We studied Black-legged Kittiwakes (Rissa tridactyla) in an Alaskan colony where movement of young among nests was possible because of moderate terrain and close nest spacing. Thirty-three percent of chicks in a focal group departed their nests prior to fledging, and seven of the vagrant chicks (58%) were adopted by foster parents. The overall frequency of adoption in three years was 8% of 88 chicks from 57 focal nests. Premature nest-departure occurred at different stages among first- and second-hatched chicks. Departing second-hatched chicks were usually expelled by their nest mates within a few days after hatching. First-hatched chicks left at all stages and usually were the sole nest occupant when they departed. The evidence for parent-offspring recognition was equivocal. Adults accepted alien chicks that appeared in the nest and also occasionally attacked their own young outside the nest. However, asymmetry in the response of parents and nonparents to vagrant chicks seeking access to a nest suggested that adults were often able to discriminate appropriately. Vagrant chicks appeared to have little control over their fate-most entered nests where they were smaller than the resident young and suffered nest-mate aggression. Reproductive error seems the likely explanation for the acceptance and foster caregiving observed in adult kittiwakes.
|Title||Chick movements and adoption in a colony of Black-Legged Kittiwakes|
|Authors||Bay D. Roberts, Scott A. Hatch|
|Publication Subtype||Journal Article|
|Series Title||The Wilson Bulletin|
|Record Source||USGS Publications Warehouse|
|USGS Organization||Alaska Science Center|


Natalie West, who came daily novena, prays during the 8am service at St Ignatius Catholic Church in 2011.
(Benjamin Brink/The Oregonian)
A new study suggests joining a religious organization is better for mental health than volunteering or playing sports.
The same study found that joining a community organization, such as a political club, actually decreased happiness in the long run.
The study, conducted by researchers at the London School of Economics and the Erasmus University Medical Center in the Netherlands, was published in the American Journal of Epidemiology this spring.
Researchers focused on European adults ages 50 and above. They looked at data for 9,000 people, analyzing ways different social activities influenced the subjects' moods. Researchers put the social activities into four categories:
- Volunteering or charitable work
- Taking educational or training courses
- Participation in religious organizations
- Participation in political or community organizations
Participating in a religious organization was the only social activity associated with sustained happiness. Past studies have shown that being socially engaged is good for mental health, but this new study suggests that the benefits might vary between activities.
"One of the most puzzling findings is that although healthier people are more likely to volunteer, we found no evidence that volunteering actually leads to better mental health," Mauricio Avendano said in a press release. "It may be that any benefits are outweighed by other negative impacts of volunteering, such as stress."
It's not clear whether the benefits come from faith itself or from being in a religious community, researchers said in the study.
Faith groups can provide a sense of belonging and purpose. Participating in a religious organization can influence lifestyle choices, researchers said, and help older people cope with illness and death.
So why might involvement in a political or community club result in longterm unhappiness? Researchers said that trend might be explained by a sense of futility.
Study subjects saw mental health benefits at first, perhaps because they felt optimistic. But by the time the study concluded, those subjects expressed increased unhappiness, possibly because they put forth a lot of effort for little reward.
-- Melissa Binder


When to plant?
Direct seed (recommended): 2 weeks before last frost. Transplant: 3-4 weeks before the last frost.
How to plant?
Direct seed: 8-12" apart, 1/2-1" deep. Cover seed as they require darkness to germinate.
Transplant: Plant 2 seeds 1/2-1" deep in individual cells or pots. Cover seeds as they require darkness to germinate. Thin to one plant per cell or pot. Harden off and transplant outside after the danger of frost has passed.
Well-drained, but not especially rich soil is preferred. High nitrogen levels promote more foliage than flower production. Sun/Partial Shade. Also excellent in containers or hanging baskets.
When to harvest?
When the flowers are fully open.
How do you save the seeds?
BONUS FUN FACTS!
- Nasturtium flowers are edible! They have a peppery taste and are a good source of Vitamin C and Iron.
- The name nasturtium means “nose twister” in Latin. Why? Because of the reaction people have upon tasting the peppery flowers.
- They are native to the jungles of Peru. An alternative name for Nasturtium is Peru Cress.
- Nasturtium flowers have been used medicinally for centuries and were first used in South America as a treatment for hair loss and to help reduce symptoms associated with skin irritations. In Asia, the flowers and leaves were also used to make nutritious teas that were believed to help combat the common cold due to their high vitamin C content. As the bright colored flowers were introduced to Europe, they became a symbol of victory and patriotism versus a medicinal ingredient as many believed the circular leaves resembled shields and the flowers helmets. Soldiers would wear Nasturtiums after a victory in battle and would be gifted the flower from a maiden or offered an entire blanket made out of the flowers as a symbol of honor and victory. (From specialtyproduce.com)
Information provided by JohnnySeeds.com


How Do You Convert a Plastic Water Bottle Into Recycled Plastic?
As an environmentally-friendly promotional products marketer, we sell hundreds of thousands of recycled plastic water bottles, pens, lanyards, flying discs, plastic bags, memo boards and more each year.
I wanted to include some images to help my customers and readers to better understand how we can go from a clear soda bottle or water bottle, and turn it into another bottle Ã¢â‚¬“ or into a pen, for that matter.
Since eco-friendly promo products are what we sell, we tend to take the entire process for granted, as do many of my clients…but the process is amazing.
First, plastic bottles are collected by waste collector and/or recycling centers
Next, the bottles are usually taken to a centralized material reclamation facility, where they are separated by the type of material (HDPE, PET or PVC). This can be done by machine or by actual people –sometimes both ways.
These bottles are then compressed into blocks, which are taken to a specialized facility then grinds the plastic into small chips. It will then go through a process where the paper labels, dirt and other waste are removed during a spin and heat cycle.
The chips are then converted into small plastic pellets, where they are processed either as food-grade pellets (clear) or non-food grade, where factories can purchase them for re-use, in such items as new bottles, carpet, plastic furniture, clothing, medical equipment, plastic bags or film and thousands of other products. Click on the link to the right to see hundreds of promotional products made from recycled plastic.
Did you know that approximately 2.5 billion pounds of bottles were recycled in 2010?
Plastics are petroleum-based, so we can do better in increasing plastic recycling…and supporting companies that use recycled plastics.
We must do better.
Here’s to a greener tomorrow, today.
Thank you to my friends at Custom Polymers PET for their fine images.


Next freebie in 28 Hours*
Suppose we have a scenario where we need to perform some operations when a condition is true in real life, and also alternative backup actions if the condition fails.
That is, a single condition is still tested, but there is a “default” alternative action , or actions, which is/are executed when the tested condition evaluates to false.
Consider, for example, a query posted to a fan of famous Canadian musicians. Suppose the fan is asked about her favorite single, either by a male or a female musician.The logic employed by one particular fan would look like the following pseudo-code:
var isMale:boolean = false;
var maleSinger:string = “”;
var femaleSinger : string = “”;
//populate isMale using some logic
maleSinger = “Bryan Adams”;
trace(“18 Till I Die!”);
femaleSinger = “Celine Dion”;
trace(“My Heart Will Go On!”);
Note that exactly one of the two clauses, the “if” and the “else” get executed for any single execution of the above code. This behavior can be described as “Mutually Exclusive.” Both are never executed in a single run of this single program. Based on what value is stored in the boolean isMale, different executions of the same code could yield any 1 of the 2 intended results.
Also please note that we have used curly braces in the if and the else clauses, since each clause allows for execution of compound (multiple) statements, based on the conditional value. The rules and the expected behavior that we discussed with compound statements and curly braces for a “if” clause, apply for the “else” clause as well.
As we shall see later when we discuss “nested if clauses,” there can be further testing of conditions within an “else clause.” Such a structure would be best described later in the course, so as not to confuse beginners
Have a question but don't want to ask it publicly? If you are a prime member just ask right here and we will get back to you within 48 hours. Not prime yet? no worries you can ask publicly below.


Possibly out of print. Email or call to check availability and price.
No matter how hard she tries, Triangle doesn't roll like the circles, or stack like the squares—so she sets off to find friends that look exactly like her. But when she finds the other triangles, playtime isn't as fun. She misses the shapes that roll and stack; she misses being different. So she starts a new quest, one that gets all of the different shapes playing and having fun together!
"I love so much about this book! ... Math AND SEL?! What a wonderful combo for an elementary classroom!" -- Unleashing Readers
"A cute story with a strong positive message about acceptance and inclusion, this book would be an excellent addition to any elementary collection." -- PSLA Literature Review
"This was such a lovely read about welcoming what makes us unique and would make the most perfect gift for the early learner teachers in your life." -- Kids Lit Is Lit
"A winsome picture book for pre-readers and early readers who are learning shapes, colors, and how to navigate early friendships." -- School Library Journal
"Subtle textural variations lend visual interest. The clear themes of playing together and overcoming differences are appropriate for early-childhood classes, library storytimes, and family reading. ... Shape learning, color recognition, and a message of friendship, neatly arranged." -- Kirkus Reviews
"Now, clearly this is a perfect title for any shape unit you're teaching. ... In addition to naming and identifying shapes, though, this is a great title for discussing inclusivity and working together!" -- Little Cub Literacy
"The narrative progresses at a good, steady pace while speech balloons add the characters' comments along the way. Still, it's the illustrations, featuring amiable little geometric characters, that will capture the audience with their childlike imagination, varied compositions, and pleasing design. This colorful picture book offers a playful introduction to recognizing geometric shapes and celebrating differences." -- Booklist


of homes in the Navajo Nation that do not have access to clean drinking water.
people spread across over 27k miles of territory where clean drinking water sources are limited
abandoned uranium mines have caused contamination of ground water in Navajo Nation
While the Navajo Nation has introduced a number of policy initiatives to address this issue, gaps remain in the ability of the existing solutions to address the challenges listed above. This is evidenced through the funding and use of interim supplies of safe drinking water such as bottled water and hauled water which provide near term relief but fall short of stated policy goals as it relates to accessibility, resilience and sustainability. Navajo population need access to secure drinking water without the need to travel to attain it.
According to the EPA, unregulated drinking water sources are the greatest public health risk on the Navajo Nation. The erosion of access and trust in drinking water also drives residents to high-sugar beverages that are more available and affordable than water alternatives, which has a strong link to increased levels of diabetes. And to top it off, many of the Navajo homes have no electricity or drinking water so the Navajo Nation now has the highest per capita COVID-19 infection rate in the U.S.
In partnership with Navajo Power, a public benefit corporation, and local Navajo governments SOURCE installed 32 Hydropanels in 15 Navajo homes funded by Barclay’s and The Unreasonable Group. And this month SOURCE will finish the installation of 32 more through a partnership with Johns Hopkins University’s Center for American Indian Health.
“As a community and as a Nation, we have to embrace technology, and I’m grateful for this project, because these folks have drinking water, every day. It’s needed. It’s needed all over the Reservation.”
Jerry Williams, Past Lechee Chapter President
We’ve built custom solutions for water needs in more than 50 countries. Let’s build yours.
For an accurate per Hydropanel production value in your area, please enter your zip code below.
Hydropanel General Installation Requirements:
Roof Mount Requirements:
Ground Mount Requirements:


Help make third grade your child's best year yet with our entertaining third grade games! Your child has a lot to learn this year, from fractions to grammar, multiplication to mastering the computer keyboard, and much more. This collection of third grade games will help students reinforce what they've learned and dive into new lessons with excitement to play just one more round!
Engaging Games for Every Third Grader
Third grade is full of exciting opportunities to explore new ideas and learn new skills. Our library of games, designed by teaching professionals specifically for a third grade level, focuses on all the subjects your student needs to learn the most. Whether you want to strengthen your child's math skills by introducing more challenging times tables and multiplication practice, or improve their writing proficiency with spelling multi-syllable words, these third grade games will spark your child's imagination and excitement for learning. Build your young learner's confidence by starting with a concept they are already familiar with, such as reading comprehension or addition with two and three-digit numbers. As your child's enthusiasm for math grows, take the next step into new skills. Your student can foray into the world of fractions, discover how to use possessive apostrophes, learn how to spot a proper noun, and use coordinates on a map to graph data. You can even start introducing digital and technological literacy with typing games and even basic coding. To try our games free, register for a basic account, or bump it up to premium to unlock unlimited access to our entire library of resources.


Climate Related Disasters and Children’s Health: Evidence From Hurricane Harvey
January 23, 2023
2022 Wall Scholar Ethan Raker (Sociology) recently published in Socius: Sociological Research for a Dynamic World.
Climate Related Disasters and Children’s Health: Evidence from Hurricane Harvey looks at how children are particularly vulnerable to the effects of climate change, including exposure to increasingly severe extreme weather events, such as tropical cyclones, floods, and heat waves.
Raker’s research uses data from the 2017-18 Health of Houston survey that was interrupted in the field by Hurricane Harvey, one of costliest disasters in U.S. history, and resumed six months later. He linked this survey data to flooding estimates from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and interviewed adults about a randomly selected focal child living in the household.
His research found Hurricane Harvey led to worse parent-reported health among children six to nine months later, particularly in flooded communities. Additional evidence suggests that post-disaster children’s health correlates most strongly with disaster-induced disruption to household life and home damage, compared with household income loss. Further associational evidence shows a larger, negative relationship between health and severe household exposure for immigrant children, Hispanic, Asian or other-race children.
Raker was interviewed about his research in the SAGE Sociology podcast — listen here.


Perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) are man-made fluoro-surfactants that are identified as global pollutants and can pose health risks to humans and wildlife. Two aspects of risk assessment were conducted in this study, including exposure and response. Exposure was estimated by using the concentrations of PFCs in fish and applying standard exposure factors. Among different PFCs, PFOS, PFOA, PFNA, PFDA, PFUdA and PFTrDA were detected. Total concentrations of PFC in fish ranged from 0.27-8.4ng g⁻¹ to 0.37-8.7ng g⁻¹ respectively in Hong Kong and Xiamen. The calculated hazard ratio (HR) of PFOS for all fish was less than 1.0. However, the HR for mandarin fish in Hong Kong and bighead carp, grass carp and tilapia in Xiamen, had HR values of approximately 0.5, indicating that frequent consumption of these 4 more contaminated fish species might pose an unacceptable risk to human health. Our data support the notion that the released/disposed chemical pollutants into water systems make fish a source of environmental toxicants to humans. The risks and potential effects of PFCs to health of coastal population in the Pearl River Delta are of concern. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
|Publication status||Published - Sept 2011|
CitationZhao, Y. G., Wan, H. T., Law, A. Y. S., Wei, X., Huang, Y. Q., Giesy, J. P., . . . Wong, C. K. C. (2011). Risk assessment for human consumption of perfluorinated compound-contaminated freshwater and marine fish from Hong Kong and Xiamen. Chemosphere, 85(2), 277-283. doi: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2011.06.002


Dynamic media is incorporated in a Web page in the same two main ways images are, which are through hyperlinking and embedding. When a dynamic media is linked to, the browser uses a helper application, which is separate from a Web page, to play it, and when it is embedded, it plays within the page, typically using a plug-in. Both delivery methods can be accomplished using HTML elements. It is also possible to combine HTML with Flash technologies to deliver dynamic media, but this is discouraged, as the use of Flash technologies for delivering media on the Web is all but obsolete. For this reason, how to add Flash media objects to a Web page is not discussed in detail in this text. Tutorials on this can be found at the website for Adobe Flash (now known as Animate CC).
Although adding dynamic media to a Web page can be as straightforward as adding a static image, an important practical thing to know is that the result is not always predictable, as different browsers and hardware (such as PC, Mac, iPhone and iPad) do not all support the same technologies. For example, the newer HTML elements (i.e., <audio> and <video>) do not work in old browsers and not all media file formats are supported by every browser. Because of these incompatibilities, delivering dynamic media successfully on a Web page requires extra considerations in order to ensure that a media file works on as many systems as possible. Often this means using multiple methods to deliver the same file as well as providing the same media in different file formats. How this is done for audio, video, and animation, using HTML, is dealt with here.
Source: Sklar David (2016), HTML: A Gentle Introduction to the Web’s Most Popular Language, O’Reilly Media; 1st edition.


Further investigation planned in whale deaths in Alaska
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — A federal agency announced plans Thursday for a more intense investigation into what caused the deaths of 30 large whales in the western Gulf of Alaska since May.
NOAA Fisheries declared the deaths an "unusual mortality event," triggering a new-level investigation that brings with it access to additional resources. The agency said the deaths are about three times the historical average for the region.
Julie Speegle, a spokeswoman for NOAA Fisheries in Alaska, said a leading hypothesis for the deaths is harmful algal bloom toxins but she noted that there currently is no conclusive evidence linking the two.
Officials have only been able to get samples from one of the 30 whales. Teri Rowles, NOAA Fisheries' marine mammal health and stranding response coordinator, told reporters during a teleconference Thursday that large-scale whale deaths are among the toughest to investigate, partly because the carcasses often are floating, rarely beached and difficult to access for examination. In Alaska, bears feeding on washed-up whale carcasses create safety concerns for researchers who want to collect samples, she said.
Without being able to conduct a more complete necropsy, scientists and researchers can look at such things as environmental factors, historical information and mortality among seabirds or other sea creatures to try to get a better sense of what is going on, Rowles said. But they are limited in what they can do without better access to the carcasses, she said.
Officials urged the public to report any sightings of dead whales or distressed animals that they encounter.
The agency plans to work with colleagues in Canada, where six large whales have been reported dead off the coast of British Columbia since May — five of those this month. Necropsies were conducted on two of the more recent carcasses, and the results are pending, said Paul Cottrell, marine mammals coordinator for the Pacific region of Canada's Department of Fisheries and Oceans.
Rowles said this does not appear to be a "coast-wide" event at this point, noting that large whale deaths have not increased during the same timeframe near California, Washington and Oregon as they have very locally in the western Gulf of Alaska.


The Pediatric Proton/Photon Consortium Registry, also known as the PPCR, is a research study that aims to learn from every child and young adult treated with radiation. The PPCR is a collaborative effort among 23 radiation centers. Patients under the age of 22 years old are approached about participation. We are so appreciative to all of our participates – there are over 4,200 of them! Together, the goal of our research is to improve cancer treatments and quality of life in childhood cancer survivors.
Pediatric cancers account for less than 1% of all new cancer diagnoses made in the United States each year. Because pediatric cancers are rare and highly varied, studying treatment outcomes is challenging and limits the ability of any one medical center to amass enough clinical data to generate timely empirical results. It is therefore necessary for many centers to work together. We are a dedicated research team that consents families, performs data entry, and publishes results. There are no specific treatments or tests associated with our study. As a registry, we use observational study methods to evaluate short- and long-term outcomes on any patient treated with radiation, regardless of their diagnosis.
Our data is entered into a web-based data collection platform called REDCap. REDCap is a secure platform supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). There are over 1,500 data fields. We collect demographics, diagnosis, treatment, imaging, and symptom data. Participants can also complete quality of life questionnaires that allow us to learn more about the experiences of our patients. Radiation plans and imaging are stored in a platform called MIMcloud. This allows us to correlate radiation dose to various areas in the body with symptoms and quality of life outcomes.


Avalanches kill an average of 42 people each year in North America. Hundreds more are injured. Avalanches don’t just happen to extreme athletes – they can happen to those skiing, snowboarding, snowmobiling, hiking, driving, hunting, bike riding, and more – anyone who can get onto or underneath steep snow-covered slopes. Many avalanche victims don’t know they are in avalanche danger and are unprepared to deal with an avalanche. This doesn’t have to happen – the danger signs are usually obvious to those who know what to look for. Just as those in Hawaii learn about the dangers of rip currents and shore breaks at an early age, those living, working, and recreating in snowy mountains need to learn about avalanches. What they learn can save their lives.
The Know Before You Go Program takes 40-80 minutes and consists of:
- A video showing the destructive power of avalanches and what you need to know to stay safe in avalanche terrain
- A slide presentation by a local avalanche professional with details about how to spot avalanche danger, how to navigate in avalanche terrain, what gear to carry and how to use it, how to find a report of current avalanche conditions in your area, and how to learn more about avalanches
- Discussion with question and answers
The program can be extended to outdoor activities in smaller groups to provide safe opportunities for students to dig and analyze snow pits and to practice with avalanche rescue gear.
School assemblies and classes, community centers, snow sports shops, club meetings, and scout group meetings are all perfect opportunities for presenting the program.


A change management plan is a plan to lead organizational change by clearing major issues, sidelining resistance and empowering agents of change. The following are illustrative examples.
Change Management PlanA plan that is developed at the beginning of a project that outlines the actions that will be taken to lead at the change management level. This is typically developed by the project sponsor or a change management professional representing the sponsor.
Communication PlanChange management is primarily a practice of communicating and using the authority of the project sponsor to clear issues. As such, a communication plan may be developed in support of the main change management plan.
Issue TrackerA tracker for current change management issues and action items. This should not be confused with the project issue tracker as it only covers issues that require leadership intervention.
NotesAn organizational change management plan should not be confused with a project change management plan that maps out the process for accepting change requests for a project.
This is the complete list of articles we have written about change management.
If you enjoyed this page, please consider bookmarking Simplicable.
A list of change management first principles.
The definition of status quo with examples.
The common types of change.
The definition of change strategy with examples.
The definition of incrementalism with examples.
An overview of common approaches to organizational culture change with examples.
The definition of turnaround management with examples.
The common types of resistance to change.
The definition of organizational change management with examples.
A guide to project management.
A complete guide to project development.
A complete overview of statement of work.
A complete guide to continuous delivery including a process overview and comparisons.
An overview of project goals with detailed examples.
An overview of project status reports with complete examples.
The definition of performance risk with examples.
A list of project management skills.
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Dopamine and serotonin play a major role in our emotional and mental well-being. Serotonin resides in the digestive system and dopamine in the brain. They are known as the happy hormone that plays a major in our emotions and mood. They have importance in certain mental health conditions like depression and low mood.
Both are neurotransmitters. Neurotransmitters are chemical messengers and they are used by the nervous system that regulates countless functions and processes in your body. While they both affect the same things but do it in a slightly different way.
Dopamine and Serotonin – A deep analysis
Plays a bigger role in reward and motivation. Once a person achieves his / her goal the feeling of satisfaction the person feels is partly due to a rush of dopamine. When there is a dysfunction within the dopamine system then the person encounters depression. Nearly all pleasurable experiences involve the release of dopamine. Like having good food to having sex. Disfunction causes diseases like Parkinson, Bipolar Disorder, Schizophrenia, and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.
Dopamine helps to regulate the release of insulin from the pancreas. It also affects the movement of the small intestine and colon. It helps the food to move through the system. On the mucosal lining of your gastrointestinal tract, it has protective effects and helps to prevent peptic ulcers.
Serotonin – For more than 5 decades the researchers are trying to find out the link between depression and serotonin. Now the researchers have found out that low serotonin has nothing to do with depression. Effective use of serotonin is one of the treatments for depression. But alone serotonin cannot treat depression. It can cause diseases like Anxiety Disorder, Autism Spectrum Disorder, and Bipolar Disorder.
The gut of a person contains 95% of the body’s serotonin. When food enters the small intestine it gets released. It helps to stimulate contractions that push food through the intestines. Extra serotonin is released when a person eats something containing harmful bacteria or an allergen.
The main difference between dopamine and serotonin – Dopamine dysfunction is linked to a certain system of depressions, like low motivation. Serotonin is involved in how to process emotions which affects overall mood.


How to save water in the garden this summer
Australia is hot. Over summer, parts of the country can receive up to 11 hours of sunlight, which means hot soil and burnt leaves. Watering your plants is vital, both to keep them hydrated and healthy, and to cool them down after a lengthy exposure. Summer also signals the time when water conservation is at its most important, with reservoirs and dams drying up in the prolonged sun. It is imperative to use water wisely throughout the year, but even more so in summer. Below are tips to maximise your water efficiency.
Water at the right time of day
An adequately watered garden, plant or tree is one where the soil is damp a spade-deep down. If your spade reveals dry soil, it needs watering. You should water your plants in the morning, when the wind and heat is generally at its lowest to ensure minimal evaporation and maximum absorption. This should then be repeated in the late afternoon for the same reasons. Watering in the middle of the day will simply waste water as the hot soil and high sun will cause the water to evaporate quickly, requiring more water to first cool the soil and then make it damp.
Collecting rainwater throughout the year is the perfect way to ensure you have a source of free water available when the summer arrives. Using a rainwater pump, it can be an efficient and cost effective way to get the valuable H2O to where it is needed throughout your garden. Choose a covered tank to minimise evaporation and animals, leaves, and other contaminants getting into the supply.
Choose plants that need less water
Hot climate and drought resistant plants are ideal for most parts of the country. Lavender, palms, and of course, cacti, are ideal for hot, exposed areas. This will help preserve water, as well as save you money on irrigation costs.
Use mulch and organic matter to retain water
Mulch is ideal for creating a protective later that will prevent excessive evaporation, while organic matter will help retain moisture around the plant. A course mulch will allow the water to move down to where the water is needed, whereas fine mulches will clump and keep the water at the surface. Organic matter such as vegetable scraps and lawn clippings, can absorb many times its own weight in water, and when mixed with soil will help maintain a constantly damp environment for the plant’s roots.


28.4.4. Create a mapping to allow access to the device's decrypted contents
To access the device's decrypted contents, a mapping must be established using the kernel
It is useful to choose a meaningful name for this mapping. LUKS provides a UUID (Universally Unique Identifier) for each device. This, unlike the device name (eg:
/dev/sda3), is guaranteed to remain constant as long as the LUKS header remains intact. To find a LUKS device's UUID, run the following command:
cryptsetup luksUUID <device>
An example of a reliable, informative and unique mapping name would be
luks-<uuid>, where <uuid> is replaced with the device's LUKS UUID (eg:
luks-50ec957a-5b5a-47ee-85e6-f8085bbc97a8). This naming convention might seem unwieldy but is it not necessary to type it often.
cryptsetup luksOpen <device> <name>
There should now be a device node,
/dev/mapper/<name>, which represents the decrypted device. This block device can be read from and written to like any other unencrypted block device.
To see some information about the mapped device, use the following command:
dmsetup info <name>
For more information, read the
dmsetup(8) man page.


Ouarzazate, Morocco will soon be home to four linked solar mega-plants that are projected to supply half of Moroccos' electricity from renewables by 2020. Once complete, it will be the world's largest concentrated solar power plant. Phase 1 of the project is set to be up by next month and will consist of 500,000 solar parabolic mirrors. These solar parabolic mirrors are equipped with more advanced and expensive technology that can produce power even when the sun is down. Phase 1 has an expected capacity of 160MW. Phase 2 and 3 will open by 2017, and once all the mega-plants are up they expect to be able to generate 580MW of electricity - enough to power a million homes. $9 billion in funding has been given to this huge project.
The Possibility of Exporting Energy
Maha el-Kadiri, the spokesperson for the Moroccan Solar Energy Agency or Masen, says that it's definitely possible for them to export energy to other parts of Europe, but the interconnectors needed are still yet to be constructed. She says "specifically, we would have to build interconnectors, which would not go through the existing one in Spain, and then start exporting." Currently, Spain has put a halt to solar energy projects due to the lack of interconnections with France, but the EU has set the target that 10% of each country's power will be "transported abroad by cable by 2020." At this point Morocco would like to focus on meeting their own needs first, but they could ultimately become a major exporter of energy in the future.


On a long thin stick or thin wooden rod, glue these objects on it: cut-out or photo of butterfly about 4 inches from the end, a chrysalis (the proper name for a butterfly cocoon) further down, a caterpillar below that, and a tiny egg below that. You can find photos or drawings of these online.
Make a frame like the one you see at the beginning of Born to Fly. On a piece of paper, draw a large oval.. Inside it draw several of your best friends; these can be family members or people outside your family. You can include yourself in the picture, too, if you like. Then glue small twigs or cut yarn pieces to make a friendship frame around these true friends.
Did you know that everyone’s fingerprints are unique? That means one-of-a-kind. Your fingerprints are a reminder that you are valuable and worth treasuring, different from every other human in the world and able to make special contributions to family and community and world. Use inkpads or markers to create thumbprints. To make caterpillars, press 4 or 5 thumbprints in a row; use crayons to draw feet, eyes, etc. To make butterflies, press 2 thumbprints side by side to make wings; use crayons to draw antennae, eyes, etc.
Create your own secret scroll like Popi’s. On it draw the symbols that Blossom drew, and then add others that have special meaning for you (something that represents a dream you have for yourself or reminds you of a life lesson you don’t want to forget). When your secret scrolls is complete, roll it up, wrap it in a piece of fabric (like Popi’s blanket), and tie it with yarn.
To print coloring pages, put your cursor on one of the drawings, right click, and click on "copy image." Then open a blank word processing document and click "paste." Repeat for each drawing.
To print coloring pages, put your cursor on one of the drawings below, right click, then click on "copy image." Open a blank word processing document and click "paste." Repeat for each drawing. (Drawings by artist Leah Wiedemer, who illustrated Born to Fly.)


Changing Animals have been spotted by researchers recently. The rapid increase in pollution levels has led to several changes. These changes range from the melting of glaciers to global warming. All these factors have contributed largely to climate change. Climate, as we know, has undergone a drastic change in the recent past. The temperatures and the traditional weather patterns have been tweaked.
Climate change is an alarming phenomenon. This can lead to some serious consequences. Some of its ill effects include frequent droughts, unstable weather conditions, heating up of oceans, etc. These climate changes have taken a toll on the animal kingdom as well. A recent study stated that animals have begun changing their shape to cope up with the climate.
Changing Animals Spotted In Recent Studies
A recently conducted study has produced some shocking discoveries. Climate change has affected animals and birds to such an extent that they are shape-shifting. The study was conducted by Sara Ryding, a researcher at the University of Deakin(Australia). She stated that the birds were among the most affected of all the animals.
To cope up with the rapid change in climatic conditions, the birds are encountering abnormal growth in their body. The study has recorded numerous accounts of birds having enlarged beaks, ears & legs. These enlarged body parts aid in better regulation of body temperature. The parrots of Australia tops the list of experiencing the most drastic changes. They experienced enlargement of their beaks by almost 10%.
Read: Shrinking Animals: An Ornithologist Reveal That Birds Are Shrinking
These changing animals might not be coping with the changing climate, feels Ryding. She stated that evolution is evident among animals. However, it does not necessarily guarantee that the animals successfully withstood the climate crisis. The evolution has so far paid off. However, how the birds will react if the climate worsens further is an area of concern.
The issue of Changing animals should be dealt with caution, says Ryding. She said that we should not perceive bodily changes as something positive. Rather we should work in unison towards reducing the level of pollution. The abuse towards nature should not be left unchecked. Otherwise, it will only be a matter of time till civilization will cease to exist.


Unsupervised learning is a class of problems in machine learning which seeks to determine how the data are organized. Unsupervised learning encompasses many other techniques that seek to summarize and explain key features of the data. One form of unsupervised learning is blind source separation (BSS). BSS is a class of computational data analysis techniques for revealing hidden factors that underlie sets of measurements or signals. BSS assumes a statistical model whereby the observed multivariate data, typically given as a large database of samples, are assumed to be linear or nonlinear mixtures of some unknown latent variables. The mixing coefficients are also unknown. Sometimes more prior information about the sources is available or is induced into the model, such as the form of their probability densities, their spectral contents, etc. Then the term blind is often replaced by semiblind. This chapter reports the semi BSS machine learning applications on audio and bio signal processing.
|Title of host publication||Machine Learning Algorithms for Problem Solving in Computational Applications|
|Subtitle of host publication||Intelligent Techniques|
|Place of Publication||Hershey, PA|
|Number of pages||17|
|Publication status||Published - 2012|


When someone violates a negative commandment, the Torah offers various punishments when it was done on purpose, and, under certain circumstances, requires a korban hattat – a sin offering – as atonement when it was done by accident. For neglecting to perform most positive commandments we do not find any punishment in the Torah, nor is there any requirement to bring a sacrifice for atonement. Nevertheless, the Sages suggest that the korban olah – the burnt offering – serves to atone for the neglect of a positive commandment.
The Gemara on today’s daf (=page) asks whether this sacrifice would atone even for missing positive commandments after the animal was set aside to be an olah, or is it limited to those transgressions that took place prior to the animal’s consecration. The Gemara explains the question: Is the olah similar to the hattat that only affects transgressions that had already taken place, or should we say that the laws of a hattat are unique in that a single hattat must be brought for every transgression, while the olah offers atonement for all of the times that the individual missed opportunities to perform a positive commandment.
Although the Gemara does not reach a conclusion regarding this question, it is important to help us understand the underlying principles of this korban olah. The korban olah does not serve the identical purpose of the korban hattat. It is not a sacrifice of atonement for a particular sin, rather it serves as a gift to God that repairs a broken or distressed relationship with Him (see this point developed further on tomorrow’s daf). Thus, the olah sacrifice is not connected to a single mitzvah, and it can serve to repair the damage done by neglecting any number of positive commandments.
As Rashi points out, the question in our Gemara does not relate to the time after the olah has already been sacrificed, when it certainly cannot serve to atone for what happened in the past. Still, when the positive commandment was neglected before the sacrifice was actually brought – even if the animal had already been set aside – it is possible that theolah could serve to repair the covenantal relationship even with regard to that transgression.


What is Title I-A?
Title I-A is a federal program that provides supplemental funds to schools to help support academic learning. Title I-A eligibility is determined by the percent of students that qualify for free/reduced lunch. Title I funds are used for educational services for students most in need of support, parental involvement opportunities and professional development. Title I-A funds are available for teachers, materials, and support services for schools that qualify under ESSA guidelines. The focus of the Title I-A program is on helping all students meet the same high standards expected of all children.
Parental Involvement (KIBSD BOE Policy BP 6020)
The School Board recognizes that parents/guardians are their children’s first and most influential teachers and that continued parental involvement in the education of children contributes greatly to student achievement and conduct. Parents/guardians can directly affect academic success by reinforcing their children’s motivation and commitment to education. The District shall include parent involvement strategies as a component of instructional planning.
Teachers and parents/guardians can better understand and meet student needs if they work together. All of our schools have a duty to communicate frequently with the home and to help parents/guardians develop skills and family management techniques which support classroom learning. Administrators and teachers should keep parents/guardians well informed about school expectations and tell them when and how they can assist their children in support of classroom learning activities. The Board encourages staff training in effective communication with the home.
The Board encourages parents/guardians to serve as volunteers in the schools and to attend student performances and school meetings.
Kodiak Island Borough School District Title I-A Schools
North Star Elementary
Targeted Assistance Programs
Old Harbor K-12
Port Lions K-12
Resources for Parents
Alaska Department of Education & Early Development – Title 1-A: Improving Basics Program
Alaska Department of Education & Early Development Parents and Students


The 45th president is only symptomatic of a nation built by white supremacy, settler colonialism, cisheteropatriarchy, racial capitalism, and US imperialism. No new library is necessary to help us understand this moment, as the library exists already in white spaces we can read as texts: carceral spaces filled with stolen people; commodified monoculture and resource extraction on stolen land; museums of stolen objects and ideas; pipelines and borderwalls allowing capital to move but not communities; statehouses, built through the stolen labor and knowledge of enslaved people; militarized police violence as environmental design. These library stacks (architecture, urban design, and infrastructure) are both produced by and reproduce whiteness as an intentional racial formation and as biopolitical tools of the colonizer state. They are continuous with each other as a system, depend on individuals' complicity with white supremacy to uphold them, and are never neutral. The white behaviors and white spaces in this image are but a few examples of the harm that white supremacy inflicts upon all of us, including those who are themselves racialized as white. Whiteness is not neutral, white architectural space is not neutral, and for those who read this nation every day in its white constructions, this moment was already written in stone, concrete, and steel.


Kate asks for a volunteer from the audience to join her on stage. She asks for another volunteer to keep time on a stopwatch. She asks another volunteer to keep score of how many times she and the stage volunteer agree upon then complete the tasks.
She and the stage volunteer stand center stage. There is a box on stage with all the necessary props for the activities that will be performed. There is a screen behind them. They turn to look behind them and the first slide reads “Ready?”
Kate and the stage volunteer use the hand signals to show how they feel. If either signals level hand or thumbs down, Kate encourages them to pause, take a couple deep breaths. Then the slide for “Ready?” reappears and Kate and the stage volunteer signal how they feel. If the stage volunteer isn’t ready, a new stage volunteer is found.
When thumbs up agreement is reached between Kate and the stage volunteer, the slides scroll through the following activities that Kate and the stage volunteer must decide to agree upon and perform or disagree upon and move to the next slide:
Do five jumping jacks
Sing a duet of Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star
Drink from the same glass with separate straws
Role play asking someone on a date
Take off your shirt, exchange shirts, put on the other person’s shirt, then take off their shirt, exchange shirts, and switch back to your own shirt
Do si do
Simultaneously spit water on a big piece of tissue paper
Sit on the floor and share a story from your childhood about a memorable injury
Feed each other grapes
(More activities can be generated)
When the minute is up, Kate will ask the volunteer score keeper how many mutually-agreed upon activities she and the volunteer completed together. The results are celebrated or uncelebrated.
Kate thanks all the volunteers for their participation.


A Bus Stand paragraph
Commonly a bus stand is a place where buses stop and start from. It is a sort of temporary shelter for the passengers. Generally, it stands at the outskirts of a town or a city. It carries a great value for the passengers of long drive.
Passengers have to wait for some time to catch a bus. So they come and wait for buses in a stand in a waiting room. In some bus stands there are many counters for tickets; people stand in a queue for buying tickets. Sometimes, there is an exchange of hot words if anybody breaks the line. Sometimes, there is a book stall or arrangement for light refreshment there.
Hawkers with snacks, betel-leaves and cigarettes make a little business in a bus stand. Sometimes, seasonal fruits are sold in a bus stand. People have to wait for a long time to avail themselves of a bus as there are not enough buses to carry the passengers.
Most of the buses cannot come to the station in time because of traffic jam. It is sometimes seen that buses are overcrowded and the environment inside the buses is suffocating.
There rises a hue and cry. Pushing and shoving occur among the passengers. It looks like a mini battle field. However, nowadays, there are some bus stands where some rules and regulations are, maintained.
For a secured and comfortable journey, the service facilities of each bus stand should be improved.
[N.B. Don't space in exam script]


Side Effects of Eating Too Much Oatmeal
"They achieve this by adding sugar, chocolate chips, and other sweet food items which ultimately decreases oatmeal's
overall nutritional value as these additions throw in extra calories, fat, sugar, carbs."
"Although daily oatmeal breakfasts can provide you with all the energy and nutrition you need to jump-start your day
eating these everyday imposes restrictions on the variety of healthy foods you can eat in the morning,"
"Although oatmeal helps promote weight loss by suppressing your appetite, too much of it can lead to malnutrition and muscle mass shedding,"
Eating almost nothing but oatmeal can also interfere with your cognitive functions and diminish your alertness and sharpness."
Because of the fiber content in oatmeal, the digestion process may cause some bloating for a person—especially if you're not used to eating oatmeal
If you're eating larger portions of oatmeal at a time, you may experience bloating from the higher amount of fiber in your system.
"Eating a jumbo serving of oatmeal can lead to weight gain," says Young. "And watch the toppings
a tablespoon or two of crushed walnuts or flaxseeds is great but too much butter or sugar isn't."
No-Gym Workout for Six-Pack Abs


Termites are a major threat to your home which is for most, your biggest investment. Termites never stop eating. They work 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
What Are Termites?
Termites are not ants. Termites have a highly developed social organization, which in many ways resembles that of ants and bees. All known species live in colonies, numbering from a few hundred to millions.
Why Are Termites A Threat?
Termites’ diet consists mostly of cellulose, which is obtained from a variety of sources such as living trees, seasoned timber, books, grasses, etc. Termites attack untreated wood, and usually by the time their work is visible, the timber is virtually eaten away.
How to Eradicate & Prevent Termite Infestations?
Termites gain entry in homes and buildings in a number of ways.
- By constructing mud tubes over concrete stumps
- By tunneling up the center pipe of wooden stumps
- By constructing mud tubes from the soil to the flooring within cavity walls
- Through hairline cracks which appear in concrete slabs around plumbing and electrical conduits
Redline Pest Control will help you protect your home by developing a customized solution in order to manage these destructive pests.
We use a broad range of products and services designed to eradicate your termite problems.


Such competitive world, training is a rather significant device for you to achieve life. Education is must both for gents and ladies quite as both together make an informed and society that is healthy. It provides many purposes to your lifelike while the growth of the individual development, increases social status and wellness.
Most of how are you affected in culture disclosures to the school technique, impacting pupils and their learning and knowledge experience. Class systems should recognize what forms of social issues are of main anxiety, and teach students regarding methods to fight them. Parents and instructors can cooperate on plans for reducing social problems in schools.
1. Class room racism
Racism is just a social problem that is contained in every part of culture, from company atmospheres to schools.
That this nagging issue spent some time working its method into classrooms is proofed by biased peers filled with prejudiced records towards classmates of minority backgrounds. Nevertheless instructors can ban language disputes in school, racism might continue steadily to endure if moms and dads donвЂ™t assist to accurate also the preconception behaviors of these kiddies in your home. Læs videre “Effect of Personal Problems in Education. therefore, pupils and instructors should always be careful towards these issues that are social”


Michael's map had average to solidly above average map across the board. His personal statement and personal experience shows thoughtful engagement with how compactness can be an important metric for communities to be kept together in maps.
The goal of my map was to redistrict Pennsylvania so that it contains compact districts that encompass naturally occurring communities. The term “representation” connotates the need for an elected leader to accurately represent their own unique community. This type of representation is not possible when districts are designed to fulfill political motives rather than to encompass a specific community that resides in a particular geographic area. Most communities do not sharply curve, bend, or skip across a far-reaching area so neither should congressional districts! Communities do not stop at county borders, so it is not necessary that congressional districts do so either. For example, my hometown of West Chester in Chester County has more commonality with municipalities in neighboring Delaware County than it does with rural areas located in the western portion of Chester County.
During my time as a community outreach intern with a local state representative, I experienced the impact of gerrymandering first-hand. The district was not remotely compact, and it contained a sharp northward turn that resulted in an unnecessarily elongated shape. It is challenging to centrally locate a district office in a gerrymandered district making it difficult for constituents to reach the various services offered by their representative’s office. Geography often determines what types of problems you face; whether it be an issue with a natural resource, a complaint about a school district, or being impacted by a natural disaster. Since geography often dictates what problems people face, geography should dictate how districts are drawn because representatives should work to help solve these issues.
Drawing my map to emphasize compactness in addition to population equivalence led me to create districts that extend outward from Pennsylvania’s two major cities. Since many people moved out of cities into suburbs, communities often expand outward from the city and typically share a common culture. While values such as competitiveness are healthy for our democracy, the goal of legislative districts is not to promote partisan competition and competitiveness can occur in primary elections. Many communities share similar political values and face similar challenges so districts should be drawn to represent naturally occurring communities.


Unless your tomato plant produces blossoms, it will not produce tomatoes. Develop a tomato plant that is well-suited for your climate. Otherwise, the plant probably will not produce fruit and blooms as anticipated. In a climate with moderate summer temperatures and cool nights around 45 to 55 degrees Fahrenheit, develop varieties such as Carmelo, Valerie, Large Red Cherry and Bingo. Then carefully care for your tomato plant in the get-go to raise and get as many flowers as possible for optimum tomato creation.
Water a tomato plant deeply with 1 to 2 inches of water every watering session to help it develop a deep, extensive root system. The better the root system, the more blossoms your plant will create. Water only when the soil feels dry to the touch approximately 3 to 4 inches deep. If, however, the plant remains in its transplant pot, water when the soil is dry around 1 inch deep , and water until water seeps from the pot’s drainage hole.
Plant a tomato transplant in the backyard once it reaches 6 to 8 inches tall. Pinch off all its lower leaves to maximize its immune system, which will boost blossom production. Plant the transplant in a 45-degree angle and 2 inches deeper than it had been in the pot. Plant tomatoes in a location which receives six to eight hours of sunlight per day in rich, loamy soil that has been amended with organic matter, such as compost or leaf mold.
Keep weeds under control. Weeds consume the nutrients and water a tomato plant needs to generate optimum flower creation. Keep up with hand-pulling of weeds, and apply a 3- to 4-inch thick layer sprays, such as wood chips, to help curb new weed growth.


“A fox knows many things, but a hedgehog knows one big thing” — Isaiah Berlin
In this book, I will take you through a history of psychology. We will start at the very beginning, and learn how psychoanalysis was created, and then we will learn about the philosophies and scientific discoveries that inspired psychoanalytic pioneers such as Freud and Jung.
We will then move on to the more recent past, and I will show you some of the problems with the psychological enterprise, both in terms of the veracity of their its claims, and the impact it has had on society.
The point of this book was to provide the reader with a concise, panoramic view of the history of ideas about the self and human nature. Without the appropriate context, it is impossible to understand the basis of psychological ideas today, and to know what to make of them. But with the help of many great books, I have been able to provide sufficient amount of context to the discussion.
Throughout the book, you will learn about some of the best answers we have to the questions that have puzzled human beings since the dawn of civilization. Why does conflict exist? Why is advertising so effective? Why is the world so polarized? What is the nature of the self? Why is there a rise in narcissism in the modern world? And why do so many people believe such strange ideas?
You can spend a few years figuring it out, or you can read The Dichotomy of the Self and get some help from the world’s greatest thinkers throughout history. Choose wisely!


The words raiser, razer, razor sound the same but have different meanings and spellings. Why do raiser, razer, razor sound the same even though they are completely different words?
The answer is simple: raiser, razer, razor are homophones of the English language.
A person or thing that raises.
Someone who razes.
A sharp-edged cutting instrument used especially for shaving the face or other body parts.
A device for holding a razorblade, with guards to prevent cutting of the skin. Also called safety razor.
An electric instrument with vibrating or rotating blades used for shaving.
To shave, cut, or remove with or as with a razor: razored off the mustache; razored pages from a rare book.
Definitions from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License, from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition and Wordnik.
Homophones (literally "same sound") are usually defined as words that share the same pronunciation, regardless of how they are spelled.
If they are spelled the same then they are also homographs (and homonyms); if they are spelled differently then they are also heterographs (literally "different writing").


In Reuban Sachs, one of the elements of the plot I immediately noticed was the prevalence of romance and courtship. Much of the plot surrounds Reuben and Judith, and their relationship within both the conservative and insular Jewish community, and the wider London Victorian society. The use of courtship is something reoccurring in Victorian texts. In Wuthering Heights with Heathcliff and Catherine, and Great Expectations with Pip and Estella. Romance and love seem to be natural tools used to explore the limits of Victorian society, both in a general sense and more specifically within the texts (the Jewish community in Reuban Sachs, or class/money in Great Expectations).
What is specifically included in each of these texts is the concept of true love against societal expectations. When Reuban and Judith see each other again in Chapter 3, they immediately feel drawn to each other, “he heard and saw nothing but the sound of Leo’s violin, and the face of Judith Quixano” (pg 31). This is immediately followed in Chapter 4 by descriptions of societal expectations, how insular and difficult marriage was within the Jewish community and the talk of the pragmatic and financial portion of marriage and courtship.
Pip’s desire to improve his social standing to court Estella, and Heathcliff’s status at Wuthering Heights all force Victorian societal boundaries in relationships. Why use romantic relationships specifically to tackle these themes? Maybe they are areas specifically targeted towards younger members of Victorian society, and romance is one of the few driving things that could be influential enough to shake up these social rules for characters. I am curious to see how the rest of Reuban Sachs plays out and to see if the relationships within this novel play out the same way as Wuthering Heights and Great Expectations.


Protect Your Neck : The Danger of Neck Circles
There are several exercises that people commonly perform that may predispose the body to unintended injury. One of these commonly performed exercises is known as a Neck Circle, or Neck Roll. This exercise is performed by tucking the chin to the chest, and then rolling the head in a circular motion in an attempt to stretch the muscles and ligaments of the neck. Neck Circles are frequently used as a warm up activity prior to exercise, and are also often performed in an attempt to relieve some accumulated stress after a long day. This is an exercise that all of us have performed at one point or another, and it is one that we should be extremely cautious to perform again. Neck Circles pose as especially risky maneuvers due to the fact that multiple motions of the cervical spine are simultaneously combined while performing one movement, often times with high speed motion. The circling motion utilizes a combination of three different cervical ranges of motion including backwards bending of the neck, turning of the head, and side bending of the head and neck. When performed individually, these motions are harmless, as they are congruent to normal cervical motion. However, danger ensues when we perform a combination of these motions simultaneously, as done when performing a Neck Circle. The reason being is that this motion puts the head and neck in an extreme position far beyond the parameters of normal cervical movement, thus increasing the potential for both compression and hyperextension of the cervical spine, resulting instability and injury.
There are far more safe and effective ways to stretch the muscles of the neck while eliminating the potential for injury upon performance. A more appropriate stretch would be tilting the head to the side, bringing an ear down towards the shoulder. This stretch targets the Trapezius muscle which extends over the back of the neck and shoulders, and is an area where many people experience muscle tension. This is just one example of many other safe and beneficial neck stretches. If you feel the need to stretch and relieve tension in your neck, take a moment to think about whether the stretch you are about to perform is actually safe. Some points to consider are whether or not you can maintain appropriate cervical posture while performing the stretch, and whether the movement falls within the realm of ‘normal' cervical motion. If you have any uncertainty in regards to cervical stretches you are currently performing, schedule an appointment for Rehab to ensure that your neck does not become a pain in the neck.


This is a great exercise for learning to balance and work in the frontal plane. When we talk about the frontal plane, we mean the plane on which side-to-side movement occurs. When we’re young, we play and move in different planes all the time. As we age and generally get more sedentary, it is common to have weakness in the frontal plane, which makes us more susceptible to hip, knee, and foot injuries.
Start Position: Lie on your side, balancing on your hip so your pelvis is perpendicular to the mat. Your bottom arm is reaching over your head, and your head is resting on it as a pillow. Use your top arm to stabilize against the mat. Point your toes. It is important to find that balance point so your hip bones are perpendicular to the mat.
• Exhale: Lift your leg up into air to hip height, making sure you are using your butt muscles.
• Inhale: Flex your foot toward you as you lower you leg back to starting position.
Alternative positions: Bottom knee bent—this increases your ability to stabilize because you will have a wider base of support. Your bottom hip and knee are flexed, and your heel should line up with your butt.
Common Form Mistakes:
• Tension in neck and shoulders: Use scapular stabilizers to keep shoulder blades from coming up toward your ears.
• Pelvis rotates forward: This causes increased extension at the low back on the side of the hip that points toward the ceiling.
• Pelvis rotates backward: This causes increased hip flexion and increased muscle activity at the anterior hip—it works TFL (tensor fascia lata) and ITB (iliotibial band) muscles without isolating the gluteus medius.
• Poor alignment to start the exercise: Poor alignment makes it more difficult to stabilize and stay in the frontal plane.


Protect Illinois’ Only Wild and Scenic River from Toxic Coal Ash
The Middle Fork of the Vermilion River is Illinois’ only Wild and Scenic River, and one of the most beautiful and biologically-diverse in the Midwest. This special place is home to numerous unique and endangered species. However, it is also impacted by more than three million cubic yards of toxic coal ash.
Dynegy, a power company, owns a decommissioned coal-fired power plant, and its coal ash is stored just feet from the Middle Fork of the Vermilion River. The coal ash sits in three unlined pits that continuously seep toxic contaminants into the river. The banks next to these pits are eroding from the natural force of the meandering river. A breach in one of the walls of the pits could result in a coal ash spill that would have devastating consequences for recreation, riverfront development, and the area’s delicate, biologically-rich ecosystem. Kickapoo State Park is immediately downstream from the coal ash pits, and Danville’s riverfront project is just 12 miles away.
Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner and the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA) have been derelict in their duty to protect the pristine beauty that is the Middle Fork of the Vermilion.
Tell Governor Bruce Rauner and the IEPA they must not only prevent Dynegy from polluting this Wild and Scenic River, but also ensure that Dynegy’s coal ash pits do not pose a perpetual threat to the health of the Middle Fork or create a financial burden on taxpayers.


February 3, 2017 In News
Celebrate the ‘love’ of literacy this Valentine’s Day
Parents and caregivers have the opportunity to surpass the surface of candy hearts and roses this Valentine’s Day by taking one step further to teach children the importance of kindness and compassion.
Many children’s books teach kid-friendly love lessons and share educational Valentine’s stories meant to pull at the heart strings. Love comes in many forms, including family, friends, kindness and meaningful relationships.
Visit your local book store this holiday, find a cozy corner with your little one and turn the page with one of these great “love” titles:
- Snuggle Puppy by Sandra Boynton is the perfect love story for young children that can be enjoyed all year long. The canine cast complements the harmonious love story between a mother dog and her pup.
- Happy Valentine’s Day, Mouse! by Laura Numeoff, which pairs well with If You Give a Mouse a Cookie, tells the tale of a mouse celebrating Valentine’s Day with his friends. Mouse makes special valentines that are customized for each of his friends to show what he loves about them.
- The Invisible String by N. Di Angelo teaches how everyone is connected by “an invisible string” called love that reaches from heart to heart. The Invisible String is perfect for children to may be apart from their family this Valentine’s Day.
- Llama Llama I Love You by Anna Dewdney features a little llama who shares heart-shaped cards and hugs with his loved ones for Valentine’s Day. The story is simple and short, perfect for babies and toddlers!
- Love from The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle uses eye-catching illustrations of love to show how love makes the world a brighter place. This loving little caterpillar is bound to eat his way into your heart!
Spend this Valentine’s Day sharing the love of family, friends and literacy with your young child!


Topographical Survey also known as Elevation Survey is a survey that depicts the contours of the existing grade. Not to be confused with an FEMA Elevation Certificate, this kind of survey is conducted to facilitate construction or used for the hopes of obtaining approval of a developmental project. In addition, the survey map is used for planning and design purposes by an engineer or architect.
Similar to a Boundary Survey, the land surveyor is responsible for locating existing conditions of all visible improvements such as buildings, walls, fences, driveways, etc. in relationship to the original property lines. In addition, the elevation of the existing grade, public utilities (telephone, electric, water, gas, and fiber optic cable lines) that service the area, sewer lines (storm and sanitary) and the inverts are observed and depicted. The product of a Topographic Survey is a Topographic map or sometimes referred to as an elevation map or a site plan. The elevation map shows the existing conditions and features of a parcel of land including spot elevations and contour lines. A spot elevation is a specific point of elevation on the ground or structure shown on a map. Contour lines are curvilinear lines on the topographic map that connects points of equal elevation of a predetermined height. This is a useful tool to determine the slope of the land and its steepness. The inverts are the elevation of the sub-terrain utility pipes that service the property. A topographic map is usually used for design purposes by an architect or civil engineer. A Topographic Survey is usually done in conjunction with a Boundary Survey and might be essential step prior to Construction Layout. The first step in a topographical survey is establishing a “Benchmark”. This benchmark will serve as a control point to establish the horizontal and vertical positioning (elevation). Typically, the benchmark’s coordinates will be determined by using an existing geodetic monument or by measuring the location of the monument complemented with GPS instrumentation. All the field measurements are linked to this benchmark location which allows the surveyor to achieve 3 dimensional coordinates for every observed measurement. Afterwards, all the gathered data is analyzed and converted to a drawing using a CAD program. The topographic map is then delivered electronically to a designer who will then use the map to for their specific needs.


Science and technology is mandatory for all students from Kindergarten to Year 6.
In science and technology, students explore the natural and made worlds. They learn how to apply scientific and technological skills, knowledge and understanding across a broad range of contexts.
From the early years students are encouraged to explore, wonder, question and design. They learn to plan and execute experiments, using the scientific processes, to assist them when answering questions relating to their current topics. They record and analyse their results, work individually and in small groups to reflect and process their information and achieve deeper understanding. Some popular units at Oakhill Drive have been chemical reactions, electricity, Earth and Space and Living Things.
During technology lessons the students use the working technologically processes to guide the design process. Students explore a task set, including internet research, investigation and surveys to identify the key criteria that will be required. They work creatively to generate ideas and produce a design that will successfully meet the set criteria and then begin to produce their designs. During this process they are frequently assessing, modifying and reflecting on their work to enable them to produce a high quality finished product. Some of our recent achievements have been our coding projects which have been designed and made by Stage One, Two and Three students, our Stage One’s bird houses made from recycled materials, our school’s bus shelter and outdoor performance area which were both designed by our 2016 /2018 Stage Two students and our Stage Three’s environmental projects where our top designs were entered into a regional competition with our Oakhill Drive students winning the competition.
Science and technology provides a way of inquiring about the world around us. It explores evidence and investigates ways to discover, develop and produce solutions to real world problems. The inquiry and skill-based nature of science and technology opens doors to ideas and discoveries and we strongly encourage and equip our students with these skills to be the problem solvers of the future.


Australian Tropical Rainforest Plants - Online edition
Artabotrys carnosipetalus Jessup
Jessup, L.W. (2007) Flora Australia 2: 447. Type: Queensland, Claudie River, 17 Sept. 1983, B. Gray 3240. Holo: BRI; ISO: QRS.
Can grow into a large tree-top vine, stem diameters to 4 cm recorded.
Leaves distichous tending to be borne in two ranks, one on each side of the twig or branch. Leaf blades about 7-17 x 3.5-6 cm, petioles about 0.4-0.7 cm long. Oil dots very small and scattered, just visible with a lens, more obvious from the upper surface. Tendrils are modified inflorescences and develop as leaf-opposed, simple +/- 2-dimensional recurved, closed, clip-like hooks about 0.7-1.5 cm long.
Flowers about 10 mm diam., emitting a strong odour resembling that of banana custard (?) Flowers produced on flattened hook-like tendrils. Pedicels about 15 mm long. Sepals about 4-5 mm long, recurved, outer surface clothed in appressed hairs. Petals three + three in two whorls, thick and fleshy, about 12-17 mm long, the inner petals fused at their apices forming an arch over the centre of the flower. Stamens numerous, 35-40, anthers sessile, each anther about 2-2.5 x 1 mm. Each anther with a conical cap at the apex. Carpels six, glabrous, about 3 mm long. Ovules two per carpel. Stigmas terminal, sessile.
Occurs in CYP. Altitudinal range from near sea level to 200 m. Grows in well developed gallery rain forest.
Food plant for the larval stages of the Green Spotted Triangle, Pale Green Triangle and the Green Triangle Butterflies. Sankowsky & Neilsen (2000).


The best way to deal with attention deficit disorder is to organize the room. Children with ADHD may have a challenging time focusing, so organizing these spaces can help them focus on their tasks. A desk in the bedroom should be out of reach, and the room should have a window overlooking natural scenery. A study area should have bare walls, so that a child can focus on studying and other activities. If your child has ADHD, he or she will find it difficult to focus, so it’s important to provide a dedicated space where he or she can relax and concentrate.
Another way to help your child with ADHD is to make his or her bedroom calming and soothing. Instead of creating an environment that will irritate your child, try setting aside a quiet corner that overlooks nature. Then, you can place the desk in an area where the child can focus on his or her activities, such as studying. For kids with ADHD, keep the rest of the room bare and quiet. And don’t forget to create a study area with bare walls so that your child can concentrate on their homework.
The idea above should help equip your child with a safe place to relax. This is especially important if your child is prone to waking up in the middle of the night, so they can spend some time in their bedrooms. It’s important to create a relaxing environment with plenty of activities and fun. The type of bed you choose for your child should be firm but not too hard, so he can easily fall asleep.
As for the study area, you should create a room that is adhd-friendly. This way, your child can focus and work more efficiently in the mornings, and at night, they’ll be more focused on studying. If your child suffers from attention issues, you can make the room more comfortable for him or her by implementing these ideas. If your child has ADHD, it’s a good idea to design the room around their attention needs.
While choosing a room with the best colors for a child with ADHD can be difficult, it can be beneficial to create a room with colors that help your child feel calm and focused. Choosing the right colors for your child’s bedroom can be beneficial for both his or her mood and anxiety levels. The best color for a child with ADHD is blue, green, or purple, but remember to choose what will work best for your child.


The Enlightenment: Places to Visit
KEYWORDS: Places-to-Visit, Enlightenment, Lunar Society, Museums
‘The Enlightenment Landscape’ a clear focus on ‘people of ideas, innovation and enterprise’. The historic counties of Derbyshire, Herefordshire, Shropshire, Staffordshire, Warwickshire and Worcestershire in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries, a period when the region was developing a shared experience. The places to visit highlighted here reveal the radical, experimental and original approaches of regional individuals to science, technology, art, industry, social reform and education.
- Bersham Heritage Centre, Wrexham - One of John 'Iron Mad' Wilkinson's ironworks.
- Black Country Living Museum, Dudley - Home to a working replica of the Newcomen Engine.
- Cromford Mills, Matlock - Site of Richard Arkwright's water-powered cotton spinning mill.
- Derby Museum & Art Gallery - Houses an internationally important collection of paintings by Joseph Wright.
- Erasmus Darwin House, Lichfield - Home to the eighteenth-century polymath and Lunar man, Dr Erasmus Darwin.
- Ironbridge, Shropshire - Centre of iron production and site of the world's first cast-iron bridge.
- Pickford's House, Derby - Family home and workplace of Joseph Pickford, architect.
- The Infirmary, Worcester - Eighteenth-century hospital now dedicated to the history of medicine.
- Wedgewood Museum, Barlaston - Tells the story of Josiah Wedgewood and the company he founded.
Download the pdf document below to read more about these places to visit.Download the Full Article (PDF)


Disturbances to animals can cause changes in behavior. Therefore, it is critical for wildlife managers to understand what disturbances may impact animals and how animals adapt to them. USGS scientists analyzed the relationship between human-based disturbance and animal movement and habitat use. Fifteen dabbling ducks were tracked with GSM-GPS units for ~4 weeks before, during, and after the start of a recreational hunting season in October/November 2018. Animal locations were recorded every 2 minutes across three separate 24-hour tracking phases: Phase 1) two weeks before the start of the hunting season (control (undisturbed) movement); Phase 2) the hunting season opening weekend; and Phase 3) a hunting weekend two weeks after opening weekend. The 24-hour tracking phases were divided into three levels of disturbance related to the time of day: high (lethal human active (hunting)/~daytime); moderate (non-lethal human active/ ~crepuscular); and low (nighttime).
The results showed that during opening weekend flight (% time and distance) more than doubled during moderate (non-lethal human active) and low (nighttime) disturbance and increased by ~50% during high (lethal human active (hunting)) disturbance compared with the pre-season weekend. Sanctuary (non-hunted areas) use increased by three times during moderate and low disturbance and increased ~50% during high disturbance. Two weeks later, flight decreased in all disturbance levels but was only less than the pre-season levels during high disturbance. In contrast, sanctuary use only decreased at night while daytime doubled from ~45% to more than 80%, although not to pre-season levels. Ducks adjusted rapidly to disturbance.
A graphical overview of the duck disturbance study shows the project design, implementation, and statistical analysis; results for different disturbance levels; and implications for duck flight patterns, energetic demands, and wetland habitat use.


Sacro Monte di Varallo Sesia
A 15th-century park that recreates a bit of the Holy Land in Italy.
The Sacro Monte, which translates to “Sacred Mountain of Varallo,” all started at the end of the 15th century when Franciscan friar Bernardino Caimi came back from his pilgrimage to the Holy Land of Jerusalem. On his return to Italy, Caimi wanted to bring a bit of the Holy Land to Varallo, a commune in the country’s Piedmont region. Caimi built some modest buildings that were meant to replicate places in Jerusalem connected to Jesus Christ’s life.
In the early 16th century, Valsesian artist Gaudenzio Ferrari was tasked with creating colorful statues to enhance Caimi’s earlier project. Later in the century, in 1565, Milanese Giacomo d’Adda hired famed architect Galeazzo Alessi to further modify the project. Then Bishop Carlo Bascapé, who served as bishop from 1593 to 1615, and his successors continued to add to the Sacro Monte.
Today Sacro Monte continues to be an ample outdoor space with gardens and natural features. The hill features a religious pilgrimage route that replicates the path taken by Jesus to his crucifixion. The Sacro Monte resembles a fortified city built on a rocky wall with its wall tapestries, monumental entrance door, and square that emulates the ancient city of Jerusalem. It also features palazzi porticati (covered palaces) and colonnades, which give it the appearance of a real city.
In addition to being a religious site, the Sacro Monte is also an artistic and architectural masterpiece. It is home to over 800 paintings and statues that depict scenes from the Bible and the life of Jesus. The combination of religious imagery, art, architecture, gardens, and forest make the Sacro Monte a unique and special place to visit.
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What To Do If You're Being Cyberbullied
What Is Cyberbullying?
The use of electronic communication to bully a person, typically by sending messages of an intimidating or threatening nature.
Cyberbullying differs from 'traditional' bullying in a number of ways, which can make it more difficult to deal with. For example:
- Cyberbullying can be 24/7, the nature of online activity means that you can be contacted at any point of the day so it's harder to have time away from the bullying
- As the bullying takes place online, there is a potential for a wider audience to get involved, which can be even more traumatising for the victim
- The person who is doing the bullying can remain anonymous, making it harder for people to get involved and put a stop to their behaviour
What Can You Do About It?
1) Save the evidence as proof to help build your case. You can do this by screenshotting and saving messages
2) Tell someone that you trust, you do not have to go through this alone
3) Report, block and mute. All social media platforms give you the option to do this
4) Remember, the problem is with them, not you. It's important to not put any blame on yourself


When Disaster Strikes, Will You be Ready?
Although disasters can happen at any time, you can plan in advance to make coping with sudden changes easier.
The American Red Cross recommends three steps to preparedness: Plan, Prepare and Stay Informed.
Your family may or may not be together in an emergency, so it’s important to have answers to these questions:
- How you will contact one another?
- How you will get back together?
- What you will do in different situations (i.e. wildfire, earthquake, power outage)?
Start by following the steps below. You can find more information and resources online.
Create a Family Disaster Plan
This lets everyone know what his or her role is in the event of an emergency. www.redcross.org/prepare/location/home-family/plan
Assemble a Personal Survival Guide and Basic Emergency Supply Kit
You can purchase kits online or put together one of your own. The kit contains important items such as medicines, ID, important documents, nonperishable food, water, batteries, flashlights, extra cash, maps, blankets and more. Have the kit ready to go in case you need to evacuate your home quickly. www.redcross.org/prepare/location/home-family/get-kit
Register your VoIP, cellular phone or email address to receive notices and alerts during disaster at Alert San Diego. You can also download Shelter Finder and First Aid mobile apps for your smartphone www.redcross.org/mobile-apps.
If It Happens:
Cal 2-1-1 or visit www.211sandiego.org/disaster-response/.
Stay informed by visiting San Diego County’s Emergency Site and listen to KOGO, AM 600.
If you are separated from family, friends and neighbors, you can list yourself or search for others in the American Red Cross’ Safe and Well Registry.
To learn more, visit:


Protect Nursing Homes: Know the Connections
Public health officials, policymakers, and nursing home decision-makers can use this data to:
Activate an early warning system to let connected nursing homes know when there is an outbreak in a home with shared staff
Identify hyper-connected homes where levels of connectivity risk may justify elevated monitoring and protective measures
Prepare for future outbreaks by developing informed staffing plans and guidelines for workers visiting multiples sites
Nursing Homes Have Been Hit Especially Hard by COVID-19 and Other Infections
0.6% of Americans live in nursing homes, but nursing home residents comprise nearly 40% of COVID-19 fatalities. New research from Yale and UCLA indicates having staff who work at more than one facility is a major factor for transmission. Nursing homes have traditionally shared staff across sites including medical directors, occupational therapists, food services, and certified nursing assistants. And in 2020, staff working in nursing homes suddenly had one of the deadliest jobs in the country. This data set aims to help public health officials and nursing home officials better understand the connections that exist between nursing homes to improve resident and staff safety.
Using Anonymous Cell Phone Data, Researchers Mapped Staff Connections
Between April and June 2020, much of the U.S. was on lockdown as coronavirus emerged--spreading quickly in nursing home facilities. To assess the spread of COVID-19, Yale and UCLA researchers accessed a representative sample of anonymous cell phone data (approximately 30% of all US cell phones). They then identified phones that were frequently at one or more nursing home facilities. Using this data, researchers created a map of interconnected nursing homes. As this was a unique time when non-employee visitation was restricted, the assumption is that most of these connections are shared staff.Learn more about the research
Protect Nursing Homes is a project of the Tobin Center for Economic Policy at Yale, in partnership with U.S. Digital Response.
It is powered by faculty at Yale and UCLA. Advisors include nursing home leaders, epidemiologists, state public health officials, and nursing home advocates. Learn more about the team.
View the connectivity data for your region or nursing home
We'd love your feedback and ideas on how this tool is being used.
Send us an email at email@example.com


GOLDEN STATE ROUTE
Until the early 1980s, Southern Pacific owned the Los Angeles to Santa Rosa, New Mexico (it leased about 67 miles of trackage between Santa Rosa and Tucumcari, New Mexico from the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad) portion of the Golden State Route and the Rock Island owned the remainder of the Route to Chicago.
When the Rock Island went into bankruptcy in 1980, Southern Pacific negotiated with William M. Gibbons, who had been appointed as receiver and and trustee by Federal Judge Frank J. McGarr. Eventually, Mr. Gibbons agreed that Southern Pacific would purchase the former Rock Island's line of railroad between Tucumcari and St. Louis. The Cotton Belt was able to arrange for funding to rehabilitate the trackage between Tucumcari and Topeka, Kansas. Union Pacific Railroad allowed the Cotton Belt to assume the former Rock Island's trackage rights over the Union Pacific between Topeka and Kansas City.
Subsequently, it was determined that the Cotton Belt did not have the financing available to rehabilitate the former Rock Island trackage between Kansas City and St. Louis, and the Missouri Pacific Railroad granted the Cotton Belt the right to operate over its trackage between the aforementioned points. Due to time constraints, the parties managed to merely negotiate a two-page term sheet to cover the arrangement. This lead to many disagreements and at the time of the Southern Pacific/Union Pacific merger in 1996, a standard form of trackage rights agreement had not been entered into by the parties.
The upshot of this acquisition is that Southern Pacific now had a route that was 400 miles shorter to the Midwest and points in the northeastern United States.
In addition to use of the Route for freight operations, between 1902 and 1968, Southern Pacific and the Rock Island ran a premier passenger train, initially named the Golden State Limited and later, the Golden State. The Route was 2,340 miles long, and the Southern Pacific's and Rock Island's main competitor for passenger business between Los Angeles and Chicago was the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway.


In an era of science-fiction medicine, why can’t we engineer the hormone to adjust itself?
More than 40 years ago, diabetes researchers began trying to modify insulin so that it would be released in just the right amounts at the right time, to keep blood glucose levels in a good range.
Today, there’s no such smart insulin in the clinic or apparently even in clinical trials.
Designer insulins keep millions of people with type 1 diabetes alive and improve the health of many millions more with advanced type 2 diabetes. But to over-generalize only slightly, these folks always have the wrong amounts of insulin circulating. Too little insulin, and people are prone to nasty long-term complications, including heart and kidney failure. Too much, and they can pass out within minutes from low blood glucose levels.
So, the quest for smart insulins is still underway in labs around the world. Occasionally smart insulin expertise gets purchased by a large pharmaceutical company. Sometimes those initiatives proceed into early clinical trials. Which fail.
Meanwhile, diabetes afflicts more than 400 million people and is ramping up. The annual insulin market is at least around $30 billion. Smart insulins could grab the lion’s share and become some of the best-selling medicines in history.
Perhaps we are waiting on conceptual breakthroughs, because insulin is a famously tricky protein and a keystone of human metabolism. Perhaps only Big Pharma firms have the necessary scientific chops, clinical experience, funds and oh yeah patents to pull it off.
But really, what’s the logjam? How will it be broken?
Designer insulins Humalog, Tresiba and Novolog, courtesy Protein Data Bank.


The term Slot comes from a combination of two words: slots and flying display. The former refers to the fourth position of the flying display, while the latter relates to a rectangle in ice hockey. Both terms are related to the verb *sleutana, which is cognate with the German Schloss. The former denotes a person who can’t live without his gadgets. This term applies to both guys and girls, and is used widely in urban youth culture.
The definition of slot can vary greatly. A slot is a narrow opening, usually made from metal, for receiving things or a position. In some games, it may be defined as the part of the slot that is unmarked, or it may refer to a specific feature or function. For instance, an aircraft wing may have a slot, which is a hole where the air can flow. The term “slot” has several different meanings.
Video slots operate similarly to their conventional counterparts, except that a video image replaces the spinning reels. This type of slot machine was a controversial introduction to gaming culture because players distrusted them because they lacked the feel of control over the game. In reality, however, video slot machines do not affect the outcome of the game. But manufacturers have included handles and reels in their video slots to give players the impression of control. This may be the only way to get more out of this game.


Sustainable management of surplus soils and aggregates (RP1124)
Brownfield projects and other types of construction projects generate large amounts of waste soil. Managing soil arisings and waste has always been an important and sometimes difficult issue with the complexities of deciding “when is waste not waste” and when it is. How to classify and safely handle, store and dispose of that waste to comply with relevant legal obligations.
The CL:AIRE Definition of Waste: Development Industry Code of Practice (DoW CoP) has provided help in deciding when soil arisings may not be waste in the construction industry. Similarly, the WRAP Quality protocols have aided in determining when recycling soil arisings and demolition material will ceases to be ‘waste’. In practice the application of these End of Waste Protocols are often difficult to apply, the former frequently due to a lack of understanding as to what ‘suitability for use ‘means because it requires a diverse range of skills; and the latter because the industry has been slow to recognise the requirements for crushed concrete to reach its end of waste status.
Many brownfield projects even after the application of the waste hierarchy, are left with surplus soil requiring disposal, and the intricacies of classifying waste, frequently heterogeneous in nature, are often baffling to the non-expert.


Scientists from the Universities of Dresden and Leipzig have presented a new method for detecting hormonally active substances in food, cosmetics and water in the journal “Biosensors & Bioelectronics”. Hormonally active substances can cause serious health problems, including breast and prostate cancer, thyroid disorders, and neurological and mental illnesses. A fast and simple analytical method for risk assessment of products and food is therefore an important tool for health and consumer protection.
They are almost everywhere - in food, washing powder, dishwashing detergent, cosmetic products, in medicines as well as in drinking and waste water: hormonally active compounds such as synthetic estrogen derivatives, which are the main ingredient in hormonal contraceptives, or the "bulk chemical" bisphenol A (BPA), which is used for example in beverage bottles or food cans. Its harmful effects on humans and the environment have long been proven.
However, simple detection of endocrine disruptors for effective monitoring and reliable risk assessment of products and waters is a challenge due to the structural diversity of the substances. Previous analytical methods are usually based on complex laboratory-diagnostic procedures or do not reach the required detection limits. The new method developed by scientists at the Universities of Dresden and Leipzig could now remedy this situation, which is why a patent application has been filed.
"Our method detects hormonally active compounds using immobilized sulfotransferases and microparticles and includes a kit for detecting the compounds in food, cosmetics, water samples and much more. To this end, we have implemented this enzyme of estrogen metabolism into a biosensor that serves as a "capture probe" for estrogen-like compounds. Depending on the concentration of estrogen-like compounds in the detection solution, the binding of microparticles to a biochip is impaired and thus even low concentrations of hormonally active substances can be detected quickly and easily," explains Prof. Tilo Pompe from the University of Leipzig.
"In particular, I would like to point out the modularity of implementing an estrogen-metabolizing enzyme, as the approach is not limited to this specific enzyme, but also allows the use of other hormone-metabolizing or hormone-binding proteins in a multiplex assay. This could open new approaches to cover the whole complexity of evaluating hormonally active substances without animal testing," adds Dr. Kai Ostermann from Technische Universität Dresden.