The following was posted here on the What About Watermelon? blog back in 2009. With watermelon picking season just around the corner, I thought it would be a good time to give this lesson another look.
MARCY P. OF WEST ISLIP, NY ASKS: What’s the significance of the yellow spot on the outside of the watermelon? I’ve heard that the spot is a good thing, and I’ve heard that it’s a bad thing. What’s the truth?
If it’s the truth you seek, Marcy, you’ve come to the right place. The creamy, yellow, flat spot on the “belly” of the watermelon is where the watermelon lay on the ground during the growing process, and it’s definitely a good thing. In fact, its “yellowness” is a telltale sign that the watermelon is ready to be harvested.
Don’t worry too much about the outside of your watermelon. A big reason watermelon is one of the cleanest fruits in the produce aisle is because of its thick rind, which is capable of taking a lot of abuse while protecting the juicy flesh inside. Your watermelon may have small nicks and scratches. It might even be dirty. As long as the nicks and scratches aren’t deep enough to expose the flesh, you’ll be just fine. I should note, however, that it’s still important to give your watermelon (and all your fruits and vegetables!) a thorough washing before you cut or eat them.
At the end of the day, remember that watermelons are a lot like people. It’s not what’s on the outside – but what’s on the inside – that matters most.
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Children's Aerodigestive Clinic
The Aerodigestive Clinic at The Barbara Bush Children’s Hospital helps young patients with a variety of disorders affecting their airway and gastrointestinal system. Our pediatric specialists work as a team to help children who have swallowing, digestive, breathing, and respiratory problems.
What is the Children’s Aerodigestive Clinic?
The multidisciplinary team at the Children’s Aerodigestive Clinic at Barbara Bush Children’s Hospital is made up of pediatric specialists skilled in pulmonology, gastroenterology, feeding therapy, and otolaryngology (ears, nose and throat).
Our specialists will examine and evaluate your child and then collaborate to create an individualized treatment plan to fit each patient’s needs. Patients, parents, and primary doctors are an important part of the care team.
Conditions treated at the Aerodigestive Clinic:
- Airway obstruction
- Bronchopulmonary dysplasia
- Chronic lung disease
- Chronic cough or wheezing
- Craniofacial syndromes that cause airway obstruction and associated feeding problems
- Dysphagia (swallowing problems)
- Esophageal atresia
- Failure to thrive
- Gastro-esophageal reflux disease, GERD
- Laryngeal cleft
- Motility disorders
- Subglottic stenosis
- Vocal cord dysfunction/paralysis
Treatment for aerodigestive disorders
Depending on your child's unique case, treatment may include medication, dietary changes, occupational therapy, and respiratory therapy to manage the conditions and get symptoms under control.


About 3,600 adults aged 55 to 80 who took part in PREDIMED had type 2 diabetes and the analysis focused on them.
Based on food frequency questionnaires, the researchers determined that three quarters of these participants had met target omega-3 fatty acid intake levels of 500 mg per day, which can be achieved by meeting American Heart Association guidelines of two weekly servings of fish, preferably oily fish like salmon.
Over about a six-year follow-up period, there were 69 new cases of sight-threatening diabetic retinopathy. People who were meeting omega-3 fatty acid guidelines when the study began were 48 percent less likely to have this diagnosis during the study than others, according to the findings published in JAMA Ophthalmology, August 18.
It’s hard to say whether the results would have been the same with omega-3 supplements, said lead author Aleix Sala-Vila, a researcher with CIBERObn (Spanish Biomedical Research Center in Physiopathology of Obesity and Nutrition) in Madrid and IDIBAPS at Hospital Clinic in Barcelona.
But there have been encouraging results from several research teams studying dietary intake of omega-3 fatty acids and vision for all people, not just those with diabetes, he said.
“The incidence of diabetes mellitus type 2 is increasing, and therefore more individuals will suffer from diabetic complications which, if not properly managed, may lead to permanent eye damage,” Sala-Vila said by email.
“People should be aware that regarding diet, even small changes in the right direction can lead to substantial benefit for themselves,” he said. “Incorporating fish into their diet can be a way to live longer and better,” and is beneficial for the heart and brain, he said.
Salmon, shrimp and light canned tuna are good, low-mercury options, he said.
“Diet modification is a cornerstone of diabetes care,” writes Dr. Michael Larsen of Rigshospitalet-Glostrup and University of Copenhagen in Denmark in a commentary accompanying the study.
“It seems a safe bet now to spread one’s food intake to include the gifts of our oceans and forests, while we consider how they can be protected for future generations and wait for large and ambitious studies of the effects of diet on diabetic retinopathy,” Larsen writes


Lonliness Affects Your Sleep
Loneliness doesn’t just affect you emotionally; it can affect your health by keeping you awake at night. New findings, published in the November 1 issue of the journal Sleep, are similar to a 2002 study published by the American Psychological Society that compared the loneliness reported by college students with their measured quality of sleep. The lonelier the students felt, the more their sleep was broken-up during the night.
“It’s not just a product of very lonely individuals having poor sleep. The relationship between loneliness and restless sleep appears to operate across the range of perceived connectedness,” said lead author Lianne Kurina, PhD, of the Department of Health Studies at the University of Chicago.
The study compared the degree of loneliness reported by a population of 95 adults in rural South Dakota with measurements of their sleep cycles. Higher loneliness scores were linked to significantly higher levels of fragmented sleep. The total amount of sleep and the degree of daytime sleepiness were not impacted.
The similarities among the studies help point out that loneliness and social isolation are two distinct concepts, Kurina said. Loneliness reflects perceived social isolation or feelings of being an outcast, the often-painful discrepancy between people’s desired and actual social relationships.
“Loneliness has been associated with adverse effects on health,” Kurina said. “We wanted to explore one potential pathway for this; the theories that sleep – a key behavior to staying healthy – could be compromised by feelings of loneliness. What we found was that loneliness does not appear to change the total amount of sleep in individuals, but awakens them more times during the night.”
“Whether you’re a young student at a major university or an older adult living in a rural community, we may all be dependent on feeling secure in our social environment in order to sleep soundly,” Kurina said. “The results from these studies could further our understanding of how social and psychological factors ‘get under the skin’ and affect health.”
SOURCE: Sleep, November 3, 2011


The Nobel Prize in Physics 2011
Born: 1959, Champaign-Urbana, IL, USA
Affiliation at the time of the award: Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, USA; University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
Prize motivation: “for the discovery of the accelerating expansion of the Universe through observations of distant supernovae”
Prize share: 1/2
Saul Perlmutter grew up outside Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. His parents were professors of chemical and biomolecular engineering and social work administration, respectively. After studying at Harvard University, Perlmutter received his PhD from the University of California, Berkeley in 1986. He conducted his Nobel Prize-winning research at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. Perlmutter is a co-founder of the Supernova Cosmology Project and a Professor of Physics at the University of California, Berkeley. He is married with one daughter.
The universe’s stars and galaxies are moving away from one another; the universe is expanding. Up until recently, the majority of astrophysicists believed that this expansion would eventually wane, due to the effect of opposing gravitational forces. Saul Perlmutter, Brian Schmidt, and Adam Riess studied exploding stars, called supernovae. Because the light emitted by stars appears weaker from a larger distance and takes on a reddish hue as it moves further from the observer, the researchers were able to determine how the supernovae moved. In 1998 they reached a surprising result: the universe is expanding at an ever-increasing rate.
Nobel Prizes and laureates
See them all presented here.


Eichmann in Jerusalem—and in West Germany: Eichmann Trial Witnesses and the West German Prosecution of Operation Reinhard Crimes, 1958–1966
Loyola Marymount University and Loyola Law School
Loyola of Los Angeles International and Comparative Law Review
The trial of Adolf Eichmann fifty years ago was a landmark in several respects. It marked not only the prosecution of an important génocidaire who had placed his energies and talents in the service of the Final Solution, but also furnished the survivors and the families of the victims a world stage from which to tell their personal stories of persecution at the Nazis’ hands. In contrast with the Nuremberg war crimes trial, which, in preferring documentary evidence to personal testimony, had deemphasized the singularity of the Holocaust, the Eichmann trial restored the voices of Jewish victims directly affected by Eichmann’s actions. In the decades since the Eichmann trial many scholars have observed these historic aspects.1 One feature of the Eichmann trial that has received less attention from scholars is its impact on West German prosecutions of Holocaust crimes.
Published by Loyola Marymount University and Loyola Law School in Loyola of Los Angeles International and Comparative Law Review, volume 34 issue 3. Users may access this article here.


The François Jacob Institute of Biology brings together five departments and three services
The last two years in scientific news
Scientific result | Press release | Gene and cell therapy | Genetic diseases
The efficacy of a gene therapy developed at the François Jacob Institute of Biology and Harvard University has been demonstrated in phase I/II clinical trials.
Interim results from a clinical trial conducted by Prof. Marina Cavazzana and her team at the Necker Children's Hospital in partnership with the Imagine Institute, and those from an international multicenter trial conducted in the United States, Thailand and Australia have shown that a gene therapy can improve the health of or cure patients with beta thalassemia. The two trials employed the same therapeutic product called LentiGlobin, developed at Harvard University in Boston (USA) and the CEA's François Jacob Institute of Biology (France) by Professor Philippe Leboulch in partnership with the American company he founded: bluebird bio.
For these phase I/II trials, the researchers harvested hematopoietic stem cells from patients and transduced a corrective gene into them using the LentiGlobin BB305 vector. The patients underwent myeloablation and thereafter had the corrected cells infused into them. Once returned to the patients, these therapeutic stem cells produced red blood cells with sufficient quantities of functional hemoglobin. According to beta thalassemia severity, the LentiGlobin gene therapy either freed patients from transfusion (12 of 13 patients with non-beta0/beta0 alleles) or reduced transfusion volume (-73%) and frequency (3 of 9 patients with beta0/beta0 alleles or with two copies of the IVS1-110 mutation). With a cumulative follow-up of 15 to 42 months, the patients in the two trials have reported no adverse events and have returned to their professional or scholastic activities.
These results have been shared through a press release.
Gene Therapy in Patients with Transfusion-Dependent β-Thalassemia | The New England Journal of Medecine
CEA is a French government-funded technological research organisation in four main areas: low-carbon energies, defense and security, information technologies and health technologies. A prominent player in the European Research Area, it is involved in setting up collaborative projects with many partners around the world.


OCD can become a big problem for teens and their families. In a time when adolescents are asked to perform and produce more than ever before, OCD can be debilitating. Compulsions and rituals can bring productivity to a halt and increase the chances your child will fall behind his or her peers. Likewise compulsions and rituals prevent teens from focusing on school work, sports and social time. They may begin to avoid school or socializing with the fear that their OCD symptoms will be noticed. If your teen is suffering from some or all of the symptoms listed to the right you should seriously consider talking to a therapist who specializes in this difficult disorder.
Fortunately, there is effective, short-term treatment for OCD. At the Bay Area Center for Anxiety we employ a specific type of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, designed to help teens overcome their obsessions and compulsions and return to their previous way of living.
Symptoms of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
1. Obsessions: Recurrent or persistent thoughts, impulses, or images that are experienced as intrusive and inappropriate causing anxiety or distress
2. Compulsions: Repetitive behaviors (e.g., hand washing, putting things in order, checking) or mental acts (e.g., praying, counting, repeating words silently) that the person feels drive to perform to neutralize obsessions. The behaviors or mental acts are aimed at reducing distress or preventing a dreaded event from occurring.
To schedule a free phone consultation or to set up an appointment with us, call (415) 488-5781 or click below.


Designing with examples: a study on the role of familiarity, warnings and physical modelling
Journal of Engineering Design
Design fixation refers to the unintentional repetition of design features from one's own earlier concepts or other available examples during design ideation. Since a wide range of ideas is expected at the ideation stage, design fixation is considered as a hindrance. Extending the prior work on design fixation and ideation, this paper explores the influence of three different factors on design fixation: (1) familiarity with the example features, (2) presence of simple warnings, and (3) a simple build-and-test activity. Engineering students, distributed across four experimental conditions, participated in a three-week-long design project. Their target was to design, build, and successfully demonstrate a LEGO vehicle for performing a few simple stunts. Photographs of their initial and final designs were used as the data for analysis. The results showed that the familiarity with example features increases fixation to those features. Warnings were not successful in mitigating the fixation on familiar features, but warnings were effective for relatively unfamiliar ones. Further, the build-and-test activity allowed the students to understand the disadvantages of their designs caused by design fixation and to mitigate it to a significant extent. This activity also allowed them to learn from their mistakes and create more effective final designs.
National Science Foundation
Design fixation, design ideation, physical models, warnings
Vimal Viswanathan and Julie Linsey. "Designing with examples: a study on the role of familiarity, warnings and physical modelling" Journal of Engineering Design (2020): 552-573. https://doi.org/10.1080/09544828.2020.1851356


The references to Abel’s sacrifice and to his ongoing speaking in Heb 11:4, as well as the possible allusion to Abel’s blood in Heb 12:24 have tended in modern times to be read in terms of Abel’s death at the hands of Cain as prefiguring in some way the sacrificial death of Jesus. Two mosaics in different late-antique basilicas in Ravenna, Italy, appear to reflect a different interpretation. They present imagery that invites Christian worshipers to link Jesus’ sacrifice and Abel’s sacrifice at the level of Abel’s offering of an animal to God. The mosaics depict the biblical figures Abel and Melchizedek offering sacrifices together at the same altar. In the context of a Christian basilica, the union of Abel and Melchizedek at the same altar likely draws upon Hebrews, the only biblical text other than Genesis to mention both figures. This allows the further inference that Heb 11:4 and 12:24 underlie these images and, together with Genesis, are understood in terms of Abel offering a lamb, not in terms of Abel’s own blood being offered to God or crying out to God as some kind of sacrifice. That is to say, Abel’s murder is not depicted in these mosaics as the implied point of contact between Abel’s sacrifice and that of Jesus. This use of Abel correlates well with some ancient eucharistic prayers that invoke Abel as a model for the Christian priest’s reenactment of Jesus’ offering of his blood and flesh to the Father at the heavenly altar to which he ascended after his resurrection. The fact that Melchizedek is offering bread and wine further supports the importance of the Eucharist for these mosaics. These images may, therefore, provide access to an interpretation of Jesus’ sacrifice especially linked with Hebrews that places as much or perhaps more emphasis on the presentation of Jesus’ blood and flesh to the Father at the heavenly altar than it does on his death on the cross. In contrast to some modern accounts of Jesus’ sacrifice in Hebrews, these mosaics present Abel’s sacrifice in a way that highlights his act of giving the gift of an animal to God, not the fact or effects of his death. Such evidence is important for reflecting both on alternative theologies of sacrifice and on the interpretation of Hebrews in the past.


Acute Tonsillitis – causes (viral, bacterial), pathophysiology, treatment, tonsillectomy [Video]
“The tonsils are part of what is called Waldeyer’s ring. Generally when talking about tonsils we are talking about the palatine tonsils situated on both sides of the throat. The tonsils are important in the early years of life because the lymphoid tissues containing the immune cells are continuously exposed to many antigens. That is why until the age of 6 tonsils are typically hyperplastic and tend to regress by 12 years of age. The palatine tonsils have a strong blood supply from five different vessels, that is why there is a risk of a lot of bleeding with tonsillectomy. Zooming to the tonsils, we can see they have deep crypts and lymph nodules. The crypts are normally colonised by many species of bacteria and also exposed to many viral organisms.
Many viral and bacterial organisms can cause tonsillitis, which is inflammation of the tonsils causing tonsillar oedema, hypertrophy, erythema and pain. The inflammation may affect other areas of the back of the throat, including the adenoids and the lingual tonsils. This inflammatory response produces exudate either white, grey, or yellow discharge. Cultures are not often useful in distinguishing the offending pathogen because even you grow something they are probably commensal organisms anyway.
Generally with acute tonsillitis the pharynx is also inflamed and so a better definition is pharyngotonsillitis rather than acute tonsillitis.
Majority of the cases of tonsillitis are usually from viruses. Common viral organisms that cause tonsillitis include epstein barr virus (EBV), adenovirus, rhinovirus, RSV, influenza and parainfluenza. The most common bacterial cause of acute tonsillitis is Group A Streptococcus (GAS). We will focus on a the two clinically important causes of acute tonsillitis: EBV and GAS”
For More Free medical videos : Medical videos


Researchers report naturally occurring photocurrents in inorganic mineral systems. Solar energy fuels both biological and inorganic processes on Earth. While solar-to-chemical energy conversion via photosynthesis in biological systems is well understood, a corresponding nonbiological light-harvesting system has not been previously observed. Anhuai Lu, Kaihui Liu, Michael Hochella, and colleagues performed physical and chemical analyses of naturally occurring varnishes from desert rock surfaces in northern China, as well as surface coatings from karst and red soil particles in southern China. Electron microscopy and X-ray spectroscopy revealed that the coatings consist mainly of iron (Fe) and manganese (Mn) (oxyhydr)oxides, and are particularly enriched in Mn relative to the underlying rock. In situ photoelectric measurements in rock varnish samples yielded detectable photocurrents in the Fe-rich or Mn-rich mineral coatings, but not in the rock substrate. Currents were stable under steady illumination but shifted rapidly in response to illumination changes and exhibited constant photon-to-electron conversion efficiency. Irradiation-dependent photocurrents were also observed in coatings from karst and red soil. The authors attribute the photoelectric response of the coatings to naturally occurring Fe and Mn (oxyhydr)oxide minerals, such as birnessite, hematite, and goethite, which are solar light-responsive semiconductors. The photoelectric behavior of the mineral coatings may play important roles in biogeochemical processes, according to the authors.
Article #19-02473: "Photoelectric conversion on Earth's surface via widespread Fe- and Mn-mineral coatings," by Anhuai Lu et al.
MEDIA CONTACT: Anhuai Lu, Peking University, Beijing, CHINA; tel: +86-13801208838; e-mail: <firstname.lastname@example.org>; Yan Li, Peking University, Beijing, CHINA; tel: 86-13693577298; e-mail: <email@example.com>
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences


Falling Particle Receiver, The Latest In CSP Generation.
A 200 feet tall tower developed by Sandia’s National Solar Thermal Test Facility in New Mexico, is the latest technology in concentrating solar power (CSP) systems.
Sandia’s falling particle receiver drops minute sand-like ceramic particles through a concentrated beam of sunlight, where the heated particles are captured and stored in an insulated tank. Unlike standard molten salt systems, this technology can store heat at high temperatures without breaking down. The operating temperature of their falling particle receiver can also exceed 1000°C , unlike molten salt systems limited to up to 600 °C. Thus, more thermal energy can be stored at cheaper storage costs.
Testing of the receiver is still ongoing and is expected to finish at the end of 2015, following which development of a prototype will begin. The prototype will be developed with the goal of creating a cost-competitive falling particle receiver that can receive thermal efficiency of over 90% and achieve particle temperatures no less than 700 °C.
If you want to know more about this and other topics directly from end users of energy storage technologies join us at one of these annual events: The Energy Storage World Forum (Grid Scale Applications), or The Residential Energy Storage Forum, or one of our Training Courses.


The gemstone or birthstone for the month of March and is a beautiful shade of light blue to a darker blue or even blue-green that resembles the tropical waters of the Caribbean. The name itself, aquamarine is a Latin word that means seawater.
Aquamarine comes from the Beryl family, which is also where the precious Emerald was derived from. The stones are very different in appearance with the aquamarine having a clear transparency where the darker emerald shows up as hazy. Aquamarines get their color from the impurities of the iron found within the beryl stone, hence the wonderful spectrum of color intensities of the aquamarine.
A deep and saturated blue aquamarine is the most valuable of all the shades of aquamarines. The aquamarine is a hard gemstone and ranks as a 7.5 to 8 on the Moh’s Scale of Hardness.
The most valuable aquamarine gemstones are mined from the country of Brazil. Other countries that also mine aquamarines are Kenya, Nigeria, Madagascar, Zambia, Tanzania, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Russia and a few locations in the United States. The largest “chunk” of aquamarine was discovered in Germany in 1992 and weighed a total of 26 kg. It became known as the “Dom Pedro.” This “find” was cut by Bernd Munsteiner, who is a fine gemstone designer. Munsteiner holds the current record for cutting the largest aquamarine stone to date.
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Northern Kantō, Japanese Kita-kantō, industrial region, east-central Japan, occupying portions of Gumma, Saitama, and Tochigi ken (prefectures). Situated just north of, and adjacent to, the Keihin (Tokyo-Yokohama) Industrial Zone, the area consists mostly of plains, interrupted by the Kantō Range and Echigo Range. Northern Kantō is neither an administrative nor a political entity.
The region’s industries include the manufacture of electrical machinery, metal products, and transport equipment. Copper, zinc, and iron mining, forestry, and sericulture are other economic activities. The silk and paper industries were first mechanized in Gumma prefecture in 1912 and 1914; an iron and steel factory opened in Koyuma in 1939. Later industrial development included precision machinery (began operation in Niza, 1946); diesel engines, trucks, and buses (Ageo, 1950); motor vehicles (Ōta, an aircraft-production centre during World War II); electrical appliances (Ōra, 1959); and textiles (Ashikaga and Kiryū). During the 1960s, industrial output developed rapidly, and as industries migrated outward from the Keihin area, Northern Kantō gained further importance. Although Northern Kantō’s heavy-industrial production is small compared with Japan’s other industrial regions, it is strong in light manufacturing. Cameras and electrical appliances are assembled from parts manufactured in Keihin and are returned to Keihin for distribution. Agricultural products from the area include rice, livestock, mulberries, pears, and chestnuts.


How Does Public Cloud Work?
A public cloud is a common term but its working process might not be clear to many. To run the website and application of a business that is already established or is facing some heavy traffic, we need a hosting service. Public cloud is a virtual platform that offers data storage and virtual machines using the cloud computing model and is managed remotely by the provider.
How does it work?
A third-party web hosting provider hosts on-demand scalable and IT resources which are delivered remotely to a client over a network connection. Businesses choose public cloud because of reasons like redundancy, less overhead maintenance, and cost considerations. Once a business chooses a provider, a cloud migration system must be chosen in order to move the data to the cloud of the provider. This migration can be done over the public internet or the provider’s networking service.
Online migration is good for lesser volumes of data while less expensive and faster offline migration is good for a significant amount of data. There are third-party and cloud-native migration tools to help to move the data to the providers like WeHaveServers.com public cloud storage.
Public cloud architecture
For transmitting data, a public cloud which is a fully virtualized environment relies on a high-bandwidth networking system. The same resources are used by the tenants in order to run the workloads on the multi-tenant architecture owned by the hosting provider. The data of the tenants remain logically separated in the cloud.
There are three service models like IaaS or Infrastructure as a service, PaaS or Platform as a service, and SaaS or Software as a service. The service you choose will decide how much control you will have over the cloud. IaaS customers enjoy more control over the cloud than the PaaS and SaaS model users as these are completely managed by the hosting provider.


How to make an electronic library accessible
Article publication date: 4 September 2018
Issue publication date: 29 October 2018
The purpose of this paper is to identify important principles which should be applied to electronic library websites to make them usable for all people.
The goal of this paper was to make the simplified user interface of Hungarian Electronic Library (VMEK) more accessible and usable by leveraging the latest technologies, standards and recommendations. Vision-impaired and motor-disabled people were also involved in brainstorming and collecting ideas during the design phase and in testing the implemented website.
This paper showed that the perspicuity of the Web page is greatly improved by semantically correct HTML codes, clearly defined links and alt attributes, hotkeys and typographic principles.
The paper presents the design principles of electronic library Web pages which can be applied by Web developers and content managers. The paper identifies design principles, which improve the perspicuity of user interfaces to a great extent (especially in the case of blind users); draws attention to the typographic principles, which promote reading and understanding documents; and recommends guidelines for developing electronic library home pages and managing the content of these home pages.
This paper bridges the gap between the information and library science field and the Web accessibility and usability field. Based on brainstorming results where people with various kinds of disabilities were involved, the paper gives 11 recommendations which should be taken into account while designing and developing electronic library websites to ensure equal access to their services and documents.
Kosztyánné Mátrai, R. (2018), "How to make an electronic library accessible", The Electronic Library, Vol. 36 No. 4, pp. 620-632. https://doi.org/10.1108/EL-07-2017-0143
Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2018, Emerald Publishing Limited


America, and really your complete world as an entire, runs on fossil fuels like gasoline and coal. Biomass boilers burn wooden pellets, wood chips or logs, using the generated heat to provide scorching water for wet central heating methods. Hydro electrical energy captures energy from falling water. By switching to a renewable heating system you will not solely be lowering your carbon footprint, however might additionally make significant savings on your vitality payments and even earn money via the Renewable Heat Incentive scheme.
The geothermal gradient, which is the distinction in temperature between the core of the planet and its floor, drives a continuous conduction of thermal energy within the form of heat from the core to the surface. Tidal energy is the one expertise that draws on power inherent within the orbital traits of the Earth – Moon system, and to a lesser extent within the Earth- Sun system.
Excessive reliability, quality power and efficiency are all qualities that describe fuel cell technology. Cellulosic biomass, derived from non-food sources, equivalent to trees and grasses, is also being developed as a feedstock for ethanol manufacturing. ODOE supplies assistance to automobile fleet managers who wish to increase their use of alternative fuels.
Biomass vitality is used for heating and cooking in houses and as a gasoline in industrial production. Because the industrial revolution began in the 18th and nineteenth centuries, we have been burning fossil fuels such as oil, coal and pure gas to gasoline our houses, businesses and transport.
The potential for the expansion and progress of renewable energy sources such as photo voltaic, hydro power, wind, biomass, hydrogen, and geothermal is gigantic. The consequences on the environment are typically much less problematic than these from different energy sources.


As technologies and the norms surrounding them change, parents are finding themselves faced with new types of dangers to protect their children from. Luckily, with these new dangers come new tools that keep kids safe in revolutionary ways, such as geofencing. Geofencing works in conjunction with GPS and RFID (Bluetooth, for example) to create physical zones. It’s the same type of technology that Snapchat uses to create geographically appropriate photo filters, and it can be put to much more use than taking silly pictures.
The first step is to download a geofence app and install it on your phone or use another type of device. These types of apps may require you to purchase a membership or pay ahead for the service, but once you’ve done this you’ll be able to link to your child’s device’s location and set parameters and times for their activities.
When it comes to creating geofences, there is no one size fits all approach. Geofencing creates acceptable “zones” for your child to be in a certain time, and alerts you and warns them if they’re not where they’re supposed to be. For instance, if your teen is supposed to be at school from 8:00 to 3:00, you’ll be alerted if they’re at their friend’s house during that time, instead.
Creating “Out of Bounds” Zones
Another way of keeping your kids safe while using geofencing is to focus less on where your children are “supposed to be”, and be more explicit about where you don’t want them to go. This works well for when your children are playing with others and you want to give them more freedom to run around the neighborhood, but you don’t want them going near the irrigation canals.
Setting up a geofence to keep your children safe from harm is a no-frills process, and there are different techniques and strategies you can choose when setting up parameters and boundaries. Whether you cordon off an industrial area near your home or create a geofence around your house so your teen can’t sneak out, there are many reasons to use this technology to protect our kids.


"Each spice has a special day to it. For turmeric it is Sunday, when light drips fat and butter-colored into the bins to be soaked up glowing, when you pray to the nine planets for love and luck.” — Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni, “The Mistress of Spices”
Turmeric. Though a novelty in the West, many in the East are familiar with this yellow tinged herb. Turmeric has been used for centuries as a cooking spice, and is often seen in its powdered form in many an Indian kitchen. Despite it’s ubiquitous use, many are unaware that this golden powder comes from the root of a plant in the ginger family. Turmeric, like ginger, has numerous medicinal properties.
Turmeric is also known by one of its plant components, curcumin. This is a popular supplement at health food stores due to its anti inflammatory effects. However, herbs are composed of hundreds of phytonutrients that work synergistically to provide an optimal medicinal effect, and are best used in the whole form. Therefore, although an individual constituent like curcumin may have limited efficacy, it cannot provide the maximum impact of the whole plant or herb.
In the East, turmeric is often mixed into a glass of milk as a remedy for various ailments. It is also used in daily cooking to promote general immunity. However, one of the most potent formulations of turmeric is the extract. This concentrated form can effectively relieve swelling and irritation related to disease processes like arthritis, the common cold or bronchitis. In addition, it can be used to prevent damage as a pre-workout supplement or help heal injury after working out.
Turmeric also has anti microbial effects, so may help in preventing infectious processes like the common cold or help reduce the symptoms of such illness. Whether it is used for acute or chronic situations or eaten as food or taken as a supplement, turmeric can be a potent herb to reduce inflammation from various disease processes.


Teachers are always look for another way to reinforce principles covered in class. To understand how a greenhouse works, students must understand the critical factors that go into play to make a greenhouse function. The problem is that this topic is super boring to learn.
So take a page from South Side Bee Branch FFA and have your students design their own greenhouse. As you can see they used:
But you can even add cardboard, tape, hot glue, and ton of other materials to help them make the greenhouse a desktop reality. Just remember, the key is that they must implement the necessary structures to that the greenhouse works correctly. Fans, vents, doors, tables, and outer shell don't need to function but they do need to be present so the students understand that you have to have them for a greenhouse to function correctly. We've got to sneak that knowledge in there somehow.
If you need some more inspiration, here's another topic on greenhouses. Not only are these good things to know before you let people "store" their plants in your greenhouse they can also provide a learning prompt where your students can explain why these reasons are valid.
Reasons to Not Let Other Plants in Your Greenhouse
We do have quite a few lesson plans and other teaching materials to help your Plant Science class keep going. Take a look here: Plant Science teaching materials


The idea of human evolution is filled with uncertainty disguised as certainty. It’s a belief widely touted as fact. But in reality, evolution is based upon ancient, fragmented fossils and unsubstantiated conjecture.
In this article by Phys Org, we can find holes in their claims. For instance, evolutionary ideas are being promoted based on a single broken bone.
Evolutionists believe Old World monkeys- like baboons and macaques- are more similar to their ancestors than modern apes. But after examining the femur of a supposed common ancestor- Aegyptopithecus Zeuxis– it was determined that both apes and Old World monkeys have evolved new forms of locomotion. Paleoanthropologist Sergio Almecija said, “As far as the hip is concerned, it seems that apes, humans, and Old World monkeys have all parted ways long ago—which would explain why they move around so differently today.”
Despite their claims, there’s no evidence that one evolved into the other. The author admits that the hip joints of each kind is as far from the other as their supposed ancestor. Evolutionists want us to simply accept evolution without question and ignore the biological overhauls these organisms must endure in order for evolution to be true. Never mind the evidence, there’s nothing to see here…
Consider, if we don’t assume evolution, logic would suggest that these animal kinds are unrelated; even the research gives us reason to doubt evolution. No evidence for evolution is provided, except for that very assumption. We’re told that evolution is “suggested” by their research, but they don’t substantiate this claim. Needless to say, they don’t mention that the evidence doesn’t demand evolution, and I would contend that evolution is not even remotely implied. The fact that ape, monkey and human morphology and anatomy are so different implies that they’re not related, and one didn’t evolve into the other.
Further, no one can observe or experiment on the past. It’s not like we can go back in time and document said evolution or repeat it. It must be accepted by faith.
I’d suggest a better explanation is the Biblical explanation: apes and monkeys were created by God as different kinds, and humans are created in God’s image. None of them evolved.


According to this history, coats with buttons on sleeves were invented in the past when clothing was constantly worn with its sleeves open. Napoleon Bonaparte invented the metallic buttons on sleeves in order to make their soldiers use a handkerchief to wipe their faces and nose. To avoid using their sleeves as commoners for wiping their faces, Napoleon came up with an idea of a button on the sleeves. Whenever the soldiers wipe their faces they would get a scratch on their faces.
Tailoring has bought so many fashion changes in our everyday life. Because of the buttons, now any guy could simply roll up the sleeves without removing the jacket. Nowadays most of the coats were no longer designed with functional buttons. Because they want to accommodate as many body shapes as possible, and if holes were constructed, adjusting the sleeve length would be incredibly difficult. By sewing, the buttons on the exterior make them nonfunctional hence it has been used as a design element.
There was a time when all men wore coats all the time regardless of what they were doing. For more than two centuries, the jacket has been a truly necessary garment in every men’s wardrobe, whether they are reading a book, hiking a mountain, or simply working on their own property, they all have coats wherever they go.
Who Invented Buttons on Sleeves?
- A. Napoleon Bonaparte
- B. Empress Joséphine
- C. Louis Bonaparte
- D. Joseph Bonaparte


How do you spell 151 in words:
Convert 151 dollars in words (USD):
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Reminder of the spelling rules to write the number 151 in letters
Here are basic rules for spelling out 151 and other cardinal numbers :
- To write the number 151 in dollar amount, the currency symbol is placed before the number, with no spaces : $151 .
If spelled out in words, the currency symbol is removed : One hundred fifty-one dollars dollars.
- Decimals should be separated by periods and thousands by commas.
- Numbers from 21 to 99 are written with a hyphen : Forty-one, Forty-two
- From 13 to 19, these numbers are composed of the digits from 3 to 9, and they all end with "-teen" : Nineteen, Twenty
- If you want to know how to spell another number in English, type any number in the number to words converter above to see how it is spelled in English.
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Did you know that… ?
- ...the Japanese name "Fugu" translates to "river pig"?
- ...only certain chefs may prepare the blowfish, after having gone through a three-year school and receiving a special license?
- ...to acquire a license, a chef must prepare a blowfish for himself?
- ...blowfish are one of the most passively poisonous fish in the world, during the span 1927 to 1949, they killed at least 2688 people?
- ...a close relative of the blowfish is the porcupinefish, which, like the blowfish, can suck in water and expand its body?
- ...when a blowfish is raised in captivity, it is not poisonous?
- ...the blowfish is the first fish whose genome has been completely read?
- ...importing Fugu into the European Union is prohibited?
Phylum - Chordata
Class - Osteichthyes (fish)
Maximum length - 60 cm
Eats - aqueous invertebrates
Habitat - Japan, China
Type of poison - neurotoxin
Medium large fish with a beak-like mouth. Has a rounded body without scales, or with tiny spikes, and no ventral fin. Blowfish can suck water into a special stomach chamber and expand their body, similarly to a porcupinefish.
Characteristics and poison
The blowfish is considered a delicacy in Japan, but is deadly dangerous. The tissues of the fish (especially the reproductive organs, liver, intestines and skin) of some blowfish contain the poison tetrodotoxin. The first signs of poisoning appear within 30 minutes of ingestion. Numbness of the tongue, lips and fingertips come first. Next are headaches, fatigue, lassitude, speech impediment and difficulty to breathe. Gradual paralysis of the breathing muscles follows, with coma and death within 24 hours of eating a blowfish.


Tips for: Kinetic learners
Kinetic learners are most comfortable when they are trying things out. If you are a kinetic learner you are likely to be hands-on, someone who prefers to touch, move, build or draw what you learn, and you tend to learn better
when some type of physical activity is involved. If you are not yet sure what sort of learner you are then try out our Discover Your Learning Style quiz.
You should try to keep active and take frequent breaks. Taking things apart and putting back them together could be a great way for you to learn how they work. Try creating models or conducting experiments to understand concepts that you are struggling with.
Practical classes, like working in a studio creating models, or conducting experiments in a laboratory are some of the things you might be looking forward to in higher education. Though you shouldn't think of this as all of your options kinetic learners might want to consider studying subjects like Drama, Sports, Science, Engineering and Arts.
Read our five tips for kinetic learners to turbo-charge their study sessions:
Try to find other tactile learners to study with, trying things out as a group can be useful
For subjects like biology using models that you can pick up, take apart, and move around will help you understand how things function
Take regular breaks and don’t be afraid to move around whilst you study
Writing out your notes on the computer, then copy and paste to re-arrange as you re-read
Get hands on as much as possible, try different things out until you get them right


Throughout history, various religions have formed the source of beliefs in people. Within time, the beliefs not involving religious verdicts and doctrines have started to appear as well, and these beliefs have been named as “folk beliefs”. Although folk beliefs seem a historic phenomenon, they also have continued their existence in modern world. Clothing and its accessories have historically active role in tradition, customs, beliefs and rituals. In each of the birth, life and death processes, clothes bear intangible and meaning based expressions as well as their tangible presence. Clothing and its accessories carry properties of both concrete and abstract values in cultural heritage. The aim of the research is to determine what Turkish folk beliefs are available concerning clothing and to detect the attitude towards these beliefs. The research was carried out by the scanning model in the scope of the descriptive method. The population of the research is 65 and over aged participants and 18-24 aged university students who are Turkish citizen and take place in Çankaya district of Ankara. In the selection of the sampling group, simple randomized sampling technique was used and 83 people were contacted. While Pearson Chi-Square statistical analysis was used in the comparison of the questions concerning folk beliefs with demographic variables, Mann-Whitney U and Kruskal Wallis H analyses were used in the questions concerning attitude. In the result of the research, it was seen that the age factor set up a meaningful difference in folk beliefs. It became clear that the elderly believe and practice folk beliefs more than the young. Even if in the scope of the research the participants’ levels of knowing and practicing folk beliefs turned out to be relatively low, it was determined that they have had folk beliefs about clothing which they still continue to apply today.
Key Words: Clothing, Culture, Tradition, Folk Beliefs


The City Council of Vancouver, BC has approved a five-year Climate Emergency Action Plan (CEAP) which maps out a course towards reducing carbon emissions 50% by the year 2030.
The plan features four main initiatives expected to significantly impact the reduction of carbon pollution from buildings and transportation – which are designated as the city’s largest problem sources. Current studies have shown that 54% of the city’s carbon emissions come from burning natural gas used to heat space and water in buildings, and 39% come from burning gasoline and diesel in vehicles.
These initiatives are:
- Zero emissions buildings;
- A Neighborhood Energy Strategy;
- A Transportation 2040 Plan; and,
- Electric vehicles
The city has estimated that it will need to invest around CAN$500 million (~US$383 million) over the next five years to implement the plan. The funding is expected to come from the existing capital plan, new fees and charges from climate emergency actions, potential increase in investment in climate emergency actions in the next capital plan, as well as savings from using more cost-effective approaches. Net savings are forecast at almost CAN$1 billion for residents and businesses.
Gil Kelley, General Manager of Planning, Urban Design and Sustainability, City of Vancouver, said: “The Climate Emergency Action Plan is an early action in Vancouver Plan, and its approval signals a clear commitment to align Vancouver with climate science by scaling-up efforts to limit warming to 1.5°C. The actions identified are ambitious and necessary. Through them, we will improve the air we breathe, make our neighborhoods more vibrant, reduce energy waste and switch to renewable energy sources, use low carbon construction materials in our buildings, and boost the green economy, among other priorities.”


Eyewitness of Mass Man-Made Famine of 1946–1947 Shared His Story
On December 2, Anatolii Zvonskyi, an eyewitness to the mass artificial famine of 1946–1947, visited the National Museum of the Holodomor Genocide.
Anatoliy Zvonsky was born on January 4, 1941 in the village of Serebriya, Bershad district, Vinnytsia region.
He tells about the famine, “A friend asked my grandfather:
‘Petro, do you give food to your younger children?’
‘Yes, I do, because all my children are equal.’
‘Ah, I don’t feed my younger ones.’
People were brought to such a state that they refused to feed their children. ”
In 1946–1947, Anatolii’s mother went to the Lviv region to exchange her late father’s belongings for food. Her father died in the war. One day, the mother brought a bun, the taste of which the witness remembers to this day.
Despite Soviet restrictions on speaking about the Holodomor of 1932–1933, Anatolii’s mother and grandmother shared their memories. Anatoly Zvonsky says, “Not only was that a famine, it was the Holodomor, genocide, people were driven to the collective farms and not given anything to eat … There are 15 people left from such a large family. 18 people died.”
Find out the witness’s story by watching the video.
The museum team encourages research into family histories, recording eyewitness accounts, and sharing archival photos and documents. In the video you can see the survey methodology, and by emailing to [email protected], you can get a questionnaire that will help you to conduct the interview.


Digital Learning Initiative (DLI)
Fairfield County School District has embarked on an aggressive Digital Learning Initiative (DLI) focused on the three E’s, Engagement, Equity, and Exposure:
- Equity: Every student in grades 2-12 will have access to a Google Chromebook, either in the classroom or at home. This will help to close the digital divide and ensure equitable access to technology regardless of a student’s background, geographic area, or socioeconomic status.
- Engagement: Increase the level of student engagement in the classroom. Students will learn to think critically and become empowered to take charge of their learning in the classroom by accessing blended learning opportunities through the use of a variety of technology tools.
- Exposure: Ensure that every student has exposure to latest technology tools to be globally competitive and college and career ready.
Digital Learning Initiative Information
- Chromebooks Procedures Guide
- Parent Consent Form (Elementary)
- Parent Consent Form (Secondary)
- Expectations for Computing Device Use Form (Elementary)
- Expectations for Computing Device Use Form (Secondary)
- Overview of Digital Learning Initiative
- Loaner Mifi Use (Elementary)
- Loaner Mifi Use (Middle School)
- Loaner Mifi Use (High School)
- Kajeet SmartSpot Q & A
- Acceptable Use Policy (AUP)
- Social Media Guidelines
- Chromebook Care & Responsibility
- Fairfield Digital Apps & Tools
Digital Literacy Videos for Parents
- Digital Literacy Tips for Parents
- Common Sense Media
Digital Literacy Resources for Teachers


Conjugate Cams eliminate backlash and reduce overall cam stress
When a disk cam drives a mechanism, there must be some way to make sure the cam-follower remains on the cam. It is possible, with very slow speed machines, to use gravity. However, for open cams, a spring or air cylinder is needed.
This will increase the contact force and stress on the cam and the rollerr, and also increase the required drive torque. Further, a spring will tend to increase any speed fluctuations at the input drive shaft, and possibly casue any 'overrun', especially with backlash in the system. Overrun is a rapid increase in input spudd as the torque required to drive the cam changes from a positive value to a negative value.
Alternatively a groove cam could be used. This will prevent a possibility of the cam roller bouncing, however, there will inevitably be backlash which will be traversed during acceleration reversals. When backlash is traversed, the roller loses contact with one flank and impacts into the other flank. This can cause vibrations and wear of the cam and roller as the roller must change rotational direction.
Conjugate cams, although more expensive, overcome most of these problems. Two separate cams with separate followers are preloaded onto the cam flank to eliminate backlash. Springs are not required, thus reducing the cam contact stress and bearing forces.
The cams should ideally be machined in the same machine tool setup so that both profiles are truly conjugate.


Benign (non-cancerous) condition: A benign (non-cancerous) condition in which an overgrowth of prostate tissue puts pressure on the urethra and bladder, blocking urine flow. Also called benign prostatic hyperplasia and BPH. Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), also called prostate gland enlargement, is a common condition as men age. An enlarged prostate can cause uncomfortable urinary symptoms, such as blocking the flow of urine out of the bladder.
It can also cause problems with the bladder, urinary tract, or kidneys. Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is a condition that affects almost all men by the age of 80. BPH causes prostate cells to proliferate in epithelial and stromal cells, causing prostate enlargement and may cause lower urinary tract symptoms due to bladder outlet obstruction. An enlarged prostate occurs when the prostate gland becomes larger than normal.
It's also called benign prostatic hyperplasia, or BPH for short. And hyperplasia means excessive cell growth. BPH is not cancer and does not increase the risk of prostate cancer. As the prostate gland hypertrophies, urine flow is obstructed by the enlargement of the median lobe of the gland that impinges on the internal urethral lumen.


Vulvar Disorders: Diagnosis and Treatment
Inspection of the vulva is an essential part of a complete pelvic examination, and yet the area is often overlooked or given only a very cursory examination by clinicians.
For their part, patients can be confused by terminology and are often not aware of the difference between the vagina and the vulva when they are trying to report the location of a symptom or abnormality.
Local treatments may include vaginal estrogen or vaginal estrogens in combination with other treatments. Specialized steroid creams or ointments are often used to reduce inflammation. Use of oral and/or topical medications offer relief for many patients and many times a combination of medications are tailored to meet the patient’s individual needs. Occasionally, surgery is recommended to remove or repair damaged tissue or scar tissue.
You already know ... vulvar and vaginal discomfort causes emotional distress, anxiety, and can be difficult to cope with. Vulvar discomfort can lead to difficulty with daily activities and negatively impact intimacy and relationships.
You may not know ... a vulvar disorder is a “catch-all” diagnosis that can include many different vulvar conditions. These problems, which affect the external genitalia or vulva, can range from mild to near debilitating.
You need to know ... our physician and staff treat these conditions that include vulvar and vaginal pain, vulva, skin conditions, vulvitis including lichen sclerosus and lichen planus, and we treat the problems resulting from these disorders including scarring and painful sex. Disorders of the vulva can be difficult to diagnose and manage. We are dedicated to determining an accurate diagnosis and providing an effective treatment plan.
Infections include vaginal infections such as yeast that may extend to the vulva. Other infectious diseases may include Trichomonas or other sexually transmitted diseases.
Skin conditions include a variety of disorders that impact the vulva including lichen sclerosus, lichen planus, contact dermatitis, chronic dermatitis, and atrophy. Some of these diseases require management on a long-term basis and treatment is necessary to avoid conditions that may be difficult to reverse.
Dyspareunia or painful intercourse may occur for a variety of reasons. The pain may be located at the opening or introitus, deep inside, or both. Causes are usually multiple and may include things other than vulvar disorders including atrophy, muscle spasms, or prior vaginal surgery.


June 14, 2013: Yesterday, the Supreme Court of the United States unanimously decided that human genes could not be patented. In Association for Molecular Pathology et al. v. Myriad Genetics, Inc., et. al., 569 U. S. (2013), accessed at http://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/12pdf/12-398_8njq.pdf, the Court stated that “naturally occurring” human genes cannot be patented because they were a “product of nature” and not a human invention.
Myriad Genetics, Inc. (“Myriad”) had obtained several patents after discovering the gene location and sequence of the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes (“the Genes”). The mutation of the Genes had the potential of increasing the risk of breast and ovarian cancer. The knowledge of the mutation of the Genes allowed Myriad to develop tests to assess a patient’s cancer risk. If the Court had allowed the patenting of human genes, Myriad would have held a monopoly in the market for genetic testing for the early detection of cancer. Myriad was charging USD 3340 for its genetic tests. The immediate impact of this judgment on public health is that it will significantly reduce the cost of genetic testing by allowing other companies and laboratories to enter the market.
(Samar Jha is part of the faculty on myLaw.net.)
To learn more about Patent Law, check out myLaw.net’s online learning programme on Intellectual Property Law.


Named after its legendary designer, this 'flying banana' is a beautifully preserved example of the High Speed Train which blazed a trail in 1976 and remains the world's fastest diesel locomotive.
The loco might not be available to see while the museum is closed, but see below for the Curator with a Camera video so you can enjoy it from home.
A FEAT OF BRITISH ENGINEERING
Sir Kenneth Grange is the very first production Class 43 High Speed Train (HST). More commonly known as the InterCity 125, this locomotive was built in 1975, the same year the National Railway Museum opened.
Considered Britain's most influential modern loco, these powerful engines—which achieved a world-record 148mph top speed—quickly formed the backbone of Britain's high-speed rail routes and revived interest in rail travel after years in the doldrums.
CURATOR WITH A CAMERA
Anthony Coulls, Senior Curator of Rail Transport and Technology, takes you on an in-depth tour of the interior and exterior of our Class 43 High Speed Train power car and tells the story of this impactful locomotive.
Click here to see the video
ABOUT THE DESIGNER
Class 43 no. 43002 was named after its designer Sir Kenneth Grange in 2016, when it also returned to its original blue and yellow livery.
Sir Kenneth created the loco's iconic, aerodynamic wedge-shaped nose cone. His design feats don't end there, though—he was also involved in the design of the Kenwood food mixer, Kodak Instamatic camera and Royal Mail post boxes, to name just a few.
HOW IT CAME TO THE RAILWAY MUSEUM
As well as being the first InterCity 125 produced, Sir Kenneth Grange was the last 125 to operate a passenger service before this type of locomotive was retired from London express services .
Angel Trains and Great Western Railway generously donated the power car to the museum after its working life was concluded in 2019.


On the website, you find 12 portraits, much more than this video (this is an example of an expert statement that accompanies each portrait)! You get to hear from different individuals in a way you cannot through mainstream media.
The project also provides educational material to use these portraits in class. An excellent resource to get access to personal accounts, show the diversity of situations, and embed these scientifically!
Research on political representation generally focuses on groups, but sometimes we really want to know how well an individual is represented. A common approach is relying on questions of feeling represented — but there are many reasons a person may feel represented beyond objective ones.
It is possible to express the level of representation at the individual level. I call this individual representation. This approach is based on a double comparison. First, we determine how marginal the position of an individual is, given the positions of everyone else in the population (top of figure). Second, we examine how marginal the individual would be, were he or she placed among the representatives (bottom of figure).
The result is a perspective of political representation that places the individual at the centre, not the representatives. We can now address questions such as whether individual representation affects trust in government or democracy.
To calculate individual representation scores, you can simply use my R-code in the polrep package. I also have a spreadsheet solution available, but it’s inflexible. A final note, I do not advocate individual representation scores as replacement of existing approaches, but as a complement to open up new possibilities in research.


Scratchitti vandalism, a new type of graffiti vandalism, in public transits systems and city neighborhood is a serious problem. To solve this problem, an innovative approach was developed - controlled fire polishing, which incorporates a technique of localized softening and surface tension. Intensive heat is positioned near to the scratch marks on the glass panel. The heat melts a thin layer of glass into liquid, changing the glass's viscosity to a formable state. The glass is melted to a level close to the depth of the scratch, and allowed to cool down naturally. During the cooling process, the surface tension of the melted glass will even out the scratching indent. After cooling, the glass will be as even and smooth as it was originally. The process will enable the reuse of the damaged window/door and eliminate the otherwise waste by replacement new glass.
|Number of pages||10|
|Journal||JSME International Journal, Series A: Solid Mechanics and Material Engineering|
|Publication status||Published - 2006|
All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes
- Materials Science(all)
- Mechanical Engineering


Advances in Xanthan Gum-Based Systems for the Delivery of Therapeutic Agents
In the last three decades, polymers have contributed significantly to the improvement of drug delivery technologies by enabling the controlled and sustained release of therapeutic agents, versatility in designing different delivery systems, and feasibility of encapsulation of both hydrophobic and hydrophilic molecules. Both natural and synthetic polymers have been explored for the delivery of various therapeutic agents. However, due to the disadvantages of synthetic polymers, such as lack of intrinsic biocompatibility and bioactivity, hydrophobicity, and expensive and complex procedure of synthesis, there is a move toward the use of naturally occurring polymers. The biopolymers are generally derived from either plants or microorganisms and have shown a wide range of applications in drug administration due to their hydrophilic nature, biodegradability, biocompatibility, no or low toxicity, abundance, and readily available, ease of chemical modification, etc. This review describes the applications of a biopolymer, xanthan gum (XG), in the delivery of various therapeutic agents such as drugs, genetic materials, proteins, and peptides. XG is a high molecular weight, microbial heteropolysaccharide and is produced as a fermented product of Gram-negative bacteria, Xanthomonas campestris. Traditionally, it has been used as a thickener in liquid formulations and an emulsion stabiliser. XG has several favourable properties for designing various forms of drug delivery systems. Furthermore, the structure of XG can be easily modified using different temperature and pH conditions. Therefore, XG and its derivatives have been explored for various applications in the food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic industries.
Open Access Status
This publication may be available as open access
University Grants Commission


Eggs could be considered 'healthy' under proposed FDA guidelines
WASHINGTON D.C. (WRIC) – You probably already have eggs in your kitchen, but did you know they are technically not considered a “healthy” food? However, that may soon change thanks to new federal guidelines.
In September, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) proposed updated criteria for the definition of “healthy” foods in order to better align with current science and nutrition guidelines. The new definition would look at how all the nutrients in food work together to contribute to healthy dietary patterns and overall health.
Under the proposed definition, a “healthy” food would need to contain a “meaningful” amount of food from at least one of the food groups or subgroups recommended by the Dietary Guidelines – like fruits, vegetables, or dairy – and have specific limits for saturated fat, sodium and added sugars.
One of the biggest changes to the proposed “healthy” food definitions is removing a limit on dietary cholesterol, which in the past kept some foods with high fat contents off the list.
With these new definitions in place, more foods would be eligible to use the “healthy” claim on their labeling, including nuts and seeds, higher-fat fish like salmon, certain oils, and of course, eggs.
In guidance issued in 2016, the FDA noted the scientific understanding of nutrition has changed since “healthy” was first defined in 1993. Changes include adding “good fats” like polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats, which have been shown to lower the risk of certain diseases.
The FDA is also in the process of developing a symbol that can be put on food packaging to easily show buyers its “healthy” status.
The proposed definition has not been finalized yet.
The Hill’s Joseph Choi contributed to this report.


Tucumán Arde [Tucumán Is Burning] is the most famous collective production of emerging vanguard art in Argentina, both in Buenos Aires and Rosario, and it took place at the turning point of the artists’ political and artistic radicalization in 1968. Its design implied a complex process of research and counter-information as well as a mass-media campaign. Given the fact that they were an integral part of the investigation, many artists (mostly from Rosario) traveled to Tucumán for a second time in October 1968. It was in that province that, with the support of trade-union members, journalists, and other collaborators, the artists developed an underground registry of work pertaining to the social situation of sugar mills (closed by then), schools, hospitals, and so forth, seeking information that would evidence the official campaign’s deception respecting the so-called Operativo Tucumán. A variety of media was used, including recordings, photographs, and films.
One of the core points of their complaint was the police’s bloody repression of the workers. The figure of Hilda Guerrero de Molinas became emblematic in this sense: the wife of a worker who had been fired from the Santa Lucía Refinery was killed a few months before the arrival of the artists, during a union meeting. This interview of the son of the deceased was performed by the vanguard artists who traveled to Tucumán in October 1968. Mimeographed copies of the interview were handed out to the public attending the exhibitions at the Confederación General del Trabajo (CGT) headquarters, both in Rosario and Buenos Aires.
The testimonial value of this document reinforced the denunciation of the province’s reigning repression of workers.


Dates are sweet, juicy, and versatile fruits that have been enjoyed for thousands of years.
They are the fruit of the date palm tree and are grown in many warm, arid regions around the world, including the Middle East, North Africa, and the United States. In this article, we will explore what dates are and how they can be beneficial to your health.
What Are Dates and How Are They Healthy?
Dates are a good source of carbohydrates, fiber, and vitamins and minerals, including potassium, magnesium, and vitamins B and K. They are also naturally low in fat and calories, making them an excellent option for those who are looking to maintain a healthy weight.
One of the key health benefits of dates is their fiber content. Dates are high in both soluble and insoluble fiber, which can help to keep you feeling full and satisfied, and can also help to regulate your digestion. The fiber in dates can also help to lower cholesterol levels, which can reduce the risk of heart disease.
Dates are a nutritious snack, and one of the benefits of consuming them is the high amount of potassium they contain. Potassium is a vital mineral for regulating healthy blood pressure and for supporting heart health, as well as muscle function. Approximately 10% of the recommended daily potassium intake can be derived from a small handful of dates. Therefore, adding dates to your diet can help ensure you get the right amount of this important mineral.
Dates are also a good source of antioxidants, which are compounds that help to protect your cells from damage caused by free radicals. Antioxidants are important for maintaining good health, and can help to reduce the risk of chronic diseases, such as heart disease and cancer.
Finally, dates are a natural sweetener that can be a great alternative to sugar. Dates are naturally sweet and can be used in a variety of recipes, including smoothies, baked goods, and sauces. Unlike sugar, dates are not processed and do not cause spikes in blood sugar levels, which makes them a healthier alternative.
In conclusion, dates are a delicious and nutritious fruit that can be a great addition to your diet. Whether you are looking to increase your fiber or potassium intake, or simply looking for a healthier alternative to sugar, dates are a great option to consider. With their natural sweetness, high fiber content, and rich nutrients, dates are a great way to add more nutrition and flavor to your diet.


Modern life is moving at a fast pace than the speed of our thinking. It is now completely revolving around the aspect of digitization and digital innovations.
Have you ever asked yourself the question that if you would love to restore your traditional way of living?
I am sure the answer would be a big ‘NO’.
Knowingly or unknowingly we have all adopted the modern culture. But the best part is that in various small towns and villages people still conduct Gram Panchayat meetings. A few 5-star hotels are still promoting traditional cuisines.
If you refer to the recent trend in hairstyle and clothing, then don’t you think that the traditional clothing and hairstyles are back today? Also don’t we all prefer the gated communities or community villas of late?
During the pre-modern era, there are people who still live in rural and other close village settlements. This closed group of people has their own sense of purpose and identity. They together help each other and resolve problems within themselves.
Therefore, as an organization, it is high time for us to think around this realize that urbanization has affected the way people relate to each other. Renowned sociologists have stated that these kinds of changes have influenced societal life in terms of collaboration and togetherness.
Let us understand that we humans are meant to share our lives with each other for a happy living because you never know what impact you can make on others’ lives with collaboration.
Social learning is thus, a modern way of learning in the covid-19 pandemic days. It has become one of the most popular learning avenues today for staff by social learning has its own set of challenges but it can bring out a fruitful outcome with proper learning strategy ready in hand.
Community is thus, a unified body of individuals who share common interests. It includes participation, ownership, and responsibility. Therefore, it’s time that we realize that everything cannot go through the internet.
Let’s nurture the communities for a positive change in our organizations. Let us start collaborating and bringing in positive synergy within each organization.
Let’s start finding ourselves first.


In Ian Lipkin et al 2017 study, high Anaerotruncus colihominis was reported (on average). [Index to all posts on Study] . “The species is found only relatively infrequently in the human gut. The presence of Anaerotruncus colihominis does not appear to be associated with any particular health disorder.” [uBiome]. It was identified in 2004.
- “It produces Indole and utilises glucose and mannose…It produced indole and β‐gluocosidase, and used glucose and mannose but not arabinose, cellobiose, glycerol, lactose, maltose, mannitol, melezitose, raffinose, rhamnose, salicin, sorbitol, sucrose, trehalose or xylose.”
- “Cells are sensitive to vancomycin (5 µg) and kanamycin (1000 µg), but resistant to colistin sulphate (10 µg)”
- “The major fermentation products from glucose include acetate, ethanol, hydrogen, and carbon dioxide; lactic acid, propionate, and succinate are not produced.”
Antibiotics or trying to starve them (without starving other low bacteria).


Robert Venturi Death
Robert passed away on September 18, 2018 at the age of 93 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Robert's cause of death was Alzheimer's disease.
When did Robert Venturi die?September 18, 2018
How did Robert Venturi die? What was the cause of death?Alzheimer's disease
How old was Robert Venturi when died?93
Where did Robert Venturi die? What was the location of death?Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
Robert Venturi Birthday and Date of Death
Robert Venturi was born on June 25, 1925 and died on September 18, 2018. Robert was 93 years old at the time of death.
Birthday: June 25, 1925
Date of Death: September 18, 2018
Age at Death: 93
Robert Venturi - Biography
Robert Charles Venturi, Jr. (born June 25, 1925) is an American architect, founding principal of the firm Venturi, Scott Brown and Associates, and one of the major architectural figures in the twentieth century. Together with his wife and partner, Denise Scott Brown, he helped to shape the way that architects, planners and students experience and think about architecture and the American built environment. Their buildings, planning, theoretical writings, and teaching have also contributed to the expansion of discourse about architecture.
Venturi was awarded the Pritzker Prize in Architecture in 1991; the prize was awarded to him alone, despite a request to include his equal partner, Brown. Subsequently, a group of women architects attempted to get her name added retroactively to the prize, but the Pritzker Prize jury declined to do so. Venturi is also known for having coined the maxim "Less is a bore", a postmodern antidote to Mies van der Rohe's famous modernist dictum "Less is more". Venturi lived in Philadelphia with Denise Scott Brown. He was the father of James Venturi, founder and principal of ReThink Studio.
Venturi died on September 18, 2018, in Philadelphia from complications of Alzheimer's disease. He was 93.
In the wake of Venturi's death, Michael Kimmelman, the current architecture critic for the New York Times, tweeted..."RIP the great, inspiring Robert Venturi who opened millions of eyes and whole new ways of thinking about the richness of our architectural environment, and whose diverse work with Denise Scott Brown contains a mix of wit and humanity that continues to transcend labels and time".


The discovery could help research on the formation of planetary systems.
US – A group of astronomers announced on Monday the discovery of an exoplanet just 11 million years old, one of the youngest detected so far, a discovery that could help research on the formation of planetary systems.
The new planet, dubbed K2-33b, is located in the constellation Scorpious is 470 light years from Earth, and located very close to its star (K2-33) orbit.
This exoplanet has a size of about five times that of the Earth, so it is in the category of “super-Neptunes”, ie gas giant planets.
The existence of K2-33b shows that planets can set it on final orbit around its star very quickly after its formation, revealed astronomers who discovered it in an article published in the Astronomical Journal, a publication of the American Astronomical Society.
These planets can form in an orbit close to their star or in other cases born in a distant orbit and migrate to a closer because of different interactions during their training.
Andrew Mann, an astronomer at the University of Texas in Austin and one of the lead authors of the research, speculates that if in our solar system, Jupiter or Neptune had migrated after trailing closer to the sun orbit, it would be unlikely that the Earth or another rocky planet like it currently exist.
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UTILIZING SCIENCE TO OPTIMIZE ADULT LEARNING
As you develop an approach to training your operators, it is important to remember that adults have different motivations than children or adolescents. Being aware of these differences and making adjustments to your training approach will make your operator training much more effective.
Andragogy is the method and practice of teaching adult learners. After studying the theory of adult education, Malcolm Knowles combined his research with andragogy and developed six assumptions related to adult learning:
- Tell them the Why. It isn’t enough to tell an adult that something has to be done a particular way – they also need to know why it is important.
- Motivation. Adults are motivated both externally (promotions, higher salaries, etc.) and internally (increased knowledge or self-esteem). Awareness of these motivators can augment the learning process.
- Self-concept. They need to be treated like they are capable of learning and have the ability to direct their learning. This means giving them freedom to identify areas of weakness that require further study.
- Respect prior experience. Adults have different experiences that they will bring into their new workplace or position. Try to draw out these experiences to use as a foundation for current training.
- Readiness. Motivation is much greater when focused on subjects they will encounter in either their work or personal lives. The days of learning Advanced Linear Algebra have passed (one would hope).
- Orientation. Learning should be based on problems that will be faced instead of theoretical issues. The student will ask how this knowledge will solve a problem. If a sufficient answer can’t be found, the motivation may be lost.
So, as you begin training your operators, try to keep these assumptions in mind. As training material is developed, ensure that it contains information that is pertinent to the task they are being trained to do. Use job specific examples that can be easily applied. And remember to include why the training is important. The more mindful you are of these assumptions, the more effective the training will be. And that will in turn have the desired affect.
For more practical tips for manufacturing professionals to attract, train and retain your hourly workforce, go to www.keyprocessinnovations.com.


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What concepts in this chapter are illustrated in this case? The concepts of e-commerce, and social networking are illustrated in this case. E-commerce refers to the use of the Internet and the Web to transact business. In this case, Facebook setup a website for users to create a profile and join various types of self-contained networks without paying any money. But base on its huge number of users, it offers opportunity for companies to do advertisement on the site. And Facebook also uses its resource of user information to make profit.
The sellers can reach their target customers when they pay for the information, and Facebook increase revenues by providing information of its users. That’s e-commerce. Social networking sites are a type of online community. Social networking is the practice of expanding the number of one’s business or social contacts by making connections through individuals. Facebook is an example of social networking. The site includes a wide array of tools that allow users to connect and interact with other users, including messaging, groups, photo-sharing, and user-created application.
And with Facebook Platform, Facebook environment become more engaging and self-suffici
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UK author, scholar, advocate, and consultant on childhood, Tim Gill summarizes his thoughts and observations on how COVID-19 affects children, and the role of children in the spread of the disease in a post published today (May 14th, 2020) on his website Rethinking Childhood.
Based on the best available evidence, he makes the following observations:
- Children are much less likely to become seriously ill from Covid-19 than adults, and appear less likely to become infected.
- Unlike with influenza, it appears that children are not more likely than adults to spread the disease, and may be significantly less likely.
- There are good grounds for thinking that outdoor environments present a low risk of infection compared to indoor ones, especially where the time spent in close proximity to other people is short.
- Pandemic control measures are likely to lead to significant collateral damage to children, with the most vulnerable and disadvantaged children worst affected.
- Government, local authorities and other public agencies should take a balanced approach to supporting children through the pandemic.
In summary, Tim urges the UK government to re-examine their position and guidance on childcare, on children’s play, and on children’s mobility, and make more room for children to learn, move and play outdoors.
To read the full article, click here.


Today in 1884, US Patent RE10509 E was issued, an invention of Frederick O. Kunz, for his “Mash Cooler.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes these claims:
This invention relates to an apparatus for cooling mash to the fermentation temperature, which is simple in construction, effective in operation, and capable of being thoroughly cleaned with facility. The apparatus comprises a vertical column or chamber, which is traversed by a series of water conducting pipes, and is provided with detachable outer walls and doors for gaining access into the interior of the column and the tubes, for cleaning and other purposes. The water-tubes extend through the shell of the vertical column and lead into small non-communicating chambers formed between the shell of the cooler and the outer walls. The object of these chambers is to cause the water circulating through the tubes in an upward 0 direction to take a circuitous or zigzag course and flow out at the top of the cooler. The mash to be cooled flows into the cooler at the top thereof, and is strained and thrown down over the pipes in the form of a shower, and it makes its exit at the bottom of the cooler and passes through a vertical stand-pipe and escapes at the top of the latter, being then of a temperature suitable for immediate fermentation in the customary fermenters.


Strong increases in flood frequency and discharge of the River Meuse over the late Holocene: impacts of long-term anthropogenic land use change and climate variability
Abstract. In recent years the frequency of high-flow events on the Meuse (northwest Europe) has been relatively great, and flooding has become a major research theme. To date, research has focused on observed discharge records of the last century and simulations of the coming century. However, it is difficult to delineate changes caused by human activities (land use change and greenhouse gas emissions) and natural fluctuations on these timescales. To address this problem we coupled a climate model (ECBilt-CLIO-VECODE) and a hydrological model (STREAM) to simulate daily Meuse discharge in two time-slices: 4000–3000 BP (natural situation), and 1000–2000 AD (includes anthropogenic influence). For 4000–3000 BP the basin is assumed to be almost fully forested; for 1000–2000 AD we reconstructed land use based on historical sources. For 1000–2000 AD the simulated mean annual discharge (260.9 m3 s−1) is significantly higher than for 4000–3000 BP (244.8 m3 s−1), and the frequency of large high-flow events (discharge >3000 m3 s−1) is higher (recurrence time decreases from 77 to 65 years). On a millennial timescale almost all of this increase can be ascribed to land use changes (especially deforestation); the effects of climatic change are insignificant. For the 20th Century, the simulated mean discharge (270.0 m3 s−1) is higher than in any other century studied, and is ca. 2.5% higher than in the 19th Century (despite an increase in evapotranspiration). Furthermore, the recurrence time of large high-flow events is almost twice as short as under natural conditions (recurrence time decreases from 77 to 40 years). On this timescale climate change (strong increase in annual and winter precipitation) overwhelmed land use change as the dominant forcing mechanism.


What is the HPA axis?
The HPA axis stands for the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis.
It’s the terminology used for the three areas of the body (hypothalamus, pituitary and adrenal), that triggers the stress response.
When we face a stressor in our environment…..
– The part of the brain called the hypothalamus is activated.
– This then communicates with another part of the brain called the pituitary gland.
– The pituitary gland will communicate with the adrenal glands, above the kidneys, to release cortisol – the stress hormone.
– The body is now officially in stress mode.
– When the adrenal glands release cortisol, this signals the hypothalamus to stop communicating with the pituitary gland that tells the adrenals to stop releasing cortisol. This is the loop that brings the body out of stress mode.
Align, the mental wellbeing app
The lifestyle we lead, and the choices we make, all influence the state of our mental wellbeing. The first point of call for improving mental health should be to look at our lifestyle choices, such as food, sleep, relationships and purpose for example. By doing this, it establishes a strong foundation for good mental health, that is long term and sustainable.
Align is the mental wellbeing app that guides you on how to build and sustain good mental wellbeing, through tailored lifestyle tweaks.
Make sure you sign up to our mailing list, below, to receive exclusive access to our app.


A lack of the neurotransmitter gamma-aminobutyric acid may be the cause of cognitive problems in patients with schizophrenia.
Low Levels of a Neurotransmitter May Be Responsible for Cognitive Deficits in Patients with Schizophrenia
The cognitive deficits that patients with schizophrenia are affected by, such as poor attention, memory, and problem-solving abilities, may correlate to decreased levels of a neurotransmitter in the brain, researchers at the University of California, Davis (UC Davis) have found.
Although the psychosis of schizophrenia is treated with antipsychotic medications, the cognitive impairments do not yet have a treatment, because the cause of the impairments had remained unknown. Now, the UC Davis researchers, led by Jong H. Yoon, assistant professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at UC Davis Health System and the study’s lead author, have discovered that a lack of the neurotransmitter gamma-aminobutyric acid, or GABA, in the brains of schizophrenic patients may be where the deficiency lies that causes the cognitive symptoms.
The study took place in two parts. First, Yoon and his colleagues measured GABA levels in the visual cortexes of the brains of 13 subjects with schizophrenia and 13 controls without the disorder. Using magnetic resonance spectroscopy, the researchers found that the schizophrenic patients had “a deficit in GABA of about 10 percent when compared with the non-schizophrenic controls.” In the next step, the researchers measured levels of visual perception, which revealed that the surround-suppression illusion the subjects were exposed to “had less of an effect on patients with schizophrenia, resulting in a highly unusual situation in which they outperformed healthy subjects when baseline differences in generalized task performance were accounted for.” The researchers determined that the low levels of GABA in patients were responsible for this behavioral abnormality.
“The link between changes in patients' brain chemistry and the cognitive impairments they experience never has been shown before in this way,” said Cameron Carter, professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences, director of the Imaging Research Center and the study’s senior author. “This work provides tremendous support for targeting the GABA system for treatment of cognitive decline in schizophrenia.”


Manufacturer: Ares GamesThe Swan class was a class of 14-gun ship-sloops (even if in fact they mounted, after 1779, 16 guns). The class was designed for the Royal Navy by the Surveyor of the Navy, John Williams. Twenty-three more were ordered between 1773 and 1779; they represented the 'standard' ship-sloop design of the British Navy during the American Revolutionary War, during which eleven of them were lost. Surviving vessels went on to serve during the French Revolutionary War and Napoleonic War.
The French ship Alligator was originally the HMS Alligator, a British 14-gun sloop launched in 1780. In April 1782 she destroyed a French store ship and captured several forts. On her way back to Britain on June, 26th, she encountered the French 32-gun frigate La Fee, off the Scilly Isles, and was captured. Between 1782-83 she was known as Alligator. In October 1783 she became the packet ship Courrier de New-York. This ship pack can also be used to represent the French ship-sloop "Le Fortune 1780".
One 1/1000 Scale Model
Special Base with Game Stats
1 Ship Log
1 Ship Card
Each Sails of Glory Ship Pack is a ready-to-play model, painted and assembled, 100% compatible with any other Sails of Glory game product.
This is not a stand-alone game. A copy of Sails of Glory - Starter Set is required to play.


MCAT Chemistry Question — Solid to Gas
- Oct 31, 2014
- MCAT Question of the Day
The following is a phase diagram showing the transition from solid to gas as heat is added to a substance:
Which of the following correctly indicates the relationship between the regions of the graph and the corresponding phases:
A) 1: solid, 2: phase change from solid to liquid, 5: gas
B) 2: solid, 3: phase change from solid to liquid, 4: liquid
C) 1: phase change from solid to liquid, 4: gas
D) 1: solid, 2: phase change from liquid to gas, 3: liquid
The diagram shows the relationship between heat added to a substance and its temperature. It shows that during phase changes there is no change in the temperature. The regions noted are:
2: phase change from solid to liquid (melting / fusion)
4: phase change from liquid to gas (boiling / vaporization)
Only choice (A) correctly indicates these regions.
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Mitochondria, sometimes described as the "power plants" of the cell, are sites where most of the energy production in eukaryotic cells takes place. The synthesis of most of the adenosine triphosphate (ATP) occurs in these double membraned organelles that are found in living cells. ATP production by the mitochondria is done by the process of respiration, which uses oxygen to generate energy. This is a very efficient process for using food energy to make ATP. In addition to supplying cellular energy, mitochondria are involved in a range of other processes, such as signaling, cellular differentiation, cell death, as well as the control of the cell cycle and cell growth. Mitochondria also regulate crucial apoptosis signaling pathways. The number of mitochondria in a cell varies widely by organism and tissue type. Many cells have only a few mitochondria, whereas others can contain several thousand.Millipore's Mitochondria/Cytosol Fractionation Kit provides reagents for quick and efficient isolation of intact mitochondria from cultured cells. This kit allows mitochondrial isolation by using a convenient table top microcentrifuge, and can be used to separate an enriched mitochondrial fraction (heavy membrane fraction) from cytosolic fraction (light membrane fraction). Such separation is useful for studying apoptosis and signaling pathways between the two fractions, by Western blotting or ELISA.The kit contains sufficient materials for the analysis of 50 samples.
Application: Research CategoryApoptosis & Cancer
Legal Information: CHEMICON is a registered trademark of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany


Kinesiology Tape is Helping Children with Cerebral Palsy
Via PRBuzz & BioSpace
When people think of Kinesiology Tape, it’s fair to say that thoughts focus on professional athletes who use this tape to enhance sporting performance, prevent injury and allow them to return to recover faster. However, studies have shown that the applications and benefits of Kinesiology Tape are far more wide reaching and can even help children with cerebral palsy.
A study published in Developmental Neurorehabilitation has found that this tape can assist in improving balance, mobility and speed when performing physical tasks. Specifically, researchers looked at the time it took children with cerebral palsy to stand from a sitting position, their ability to balance in response to dynamic and static situations, and the time it took to stand from a chair and walk 3m before returning to sit down. In all instances, children preformed better with the aid of Kinesiology tapping.
The study found that children were able to carry-out dynamic function tasks better when taped. These children showed an improvement in body alignment, which made it easier to stabilize and find their centre of gravity. This made it easier for the children to move with better coordination and control. In turn, this facilitated faster physical responses and allowed for tasks to be completed with more efficiency.
It’s important to acknowledge that this study only included a small number of participants and further research in this area of physical rehabilitation is necessary. However, despite the low statistically significance, these findings offer hope to children with cerebral palsy. Any additional therapeutic interventions that can help these kids improve their quality of life are welcomed news.
It is hoped that further studies involving larger sample sizes will help to build on this pilot study. Such research will add to the knowledge and understanding of the potential benefits of kinesiology tape in assisting children with neurodevelopmental problems.


Kaizen - PDCA - Plan - Do - Check - Act
Posted by Michael Pate on
Kaizen is a Japanese word meaning “improvement or change for the better.” It is a system devoted to continuous improvements. Though Kaizen is normally associated with businesses, the principles can be implemented into other organizations or even your personal life.
For Kaizen to succeed, it is critical to building a culture that encourages continuous improvement. When an organization is devoted to making even small improvements, the effects are compounded, and the results can be dramatic.
Many organizations that adopt Kaizen use the Deming Cycle or PDCA model to guide them.
PDCA - (Plan, Do, Check, Act)
Plan: Assess a current process and determine how it can be improved. Collect data to be compared to the results of the improvement process.
Do: Enact the plan and collect new data.
Check: Evaluate the before and after data to determine how successful the plan was.
Act: If the results of the plan were successful and improvements are measurable, then the plan is adopted and used as the baseline going forward.
The Kaizen principles have been adopted by manufacturers and their employees all over the world. This idea has changed the course of manufacturing and has been responsible for improving productivity and lowering cost.
Stack-Light.com uses the Kaizen approach in our manufacturing facility and we are proud to play a role in improving manufacturing by providing LED stack lights, tower lights, and industrial task lighting.