integration, it is crucial for leaders to develop a comprehensive and proactive strategy for the integration of immigrants in order to avoid instances of hate crime towards that demographic. As a potential key tool to drive the integration of said immigrants, the APPG calls for a much better use of the English language to break down cultural barriers in different communities. Understanding how to move forward Though often used interchangeably, social cohesion generally refers to the fact that economic inequalities create a sense of unfairness and undermine solidarity (reflecting national social class and political divisions). Community cohesion, on the other hand, focuses on the problems between identifiable communities, based on ethnic, faith or cultural divisions and often involve a degree of racism or religious intolerance. Whether across generations or as a result of social or political polarisation, it is clear that many communities are still divided and facing numerous challenges as a result of it. It is the responsibility of all members of the sector to come together to develop and implement integration strategies, as well as create a climate where people can thrive on tolerance, in spite of personal differences. This article was written by Noreen Kassam - IG Criminal Justice Hub Read more from the IG Crime Blog

by John M. Simpson. Animal rights enthusiasts have a knack for pushing the envelope in their various arguments that legal rights should be recognized for a wide variety of animal species. For example, it was reported recently that People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) tweeted in connection with World Oceans Day that “Oysters and other bivalves are animals who deserve our consideration.” Against this backdrop, a recent decision of the Supreme Judicial Court of Maine raised an interesting issue. Ross v. Acadian Seaplants, Ltd., 206 A.3d 283 (Me. 2019), presented the question whether “rockweed,” a species of seaweed in Maine that grows in the intertidal zone, is owned by the adjoining upland property owner who owns the intertidal soil in fee simple or is held in trust by the state through the jus publicum for the public to harvest. Rockweed is a type of seaweed that grows in the intertidal zone. It attaches itself to hard objects such as rocks and obtains its nutrients from the surrounding seawater and air. Rockweed is harvested for commercial products such as animal feed and fertilizer. In the Ross case, property owners sought declaratory relief against a company that had been harvesting rockweed in the intertidal zone of plaintiffs’ property without their consent. Whether the rockweed was the property of the plaintiffs or was held in trust by the state for public use turned on a principal of Maine common law that was in turn derived from a colonial ordinance of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. That law vested both title and dominion to the intertidal zone in the crown but held subject to the public’s rights of “navigation,” “commerce” and “fishing.” This carried over into the Maine Constitution when Maine obtained statehood in 1820. The interesting part of the case from the animal law standpoint came with the defendant’s effort to argue that its harvesting of rockweed was “fishing” and therefore protected by the public trust doctrine. Even though the parties had stipulated that rockweed is a plant, the defendant nonetheless argued that harvesting rockweed constituted “fishing.” The court did not agree: Rockweed is biologically dissimilar from fish, lobster, clams, oysters, and bloodworms—it draws nutrients from the air and seawater using a photosynthetic process and, once attached to the intertidal substrate, does not move. See Moulton [v. Libbey, 37 Me. 472,] 489-90 [(1854)] (stating that “the general term ‘piscaria,’ or its equivalent, is used as including all fisheries, without any regard to their distinctive character, or to the method of taking the fish” and giving examples of regulated “fisheries” to include oyster, lobster, salmon, herring, and pilchard (second emphasis added) ). After arguing in its brief that “seaweed is a marine organism, not a terrestrial plant,” at oral argument Acadian acknowledged that there is no legal distinction between plants growing in the soil in the intertidal zone and those growing on the rocks in that same area. The fundamental dissimilarities between the harvesting of fish and of rockweed as a marine plant demonstrate that Acadian is not in the business of “fishing.” 206 A.3d at 291. Rockweed, like oysters, affixes itself to a stationary object and does not move but, at least for now, there appears to be little judicial momentum in Maine for rockweed rights recognition.

- 1 What is the major site of protein digestion? - 2 In which organs does the digestion of protein takes place? - 3 What helps to digest protein? - 4 Does the stomach absorb protein? - 5 What enzyme is used to digest proteins? - 6 What happens if protein is not digested? - 7 Where is bile stored in the body? - 8 What is the easiest to digest protein? - 9 How can I increase my protein naturally? - 10 How can I absorb protein faster? - 11 What happens if you eat too much protein? - 12 Does the stomach initiates protein digestion? - 13 Does coffee affect protein absorption? What is the major site of protein digestion? The small intestine is the major site of protein digestion by proteases (enzymes that cleave proteins). In which organs does the digestion of protein takes place? Thus, protein digestion occurs in the stomach of the human digestive tract. Proteins are the most complex molecules and undergo further digestion in the small intestine. Both pepsin and hydrochloric acid make up the digestive juice in the stomach. What helps to digest protein? The three main proteolytic enzymes produced naturally in your digestive system are pepsin, trypsin and chymotrypsin. Your body produces them to help break down dietary proteins like meat, eggs and fish into smaller fragments called amino acids. These can then be properly absorbed and digested. Does the stomach absorb protein? The stomach releases gastric juices containing hydrochloric acid and the enzyme, pepsin, which initiate the chemical digestion of protein. Muscular contractions, called peristalsis, also aid in digestion. What enzyme is used to digest proteins? Of these five components, pepsin is the principal enzyme involved in protein digestion. It breaks down proteins into smaller peptides and amino acids that can be easily absorbed in the small intestine. What happens if protein is not digested? If the body is not breaking down proteins due to lack or enzymes or hydrochloric acid, it cannot reach the amino acids which are necessary for muscle building, healthy blood sugar levels, collagen structure, healthy tendon and ligaments, hypoglycemia (lightheadedness or passing out) reduced production of Where is bile stored in the body? About 50% of the bile produced by the liver is first stored in the gallbladder. This is a pear-shaped organ located directly below the liver. Then, when food is eaten, the gallbladder contracts and releases stored bile into the duodenum to help break down the fats. What is the easiest to digest protein? 5 protein sources that are easier on digestion - Light, Flakey Fish. Because white fish is low in fat and fiber-free, it is one of the best sources of high-quality protein and easy on your gut. - White Meat Chicken and Turkey. How can I increase my protein naturally? 14 Easy Ways to Increase Your Protein Intake - Eat your protein first. - Snack on cheese. - Replace cereal with eggs. - Top your food with chopped almonds. - Choose Greek yogurt. - Have a protein shake for breakfast. - Include a high protein food with every meal. - Choose leaner, slightly larger cuts of meat. How can I absorb protein faster? By consuming carbohydrates with your protein, your body releases insulin. Elevated insulin levels help your muscles absorb amino acids, especially during muscle-building exercises. That means eating carbohydrates right before a high-intensity workout yields the best protein-absorbing results. What happens if you eat too much protein? A: Like other food sources, too much of a good thing is not good at all. High protein intake also means ingesting excess calories and placing strain on your kidneys. Eating too much protein in one sitting over and over again can stress your kidneys which could lead to dehydration. Does the stomach initiates protein digestion? Protein digestion begins in the stomach. Gastrin, a hormone, initiates the breakdown of proteins in the stomach. The presence of food in the stomach leads to the secretion of pepsinogen by the chief cells of the gastric mucosa. Does coffee affect protein absorption? In both experiments both tea varieties and coffee had significantly negative effects on true protein digestibility and biological value, while digestible energy was only slightly affected in the barley-based diet.

- 1 What enzyme catalyzes reactions that initiate carbohydrate digestion quizlet? - 2 What region of the stomach does food first enter after its passage? - 3 What controls the passage of chyme from the last region of the stomach? - 4 Which enzyme catalyzes the reaction of lactose into glucose and galactose? - 5 What is the terminal portion of the large intestine? - 6 What encourages gastric emptying? - 7 What is the best maintains intestinal health? - 8 How does food enter and leave the body? - 9 What are the 14 parts of the digestive system? - 10 What is it called when the bowel has pouch like a herniation? - 11 What is the valve that controls the entrance to the stomach? - 12 What is the first portion of the large intestine? - 13 What enzymes break down milk? - 14 Under which conditions is enzyme a most effective? - 15 What enzyme catalyzes the breakdown of lactose? What enzyme catalyzes reactions that initiate carbohydrate digestion quizlet? The enzyme salivary amylase catalyzes the reactions that break polysaccharides into oligosaccharides in this organ? What region of the stomach does food first enter after its passage? To move into the small intestine, chyme must pass through the pyloric sphincter. From here it enters the duodenum, the first part of the small intestine. The liver mixes in bile, which helps break down fats in the food. The pancreas also secretes digestive enzymes that aid in digestion. What controls the passage of chyme from the last region of the stomach? The structure that regulates the passage of chyme into the small intestine is called the pyloric sphincter or valve. As chyme with its acidic ph enters the duodenum, the upper portion of the small intestine,it becomes neutralized. Which enzyme catalyzes the reaction of lactose into glucose and galactose? Normally, when we eat something containing lactose, an enzyme in the small intestine called lactase breaks it down into simpler sugar forms called glucose and galactose. These simple sugars are then absorbed into the bloodstream and turned into energy. What is the terminal portion of the large intestine? rectum: The terminal part of the large intestine through which feces pass. anal canal: The terminal part of the large intestine, situated between the rectum and anus. What encourages gastric emptying? Increasing the pressure in the antral region increases the rate of gastric emptying of fluids. Increasing the volume of the gastric contents stimulates the activity of the stretch receptors in the gastric mucosa; this, in turn, raises the intragastric pressure and promotes faster emptying. What is the best maintains intestinal health? 5. Which of these best maintains intestinal health? You didn’t answer this question. Based on the age and gender of a person, the Institute of Medicine recommends 21 to 38 grams of fiber daily, with at least 3 servings of whole-grain foods. How does food enter and leave the body? When you eat, food enters your digestive tract. The digestive tract is a series of organs that form a pathway from your mouth to your anus. As food moves down this pathway, it is processed and changed to waste. After food is changed to waste, it is pushed out of your body in a bowel movement. What are the 14 parts of the digestive system? The main organs that make up the digestive system (in order of their function) are the mouth, esophagus, stomach, small intestine, large intestine, rectum and anus. Helping them along the way are the pancreas, gall bladder and liver. Here’s how these organs work together in your digestive system. What is it called when the bowel has pouch like a herniation? The presence of pouch-like herniations through the muscular layer of the colon, particularly the sigmoid colon is known as Diverticulosis. What is the valve that controls the entrance to the stomach? A “valve” called the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) is located just before the opening to the stomach. This valve opens to let food pass into the stomach from the esophagus and it prevents food from moving back up into the esophagus from the stomach. What is the first portion of the large intestine? The cecum is the first part of the large intestine. The colon is next. The rectum is the end of the large intestine. What enzymes break down milk? Lactose intolerance happens when your small intestine does not make enough of a digestive enzyme called lactase. Lactase breaks down the lactose in food so your body can absorb it. People who are lactose intolerant have unpleasant symptoms after eating or drinking milk or milk products. Under which conditions is enzyme a most effective? Enzymes work best within specific temperature and pH ranges, and sub-optimal conditions can cause an enzyme to lose its ability to bind to a substrate. Temperature: Raising temperature generally speeds up a reaction, and lowering temperature slows down a reaction. What enzyme catalyzes the breakdown of lactose? The enzyme, lactase (enzyme names often end in -ase) breaks lactose into its two monosaccharide components. Sucrose, or table sugar, is another common sugar composed of glucose and fructose, a five-sided molecule.

Genus: Phaedyma C. Felder, 1861 Species: columella Cramer, 1780 Subspecies: singa Fruhstorfer, 1899 Wingspan of Adult Butterfly: 65mm Caterpillar Host Plants: Cratoxylum cochinchinense (Hypericaceae), Pterocarpus indicus ( Leguminosae, Papilionoideae), Talipariti tiliaceum (Malvaceae), Ceiba speciosa (Malvaceae), Erythroxylum cuneatum (Erythroxylaceae, common names: Inai Inai, Wild Cocaine). A Short Banded Sailor visiting Ixora flowers. Physical Description of Adult Butterfly: Above, this species resembles various Neptis species in having similar white markings against dark brown to black background. On the forewing, the white cell streak is narrow and short, and the spot in space 1a elongated. On the hindwing, the broad discal band does not reach the costa. In the male, vein 8 of the hindwing ends on the termen just below the apex (in contrast, this vein ends on the costa for Neptis species). The speculum on the hindwing upperside is prominent. Underneath, the white markings are set against yellowish brown background. A Short Banded Sailor taking nectar from Ixora flowers. A Short Banded Sailor resting on a leaf perch with closed wings. Field Observations of Butterfly Behaviour: This species is not uncommon in Singapore and can be found in both urban parks and nature reserves. The sun-loving adults are often observed gracefully gliding in weak sailing flights, often settling on sun-lit spots with wings fully open. The adults visit flowers and ripening fruits for energy intakes, and the males also puddle for mineral intakes on damp patches. This species bears a close resemblance to the Common Sailor (Neptis hylas papaja), and two can only be distinguished with a closer scrutiny of the white markings on the wings. Generally, the Short Banded Sailor is larger than a typical Common Sailor. Host plant : Cratoxylum cochinchinense Leaves (left) and flowers (right). The local host plants, Cratoxylum cochinchinense (Yellow Cow Wood), Pterocarpus indicus (Angsana) and Talipariti tiliaceum (Sea Hibiscus) can be readily found across the island in varied habitats. This probably accounts for the rather wide local distribution of this species. Caterpillars of Short Banded Sailor feed on both middle-aged and older leaves of these hosts. A mating pair of the Short Banded Sailor. The eggs of the Short Banded Sailor are laid singly at the tip of a leaf/leaflet on the host plant. During a typical oviposition stopover, the mother butterfly first lands on a chosen leaf/leaflet of the host plant and slowly reverses along the leaf surface towards the leaf tip where an egg is then deposited. Two views of an egg laid at a leaf tip. Diameter: 1.1mm. The eggs are somewhat globular in shape. Each has its surface marked with hexagonal pits and bearing spines at pit corners. The micropylar sits atop. Freshly laid eggs are green in colour, but turning pale green and then yellowish green when maturing. Each egg has a diameter of about 1.1mm. Two views of a mature egg. The egg takes about 3-4 days to hatch. The young caterpillar emerges by eating away part of the egg shell. The rest of the egg shell becomes the first meal for the newly hatched, which has a cylindrical pale green body covered with many small tubercles and short setae. Four pairs of subdorsal tubercles, on the 2nd and 3rd thoracic segments and the 2nd and 8th abdominal segments, are much larger and prominent. The head capsule is brown in color. Two views of a newly hatched caterpillar eating the egg shell, length: 2.5mm. 1st instar caterpillar, after a new nibbles of leaf lamina adjacent to the oviposition site, length: 2.6mm. After consuming the egg shell, the caterpillar proceeds to feed on the leaf lamina from the leaf tip. Typically the midrib is left intact as lamina on both sides is eaten. A small strip of lamina at the tip is also left intact as the caterpillar uses the site as a base for rests between feeds. Another interesting habit displayed by the caterpillar is the systematic cutting of leaf fragments and suspension of these fragments with silk threads, prior to eating them. As the caterpillar grows in this instar, the body turns increasingly green in base colour and tubercles on the body turn yellowish green in contrast. After reaching 5.0-5.5mm in 4 days, the caterpillar moults to the 2nd instar. Two views of a 1st instar caterpillar, later in this stage, length: 4.2mm. The body of the 2nd instar caterpillar features a faint outline of a dorsal saddle from the 3rd thoracic segment to the 8th abdominal segment, with the saddle being in light yellowish brown and the rest of the body in brown. Besides tiny tubercles covering most of its body surface, the 2nd instar caterpillar also features longer spines on the 2nd and 3rd thoracic segment as well as on the 2nd and 8th abdominal segment. The head capsule is light brown with darker lateral shadings. Its surface is dotted with a number of paler conical tubercles. The elongated face is wide at the base and narrow towards the apex. A pair of longer and more pointed tubercles sit at the top. The caterpillars of Short Banded Sailor in all instars have the habit of adopting a head-down posture with the dorsum of the thorax forward facing. This instar lasts about 3-5 days with the body length reaching about 8mm. 2nd instar caterpillar, newly moulted, length: 5mm Two views of a 2nd instar caterpillar, late in this stage, length: 7.5mm The 3rd instar caterpillar has similar body markings as the 2nd instar with the following changes: The subdorsal spines are much longer, more pointed and featuring prominent branches, with the pair on the 3rd thoracic segment much longer than the other three pairs. The long dorsal saddle is now more prominent. Faint oblique and dark stripes also appear on the middle portion of the saddle. Its head capsule is longer vertically, featuring dark lateral and median stripes with the earlier apical spines now longer, more pointed and yellowed tipped. This instar takes about 3-4 days to complete with body length reaching about 10mm. Towards the end of the instar, one or two small white lateral patches appear on the 7th abdominal segment. Two views of a 3rd instar caterpillar, early in this stage, length: 7.5mm Two views of 3rd instar caterpillar, late in this stage. Lengths: 8mm (top); 9.5mm (bottom). The 4th instar caterpillar resembles the 3rd instar caterpillar closely. The dorsal saddle is now more distinct with it being a much light shade of olive brown than the lower part of the body. The subdorsal pair of spines on the 3rd thoracic segment has become proportionally much longer than the remaining three pairs, with the pair on the 2nd abdominal segment shortest. and hardly noticeable The head capsule is almost white to light pink in base colour and tiny circular dark pits dot its frontal surface. The two apical spines (horns) are orange-tipped. This instar lasts 5-7 days with body length reaching about 16mm. Two views of a newly moulted 4th instar caterpillar. Two views of a 4th instar caterpillar, length: 14.5mm. The 5th instar caterpillar is little changed from the 4th instar in most body markings and features. The subdorsal pair of branch spines on the 3rd thoracic segment, in darker brown, is again proportionately longer, and the pair on the 2nd abdominal segment degenerates further to near negligible size. Most 5th instar caterpillars also feature two small lime-green lateral patches on the 7th abdominal segment. The 5th instar caterpillar does not keep the earlier habit of cutting and hanging leaf fragments. Typically the caterpillar rests on the leaf upperside near the base of the leaf and feeds on the leaf lamina at the distal end. Two views of a 5th instar caterpillar, early in this tage, length: 14mm. One noticeable change from the 4th to the 5th instar is in spines and horns on the head capsule which are now proportionally shorter. Frontal view of head capsules of Short Banded Sailor caterpillars. Left: 4th instar. Right: 5th instar. Two views of a 5th instar caterpillar, length: 24mm. The 5th instar lasts for about 7-9 days, and the body length reaches up to 25-26mm. On the last day, the color of the body decolorizes to pale/pinkish brown. The caterpillar ceases feeding and wanders around for a pupation site which typically is a small branch or stem. Here the caterpillar spins a silk mound to which it attaches its posterior end, and hangs vertically to take on the pre-pupatory pose. A 5th instar caterpillar found on a Cratoxylum leaf of in Sourthern Ridges. Pupation takes place a day later. The pupa suspends itself via a cremastral attachment to the silk mound with no supporting silk girdle. It is almost entirely pale brown in color. The abdominal segments are slender. The thoracic portion being larger with wing cases dilated laterally. The dorsum of the thorax is angular. The head is bluntly cleft at its front edge with small pointed lateral vertices. A pair of silver oval-shaped patches occurs on the dorsum of the metathorax, and a much smaller pair on the 1st abdominal segment. The pupa has the ability to flex laterally when disturbed. Length of pupae: 16-18mm. Pupation Event of a Short Banded Sailor caterpillar Three views of a pupa of the Short Banded Sailor. After about 6 days of development, the pupal turns dark as the development within the pupal case comes to an end. The spots and streak on the forewing upperside also become discernible. The following day, the adult butterfly emerges from the pupal case. A newly eclosed Short Banded Sailor expanding its wings on its pupal case. - The Butterflies of The Malay Peninsula, A.S. Corbet and H.M. Pendlebury, 4th Edition, The Malayan Nature Society. - Butterflies of Thailand, Pisuth Ek-Amnuay, 1st Edition, 2006 - The Butterflies of Hong Kong, Bascombe et al, Academic Press, 1999.

Termites are cellulose-eating insects that fall under the infraorder Isoptera and showcase a tremendous social system, similar to ants and bees. Isoptera in Greek means ‘two-pairs of straight wings’, and over the years, termites are sometimes called white ants or confused with true ants. After researchers saw them under a microscope, they noticed the distinguished features between termites and ants. Termites include a large number of species, close to 2,750 species that are prominently found in tropical rainforests all around the world. Transportation for these insects was easy, as they were sometimes accidentally transported through wooden pieces like boat timbers, furniture and shipping crates. Termites are surviving for more than 120 million years. Now, let’s look at the life cycle of a termite insect, to get a better understanding. Life Cycle of Termite 1) The Egg – Stage 1 – After fertilization, the female termite lays her eggs in a jelly-like liquid that holds the eggs together. A female termite can lay around 30,000 eggs in one day. Termite eggs are small and white in colour and can be noticed through the naked eye. Later, these eggs are incubated for several weeks before they hatch into larvae. 2) The Nymph – Stage 2 – These larvae appear to be pale, white, and tiny exoskeletons. These nymphs emerge with antennae and six functional legs. During this stage, the nymph develops by moulting, bypassing through instar stages as they mature. During moulting, the nymph termite removes their outer skin as they become very tight. The hormonal indicators decide which caste the nymph evolves into eventually. Later, the nymph termites come out bigger and developed. Termites here undergo several instars before they reach sexual maturity. The number of instar stages varies, depending on the species of termites. 3) The Adult – Stage 3 – When termites reach the adult stage, they form large colonies that are segregated by class or caste. The colonies include workers, reproductives and soldier termites. - Worker Termites: Most of the young termite insects develop into worker termites, which is considered the largest termite colony. They appear to be yellowish-white to creamy white in colour. Worker termites do not have eyes, wings, and are larger than nymphs. In a few species, workers are the only termites who can feed independently. - Soldier Termites: The soldier termite comes after workers, as they are the second largest colony of termites. Soldier termites are able to defend themselves and mostly work towards guarding the nest. In soldier termites, the mouthparts are specially designed for defence purposes. In appearance, they have the most distinctive features. Soldier termites are sterile and blind. Soldier termites release a toxic substance through their nozzle when encountered with an enemy. Soldier termites are considered to be the most active kind of termite. - Reproductive Alate: In termite colonies, king and queen termites are the only ones who can reproduce. Reproductive alates that appear to be golden to dark brown are also known as swarmers. While some alates are dark-brown, the other species of alates are reddish-brown. In size, alates are bigger than soldiers and workers. - King Termite: A male alate who has finished mating is called a king termite. A king termite does not change in size after becoming the king of a colony. - Queen Termite: Over time, queen termites become much larger than king termites. The former reproductive alates are called queen termite. The ovaries of queen termites develop continuously as she grows older. Due to this, a queen termite is able to lay large amounts of eggs. As the queen termite lays her eggs, her abdomen also gets swollen with time. Even though termites are known to survive in large colonies, these colonies take time to develop. Sometimes these colonies take up to four years to be formed. Termites are wood-eating insects that are often confused with ants. But termites are more close to the family of cockroaches. Termites are known to survive mostly in warm and humid temperatures. Over the years, termites are also called wood bugs as they have destroyed structures and households. Some African termites are also considered to be advanced termites, living most of their lives in soil. Approximately 20 species of termites are spread across the lands of America, Europe, Africa and Australia. Frequently Asked Questions on Termites Can termites see? Adult reproductive termites or the king or queen termites have completely developed eyes and are the only members of termites who have the vision. Can termites fly? Yes, termites can fly. Adult termites have two pairs of wings of the same size that enable them to fly. But not all members of a colony can fly. Only reproductive adult termites are capable of flying, amongst all the termite. What do termites eat? Termites require a warm and humid temperature to survive and mostly feed on wood. During a termite infestation, the termites look for wood and any wooden article is at high risk of infestation. Eating wood provides termites with cellulose nourishment. How long do termites live? The life expectancy of termites varies, depending on the species it belongs to. The life expectancy of worker and soldier termites is up to 10 to 14 months. But, the reproductive adult termites live for more than four years, especially the reproductive females or queen termites can live for more than 25 years. To explore more information about termites and other insects, register with BYJU’S Biology.

Sound is a form of energy that is produced by vibrating bodies. It requires a medium for its propagation. Hence, sound cannot propagate in a vacuum as there will be no material to transfer sound waves. The sound is produced by the back and forth motion of the object. This is known as sound vibration. It is also known as oscillatory motion. The regular rhythmic back and forth movement is referred to as the oscillation. Table of Content - Period of Sound - Frequency of Sound - Amplitude of Sound - Characteristics of Sound Video - Frequently Asked Questions-FAQs Some quantities that are used to explain sound are period, frequency and amplitude. They are described below: What is Period of Sound? A period can be said to be the time taken to do something. If an event occurs repeatedly then the event is said to be periodic. The time taken by the periodic event to repeat itself is known as the period. The time taken by the particle to complete one vibration cycle is the time period for that particle. What is Frequency of Sound? The number of oscillations per second is known as the frequency of oscillation. Its unit is hertz and is denoted by Hz. The frequency of a wave in general means how frequently the particles of a medium vibrate when a wave moves through the medium. What is Amplitude of Sound? The amplitude of a sound wave is the measure of the height of the wave. The amplitude of a sound wave can be defined as the loudness or the amount of maximum displacement of vibrating particles of the medium from their mean position when the sound is produced. It is the distance between crest or trough and the mean position of the wave. Loudness is directly proportional to the amplitude of the sound. If the amplitude of a sound wave is large, then the loudness of sound will be more. If the amplitude is small, then the sound will be feeble. Characteristics of Sound Video To better understand the above-explained concepts, watch the video given below. To know more about the characteristic of sound waves download BYJU’S- The Learning App. Frequently Asked Questions – FAQs What is amplitude formula? Following is the formula used for calculating the amplitude: x = A sin(\(\omega t+\phi\)) - x is the displacement in metres - A is the amplitude in metres - \(\omega\) is the angular frequency in radians/s - t is the time in seconds - \(\phi\) is the phase shift in radians What is the wavelength of a wave with time period T travelling with a velocity V? The wavelength of this wave would be the product of time period and velocity that is VT. Name a method that is used for the detection of ultrasonic waves which is produced in a medium. Kundt’s tube is used for the detection of ultrasonic waves which is produced in a medium. In which direction does the air molecules move in the air if the sound wave travels from East to West? East to West is the direction in which the air molecules move when the sound wave travels from East to West. What is the product of the time period and frequency of a wave? The product of the time period and frequency of a wave is unity. What happens to the frequency of a wave if its time period increases? The frequency decreases when the time period increases. Stay tuned with BYJU’S for more such interesting articles.

G7 Summit 2021: What is the G7, when is it meeting and where is the summit taking place? A guide to the G7 Summit 2021, a meeting of leaders from seven of the world’s richest countries, which will be held in the UK between 11-13 June 2021. What is the G7? The G7 stands for the ‘Group of Seven’ and is a gathering of government leaders from some of the world’s richest nations. The countries which make up the G7 have met each year since the 1970s. The 2021 summit will be the 47th meeting to take place and the first to be held in the UK since 2013. The group used to be known as the G8 until Russia was expelled in 2014 over its annexation of Crimea. What does the G7 do? The prime ministers and presidents from the G7 countries meet annually to discuss problems facing the world – including economic issues, health emergencies and the climate crisis. Previous G7 summits have focused on matters ranging from debt relief for developing countries, health emergencies such as HIV and AIDS and global security threats. When is the G7 Summit in 2021? The G7 summit is taking place between Friday 11 and Sunday 13 June 2021. Ministers from G7 governments will meet throughout 2021 for discussions on health, climate change and the environment and international development. Finance minsters and central bank governors from member countries took part in the first of this year’s G7 ministerial meetings on 12 February. Where is the G7 Summit being held in 2021? The G7 summit location will be Carbis Bay in Cornwall. Although the US held the G7 presidency in 2020, the leaders’ meeting was cancelled by President Donald Trump. The last time the G7 leaders met together in person was at the 2019 summit in Biarritz, France. Why does the G7 Summit matter? The G7 is an important meeting because the heads of government attending the summit are the leaders of some of the world’s richest and most powerful countries. Decisions taken at these meetings impact people across the world. The 2021 summit is especially important because G7 leaders will be discussing how the world can rebuild and recover from the pandemic. The meeting will also be one of two gatherings of world leaders the UK will host this year, alongside the COP26 climate talks in November. The summit will be the first to take place since Joe Biden was elected US President. What will happen at the 2021 G7 Summit? What will Boris Johnson announce? The government says it will focus the G7 summit on global trade, strengthening the international system against future pandemics and tackling climate change. Boris Johnson has said he wants to use the G7 and COP26 climate talks to “build back better” from the coronavirus pandemic and “create a greener, more prosperous future”. CAFOD Campaigns Manager Liam Finn says the “proof” of this will be “whether the summit is used to galvanise the G7 governments to immediately end all spending on oil and gas overseas and ensure the world’s poorest nations have the finance they need to rebuild" from debt cancellation. What is CAFOD calling for from the G7 Summit? G7 countries must lead the way in tackling the immediate global health crisis, the economic consequences of the pandemic and the ongoing climate crisis. CAFOD is urging G7 leaders to support the poorest nations by cancelling all debt payments owed by low-income countries so that those countries have the money they need to recover and rebuild from the pandemic. This must include debts owed to private lenders. Many of the world’s poorest countries are currently having to choose between paying those debts and helping their communities recover from the coronavirus. The G7 must also provide support to poorer countries to tackle the immediate health crisis and poverty caused by the pandemic. And the nations at the summit must set out urgent cuts in greenhouse gas emissions given that the countries in the G7 are amongst those with the greatest historic responsibility for the climate crisis. This includes ending all support for fossil fuels and adequate financial support for the hardest hit nations. Liam Finn said: “Boris Johnson has a crucial opportunity this year to set the tone for how the world rebuilds from the pandemic. “CAFOD supporters will be demanding he use that opportunity to ensure that people worldwide are included in the plans for the recovery – not just those living in the world’s richest countries. “Pope Francis has implored leaders to fix the injustices in our economies and societies which have made the effects of this current crisis so much worse. “The Prime Minister has an obligation to make sure that any recovery from the pandemic genuinely builds a ‘better normal’ rather than reinforcing the problems of the past.” Are the G7 and COP26 linked? The eyes of the world will be on the UK in 2021 as the host of both the G7 summit and the UN ‘COP26’ climate conference in 2021. This means Boris Johnson is under pressure to work with other leaders and ensure that the summits succeed in putting the world on track to rebuild from the pandemic and avoid catastrophic temperature rises. Has CAFOD campaigned on the G7 in the past? CAFOD supporters have a long history of campaigning ahead of (what were then) G8 meetings. In 1998, thousands of Catholics called for leaders to ‘Drop the Debt’ of developing countries ahead of the G8 summit in Birmingham. Seven years later, in 2005, CAFOD supporters took part in the Make Poverty History campaign that urged leaders to make global trade rules fairer, to provide more and better aid to developing countries and to cancel unfair debts. The G8 summit in Gleneagles that year followed an historic march in Edinburgh and the Live 8 concert in Hyde Park. CAFOD supporters also joined the ‘Enough food for everyone IF’ campaign in the lead-up to the 2013 G8 summit in Belfast. Who will be at the G7 Summit 2021? Who are the G7 leaders and which countries are in the G7? The countries in the G7 and the heads of government who will be attending the meeting are: - Canada – Prime Minister Justin Trudeau - France – President Emmanuel Macron - Germany – Chancellor Angela Merkel - Italy – Prime Minister Mario Draghi - Japan – Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga - UK – Prime Minister Boris Johnson - USA – President Joe Biden The European Union is also represented at the G7 by the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, and the European Council President, Charles Michel. Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said he would like to expand the G7 to become a group of ten democracies – or ‘D10’ – and has invited Australia, India and South Korea to the 2021 G7 summit. What is the difference between the G7 and the G20? The G20 is a larger group of countries which includes all of the G7 nations but also countries such as China, Russia and South Africa. Italy holds the presidency of the G20 in 2021. CAFOD supporters have been campaigning for the G20 to cancel debts for countries struggling to pay debts to other countries, organisations such as the International Monetary Fund and World Bank and private creditors whilst battling the coronavirus pandemic.

The changing seasons bring new visitors to our waters here on the North Carolina Crystal Coast… This time of year we anticipate sightings of our “winter” atlantic bottlenose dolphins arriving for their annual stay. Seldom do we encounter other species near shore, so the recent sighting of a humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) was an unusual treat. In the western North Atlantic ocean, humpback whales feed during spring, summer, and fall in a range that encompasses from western Greenland south to the mid Atlantic region of the eastern coast of the United States. Their preferred diet consists mainly of krill and small schooling fish species. In winter, whales from the North West Atlantic migrate to subtropical/tropical waters to mate and calve. Not all whales migrate south every winter however, and significant numbers of animals are found in mid- and high-latitude regions at this time. Similar to all baleen whales, adult humpback whale females are larger than adult males, reaching lengths of up to 60 feet (18 m). Their body coloration is primarily dark grey, but individuals have a variable amount of white on their pectoral fins and belly. This variation is so distinct that the pigmentation pattern on the undersides of their “flukes” is used to identify individual whales, similar to a human fingerprint. Other markings on the body and fins are useful for identification as well. One of the most distinguishing characteristics for this species is the “humped” dorsal fin for which the species is named. Once hunted heavily to near extinction levels, populations of humpback whales are increasing and in recovery. The species is a true marine mammal conservation success story. During our rather lengthy encounter with this animal we were fortunate to witness and record multiple events of “lunge feeding” on large schools of menhaden (another heavily exploited species that is showing signs of a population increase due to a ban on large scale targeted harvesting). Through some of the photographs taken by the crew of “Spyhop” we have successfully matched this animal to other recent local sightings of north carolina whales, and hope to use them for further whale identification studies. If you happen to sight a whale, please enjoy the experience in a cautious manner and at a safe distance (see NOAA guidelines). These animals are large, and though peaceful, direct encounters with boats can be dangerous for both humans and whales.

“Working the Land” (Viticulture) As with sparkling wines, there is little in terms of bespoke viticulture or grape-growing practices specific to rosé. Not unlike still/table wines, decisions as to variety, clone, planting density, pruning methods, climate and soils are individually addressed according to the quality desired. Sometimes these wines are by-products of red wine production (rosé wines made using the saignée technique); sometimes they are produced with dedicated intent (i.e. managed maceration of red wine skins with fermenting must); occasionally they are serendipitous, unintentional mistakes. However, in the end, the reality is that there are simply no specific studies that have focused on viticulture explicitly for rosé wine production. Working The Land Does soil influence the flavor of the final wine? Traditionalists answer unequivocally “Yes!” Soil is a key element of “terroir,” the natural environment in which vines grow -- along with climate (temperature, rainfall), topography (altitude, drainage, slope, aspect) and sunlight. A more unorthodox view holds that the influence of soil on what you taste in the glass is a myth. Maynard Amerine and Ann Noble, two famous names at the University of California, Davis, California’s premier wine school and wine research facility, conducted a study on the topic. Though the study is based on Chardonnay grapes, they concluded that the following holds true for all winegrapes: “no outstanding sensory differences were observed in wines produced from different soil type locations.” The key word is “sensory” (sight, smell, taste): They are not saying that the soil doesn’t affect vine behavior (yield, growth cycle, etc.). Soil types in regions where quality rosé wines are produced in California can be as diverse and wide-ranging as wine styles, blends/cuvées, and individual winemakers’ points of view on production. The commonality of these terroirs is that they are selected for their ability to grow excellent quality fruit. We recommend that you check out the “Working the Land” section of the respective grape varieties to better understand their unique soil preferences. Sustainability and California: The California wine community has a long history of demonstrating a commitment to sound environmental practices and social responsibility. Building on these efforts are the educational and certification programs of the California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance (CSWA). Established by the Wine Institute and the California Association of Winegrape Growers, the CSWA is the most comprehensive and widely adopted program for wine sustainability practices in the world in terms of acres and cases produced.

Carnegie Museum of Natural History Conservator, Carnegie Museum of Natural History Areas of focus: Preventative conservation Gretchen Anderson is a conservator and the head of the Section of Conservation at Carnegie Museum of Natural History, which houses more than 22 million objects. Anderson manages collections care and continually improves environmental conditions throughout the museum, including in exhibitions and storage. Her research interests focus on preventive conservation practices for natural science collections, including environmental and integrated pest management. Albert D. Kollar Geologist and Collection Manager, Carnegie Museum of Natural History Areas of focus: Geology, Natural History of Western Pennsylvania, Carnegie Architecture and Building Stone History, Carnegie historic dinosaur discovery sites Albert D. Kollar is the museum’s collection manager for its section of invertebrate paleontology, home to the more than 800,000 specimens. Kollar has traveled extensively throughout the United States and conducted research on invertebrate fossils, climate change, and the geology at sites of significant Carnegie paleontology discoveries. His most recent research will take him to Ireland, France, Italy and Croatia to study the geology and provenance of the famous architectural stones used in the historic Carnegie Museum building in Oakland. Paleontologist and principal dinosaur researcher, Carnegie Museum of Natural History Areas of focus: Dinosaurs, birds, and crocodilians that lived during the Mesozoic Era Matt Lamanna is a paleontologist and the principal dinosaur researcher at Carnegie Museum of Natural History, which houses one of the world’s largest dinosaur collections. Within the past 18 years, Lamanna has directed or co-directed field expeditions to Antarctica, Argentina, Australia, China, Egypt, and Greenland that have resulted in the discovery of multiple new species of dinosaurs and other Cretaceous-aged animals. Lamanna and colleagues’ most significant finds include the gigantic new titanosaurian sauropods (long-necked plant-eating dinosaurs) Dreadnoughtus, Notocolossus, and Paralititan. He also led the study of the bizarre bird-like dinosaur Anzu wyliei, also known as the ‘Chicken from Hell,’ and co-discovered dozens of beautifully-preserved fossils of the 120 million-year-old bird Gansus yumenensis in China. Assistant Curator of Mollusks, Carnegie Museum of Natural History Areas of focus: Ecology and systematics, especially of mollusks and other invertebrates Malacologist Tim Pearce cares for the museum’s huge research collection of snails and clams. His area of study focuses on the ecology of land snails, especially in Pennsylvania. He has a master’s degree in snail paleontology coupled with a Ph.D. in snail ecology, which gives him a perspective on how time has affected the makeup of modern snail communities. Director of Powdermill Nature Reserve Areas of focus: Insect behavior, pollinators, forest regeneration, Marcellus gas development, and Appalachian ecology John Wenzel is an entomologist and the director of Powdermill Nature Reserve, Carnegie Museum of Natural History’s environmental research center. Wenzel has traveled to tropical America, Africa, and Europe on expeditions, and has published a large volume of research on insect and arachnid behavior. Wenzel created new educational and research programs at Powdermill that include gardening with native plants, landscape-level research in forest regeneration, field experiences in North American ecology for South American students, and basic research on the crisis in bee health. He also created web tools for following the hydrofracture (fracking) gas industry. To schedule an interview, email Sloan MacRae or call him at 412.353.4678.

Guest post from Stephen Zachary. The past few weeks have seen a number of entertaining and interesting animal behavior articles published in academic journals. Entertaining because, well, who doesn’t get a kick out of the video above? Interesting because the findings prompt us to rethink, yet again, the nature of cognition. In a letter published in Current Biology, cognitive scientist Mathias Osvath reports on a cunning chimp housed in a Swedish zoo. For over a decade, the chimp — who is ironically named Santino, Italian for “little saint” — has been hurling stones at visitors and tourists in aggressive displays of dominance. What’s noteworthy about Santino’s behavior is that he seemingly plans ahead for these outbursts by stockpiling his arsenal of stones in the early morning before any zoo patrons arrive. Santino also has a knack for identifying and chipping off weakened parts of his concrete enclosure in order to use those fragments in his attacks as well. Such forethought in non-human animals is rarely observed and suggests that this chimp can anticipate his future experiences of aggression. The ability to discriminate between memory and perceptual stimuli make Santino, in effect, a military genius of the chimpanzee world — perhaps they should rename him Sun Tzu or Patton. Another paper, written by biologists at the University of Florida, describes the ability of city-dwelling mockingbirds to single out individual humans and distinguish threatening humans from mere passersby. The experiment called for the same researcher to boldly approach and threaten the mockingbirds’ nest on four successive days. Over the course of the four days, the mockingbirds were flushed from their nests at greater distances, issued a larger number of alarm calls, and increased their rate of attack against the intruder. On the fifth day, a different researcher approached and threatened the nest in the same manner, but the mockingbirds defensive behavior returned to the levels exhibited on the first day of the experiment, indicating that the birds were able to identify the repeating offender and tailor their responses based on their history with that individual. Over a 23 day span, the authors found that the average mockingbird faces about 15,000 instances of humans venturing within five meters of their nest. By recognizing individuals and accurately assessing the danger they present, the mockingbirds are able to efficiently manage risk in the environment. The authors point out that this ability is likely an underlying factor in the mockingbirds’ ability to thrive in urban areas. Because the mockingbird is considered to be further from the top of the avian intelligence hierarchy than, say, parrots or corvids, the study is both novel and surprising. Staying with the topic of bird brains, a separate study published recently showed that cockatoos have the ability to synchronize their movement to musical beats — a skill that has been widely considered distinctively human. In the video above, you’ll see the subject, Snowball, a twelve-year old cockatoo, head bobbing and leg lifting to the beat of his favorite song, “Everybody” by the Backstreet Boys. Despite his questionable taste in music, it’s clear that Snowball can cut a rug. In fact, he’s a better dancer than some of us. By slowing down and speeding up the tempo of the song, the researchers found that Snowball adjusted his head bobs to correspond with the rhythm; and, thus, the dancing observed was not simple mimicry of human movement he’s previously observed. So why is Snowball the life of the party while our dogs and cats sit around like wet blankets? The hypothesis supported by the current study is that beat perception and synchronization rely on strong connections between the auditory and motor areas of the brain, which provide the neural wiring for vocal imitation shared by few species. On the surface, animal studies inform us about the nature of other species, but they really prove invaluable when they are able help explain the evolutionary history of humans. The scientists writing about Santino and Snowball agree that these animals make excellent models for the study of planning and dance, and the results above allow us to design plenty of new experiments that might parcel out what is necessary and sufficient for some of our own mental phenomena. But animal studies also force us to take a hard look at our notions of cognition, consciousness, and human uniqueness. Because these concepts have blurry meanings and are difficult to articulate, an old philosophy professor of mine simply referred to them as “the good stuff” — an umbrella phrase for all the properties that are important for personhood. And while we may not agree on what constitutes personhood, it appears that the world of “the good stuff” — to the extent that it is considered distinctively human — is shrinking. In other words, we learn of animal similarities to humans quicker than we evolve meaningful differences that separate us from the rest of the animal kingdom. And whether we’re talking about a chimp that plans for the future or a dog that has a sense of fairness, what emerges is an idea of cognition that is not a go/no-go proposition. Instead, the evidence points to something along the lines of an continuum, with different species — and even individual humans — finding themselves at various points. When does an infant have a sense of psychological continuity that allows her to distinguish events in the past? When does she possess a theory of mind, with which she infers the mental states of others? If an animal exhibits some of the traits relevant to personhood, such as the ability to plan for the future, should we bestow greater ethical value on them? Spain seems to be going in that direction. Can science help us be more theoretically consistent about what aspects of life carry moral weight? Now we’re venturing way too close to social issues, and the most prudent course of action is to take another look at Snowball cutting loose and have a chuckle.