The Italian Institute of Technology (IIT) in Genoa has created a new bio-inspired robot, that mimics the locomotion of earthworms.
For developing this robot, the team of researchers led by Prof. Barbara Mazzolai set out to reproduce the mechanism, the way earthworms move through the soil. They considered the morphology of earthworms and mimicked their muscle movements, their constant volume coelomic chambers, and the function of their bristle-like hairs (setae).
The robot can move with the help of soft actuators that elongate or squeeze when air passes through them or is drawn out.
The current prototype is 45 cm (17.7-in)-long and is made up of five connected “peristaltic soft actuators” (PSAs). These PSAs help in implementing the antagonistic muscle movements of earthworms. Each one of these comprises an inner bellows pipe, an outer soft elastomer skin, and a viscous fluid that is sealed in the space between the two.
Researchers also used small passive friction pads inspired by earthworm setae to propel the robot on a planar surface.
Researchers foresee that these robots have vast potential applications like underground exploration, excavation, search and rescue missions, and extra-terrestrial exploration.
A paper on their research was recently published in the journal Scientific Reports.


Anterior instrumentation and fusion (scoliosis)
Citation, DOI, disclosures and article data
At the time the article was created Fabio Macori had no recorded disclosures.View Fabio Macori's current disclosures
At the time the article was last revised Henry Knipe had no recorded disclosures.View Henry Knipe's current disclosures
Anterior instrumentation and fusion is a surgical procedure used in patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis to correct vertebral curvature. This technique is preferred to posterior instrumentation and fusion in skeletally immature patients with a Lenke 5C thoracolumbar or lumbar adolescent idiopathic scoliosis curve because it deals better and more effectively with the "drive shaft" phenomenon.
On this page:
The indications for the procedure are limited to skeletally immature Lenke type 5C thoracolumbar or lumbar curves.
The spine is straightened by pivoting generally between T11 and L3, then fixed with a dual rod system. Thoracoplasty may or may not be performed.
History and etymology
The first cases of vertebral curvature correction with anterior instrumentation and fusion date back to the early 1970s, with operations, carried out by Dwyer and Zielke.
- 1. Anterior surgery for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis. (2013) Journal of Children's Orthopaedics. doi:10.1007/s11832-012-0467-2


Coin-operated vending machines
During the early 1880s, the first commercial coin-operated vending machines were introduced in London, England. Invented in 1883 by Percival Everitt, the machines were found at railway stations and post offices as they were a convenient way to purchase envelopes, postcards, and notepaper
And in 1887, the Sweetmeat Automatic Delivery Company, the first vending machine servicer was founded.
In 1888, the Thomas Adams Gum Company introduced the very first vending machines to the United States. The machines were installed on the elevated subway platforms in New York City and sold Tutti-Fruiti gum. In 1897, the Pulver Manufacturing Company added animated figures to its gum machines as an added attraction. The round candy coated gumball and gumball vending machines were introduced in 1907.
Vending machines soon offered everything, including cigars, postcards and stamps. In Philadelphia, a completely coin-operated restaurant called Horn & Hardart was opened in 1902 and stayed opened until 1962. Such fast food restaurants, called automats, only took nickels and were popular among struggling songwriters, actors as well as celebrities of that era.
Beverage vending machines
Machines that dispensed drinks go as far back as 1890. The very first beverage vending machine was located in Paris, France and allowed people to buy beer wine and liquor. In the early 1920's, the first automatic vending machines started dispensing sodas into cups. Today, beverages are among the most popular items sold through vending machines.
Cigarettes in vending machines
In 1926, an American inventor named William Rowe invented the cigarette vending machine. Over time, however, they became increasingly less common in the United States due to concerns over underage buyers. In other counties, vendors have addressed the issue by requiring some sort of age verification, such as a driver's license, bank card or ID to be inserted before a purchase can be made. Cigarette dispensing machines are still common in Germany, Austria, Italy, Czech Republic and Japan.
Japan, land of the vending machines
Japan has gained a reputation for having some of the most innovative use of vending machines. Some of the things you can buy includes produce such as fresh fruits and vegetables, Sake, hot foods, batteries, flowers, clothing and of course sushi. In fact, Japan has the highest per capita rate of vending machines in the world.


A Penn State-led team of interdisciplinary researchers developed a polymer with robust piezoelectric effectiveness, resulting in 60 percent more efficient electricity generation than previous iterations.
According to Qiming Zhang, distinguished professor of electrical engineering at Penn State, the electromechanics coupling of polymers has been very low, so they set out to improve this because the relative softness of polymers makes them excellent candidates for soft sensors and actuators in a variety of areas, including biosensing, sonar, artificial muscles, and more.
To create the material, the researchers deliberately implemented chemical impurities into the polymer. This process, known as doping, allows researchers to tune the properties of a material to generate desirable effects — provided they integrate the correct number of impurities. Adding too little of a dopant could prevent the desired effect from initiating, while adding too much could introduce unwanted traits that hamper the material's function.
The doping distorts the spacing between positive and negative charges within the polymer's structural components. The distortion segregates the opposite charges, allowing the components to accumulate an external electric charge more efficiently. This accumulation enhances electricity transfer in the polymer when it is deformed, Zhang said.
To enhance the doping effect and ensure alignment of the molecular chains, the researchers stretched the polymer. This alignment, according to Zhang, promotes more of an electromechanical response than from a polymer with randomly aligned chains. The team achieved 70 percent efficiency with the process. They published their results in Science.
This robust electromechanical performance, which is more common in stiff ceramic materials, could enable a variety of applications for the flexible polymer. Because the polymer exhibits resistance to sound waves similar to that of water and human tissues, it could be applied for use in medical imaging, underwater hydrophones, or pressure sensors. Polymers also tend to be more lightweight and configurable than ceramics, so this polymer could provide opportunities to explore improvements in imaging, robotics, and more.


Historian Howard Zinn has died at age 87. Zinn was best known for A People’s History of the United States, which turned the glossy, textbook version of American history on its head by pointing out that far from being an unbroken chain of political and economic progress, our history was one of conflict along class, racial, and gender lines. Though Zinn’s radical, bottom-up approach cast aside the America-first tone of mainstream texts, it was still guided by a deep sense of commitment to what he saw as often-neglected American ideals. As he wrote in 2004, “History, looked at under the surface, in the streets and on the farms, in GI barracks and trailer camps, in factories and offices, tells a different story. Whenever injustices have been remedied, wars halted, women and blacks and Native Americans given their due, it has been because ‘unimportant’ people spoke up, organized, protested, and brought democracy alive.” Still in print after 30 years, A People’s History has removed the scales from many an undergrad’s eyes, and has won its fair share of famous admirers, from Viggo Mortensen to Matt Damon (who name-dropped it in Good Will Hunting and just opened a stage adapation of it.) For more of Zinn’s recent writing and thinking, see this 2005 interview or his commencement address at Spelman College, where he was fired in 1963 for—amazingly—his civil rights activism.


The Portiuncula Chapel
category : Historic Churches
The original Portiuncula Chapel in Assisi, Italy, takes its name from the "Little Portion" of land where St. Francis of Assisi is said to have received his call to serve the poor in the year 1208.
The Portuncula Chapel at the Mayslake Peabody Estate is the only known replica of the original chapel in the United States and is considered a work of art. Built as a memorial to coal magnate Francis Stuyvesant Peabody by his family, the chapel was originally located on the south side of the lake where Peabody died in August 1922.
The chapel was moved to its present location near the mansion in 1973. Behind the chapel lies a semi-circular memorial wall that shelters a beautiful flower and herb garden. The wall was constructed and cared for by the Franciscan Order, owners of the estate until 1993.
Hours: Available for rental by appointment.
Our Email: firstname.lastname@example.org
Come visit us in Oak Brook, Illinois


Power-Up In Standby (PUIS) Feature
Power-Up in Standby is a hard disk drive feature that allows drives to be powered up into a different power management state that will actually minimize current at power-up and allows the host to sequence the spin-up of the device. This means that when power is applied to the hard drive with PUIS enabled, the drive will not automatically spin up as expected. The purpose of this feature is to help save energy and it helps avoid a power consumption peak that can occur when multiple disks are powered at the same time. The spin up will only occur after the ATA command is issued to spin up the drive.
One of the most common times that computer technicians may run into a hard drive in PUIS mode is if they were to pull a hard drive from a set top box. Set top boxes such as your cable boxes sometimes set the internal hard drives to enable PUIS. The set top box makes the decision when to allow the drive to enter another power management state. This feature enabled in drives has caused much head scratching when techs have pulled supposedly working hard drives from set top boxes and plugged them into their computer to find out that the drive is not working.
Another good usage for PUIS being enabled is when a system supports multiple hard disk drives such as in a RAID. Depending on the RAID setup, maybe not all disks are needed immediately in a system. By allowing the BIOS to determine when to allow spin up of the drive, current spikes are avoided within the system creating a safer environment for the electronics involved.
Power-Up in Standby is a great energy saving solution for smaller devices or for energy-efficient devices. However, since we now have SSD’s (or solid state drives), these can also resolve the power issue of spinning disk drives. Maybe once prices go way down in the future, we will start seeing SSD’s even in our set top boxes!
Leave a comment


The five years that followed World War II were the most significant in the history of modern missions. They saw the door close on nearly one-quarter of the world’s population as China, the world’s largest mission field, came under communist domination. Now the largest mission in the world, the China Inland Mission, realized that open Christian witness in China had become impossible. But did the decision come too late? This book tells the inspiring story of their exodus from China.
About the author
Frank (1894–1972) served for many years with the China Inland Mission (now OMF International). He worked as an editorial secretary, was later consecrated Bishop of East Szechwan in 1937 and then served as general director of the mission from 1940 to 1951. His leadership proved to strengthen the CIM staff when, in 1934, missionaries John and Betty Stam were captured and martyred. Although a dangerous time for foreigners in China, Houghton toured the country to visit missionary outposts. As he traveled, the powerful words of Second Corinthians 8:9, “Though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor,” brought him comfort, and he was inspired to write the beautiful Christmas hymn, Thou Who Wast Rich beyond All Splendour, for which he is remembered.
There are no reviews yet.


Tulou Collective Housing
Tulou is a dwelling type unique to the the Hakka people. It is a communal residence between the city and the countryside, integrating living, storage, shopping, religion, and public entertainment into one single building entity.
Traditional units in tulou are evenly laid out along its perimeter, like modern slab-style dormitory buildings, but with greater opportunities for social interaction. By introducing a “new tulou” to modern cities and by carefully experimenting its form and economy, one can transcend the conventional modular dwelling into urban design. Our experiments explored ways to stitch the tulou within the existing urban fabric, which includes green areas, overpasses, expressways, and residual land left over by urbanization. The cost of residual sites is low due to incentives provided by the government; this is an important factor for the development of affordable housing. The close proximity of each tulou building helps insulate the users from the chaos and noise of the outside environment, while creating an intimate and comfortable environment inside.
Integrating the living culture of traditional Hakka tulou buildings with affordable housing is not only an academic issue, but also implies a more important yet realistic social phenomenon. The living conditions of impoverished people is now gaining more public attention.
The research of tulou dwelling is characterized by comprehensive analyses ranging from theoretical hypothesis to practical experimentation. The study examined the size, space patterns, and functions of tulou. The new programs also inject new urban elements to the traditional style, while balancing the tension between these two paradigms. As a consequence of such comprehensive research, the tulou project has accumulated layers of experiences in various aspects. The project provided a platform for an in-depth discussion on feasibilities and possibilites of contextualizing the variable metamorphoses of traditional dwelling modules with an urban reality. It also introduced a series of publications and forums on future hypothetical designs for a “new tulou project”. The logic and design process of the tulou program set up a solid foundation and excellent precedent for translating research-based feasibility studies to design realization.


Globalisation is not a new phenomenon. From the ancient era, people used to share their ideas in need of their livelihoods, survival. Globalization is a broad concept, used to describe a variety of phenomena that reflect increased economic, social and political interdependence of countries. Thus globalisation indicates global interactions, in terms of economic, political, social, cultural and environmental dimensions, as integration in a way to be globally connected. However, there are debates concerning the impacts of globalisation on the well being of the humanity, but no doubts about its existence. Many developing countries are participating to globalized world, which increased the concerns about globalization and its impacts on different aspects of life, as well. Therefore, the objective assessment of the consequences of globalization is an important agenda for contemporary development discourse. Here, it is necessary to understand it clearly which creates increasing demands of measuring it as well.
The measurement of globalisation using indices is a recent development. The globalisation indices of World Markets Research Centre (WMRC, 2001) and the A.T. Kearney-Foreign Policy (ATK/FP) are the pioneer in the field of measuring globalisation. ATK/FP index is a broader index and probably the most widely-known measure of globalisation. In addition, it is used as the benchmark for many alternative globalisation indices. Among other recent attempts to quantify globalisation, Salamon and Sokolowski’s (2004) Global Civil Society Index, Centre for the Study of Globalisation and Regionalisation (CSGR, 2006) index of the University of Warwick, the Maastricht Globalisation Index (MGI) and the index produced by the KOF Swiss Economic Institute are renowned (Dreher et el, 2008).
The KOF’s Globalization index and
References: 01. Dreher, A., et el. (2008) Measuring Globalization- Gauging its Consequences, New York, Springer.


Glacier National Park in Montana is often a poster child for global warming because its retreating glaciers provide dramatic evidence that temperatures are rising. But Melissa Sladek of the National Park Service says there are also less obvious impacts.
Sladek: “It’s not just receding glaciers that climate change is affecting, it’s much more.”
When glacial ice melts slowly throughout the summer, it helps regulate the temperature of streams. But as glaciers disappear, so does this natural thermostat.
Sladek: “We have concerns with our watershed in terms of changes in water temperature and how that might affect native species – everything from small aquatic organisms to our native fish.”
Many species can move north to adapt to a warming climate, but Sladek is concerned about alpine species like mountain goats, pikas, and ptarmigans.
Sladek: “If they’re already living at the top of a mountain, there’s not a lot higher to go.”
To raise awareness about the diverse impacts of climate change, the park is hosting a traveling art quilt exhibit through mid-September. By portraying everything from at-risk species to wildfires, the artwork underscores that melting glaciers are just the tip of the iceberg.
Reporting credit: ChavoBart Digital Media.
Photo: Glacier National Park. Copyright protected.
Crown of the Continent Research Learning Center: Climate Change
Climate Change in Mountain Ecosystems


--- "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy"
I could be bounded in a nutshell, and count myself king of infinite space, were it not that I have bad dreams.
This applet demonstrates the Penrose map which conformally maps spacetime (which is of course infinite) to a pre-compact set, which is commonly known as the "Einstein diamond".
The left-hand grid represents (one quadrant of) 1+1 Minkowski spacetime, with the horizontal axis denoting space x and the vertical axis denoting time t. Each grid spacing is 1/5 of a unit. The Penrose map
X = arctan(x+t) + arctan(x-t)
T = arctan(x+t) - arctan(x-t)
maps this quadrant conformally to the triangle (which is one quarter of the Einstein diamond) displayed on the right.
The same map works in higher dimensions, except that the position x is replaced by the radial variable r. (The angular variables are not affected by the Penrose compactification).
To use the applet, move the mouse around on the left-hand grid; a corresponding pointer will appear on the Einstein diamond. Curves can be drawn by dragging the mouse around. Conversely, if one moves or drags the mouse on the right-hand grid, then a pointer in Minkowski space will appear as given by the inverse Penrose map. Press any key to clear the screen.
Back to my Java page.


Handcuffed by the Courts:
How Judges Broke Our Monopoly Laws and What Congress Must do to Repair Them
Beginning in the late 1970s, a series of Supreme Court cases upended U.S. antitrust laws — laws that were once the linchpin of a comprehensive, democratic check on corporate power. These rulings gave powerful corporations free rein to capture control over markets by strongarming suppliers, kneecapping smaller competitors, and buying up rivals. This was a radical shift in policy, and it was instituted by judges, not Congress.
Today, momentum is growing in Washington, and at the state level, for much stronger antitrust enforcement. However, while leaders are increasingly committed to reigning in monopoly power, bad case law has limited the effectiveness of good enforcers.
In ILSR’s latest issue brief, Senior Researcher and Writer Ron Knox traverses this history and argues that Congress must take action to undo decades of pro-monopoly Supreme Court decisions.
Specifically, Congress should be guided by two overarching goals:
- Clarify the intent of the antitrust laws.
- Reinstate bright-line standards when enforcing the laws.
Knox also recommends that Congress pass legislation addressing two key areas of antitrust law: abuses of dominance and harmful mergers. These proposals would remove the judicially created barriers that have clouded the goals of antitrust and handcuffed our efforts to police corporate power.
Read Handcuffed by the Courts.
If you like this issue brief, be sure to sign up for the monthly Hometown Advantage newsletter for our latest reporting and research.


Via Satellite Interviews Spacebridge
The vanguard of an advancing warmer air mass, the passage of which commonly brings cloud and precipitation followed by rising temperature and/or humidity. The leading edge of an advancing colder air mass. Its passage is normally marked by cloud and precipitation, followed by a drop in temperature and/or humidity. This picture shows the different scales on which snow can happen. The large snow band extending across the determine is associated with a large storm system moving throughout the country.
Satellite View Selection
This picture reveals the reflectivity field from the eye wall of Hurricane Andrew. The symmetry proven on this picture indicates that Andrew was a very well developed hurricane. The ring of orange are the high reflectivities associated with the convection discovered within the eye wall.
The tighter the packing, the stronger the winds are. The 500 mb heights are also known as the sterring winds of the atmosphere. Following a selected shade will present the place the winds and thus strain systems (cyclones and anticyclones) will move.
If the circulate is from north to south, the climate might be genreally collder than regular. If the circulate is from south to north, the weather shall be warmer than regular. Contours of equal mean sea-level strain (MSLP), measured in hectopascals (hPa). MSLP maxima (anticyclones) and minima (depressions) are marked by the letters H (High) and L (Low) on climate charts.
Download Our New Mobile Weather App
The strain contours or isobars are drawn every 4 millibars. Cold fronts usually follow the strain trough flowing south and west from the low stress system. Warm fronts could be located at occasions as pressure troughs going east out of a low however are usually exhausting to search out. Surface winds are associated to the packing of the stress contours (isobars).


The New International Encyclopædia/Bacharach
BACHARACH, biir/a-rar,. A town of the Rhine Province, Prussia. Germany, picturesquely situated on the left bank of the Rhine, at the entrance of the Steeger Valley, 8 miles north- west of Bingen. From the Tenth to the Sixteenth Century, it was one of the most important wine markets in the Rhine Valley. Its commerce and population have greatly diminished, but it is still noteworthy on account of its interesting historical associations and mediæval remains, which include the commanding Castle of Stahleck crowning the hill, the old town walls and towers, the fine ruins of the Thirteenth-Century Gothic Church of Saint Werner, and a timbered hostelry of the Fifteenth Century. Bacharach wine had such high repute that by command, a cask was annually sent to Rome for Æneas Sylvius (Pope Pius II.), and four tuns were accepted yearly by Emperor Wenzel as tribute for the freedom of the town. Through the Steeger Valley, also called the Blucher Valley, Blucher pursued the French troops after crossing the Rhine, on January 1, 1814. Population, in 1900, 1904.


The Social Security disability program isn't limited to covering purely physical injuries or illnesses; rather, it also covers some mental conditions. One of the mental illnesses included in SSDI is severe obsessive compulsive disorder, otherwise known as OCD. Certainly, financial support may be necessary for someone who is adversely affected by this particular condition, but advances in treatments can provide a different kind of relief.
People who are living with OCD are often compelled to repeat certain actions and behaviors, sometimes for hours at a time. Medication can be prescribed, but it doesn't always work. Being unable to avoid certain actions or clear certain thoughts from one's mind can make very basic tasks essentially impossible. This is why receiving relief from severe OCD symptoms is often of critical importance.
Researchers recently conducted a study that involved a form of "psychosurgery," which is a practice considered by some to be "very controversial." In this case, doctors created permanent lesions on a specific portion of the brain. Those who were included in this study had very severe OCD and many of them saw noticeable improvements in the severity and frequency of their symptoms.
Since the type of surgery included in this most recent study could raise objections and is performed only under very specific circumstances, medical researchers are looking for other options, especially for those who don't experience improvements by taking medication. One treatment involves stimulating certain areas of the brain with implanted devices, but that also has limitations.
Living with a mental condition, such as OCD, can be very difficult. Thankfully, however, more and more research is being done to identify and treat these conditions effectively. While scientists search for clearer answers, it may be helpful for Pittsburgh residents dealing with mental illness to consider other options currently available.
Source: Yahoo News, "Brain Surgery Is an Option for Patients with Severe OCD, Study Suggests," Rachael Rettner, June 3, 2013
"*" indicates required fields


Royal Observatory, Greenwich
observatory in Greenwich, London, UK
(Redirected from Greenwich Observatory)
The Royal Observatory, Greenwich (Royal Greenwich Observatory or 'RGO') was commissioned in 1675 by King Charles II.
At this time the king also created the position of Astronomer Royal, for John Flamsteed, to beas the director of the observatory.
He was to "apply himself with the most exact care and diligence to the rectifying of the tables of the motions of the heavens, and the places of the fixed stars, so as to find out the so much desired longitude of places for the perfecting of the art of navigation".
The Observatory is on a hill in Greenwich Park in Greenwich, London, overlooking the River Thames.
The Greenwich Meridian runs through the site of the Observatory. It is the line at which the longitude is defined as 0°.
- HM Nautical Almanac Office Archived 2007-06-30 at the Wayback Machine
- The Royal Observatory, Greenwich Archived 1999-04-20 at the Wayback Machine
- Aerial View of The Royal Observatory, Greenwich at Google Maps
- The National Maritime Museum Archived 2011-12-12 at the Wayback Machine
- The RGO at Herstmonceux Archived 2008-12-05 at the Wayback Machine
- The Observatory Science Centre
- Isaac Newton Group of Telescopes Archived 2015-07-29 at the Wayback Machine
- ↑ "The History Channel: This day in history". Archived from the original on 2007-09-30. Retrieved 2007-12-14.


Building Psychological Safety
Through the Looking Glass
Psychological safety is the bedrock of inclusion and is a critical component of high performing teams. Too often, organizations are quick to embrace diversity, inclusion, and anti-discrimination policies to ensure compliance with legislation without such policies having a material impact on the affected groups. For example, recognition of annual days that commemorate and honor marginalized groups may do little to change racial bias in an enabling and discriminatory work environment.
Addressing racial bias in the workplace requires going beyond ticking boxes to building much-needed psychological safety and an environment where marginalized groups can thrive. Psychological safety for marginalized groups involves empowerment to voice one’s opinions without fear of negative consequences, judgment, and ridicule. An absence of this often breeds a hostile work environment that greatly impacts employee engagement.
The questions below, culled from Shereen Daniels’ book “The Anti-Racist Organization”, serves as a quick guide for an organization to reflect on how well they are doing to build psychological safety in the workplace.
- Do you pay lip service to
expressed concerns of racial
- Does your work culture reward
people who tow the line?
- Do you interpret speaking up
discrimination as being difficult?
- What labels do you give
individuals who speak up?


Can you calculate how tall a building or monument is by using a ruler, a shadow, and the scale on a map? Mathematician Matt Parker attempts this ambitious math feat during his trip to the German capital. The structure he’s aiming to measure: The Berlin TV Tower.
“The TV Tower at Alexanderplatz is Berlin’s most prominent landmark and the tallest building in Germany. Its steel sphere contains a visitor platform and a revolving restaurant.
“Everyone is supposed to remember that Berlin’s Fernsehturm (TV Tower) is 365m high and the tallest building in Berlin. As urban legend has it, the tower’s height was a deliberate decision taken by Walter Ulbricht, Leader of the SED, so that every child would be able to remember it, just like the days of the year. In fact the tower’s summit today is 368m.”
Can Parker determine the tower’s height without Google or a tourist information book? Watch Measuring the Berlin TV Tower with a ruler.
We love this sort of urban expedition and what you can learn when things aren’t working out exactly as expected.
Next, go out and measure a shadow where you live. Per Matt’s notes: “If you want to try this, you can check what direction the sun will be shining at any location and for any date/time.”
Plus, find out why all world maps are wrong.
And: How do we study the stars and measure extreme distances in space?
This Webby award-winning video collection exists to help teachers, librarians, and families spark kid wonder and curiosity. TKSST features smarter, more meaningful content than what's usually served up by YouTube's algorithms, and amplifies the creators who make that content.
Curated, kid-friendly, independently-published. Support this mission by becoming a sustaining member today.


Increasing Canned Fruit & Veggie Intake with Innovation and Education
By Shari Steinbach, MS RDN, RDBA Contributing Editor
If you’ve taken a walk down the canned fruit or vegetable aisle lately you may have noticed a decreased number of facings. The frequency of canned food consumption overall in the US has been on a steady decline over the last several years. The misconceptions about the nutritional quality of canned foods, and their decreasing usage rate may actually be contributing factors to the nutritional inadequacy of the American diet.
Research published online in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (June 2016) provides insight into the role of canned fruits and vegetables in a healthy diet. The study analyzed data from NHANES during 2001-2010. According to the research, those adults and children who ate canned fruits and vegetables had greater overall fruit and vegetable consumption, better diet quality and increased nutrient intake compared to those who did not eat them. In addition, recent studies have shown that canned fruit and vegetables contain comparable nutrient profiles to fresh and should be considered as healthy options alongside fresh.
Supermarket dietitians guide shoppers to better-for-you products in the aisles and can help ensure that canned fruits and vegetables are part of the mix. When talking about canned fruits and vegetables remember to:
- Highlight the nutritional attributes – comparable to fresh
- Communicate the environmental benefits - less waste; recyclable package
- Showcase budget friendly recipe options - with canned beans, vegetables, tomatoes, fruits
- Above all show how they help put an easy, nourishing family meal on the table!
The canning industry is also working to make canned fruits and vegetables more appealing to shoppers. New innovations recently discussed at the Pacific Coast Producers California Orchard and Field Tour for health influencers included:
- Testing a new clear plastic fruit “can” to show off the contents.
- Using red or green cans with embossed designs to call attention to canned tomatoes on the supermarket shelf.
- New salad ready canned tomatoes that offer a flavorful option when fresh tomatoes are not available.
- Experimenting with new juice blends to add superior flavor to canned fruits packed in 100% juice.
Whether these innovations will lead to higher canned fruit and vegetable purchases will remain to be seen, but together with the educational efforts from retail RDs we stand a fighting chance to keep these nourishing products in the shopping cart and on the table.


The Parkinson's Rehabilitation Program at Beaumont is individually designed to meet the needs of the person with Parkinson's disease. Individuals with Parkinson's disease are taught strategies and steps to help them cope with movement problems and to enhance performance and safety.
Parkinson's is a chronic and progressive movement disorder which is a result of the loss of a neurotransmitter chemical in the brain called dopamine. The movement, speech and swallowing problems can interfere with safety and ability to perform activities of daily living.
Treatment is based on the physician's recommendations and the individual's functional needs.
The program may include one or more of the following therapies or services:
- Physical therapy
- Occupational therapy
- Speech-language pathology
- Social work
- Community resources
- Support groups
- Activities and exercises designed specifically for strength, flexibility and general fitness
- Body mechanics and posture
- Fall prevention
- Functional activities and safety
- Movement strategies for walking and daily activities
- Vocal volume and speech articulation
- Cognition and memory
- Swallowing techniques
- Support for care partners
- Adaptive equipment, assistive devices and environmental modifications


Kids with autism flap their hands for four reasons. The first is a form of self stimulation. The flapping applies pressure to the carpal tunnel nerves inside the wrists which in turn creates an unusual throbbing sensation and a “fuzzy fingers” feeling. (Don’t believe me? Flap your own hands for thirty seconds and see for yourself!) Because a lot of autistic kids are very sensitive to every feeling and sensation their bodies make, this is a fun way to feel something out of the ordinary.
They may also flap because they are bored and need something to do. Bored hands have to do something, and sometimes it’s not always the most productive choice. However, flapping the hands keeps the hands busy, nonetheless.
Feeling angry or anxious or excited about something may also resurrect the flapping hands movement. Even the average person when they win a prize or are doing something really exciting will flap their hands out of disbelief. Does it make them autistic? No, it’s just a physical response to a unique situation. We all fan ourselves when we’ve gotten hot under the collar about something; it’s kind of the same thing for children with autism.
The very last reason is because it’s a repetitive movement, something children with autism really enjoy. They probably will dance, sway or jump up and down at the same time. They will repeat these movements when it interests them most to be repetitive in their behavior.
In every single scenario, parents have to be aware of what’s going on around them. They can generally figure out why the hand flapping is happening based upon the current situation in the room. Redirection to something fun that involves the hands often helps curb the behavior or something so simple as a soothing back rub can fix it too.
More personally affected questions:
1). Why do autistic kids stimulate?
2). Why do children with autism avoid eye contact?
3). Why do autistic kids like trains?


The Roots of the MIT Quest for Intelligence
The MIT Quest for Intelligence is a campus-wide initiative launched in 2018. It is a quest for understanding intelligence – how brains produce it and how it can be replicated in artificial systems to address real world problems that are beyond current artificial machine capabilities. The MIT Quest approaches this as a single grand challenge requiring the organized, collaborative efforts of science, engineering, the humanities and beyond.
The Quest has its roots in two events. First, in 2013, the National Science Foundation awarded long-term funding to a group of faculty from multiple MIT schools and departments, together with colleagues from other universities, for a Science and Technology Center, named the Center for Brains, Minds and Machines (CBMM). CBMM nucleated out of a small “Intelligence initiative” sponsored by then MIT Provost, Rafael Reif, in 2011. CBMM’s ambitious mission, led by Director Tomaso Poggio, was to understand intelligence–how the brain makes the mind, how brain circuits learn and compute, and how intelligence might be replicated in machines. NSF’s support of this mission had a major impact on research and education at MIT and thus paved the way for the Quest.
Second, in 2017, MIT and IBM established the MIT-IBM Watson AI Laboratory. This collaboration further accelerated intelligence research at MIT, with the technology goal of applying those advances to make positive real-world impact.
With broad faculty interest and industry support, the Quest was launched as a campus-level initiative with Antonio Torralba as its inaugural Director. From its start, the Quest sought to deepen progress made in neuroscience (brains), cognitive science (minds), and computer science and robotics (machines) to secure the future of ongoing efforts. In January 2020, the Quest joined the MIT Stephen A. Schwarzman College of Computing, itself launched in 2019. With the launch of the College, Antonio Torralba stepped down as Director to become head of a newly created academic unit, and BCS Department Head Jim DiCarlo was tapped to serve as Director of the Quest.


3,000 tonnes of hydrogen output annually
Increases green-hydrogen production capacity by 50%
27,000 tonnes per annum reduction of carbon emissions
Global trends for a low-emission environment has required the search for alternative power sources, such as green hydrogen. When industrial processes are combined with renewable energy sources in the generation of electricity for the electrolysis of water, green hydrogen is produced without carbon emissions.
Provided civil, structural, and architectural, heating, ventilation, air conditioning engineering and construction and health and safety management services in the installation of proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolyzers technology to form a 20-megawatt (MW) system.
This cutting-edge project will implement the first large-scale use of novel PEM technology.
Once this project enters commercial production, it will be the largest-of-its kind to produce green hydrogen in the world.
Becancour’s proximity to major industrial markets in Canada and the United States will help ensure North America’s supply of low-carbon hydrogen for both industry and mobility usage.
British Columbia, Canada
United States of America


Pain is not visible
- Because the transmission and modulation of activity occurs in the nerves, both in the periphery and the central nervous system – it is difficult to see what is happening in the body, or to identify on X-rays or scans. This can add to further confusion about what is happening.
- Pain does not just occur at the site of the injury or where the stimulus occurs. Pain is a sensation that is related to a variety of factors, including how our brain interprets the messages that tell us that something hurts, and the meaning that we give to our sense that something is hurting or is injured.
- Acute pain – usually results from disease, inflammation, or injury to tissues. This type of pain generally comes on suddenly, for example, after trauma or surgery, and may be accompanied by anxiety or emotional distress. The cause of acute pain can usually be diagnosed and treated, and the pain is self-limiting, that is, it is confined to a given period of time and severity. In some rare instances, it can become chronic.
- Chronic Pain – persists beyond the acute stage of an injury. Some say that chronic pain is that which persists for say 6 to 12 weeks after an injury. The signals in the body that alert us that something is hurting, keep firing in the nervous system for weeks, months, even years.
- There may have been an initial accident of injury such as a sprained back, a serious infection, or an ongoing cause of pain such as arthritis. Some people suffer chronic pain in the absence of any past injury or any evidence of damage to the body.
- Some find that trying harder to do things, or that despite increasing their levels of activity, more discomfort or even severe pain is experienced.
- This can occur as increasing activity in the nervous system may occur, causing increased activation of pain pathways, rather than
- control of the pain and dampening of the messages.


Discover Pinterest’s 10 best ideas and inspiration for Pioneer crafts. Get inspired and try out new things.
Even though Pioneer Day isn't celebrated all over, it doesn't mean that everyone can't join in the fun and channel their inner Laura Ingalls Wilder. Here are some fun things to create with kids that celebrate America's Pioneer heritage. Pioneer Bonnets by My Cotton Creations. Climbing Bear Toy by
Eclectiful saved to Kids
Pioneer Activity - Make maple snow candy when learning about pioneer life. Check out how to make it @ Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus
Julie Kitchel saved to 4th Grade SOCIAL STUDIES
Fun Kids Craft, but also a great craft for adults as well. Easy inexpensive toys to make and have fun coloring. #adultcoloring #handmadetoys #easydiy #freetutorial #woodentop #operationchristmaschild #woodenspinningtops #handmadegift
Tons of fun & simple pioneer activities for Pioneer Day including pioneer games, food ideas, books and movies to celebrate Pioneers.
Mary Pablo saved to Día de actividades niñas
Making beeswax candles is an awesome project to do with kids! It makes a great gift, home decoration, and fun memory.
vidette martins saved to Geskiedenis toer
If you're looking for Pioneer Day Activities, then look no more! Mariah has created a roundup of things to do, including crafts and snacks.
Dana Bailey saved to co-op
Learning activities and free printables for kids based on the first book in The Little House on the Prairie Series. Activities can also be used to celebrate Pioneer Day.
Camille Pippin saved to Preschool Ideas
Study the American frontier with your middle and high school students while creating these great pioneer braided rugs!
Crayola saved to Lesson Plans


2021-02-03 09:23:03 | is the UK variant changing, and will Pfizer and AstraZeneca vaccines work?
How will we know when vaccines need to be updated?
This is more complex. For flu there is a sophisticated global surveillance process in which new variants are spotted in advance and vaccines adjusted accordingly. This process is not yet in place for Sars-CoV-2.
Covid is not yet tracked well globally and may not move in a predictable seasonal pattern like flu. As a new virus, it may also mutate less predictably.
Another complexity is that vaccines will have to cover off more than one variant as they evolve, as well as existing strains. The more a vaccine is re-engineered, the more likely regulators will demand new safety trials.
Will closing borders help stop the spread of the new variants?
Closing borders completely is never a good move for a trading nation. North Korea is really the only country to have done it.
On the other hand, good border checks and passenger testing and isolation policies like those operated from the outset by South Korea, Hong Kong and others in east Asia can limit the spread of new viruses. The trouble is they are resource intensive and require strong administrative competence and advance planning.
The Government is implementing an Australia and New Zealand-style hotel quarantine for travellers arriving in the UK from selected countries in order to prevent new variants being imported.
Critics warn it will only work if all foreign travel is covered and, even then, only if the Home Office can get the execution of the policy right. Others warn that once in place, such policies can be hard to wind down.
How far have the existing variants already spread?
The UK and South African variants have spread rapidly – the UK variant is now in more than 50 countries and the South African one has spread throughout the southern part of the continent.
The Brazil variant has been detected in travellers to South Korea and Japan but is not thought to have spread widely beyond its borders.
Protect yourself and your family by learning more about Global Health Security
The post 2021-02-03 09:23:03 | is the UK variant changing, and will Pfizer and AstraZeneca vaccines work?
appeared first on http://justlatestnews.com


For a study slated to appear in the early, online edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences this week, researchers at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign describe deep evolutionary conservation across genes implicated in autism spectrum disorder. The team began in somewhat unconventional places — honeybee colonies — to try to get a better handle on ASD contributors. The team used RNA sequencing to assess brain gene expression in bees selected from seven genetically distinct colonies, focusing on differentially expressed genes in 11 honeybees that did not respond to social stimuli such as queen bee larvae in a typical manner. The search led to signatures that included the bee versions of genes linked to ASD, the authors note, pointing to "deep conservation for genes associated with a human social pathology and individual differences in insect social behavior."
A team from Australia, the US, and Switzerland compares three different SNP-based methods for estimating inbreeding depression — the decline in survival, fertility, and other fitness measures in the offspring of related parents — to come up with an approach to correct for biases in inbreeding depression estimates related to linkage disequilibrium heterogeneity. After establishing this bias correction method, which tied in linkage disequilibrium and minor allele frequency stratification data, the researchers applied the so-called LDMS to more than two dozen traits in around 140,000 UK Biobank participants. "Out results illustrate that a careful choice of the measure of inbreeding combined with LDMS stratification improves both detection and quantification of [inbreeding depression] using SNP data."
Finally, investigators from Stanford University report on a blood serum cytokine signature that appears to coincide with presence and severity of myalgic encephalomyelitis or chronic fatigue syndrome, dubbed ME/CFS for short. Using a Luminex 51-multiplex array, the team tracked serum cytokine levels in 192 individuals with ME/CFS and 392 unaffected control individuals. Generally speaking, it saw enhanced serum levels of TGF-beta in those with ME/CFS, for example, while affected individuals had lower-than-usual serum resistin levels. The group notes that still more cytokines appeared to correspond with disease severity in the ME/CFS group, including cytokines contributing to pro-inflammatory processes.


A study of 109 emission reductions projects certified by The Gold Standard finds more than a billion dollars worth of social and environmental benefits from the projects
LONDON (Thomson Reuters Foundation) – Clean cookstoves, power-generating windmills and reforestation projects deliver social benefits far beyond reductions in climate-changing carbon emissions, an internal study of projects certified by The Gold Standard has found.
In a look at 109 clean energy and forest projects around the world, all with emissions reductions measured and certified under the The Gold Standard label, economists found that cookstove projects produced $84 million a year in health benefits, in part by reducing exposure to coal, charcoal or firewood smoke, the Gold Standard Foundation said in a press release.
In addition, families participating in the projects saved $243 million annually on coal or firewood purchases, or the equivalent in time spent collecting firewood.
Windmill projects, similarly, saved countries that have installed them $100 million a year on fossil fuel imports, and created $12 million in salaries annually, the foundation said.
Altogether, the additional benefits beyond carbon emissions reductions, including ecosystem services and local employment, added up to more than a billion dollars over the life of the 109 projects, all of which are now completed, the study said.
Gold Standard certified carbon credits, launched in 2003 by the World Wildlife Fund and partners, are sold to individuals, companies and governments wanting to offset their own carbon emissions by paying to reduce emissions elsewhere.
The new look at environmental and social benefits from carbon reductions suggests that buyers of credits from everything from bio-digesters in China to water filters in Honduras are getting more for their money than reductions in climate-changing emissions.
“By being able to value critical outcomes, like improvements in health and employment, carbon credit buyers, funders and policy makers can better understand the big picture of what carbon finance can do when it’s implemented through the rigorous framework and auditing requirements of The Gold Standard,” said Adrian Rimmer, the CEO of The Gold Standard, in a press release.
The Gold Standard certifies nearly 1,000 projects around the world by a wide range of companies and organizations, including J.P. Morgan and a variety of non-profit organizations.
Samuel Mintz is an AlertNet Climate intern.
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.


The LDAK weightings are designed to equalize the tagging of SNPs across the genome; SNPs in regions of high linkage disquilbirum (LD) will tend to get low weightings, and vice versa. The way LDAK calculates the weightings is described in full in our paper Improved heritability estimation from genome-wide SNPs (AJHG, 2012). However, very briefly, the method first assesses patterns of local LD by calculating a matrix of local pairwise squared-correlations between SNPs. Row i of this matrix will indicate to what extent the signal of SNP i is replicated by its neighbouring SNPs, so that the sum of these values will reflect the total amount that the signal of SNP i is replicated. Based on this matrix, LDAK determines SNP weightings so that the sum of the values in Row i times the SNP weightings equals (approximately) one. Originally, these weightings were calculated using the simplex method (linear optimization), however, we subsequently switched to a quadratic solver (the two approaches results in very similar weightings, but the latter is more efficient).
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
The following picture describes the intuition behind the LDAK weightings.
In this toy example, there are nine SNPs, X1, X2, ..., X9, with corresponding weightings w1, w2,..., w9. SNPs 1 & 2 are highly correlated, as are SNPs 4 & 5, and also SNPs 6, 7, 8 & 9. Therefore, we view the nine SNPs as tagging only four distinct sources of underlying variation (U1, U2, U3 & U4). If the SNPs were weighted evenly, then U4 would get twice as much weighting as U1 & U3, and four times as much weighting as U2 (because U4 is tagged by twice as many SNPs as U1 & U3, and four times as many SNPs as U2). The LDAK weightings might instead set w1=w2=1/2, w3=1, w4=w5=1/2 and w6=w7=w8=w9=1/4, so that the total weighting for each source of underlying variation is one.


Providing a safe and loving environment for your children to adjust to new experiences.
Leaving your little one for the first time can be a struggle for any parent. But when you entrust your little one with us at Building Blocks Land, we work to gain your trust in providing the proper intentional and responsive care your infant needs. We guide them through their daily routine, nurturing their curiosity and forming a positive relationship with them to help them feel safe.
Infants start to accumulate memories, develop their language skills, and familiarize sounds. They learn through touching and tasting objects. As they stay in our facility, your little one will be able to acquire knowledge through hands-on learning with the use of various textured materials, one-on-one interaction with the caregiver, and simple wooden puzzles for them to assemble.
As they improve their skills to communicate, infants will begin to express their needs and wants. We believe it is essential for our teachers to constantly communicate with your children, therefore, they read books and poems and sing songs with your little ones.
This skill involves your little ones to feel safe with the adults in their lives and secure in their environment. Our teachers help them build trust and form relationships by observing your children’s signals and responding to it. They hug, cradle, and guide your children around the classroom while communicating with them about their surroundings.
Fine Motor Skills
We help develop your infant’s hand movements by teaching them how to grasp items, feed themselves, color on paper, mold clay, wave hello and goodbye to the people they know.
Gross Motor Skills
The development of their gross motor skills involves their large muscle groups, such as those in their legs and arms. Infants will be able to hold up their heads, roll over, crawl, and pull themselves up. We use different physical activities to help them get used to such movement and promote positive reinforcement to encourage their progress.
The social skills the infant develops consist of grinning, imitating facial expressions, growing attachments to over people, and making eye contact with them. Our teachers educate your little ones on proper etiquette and appropriate social skills. They monitor your children as they form relationships with others through positive interactions.
Do you want to know more about our infant program? Contact us or visit our location today.


Visit this beautiful church which dates back to the 12th century and see its stunning stained glass windows
St. Peter’s Church is a historic church located in Drogheda, County Louth, Ireland. The church was originally built in the 18th century and underwent several renovations and additions in the 19th and 20th centuries.
The church is a beautiful example of Georgian architecture, with a graceful spire and an interior that features intricate stucco work and decorative plasterwork. The church also has a number of stained glass windows, including a large window over the altar that depicts scenes from the life of St. Peter.
One of the most notable features of St. Peter’s Church is its history. The church has been a significant landmark in Drogheda for centuries and has played a role in many important events throughout Irish history. During the Irish Rebellion of 1641, the church was used as a garrison by Irish rebels, and during the Siege of Drogheda in 1649, it was used as a refuge by civilians.
Today, St. Peter’s Church is an active Catholic parish, and it continues to serve the community of Drogheda. Visitors are welcome to attend mass and other services at the church, and guided tours are available upon request.
Overall, St. Peter’s Church is a must-visit destination for anyone interested in history, architecture, and the rich cultural heritage of Ireland. Its stunning beauty, fascinating history, and spiritual significance make it one of the most memorable sites in County Louth.


What are Lymphocyte Cells?
Lymphocytes are a type of white blood cell. They’re an important part of our immune system. About 20% to 40% of our white blood cells are lymphocytes.
Normal lymphocyte ranges depend on our age. For adults, normal lymphocyte count is between 1,000 and 4,800 lymphocytes per microliter of blood. For children, it’s between 3,000 and 9,500 lymphocytes per microliter of blood.
Lymphocytes are originated in your bone marrow. There are two types of lymphocytes:
B cells (B lymphocytes)
These make antibodies. Antibodies can destroy foreign substances or tag them for attack.
T cells (T lymphocytes)
These lymphocytes destroy any of your cells that have been taken over by viruses or cancers.
Lymphocytes Cells Therapy is a type of immunotherapy that makes your own immune system to attack cancer cells more effective.
For cancer patients undergoing conventional treatments such as chemotherapy or radiation therapy, they may have side effects of fragile immune system. By transferring lymphocytes cells will help to provoke the body’s immune reaction.
What can Lymphocytes Cells help with?
- To balance the immune system.
- To act as the supporting treatment for radiation and chemotherapy treatment in increasing immune cells.
- To provide immunity for future invasions of bacteria, viruses, and parasites by producing antibodies, which have memory and will protect against such antigens.
- To control tumor outgrowth and the interaction of the host against viral/pathogen infections and neoplastic transformation.
What kinds of cancers can be treated with Lymphocytes Cells Therapy?
- Breast cancer
- Brain cancer
- Lung cancer
- Prostate cancer
- Ovarian cancer
- Colorectal cancer
- Thyroid cancer
- Skin cancer


Lack of open space, chemical use, and climate change present life-threatening challenges to nature’s creatures. At the Massachusetts Environmental Educators Society (MEES) Annual Conference in March 2016, MS4B’s Barbara Passero and Jean Devine, along with science teacher Steve Gordon and intern Rachel Kaufmann, presented a workshop, Pollinators in a Pickle! We chose to use a humorous approach to the workshop by opening with a seriously silly rap song, which the audience of over 50 educators greeted with laughs and applause. Here’s a stanza from the rap.
What is pollination?
It’s how plants make the next gen’ration.
Pollinators move pollen to the pistil from the stamen.
Sex agents, they help procreation!
Through the rap song, posters, and inter-active games, we explored the interde-pendence of plants, pollinators, and humans in the food chain. Pollinators need pollen and nectar for food and energy. While moving from plant to plant to pick up pollen, pollinators inadvertently drop off pollen. Since many plants can’t move (they have roots), they depend on pollinators delivering pollen for reproduction. We hope that from our rapping, humans understand this synergy.


Parkinson's disease is "a progressive neurological disorder that results from the degeneration of dopaminergic nerve cells in a region of the brain that involves the control of smooth coordinated muscle movement. The first symptom of the disease is usually tremor of a limb, especially when the body is at rest."
"The disease was first brought to the attention of the medical world in 1817 by an English physician by the name of James Parkinson, who described the condition as the “shaking palsy” because of the trembling limbs of those who suffer from the malady. Rigid or “frozen” muscles, slowness of movement and clumsiness are among other common symptoms of Parkinson’s disease." Diagnosis is often problematic "because the symptoms of the disease are often confused with those of other conditions. Misdiagnosis, especially in the early stages of the disease, is fairly common and in fact many Parkinson’s patients are never diagnosed at all (the condition may only be revealed after death during a post mortem)." "In recent years, the disease can be effectively managed as long as it’s identified early enough and appropriate treatment is started."


Autophagy is a catabolic process by which cell delivers cytoplasmic constituent into lysosome for protein degradation. 16 ATG genes are essential for autophagosome preparation out of which Atg7 is the one required to activate ubiquitin-like proteins Atg12 and Atg8. Atg7 is also crucial for amino acid supply in neonates, as well as for bulk degradation of proteins and organelles in mice during starvation. Anti-ATG7 antibody can be used in immunohistochemistry and immunoprecipitation. Rabbit anti-ATG7 antibody reacts specifically with Atg7 of human, mouse and rat.
Synonyms: ATG7 Antibody - Anti-ATG7 antibody produced in rabbit; Atg7 Antibody; Anti-APG7; Anti-APG7-like; Anti-APG7L; Anti-Apoptosis-specific-protein; Anti-Autophagy protein 7-like; Anti-Ubiquitin activating enzyme E1-like protein
MDL Number: MFCD09753848
Application: Rabbit anti-ATG7 antibody was used for immunohistochemistry on sections of mouse midbrain fixed in 4% paraformaldehyde at 1:2000.
Biochem Physiol Actions: Autophagy related 7 (ATG7) regulates caspase mediated autophagy and apoptosis. This has a significant effect on tumor progression and ATG7 acts as a tumor suppressor. ATG7 is known to be associated with many cancer types, hence it is considered as a target for cancer therapy. Loss of ATG7 gene contributes to liver carcinogenesis. The ATG7 gene encodes E1-like enzyme essential for lipidation and conjugation systems : ubiquitin-like microtubule-associated protein 1A/1B-light chain 3 (LC3) and autophagy related 12 (ATG12) respectively.


Love People Day 2021Category:
People write songs about it or read poems inspired by it but do we really know what love is? That’s something to consider on National Love People Day, held annually on September 30. Many religions and non-religious spiritual practices center on the idea of giving love wholeheartedly without expecting anything in return. This day is dedicated to inspiring and supporting others with the power of unconditional love.
NATIONAL LOVE PEOPLE DAY ACTIVITIES
Help someone else
The idea for random acts of kindness epitomizes the spirit of National Love People Day. Share a resource or gift with someone in need. Offer to babysit so your friend can go out on a date night with their spouse. Write a check for cancer research. Give blood at a blood bank because it's one of the best ways to express to people you don't even know the love of life.
Express your love for the arts
Spread the message of National Love People Day by writing a poem or even sharing it at a poetry slam. Do a dance or paint a picture in the name of love. In these divisive times, art is an amazing outlet for showing how interconnected we are as a human race.
Sometimes just a gentle word of support or showing empathy to a friend going through hard times is an effective way to honor National Love People Day. There's no money involved and no physical labor to undergo. Share a hug, a cup of coffee, and a listening ear to someone you do or don't know. It can make all the difference in the world.
- Next Article
- PRO Mindfulness Focused Group
- Previous Article
- Patriot Day 2021


BIOL2050 LAB 5-Maple trees of perimeter and non-perimeter woodlot
The block experiment was conducted from 2:50 to 3:50 at Danby Woods where located at south of Chimneystack Rd. and west of Keele St. of York University Keele campus on October 17, and 24. The temperature was around 6 degree Celsius on October 17 with moderate breeze and heavy clouds, and was around 15 degree Celsius on October 24 with a clear blue sky. The purpose of this experiment is to study how abundance of canopy is affected by the relative location of woodlot and whether other abiotic factors can influence abundance of canopy. 10 randomly selected adult maple trees for perimeter and 10 adult trees for non-perimeter of woodlot was measured for its tree height, the percentage of canopy exposure to sun, percentage of leaf abundance, and leaf colour by observation. In addition, experimenters also measured dbh by transect, pH of soil by PH meter (litmus paper), and soil moisture level by hand touch. This experiment was repeated one week after, so total 40 adult maple trees were measured, the 20 for perimeter and the other 20 for non-perimeter. However, the first experiment was conducted in the southern part of woodlot, and the second experiment was conducted in the western part of woodlot. Both experiments were collaborated with Naz Naji, Kristine Gulli, and Winnie Zhao.


About the solution
As a visually impaired man, he was inspired to create a solution to help people like him become more independent. So he developed an electric vehicle.
It can drive 12km/h and weighs approximately 80 Kg. The prototype was created using a former wheelchair with a mounted car seat and two car batteries. The structure is surrounded by a framework made of steel. It also includes four ultrasound sensors, which measure the distance of four meters.
The E-car has a driving assistance system so that people with different degrees of visual impairment can use it. It uses the audio output to communicate the distance to the surrounding objects.
According to Mathias, his invention helps the blind or partially blind become more mobile and active, as they gain independence in their daily life.
Adapted from: http://bit.ly/2lOOjAZ
This solution shall not include mention to the use of drugs, chemicals or biologicals (including food); invasive devices; offensive, commercial or inherently dangerous content. This solution was not medically validated. Proceed with caution! If you have any doubts, please consult with a health professional.
DISCLAIMER: This story was written by someone who is not the author of the solution, therefore please be advised that, although it was written with the utmost respect for the innovation and the innovator, there can be some incorrect statements. If you find any errors please contact the patient Innovation team via firstname.lastname@example.org
Der sprechende Stock für Sehbehinderte
Congenital visual acuity reduced
Neurologic visual problems NEC
Sudden visual loss
Visual disorders NEC
Blindness (excl colour blindness)
Teen invents smart stick for blind people
Blind girl creates campus map for the visually impaired


Warming Oceans Driving Marine Species Away From Equator, Reveals Study
Climate change over the years has drastically affected the ecosystems, and marine life is also not spared from it. A recent study stated that with the increase in oceanic temperatures, several marine species are migrating away from the Equator to avoid the heat. It has been revealed that marine species are fleeing from their habitat in the equator due to changes in the oceanic temperatures, resulting in a decline in the population of marine species near the equator.
Published in the scientific journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the study was conducted as a culmination of the Ph.D. of its lead author Chhaya Chaudhari at the University of Auckland. She along with several others thoroughly studied data and literature of certain taxonomic groups profoundly, including crustaceans, fish and worms. The study material was acquired from the Ocean Biodiversity Information System (OBIS).
Professor, University of Auckland Mark J. Costello, one of the co-authors of the research said,
Our work shows that human-caused climate change has already affected marine biodiversity at a global scale across all kinds of species. Climate change is with us now, and its pace is accelerating. We can predict the general shift in species diversity, but because of the complexity of ecological interactions, it is unclear how species’ abundance and fisheries will change with climate change.
The researchers analyzed as many as 48,661 marine species that included pelagic (those living in open water) as well benthic (those living on the seabed). The study has revealed that to avoid warmer water, marine species have shifted towards the northern hemisphere. However, the number of migrating pelagic is more as compared to benthic species. Another interesting fact is that the shift of marine species is less towards the southern hemisphere, as the waters in the southern hemisphere are warmer than the northern hemisphere.
Tropical regions that were considered ideal for marine species are no longer suitable for them. This has happened because now these regions have become too hot for marine species. Authors have found that marine species start to decrease once the annual mean sea temperature exceeds 20 degrees.
The continued changes in climate and increasing global temperatures have jeopardized every living being on the planet. If humans refuse to mend their ways and continue on the path of destruction, it will bring about the end of life on earth as we know it.


Do I need a Water Licence?
Who requires a Water Licence?
NRE Tas has been delegated the power to grant or refuse water licence applications in accordance with the Water Management Act 1999
. You must have a water licence and water allocation if you intend to take water from a river or stream, or store water in a farm dam, for farming or other commercial purposes with the exception of users listed under Part 5 of the Act.
Rights to water under Part 5 are predominantly for riparian landholders wishing to take water for stock, domestic house and garden purposes. Part 5 rights also cover the following uses of water:
- Riparian landholders for domestic purposes and livestock consumption
- Casual users for the above purposes
- Surface water (water flowing over land and not in a watercourse) for any purpose
- Groundwater for any purpose unless the area has been declared as a specified Groundwater Area*
- Small-scale generation of hydro-electricity.
If it becomes necessary to put in place controls to protect rights of other users including the environment, a water licence may be required for the above. This requirement can either be put in place under the Water Regulations or via a Water Management Plan.
Licences provide specific details of a person's rights to take water allocated under the licence.*
Groundwater Area is an area of land that has been appointed as a Groundwater Area by an order made by the Minister. The purpose of a Groundwater Area is to specifically define limited areas in which the groundwater resources are intensively used and to implement groundwater licensing in those areas in order to equitably and sustainably manage the resource.
The Sassafras Wesley Vale groundwater area has been proclaimed as a part of the Sassafras Wesley Vale Water Management Plan. See Groundwater Management
and Sassafras Wesley Vale Water Management Plan
for more information.
How long does a Water Licence last?
A water licence will be issued for a period of 40 years with provision made for reassessment of licence conditions every five years.


|September 2014 (37.63634 Degrees, -120.98436 Degrees) Dry Creek Railroad Bridge|
At the beginning of the 20th century only the Southern Pacific (SP) Railroad provided service into Modesto. The MET Company built five miles of track between Modesto and Empire (serviced by the Santa Fe Railroad) in order to compete with the SPRR in Modesto. Initially they provided passenger service but they gradually changed into a freight company. Today they own eight 2000Hp Railpower Genset locomotives along with silos and warehouses that load agricultural products on and off railroad cars.
The Dry Creek Bridge has a plate girder center span with a pinned truss underneath for extra support. The MET Company is over 100 years old and so the bridge must be about the same age. In the Google earth photo below we can see the cities of Modesto and Empire. The bridge connects the industrial park on the east side of Dry Creek to a granary on the west side of the creek.
Stanislaus County California Bridges: Modesto to Empire Traction Company Bridge across Dry Creek by Mark Yashinsky is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
Post a Comment


You don’t always get to choose when you get off work. Sometimes, you end up leaving much later than you’d like. For example, the other day, you were driving home after midnight. Night driving has a lot of risks, and it’s definitely more dangerous than driving during the day. Of course, you do your best to follow the traffic laws and to make sure you take well-known roadways at night, but other drivers can be unpredictable.
There are multiple reasons why driving is more difficult and dangerous at night. Some reasons include:
- Lower visibility, which makes it hard to judge distances or to see animals, pedestrians or other hazards.
- Glare from other vehicles, which can be temporarily blinding.
- Fatigue, which can slow down response times and dull concentration.
- Drunk drivers, who are more likely to be on the roads in the evening and overnight.
The National Safety Council has pointed out that older drivers may need more light to see. For example, a 50-year-old driver needs, on average, around twice as much light to see as well as a 30-year-old driver.
What should you do to be safer while driving at night?
- Before you decide to drive at night, make sure your headlights are working and that you are feeling awake enough to drive safely. If not, it’s better to call a cab or ridesharing service, so you can get home safely.
- Another good tip is to slow down. Though you may be able to travel at the speed limit, doing so could be dangerous.
- Finally, use the right edge of the road as your guide, so you stay centered and can avoid glare from oncoming vehicles.
Night driving is dangerous, but with the above tips, you can be safer. If you do end up in a crash because of another driver’s mistakes, you may be able to seek compensation.


Independent geological and geophysical investigations of the Mid-Ocean Ridge system have begun to focus on the nature of the magma chamber system underlying its central axis. Thermal models predict the existence of a steady-state chamber beneath a thin crustal lid ranging in thickness from 2 to 13 kilometers. The only aspect of the system that these models fail to account for is the extremely slow spreading rates. Seismological studies reveal the existence of a low-velocity zone beneath segments of the East Pacific Rise, which is thought to correspond to a chamber system having a half-width of approximately 5 to 10 kilometers. These estimates compare favorably with those derived separately through petrological investigations of deep-sea drilling results, various sampling programs, and field and laboratory studies of ophiolites. The chamber is thought to be wing-shaped and to remain continuously open; it is thought to be fed from the center while simultaneously solidifying at the sides as spreading carries the two halves apart. Progressive fractionation occurs by crystal settling coupled with repeated replenishment and magma mixing in an open steady-state system. Near-bottom studies reveal that the zone of extrusion above the chamber is narrow, but its eruptive history is cyclic in nature, in conflict with the predictions of a steady-state model. On-bottom gravity data at 21 ??N on the East Pacific Rise reveal a negative gravity anomaly that may be related to the uppermost part of the chamber. The anomaly is only 2 kilometers wide and 1 kilometer below the sea floor. This feature may be associated with a short-term upper magma reservoir. The cyclic volcanic activity is directly related to the active phase of hydrothermal circulation responsible for the observed negative thermal anomaly. The volume of water associated with this circulation is equal to the entire ocean volume passing through the accretion zone approximately every 8 million years. This is about 0.5 percent of the world's rivers, but the effective transport rates of elements are comparable to those of rivers in that anomalies for individual elements are frequently between 100 and 1000 times the average river composition. The degree of subsurface dilution determines the final exit temperature and composition of the hydrothermal fluids, ranging from manganese domination at extreme dilution to iron at intermediate levels to sulfide deposition when low dilution occurs. The discovery of massive sulfide deposits on the East Pacific Rise is destined to have a profound impact on our understanding of ore-forming processes. Whether it will have any economic significance remains to be seen. Copyright ?? 1981 AAAS.


Opportunities to help kids during COVIDFebruary 12, 2021
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Canada has a unique opportunity to be a world leader in children’s mental health, according to Charlotte Waddell, director of the Children’s Health Policy Centre.
Speaking in an interview with the CBC public affairs radio program The House, Waddell said that nearly 800,000 Canadian children are already coping with mental disorders and this will only worsen with the pandemic.
Based on evidence from previous public health disasters, such as SARS and floods, “we anticipate the needs will increase dramatically — perhaps two to tenfold,” she said. In particular, anxiety, behaviour problems, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are all expected to increase.
But the good news is that Statistics Canada recently completed a high-quality survey of 45,000 children, just before the pandemic began. According to Waddell, this “trove of pre-pandemic data” gives us the opportunity to repeat the survey to compare pre- and post-pandemic numbers.
Such analysis will lead to better, more strategic support for children. “We have an ethical imperative to act,” Waddell says. “And if we don’t act, we run the risk of causing damage to a generation of kids.”
The complete interview with The House can be heard here.


Throughout this course, we will use research, articles and videos, as well as Folio samples, to guide you through this essential process for growth and development. Participants begin with an understanding of the purpose/importance of goal setting. Then, we will explore research around creating a growth-minded culture. Participants will have an opportunity to design a goal-setting process for their teams that aligns with the larger goals of the school community.
Another challenge to successful goal-setting is how to provide ongoing support to faculty and staff around achieving their goals. The course will equip you with coaching techniques and opportunities to reflect, so that you feel prepared to engage in conversation with members of your team to promote professional learning. We will share ways for documentation and tracking of goals, and how individuals can engage in reflective thinking the entire year so the goals do not become a faint memory. The course ends with planning for end of year reflection that supports looking back as a way of setting new goals for the future.
Participants in the course will be guided in a three-week long, asynchronous online course on the goal setting process. Classes run asynchronously, so there is no fixed time when you must participate online. However, you should commit to spend least four hours each week the class is in session. Coursework and assignments for each unit open on Monday morning; you should complete each assignment by the following Sunday evening. While you may request a deadline extension, interaction proves more effective when the entire class works on the same topic. Participants connect and collaborate with colleagues through several forms of interactive media, including short videos and discussion boards.
Participation in this course is limited to thirty, to allow for a high level of engagement between participants and the facilitator. For our current professional development tuition, please click here.


When a patient in Ohio goes to the hospital for an invasive surgery, one of the tools doctors often use are sponges. Medical sponges help soak up blood so doctors can see the area that they are operating on. While sponges are important in surgeries, too often, they get left behind. What we mean by this is that doctors complete a surgery but fail to remove all sponges from the patient before stitching up the incision. These left-behind sponges can cause serious and long-term problems in patients.
The problem with left-behind sponges stems from the system that is currently used by most hospitals. Staff members count the sponges as they go into the patient and count them as they are taken out, making sure the numbers match. Sponges are miscounted, however, as often as 15 percent of the time. In fact, one study found that sponges are left behind in an average of five surgeries every day. Fortunately, there may be a fix for the problem.
Some companies have begun outfitting surgical sponges with barcodes. Electronic counters can pick up on the barcoded sponges, even when they are saturated with blood, making sure no sponges are left behind.
Although barcoded sponges are now standard in a handful of hospitals, most continue to use the counting method. Unfortunately, this unreliable method puts patients at risk of suffering a serious injury or worse. As the benefits of barcoded sponges become more widely understood, hopefully hospitals in Ohio will consider making the switch for the safety of their patients.
Source: Bloomberg Businessweek, “Can Technology Stop Surgeons From Leaving Sponges Inside Patients?” John Tozzi, March 25, 2014


Gambling is when you risk money or something of value to try and win some money by guessing the outcome of a game involving chance, such as playing a lottery or a scratchcard. It can be a lot of fun and it’s an activity that many people enjoy doing.
Gamblers have different reasons for gambling, ranging from alleviating stress to socialising with friends. However, the main reason gamblers spend so much time and money on gambling is to try and win big amounts of money.
It’s important to remember that gambling is not a healthy or good thing for you, and it can have a negative effect on your life. If you’re worried about your gambling, you can talk to a counsellor who can offer support and advice.
The effects of gambling on the economy are a complex issue, and there is still a lack of evidence about the economic benefits and costs of gambling. The cost side is particularly difficult to determine because of the difficulty of separating real costs from economic transfers and intangible benefits and costs (Gramlich, 1990:229).
One way to reduce the economic impact of gambling is to limit the amount that you spend on gambling. This can be done by setting a weekly budget for yourself and then restricting your spending to that amount. You can also set limits on the time that you spend gambling, and not let it interfere with other aspects of your life.


« PreviousContinue »
THIS volume follows the general plan of the author's American Literature. Simplicity of treatment and usefulness are the chief objects sought.
Detailed treatment is given to those writers only whose works have a basis of appeal to the average student. The personal, biographical element predominates; but consistent effort has been made to bring the writers into relation with the national and world currents of thought of their times.
As in the American Literature, much thought has been given to illustrations. The study of what may be called literary geography and topography is a valuable aid to the study of literature. The usefulness of pictures of homes and haunts, and of portraits of the authors themselves, has long been recognized; and it is the experience of many teachers that facsimiles of manuscripts and title-pages are also of much value. Many unusual reproductions appear here, some for the first time in print.
In preparing a book of this kind, where the first and last thought is adaptability to students' needs, it is desirable to get as many points of view as possible. The author has received help from many sources, especially from his colleagues at Swarthmore and from former students now teaching in secondary schools. He is also particularly indebted to Miss Harriet G. Martin, of Wadleigh High School, New York City, and to Miss Emily F. Sleman, of Central High School, Washington, D. C., who read much of the manuscript and made many helpful suggestions.
ROY BENNETT PACE.
Alfred the Great
The Printing Press - Caxton. Malory
The Renaissance: Wyatt and Surrey. Tyndale.
Chapter IV. From the Accession of Elizabeth to the Closing of
Puritan and Royalist (or Cavalier)
The Periodical Essayists-Steele and Addison


Ozone is produced by lightning, the ultraviolet rays from the sun passing through the atmosphere, from UV radiation produced by special light bulbs or from high voltage corona discharge in an atmosphere containing oxygen. It is very unstable and quickly reverts back to oxygen. Ozone has a very distinctive odor and is easily recognized at levels far below the toxic range.
Ozone is safe and is becoming the sanitizer of choice to disinfect food products, clean equipment, sterilize water for bottling and disinfect high purity waters used to make pharmaceutical and health care products. It is made from the oxygen in the air and must be made and used on site because of its very short half life. Any unused ozone quickly reverts back to oxygen leaving no residues, making it an environmentally friendly sanitizer.
Ozone has been successfully applied for over 100 years as an oxidizer and disinfectant throughout many industries. It is exempted by the USEPA form any reporting, approved by the FDA as an antimicrobial agent for direct food contact and certified by the USDA as organic. It is approximately 3000 times faster than chlorine at killing bacteria, it inactivates virus and kills mold spores.
Ozone is the second strongest oxidizer next to fluorine and it is 150% stronger than chlorine. Applications requiring a strong and rapid sanitizer can benefit from the properties of ozone. The fact that oxygen is the only component of ozone assures the treated items will remain free of chemical residuals. The following graph compares the oxidation potential of many well known oxidizers.


- This event has passed.
Helping Boys Shine at School (K-12)
October 19, 2022, 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm$40
Data and educational research consistently show that boys in the Western world are struggling more than girls on the schooling journey. Girls are more likely to be developmentally ready for school than boys, they consistently outperform boys, particularly in literacy and numeracy, and they are more likely to complete tertiary education.
Low literacy is highly prevalent among boys in juvenile justice and men in prison. Boys continue to be suspended at far higher rates than girls (even in kindy!), are more likely to disengage and drop out, and the gaps in their achievement that are apparent in Year 3 persist right through to Year 9. Around 80% of discipline problems in schools involve boys, as do up to 70% of diagnosed learning difficulties.
While we know that most males in western societies go on to have better pay and consistency in the workforce, if we really want to overcome gender inequalities in society at large – and shift unhelpful cultural and social norms – education is key.
This webinar is all about bringing back hope and enthusiasm into our schools so that all students, including our boys, can thrive and shine.
This is a special event for ECEs, teachers and other education professionals. For more info and to book your ticket visit:


100 Rehabilitated Turtles Released to Celebrate Earth Day – Gulf News
“Through awareness, we’ve had 360 turtles brought in, in the past four months. I really want to say thank you to the people of Dubai for all their support,” he said on the beach Friday. “Rehabilitation can take between three and 24 months, depending on the injuries. The turtles are found along the shoreline of the UAE and many are found by dog-walkers washed up on the shore. We keep them alive and get them back into the sea,” he said, adding that they are a small team comprised of eight members. The turtles’ primary care is carried out at the Burj Al Arab and then they are moved to the two rehabilitation pens at the Mina A’Salaam Hotel. After close monitoring, they are then released back into the sea.
Each animal over 30cm long is tagged and every turtle is microchipped. “We’ve never had one return to date,” Baverstock said. Earth day is celebrated on April 22 each year, to encourage companies around the world to remember and appreciate the earth’s natural environment. Launched in 1970, it is now celebrated in more than 175 countries worldwide and was designated International Mother Earth Day by the UN in 2009.
There are two types of turtle commonly found in the Gulf of Arabia, the Hawksbill and Green.
A female turtle can lay between 60 and 150 eggs depending on the species.
It takes the eggs around two months to incubate depending on the climate.
Turtles will always try to return to the very beach where they emerged to lay their eggs.
Only one out of 1,000 hatchlings survives until maturity (i.e. only 1 hatchling out of every 10 nests will survive to adulthood).
Nobody is quite sure how long turtles live for but it is estimated that they can live in excess of 150 years.
Under UAE law it is prohibited to capture sea turtles of all species or to collect their eggs, the penalty for doing so includes imprisonment and/or a heavy fine.


Self-Assembly of Water-Mediated Supramolecular Cationic Archimedean Solids
journal contributionposted on 2016-02-18, 18:49 authored by Anssi Peuronen, Esa Lehtimäki, Manu Lahtinen
Understanding the self-assembly of small structural units into large supramolecular assemblies remains one of the great challenges in structural chemistry. We have discovered that tetrahedral supramolecular cages, exhibiting the shapes of Archimedean solids, can be self-assembled by hydrogen bonding interactions using tricationic N-donors (1 or 2) in cooperation with water (W). Single crystal X-ray analysis shows that cage (2)4(W)6, assembled in an aqueous solution of cation 2 and KPF6, consists of four tripodal trications linked by six water monomers and resembles the shape of a truncated tetrahedron. Similarly, cage (1)4(W6)4 spontaneously self-assembles in an aqueous solution of cation 1 and NH4PF6 and consists of four tripodal cations and four water hexamers. Here, each of the four (H2O)6 units act as tritopic nodes between three distinct tripodal cations forming a polyhedron similar to the cantellated tetrahedron. These two well-defined cages are assembled via total of 12 and 36 hydrogen bonds, respectively. Both cages possess interior solvent-accessible volumes exceeding 1000 Å3. Furthermore, each one of the (H2O)6 clusters in face-centered cubic structure 1b acts as a node between two distinct (1)4(W6)4 units, and thus a solvent-filled tubular three-dimensional network (tube diameter of ∼6.5 Å) is generated that mimics the structure of diamond at the nanometer scale. To our knowledge, this is the first example of such species being formed entirely via hydrogen bonding interactions.


Holidays and Traditions
The liberal religious tradition draws from many sources, including teachings and rituals from many religions and cultures. We do not adhere to to a single set of traditions, therefore most of our holiday observances have blended influences of ancient traditions and contemporary reflection. For example, even though we do not have a or fixed prescription of how to celebrate Christmas, we usually have a Carols and Candles service on Christmas Eve and often have an all-family Christmas pageant just before the holiday. On many other holidays, such as Halloween and Thanksgiving, we celebrate with multi-generational services.
In addition to traditional holidays, we like to observe and celebrate the changing of the seasons, especially around solstices and equinoxes. Again, we tend to blend ancient pagan-inspired ritual with contemporary celebration on these occasions.
Two of our most-loved traditions are great examples of this kind of blending: In early fall, usually right after Labor Day, we celebrate our in-gathering with a Water Communion service, in which people are encouraged to bring small amounts of water to pour into our common bowl. The water represents for each person some aspect of his or her spiritual growth, which is then blended to form the larger spiritual essence of our community. Then, usually in the spring, we celebrate Flower Communion, in which people each bring flowers to share, and then take with them a different flower to symbolize how being in community can change us.


By the Autoimmune Hepatitis Association
The Omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2 is spreading quickly across the globe. Scientists are still sorting out its impact, but we know it is highly contagious and has the potential to dramatically overwhelm healthcare systems.
Omicron is very much changing the definition of “fully vaccinated,” as data is suggesting a third dose booster vaccine is necessary in non-immunocompromised patients to enhance protection. A fourth dose may be on the horizon for all patients.
What about immunocompromised patients? How will the Omicron wave affect them?
In the US, per the CDC, immunocompromised patients should have received at least three vaccine doses (if receiving Pfizer or Moderna), including the first two vaccine doses plus an additional primary shot at least 28 days after the second shot. If, however, it has been six months since patients have completed the three-vaccine series, they should consider a booster shot. More information can be found on the CDC website and we encourage you to speak with your doctor.
Maintaining protection in this wave of Omicron will be important, but how this wave of COVID-19 impacts immunosuppressed patients is yet to be seen. If Omicron is like prior waves of COVID-19, patients on immunosuppression that are not protected (not vaccinated) may be at higher risk of severe infection. Data concerning prior variants have shown more likelihood of severe COVID-19 in patients taking systemic glucocorticoids or thiopurines (such as Azathioprine/Imuran). In smaller groups, patients on Mycophenolate/CellCept and Tacrolimus/Prograf also had increased risk of severe COVID-19. Learn more here.
We recommend you celebrate the holidays but do so wisely. Here are some tips to help you stay healthy:
- Follow vaccine guidelines and get vaccinated if you haven’t already (contact your doctor if you have questions about whether or not you should receive the vaccine).
- Stay home if you’re sick, even if you only have mild symptoms.
- Consider testing before and after travel.
If you spend time with unvaccinated family and friends, consider:
- Limiting gatherings
- Minimizing time together
- Celebrating outdoors
- Wearing masks
The AIHA wishes you and your family a wonderful holiday season!


Cross Cultural Communication Barriers to Overcome
- Observe but don’t interpret according to your own culture – don’t form stereotypes
- Don’t assume you understand non-verbal signals
- Don’t take behaviour personally even if it’s insulting in your culture
- Develop an awareness of your own non-verbal signals and how they might be offensive
- Understand your own stereotypes and learn about other cultures with openness.
- Don’t evaluate behaviour as good or bad
- Accept the fact that cross cultural communication causes stress
Intercultural communication is an aspect of all communicative interactions, and attention to your perspective is key to your effectiveness. Ethnocentrism is a major obstacle to intercultural communication. Ethnocentric tendencies, stereotyping, and assumptions of similarity can make it difficult to learn about cultural differences
Cultural Shock Staging
- Honeymoon Phase
- Irritation and Hostility
- Gradual Adjustment
- Adaptation or Biculturalism
As a professional in the modern business community, you need to be aware that the very concept of community is undergoing a fundamental transformation. Throughout the world’s history—until recently—a community was defined by its geographic boundaries. Nowadays business focuses less on the borders that separate people and more on what that brings them together – communication.
Business values clear, concise interaction that promotes efficiency and effectiveness. You may perceive your role as a business communicator within a specific city, business, or organisation, but you need to be aware that Your role crosses cultures, languages, value and legal systems, and borders.
Gert Hofstede’s Cultural Dimensions
Task to Prepare
Each student is to analyze one pair of countries and provide a slide/screenshot from the Gert Hofstede’s Country Comparison.
When choosing countries, it is important to consider that within one team, each student should have a different pair of countries analyzed.
Each student will have 2 minutes for showing the chart/slide with country comparisons and to describe the differences between the countries chosen.


In Your Head: Hearing Voices
Published in: Psychology Today, January 1, 2007, by William Lee Adams
Despite their association with mental illness, auditory hallucinations don’t always torment those who hear them. In fact, only one out of every three so-called “voice hearers” requires psychiatric help. The other two don’t experience difficulties and may even consider their voices supportive or inspiring.
“My voices know me better than anyone else, and they also protect and comfort me,” says Jacqui Dillon, head of a London support group for voice hearers. She and other group members report that voices can alert them to oncoming cars and suspicious passersby, provide encouragement during stressful times, and offer reminders to pick things up at the grocery store.
Whether they threaten or soothe, auditory hallucinations usually begin after trauma: Seventy percent of people who hear voices first detect them following physical or sexual abuse, an accident, or the loss of a loved one. “The emotion they feel about their trauma complicates how they interpret the voices,” says Sara Tai, a psychologist at the University of Manchester in England who studies why some hallucinators thrive while others end up in psychiatric care. Typically, the greater the trauma, the more likely voices will sound threatening.
Read More: http://www.psychologytoday.com/articles/200701/in-your-head-hearing-voices
Leave a ReplyWant to join the discussion?
Feel free to contribute!