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UPDATED, March 29, 2020
NOTE: More recent data is now available here.
Among the 53 metro areas with a million or more population:
- New York, New Orleans, Detroit and Seattle have the highest incidence of pandemic among large metros.
- Detroit has now surpassed Seattle in cases per capita
- New York had the highest level of reported cases per 100,000: 302
- The typical (median) large metropolitan area had a rate of about 17 cases per 100,000
- Half of all metropolitan areas had between 11 and 31 cases per 100,000.
- The number of cases in the typical metro area has increased by about 25 percent per day in the past week.
- The typical metro is only about 1-2 weeks behind these cities in the progression of the virus.
City Observatory presents here its estimates of the prevalence and recent growth of reported Covid-19 cases in large US metropolitan areas. We update this page regularly with the most recent available data. The data on this page was last updated with data on counts of cases through March 28, 2020. Caution should be used in interpreting these figures. Case data can vary from the actual incidence of Corona virus infections due to differences in testing regimes and availability across jurisdictions, as well as other factors. We believe that metro area levels and trends may be a useful geography for understanding the spread and intensity of the pandemic: most published data are available at only the state or county level. States are too large to accurately capture the the incidence of the pandemic; and counties are often too variable and too small. Metro areas capture labor markets and commuting sheds, and are defined consistently, making them more appropriate geographic units for judging the spread of the virus. As is our common practice at City Observatory, our focus is on metro areas with populations of 1 million or more.
Metro areas ranked by reported Covid-19 cases per 100,000 population
The following chart shows the number of reported cases of Covid-19 cases per 100,000 population is US metropolitan areas with a population of 1 million or more as of March 28, 2020. Metropolitan data are computed by aggregating county level data available from USAFacts.org. Metropolitan areas are ranked highest to lowest according to the number of reported cases per capita.
New York, New Orleans, Seattle and Detroit have the highest number of cases per capita of US metro areas. New York's rate is currently 302 cases per 100,000. New Orleans (186),Detroit (93) and Seattle (83) have the next highest rates of reported cases. The median large metropolitan area has about 16.6 cases per 100,000 population.
Map of metro areas, reported Covid-19 cases per 100,000 population
The following map illustrates the relative number of reported Covid-19 cases per capita among large US metropolitan areas. Darker red colors indicate metro areas with the highest reported incidence of cases. Numbers on each metro area represent cases per 100,000 on March 28.
Growth rates in the number of cases
The key strategy in fighting the Covid-19 pandemic is reducing social distancing to slow the rate of transmission of the virus. A key indicator of whether we are "flattening the curve" is whether the growth rate of the number of cases is increasing or decreasing. The following chart shows the growth in the number of cases for selected metropolitan areas from March 13 through March 28.
The growth rates of the four cities with the highest rates of reported cases per capita paint divergent and interesting patterns of the pandemic. For a time, Seattle had the highest rate of cases per capita of any US city. That has changed in the past two weeks. New York, New Orleans, and Detroit have surpassed Seattle. On March 19, Seattle, New York and New Orleans all had nearly the same number of reported cases per 100,000 (about 30 per capita). Since then, their growth paths have diverged: New York has grown most rapidly, followed by New Orleans; Seattle's growth has been subdued. Meanwhile, over that same period of time, the growth of cases in Detroit has increased sharply: On March 18, Detroit had just 1.4 reported cases per 100,000 population, essentially the same as the median of all large metro areas. By March 28, that had increased to 93 cases per 100,000; the third highest rate among large US metro areas.
To put the spread of the pandemic in context, it is worth noting that just fifteen dayws ago, no large US metro had a prevalence of reported Covid-19 cases of more than 15 per 100,000 population (Seattle was 12.2). Today, more than 60 percent (32 of 53) of the nation's 53 largest metro areas have a reported prevalence of more than 15 cases per 100,000. Over the past few weeks, it appears that there's about two weeks difference between the worst afflicted metro, and the typical large metro. Whether that continues to be the case depends on the efficacy of social distancing and other measures.
Prevalence versus Growth
Slowing or stopping the spread of the virus depends on steadily decreasing the growth rate in the number of cases. This is especially important as the prevalence of the virus becomes more widespread. Here we've plotted the current prevalence of reported cases in each metropolitan area (shown on the horizontal axis) against the growth rate of reported cases in the past week in that metropolitan area (on the vertical axis). The number of cases in each metropolitan area is proportional to the size of the circle representing each metro area. You can mouse-over individual circles on the chart to fully identify each metro area, and see the underlying data for numbers of cases, cases per 100,000 and the growth rate in cases over the last week.
We've used the means of the two variables (growth rate (25% daily) and number of cases per 100,000 (31), to divide the chart into four quadrants. These quadrants help sort out which metro areas are experiencing the crisis to a greater or lesser degree. Metro areas in the upper right hand quadrant are clearly most afflicted: they have both higher than average rates of cases per capita and are growing faster than the average metro area (in the past week). The lower right hand quadrant identifies metro areas with relatively higher rtes of cases per capita, but slower rates of increase. Ideally, one wants to be in the lower left hand quadrant (low number of cases per capita, low growth rate). The upper left hand quadrant is uncertain, but with cause for concern: these cities (so far) have lower rates of cases per capita, but are seeing the virus spread faster than in the average metro area. Memphis and Providence both have high rates of increases in the number of cases in the past week, but on a very low base, so the weekly growth rate may not be representative of the longer term trend. Over time, the strategy of flattening the curve should lead individual metropolitan areas to progress from the upper left hand quadrant (low rates and fast growth) to the lower right hand quadrant (lower rates and lower growth).
To make this picture a bit clearer, we've shortened the horizontal scale to exclude the two cities–New York and New Orleans–wit the highest numbers of cases per capita. This chart makes it clearer which cities are in which quadrants.
The table and map rely on published data from state health departments, aggregated by USAFActs.org. Please use caution in interpreting these data. It is likely that in some areas, the number of cases is under-reported due to the lack of available testing capacity, or pressing medical conditions. There are widespread differences in the number of tests administered relative to the size of the population in each state, and tests are not given randomly, and may be restricted solely to persons with symptoms, likely exposure or high risk in some states. As a result, the ratio of reported to unreported, undiagnosed cases may vary across geography. Moreover, changes in reported numbers of cases from day to day or week to week may reflect changes in the availability or application of testing over time, rather than the true rate of growth in the number of persons affected.
Notes and revisions
An earlier version of estimates for the New York Metropolitan area reported on March 25 included an incorrect estimate of the rate of reported Covid-19 cases per 100,000 population. The actual reported incidence for that date was 179.2, not 259 City Observatory originally reported. City Observatory regrets this error, and has adjusted its population aggregation methodology to resolve this problem. Data for New York City are reported as a single entity in the USA Facts database and are not disaggregated by county (borough); Our original tabulations included all cases from all five boroughs but mistakenly excluded population for the boroughs of Queens, Bronx, Brooklyn and Staten Island from the denominator, inflating our reported estimate of the rate per capita.


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Significance and Use
Test Method—The pulse test method is used to determine the transmissivity and storativity of low-permeability formations surrounding the packed-off intervals. This test method is considerably shorter in duration than the pump and slug tests used in more permeable rocks. To obtain results to the desired accuracy, pump and slug tests in low-permeability formations are too time consuming, as indicated in Fig. 1 (from Bredehoeft and Papadopulos (1)).
Analysis—The transient pressure data obtained using the suggested method are evaluated by the curve-matching technique described by Bredehoeft and Papadopulos (1), or by an analytical technique proposed by Wang et al (2). The latter is particularly useful for interpreting pulse tests when only the early-time transient pressure decay data are available.
Conversions—The permeability of a formation is often expressed in terms of the unit darcy. A porous medium has a permeability of 1 darcy when a fluid of viscosity 1 cP (1 mPa·s) flows through it at a rate of 1 cm3/s (10−6 m 3/s)/1 cm2 (10−4 m2) cross-sectional area at a pressure differential of 1 atm (101.4 kPa)/1 cm (10 mm) of length. One darcy corresponds to 0.987 μm2. For water as the flowing fluid at 20°C, a hydraulic conductivity of 9.66 μm/s corresponds to a permeability of 1 darcy.
Viscosity of Water—Table 1 shows the viscosity of water as a function of temperature.
TABLE 1 Viscosity of Water as a Function of Temperature
|Temperature, °C||Absolute Viscosity, mPa·s|
1.1 This test method covers a field procedure for determining the transmissivity and storativity of geological formations having permeabilities lower than 10−3 μm2 (1 millidarcy) using the pressure pulse technique.
1.2 The transmissivity and storativity values determined by this test method provide a good approximation of the capacity of the zone of interest to transmit water, if the test intervals are representative of the entire zone and the surrounding rock is fully water saturated.
1.3 The values stated in SI units are to be regarded as the standard. The values in parentheses are for information only.
1.4 This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety and health practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.
borehole drilling; discontinuities; fault zones; field testing flow and flow rate; groundwater; permeability; pressure testing; pulse testing; rock; saturation; storativity; transmissivity; viscosity; water; water saturation: Borehole drilling; Discontinuities--rock; Fault zones; Field testing--rock; Flow and flow rate--soil/rock/related materials; Permeability--soil/rock; Pressure testing--rock; Pulse testing; Rock materials/properties/analysis; Saturation; Storativity; Transmissivity and reflectivity; Viscosity--rock; Water analysis; Water saturation;
ICS Number Code 93.020 (Earth works. Excavations. Foundation construction. Underground works)
ASTM International is a member of CrossRef.
Citing ASTM Standards
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source: HuggingFaceFW/fineweb-edu


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In 2010, The Dawes Arboretum along with state and federal agencies, private and public organizations, and respected field professionals, formed the Ohio Native Plant Network (ONPN).
Ohio Native Plant Defined
An Ohio native plant is one that was part of the Ohio landscape in the late 1700s, before European settlers arrived, and when nearly 95 percent of Ohio was forested. The rich woodlands with towering trees, some standing 100-150 feet tall, were some of the most impressive of all temperate zone hardwood forests.
The rapid European settlement of Ohio resulted in a steady decline of forest cover and wetlands, as they were cleared and drained to make way for agriculture. The native plant species that the ONPN focuses on are those that survived the vast changes to the ecosystems during times of settlement.
The ONPN establishes guidelines for the collection, propagation and distribution of trees, shrubs and herbaceous perennials of wild known origin. The overarching goal is to create a vision to enhance native plant biodiversity, conserve local genotypes and restore native plant communities in Ohio.
Enhance native plant biodiversity
To enhance native plant biodiversity, the group considers and addresses the following issues:
- Habitat loss and degradation – This is mostly due to competition from non-native, invasive plant species.
- The threat of climate change on present Ohio native plant species – As species decline and disappear, species more tolerant of a warmer, wetter climate will move north and many Ohio native plant species that coexisted and co-evolved with these ecosystems may disappear.
Conserve local genotypes
To attain the goal of conserving local genotypes, the ONPN encourages planters to buy plant material that originates from Ohio and the local eco-region. When the environmental conditions of the plant material source—the seeds—are matched to that of the planting site, the better it grows. This occurs because species have become genetically adapted to their local conditions. Therefore, buying locally will preserve not only the diversity of Ohio native plant species but also genetic diversity within each species.
Restore native plant communities
Another goal of the ONPN is to restore native plant communities in Ohio by working collaboratively with Ohio nursery and landscape industries to ensure the availability and use of common Ohio native plants of local known genotypes.
To accomplish this, seeds from common Ohio native plants of wild known origins are collected and then dispersed to local nursery and landscape industries for their use and for eventual distribution to anyone responsible for creating backyard landscapes as well as restoring natural ecosystems.
Promoting public awareness in regards to Ohio native plant conservation and the value in choosing Ohio native plants of local genotypes for home landscapes will be a key component to the success of the project as it moves forward.

source: openbmb/Ultra-FineWeb


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Are you a fan of the iconic VW Golf? Curious about its weight and how it contributes to its performance on the road? Well, look no further! In this blog post, we're going to delve into the world of automotive engineering and explore just how much a VW Golf weighs.
Buckle up and join us on this fascinating journey as we uncover the secrets behind one of Europe's most beloved compact cars!
The Evolution of the VW Golf's Weight
The Volkswagen Golf, commonly known as the VW Golf, has been a popular choice among car enthusiasts for over four decades. It is one of the most iconic and best-selling models by the German automaker Volkswagen.
With each new generation, the VW Golf has undergone significant changes in terms of design, technology, and performance. But one aspect that often goes unnoticed is its weight.
When it was first introduced in 1974, the VW Golf weighed around 1,800 pounds (816 kg). This was considered lightweight at the time compared to other cars in its class. However, with advances in technology and safety features over the years, the weight of the VW Golf has gradually increased with each new model.
In 1983, with its second generation release, the weight of the VW Golf jumped up to around 2,000 pounds (907 kg). This increase can be attributed to the addition of new features such as power steering and air conditioning. These added amenities improved driving comfort but also added extra weight to the vehicle.
As we moved into the third-generation models in 1991, there was another significant jump in weight. The base model now weighed around 2,500 pounds (1134 kg), almost a thousand-pound difference from its initial release just two decades prior. This increase can be attributed to advancements in safety features such as airbags and reinforced frames.
Factors Affecting Weight
Various factors determine the weight of a car and can vary significantly depending on the make and model. In this section, we will explore the different elements that contribute to the weight of a car, specifically focusing on the Volkswagen Golf.
- Size: One of the most significant factors affecting a car's weight is its size. Generally, larger cars tend to be heavier due to their increased dimensions and the need for more materials in construction. The VW Golf falls into the compact car category and is known for its smaller size compared to other models in its class. This compact design helps keep its weight relatively low.
- Materials Used: The materials used in a car's construction play a crucial role in determining its weight. Typically, heavier materials such as steel or iron are used in older models, while newer models tend to use lighter materials such as aluminum or carbon fiber to reduce weight without compromising strength and durability. The VW Golf uses high-quality lightweight materials in its construction, resulting in a lower overall weight.
- Engine Type: Another important factor that contributes to a car's weight is its engine type. Cars with larger engines tend to weigh more than those with smaller engines due to the added components needed for increased power output. The VW Golf comes equipped with various engine options ranging from small turbocharged three-cylinder engines to larger four-cylinder machines, all designed for fuel efficiency and performance without adding excessive weight.
Comparison to Other Cars in Its Class
The VW Golf has been a popular choice among car buyers for many years due to its reliability, practicality, and overall performance. One important factor that potential buyers often consider when purchasing a new car is its weight. In this section, we will compare the importance of the VW Golf to other popular vehicles in its class, such as the Honda Civic.
To start, let's take a look at the weight of the base model of each car. The VW Golf has a curb weight (the total weight of the vehicle without any passengers or cargo) of 2,943 pounds. On the other hand, the Honda Civic weighs slightly less, with a curb weight of 2,762 pounds. This means that the Honda Civic is about 181 pounds lighter than the VW Golf.
Moving on to their dimensions, both cars have similar lengths and widths. The VW Golf measures at 167.6 inches in length and 70.8 inches in width, while the Honda Civic comes in at 182.7 inches in length and 70.9 inches in width. However, it is worth noting that these measurements may vary depending on the specific model and trim level.
When it comes to engine options, both cars offer multiple choices for their customers. The base model of both vehicles comes equipped with a four-cylinder engine; however, there are also more powerful engine options available for those looking for an extra boost in performance.


August 2, 2015
Rail workers' health issues a growing safety concern
Visibility was 10 miles and the morning sun had pushed the temperature close to 90 as Danny Joe Hall guided his mile-long Union Pacific freight train east through the grasslands of the Oklahoma Panhandle. Near the farming town of Goodwell, federal investigators said, the 56-year-old engineer sped through a series of yellow and red signals warning him to slow down and stop for a Los Angeles-bound train moving slowly onto a side track.
The 83-mph collision killed Hall and two crewmen. Dozens of freight cars derailed, and the resulting inferno sent towers of black smoke over the plains, prompting the evacuation of a nearby trailer park. As it turned out, Hall was colorblind. The National Transportation Safety Board's subsequent probe of the June 2012 wreck faulted the engineer's deteriorating eyesight and inadequate medical screening that failed to fully evaluate his vision problems.
But the Goodwell crash underscored a far larger concern: Railroads are the only mode of U.S. commercial transportation without national requirements for thorough, regular health screenings to identify worker ailments and medications that could compromise public safety.
 Read more from the Los Angeles Times.


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2: Smoke Simulation!
Due: March 5th, 2010
Starter code: For MSVC 2005, For MSVC 2008
The purpose of this assignment is to experiment with incompressible
fluid simulation implemented with a Semi-Lagrangian approach.
You will implement a 3D Smoke simulator using the techniques described in the
- Class slides
- Fluid Simulation: SIGGRAPH 2007 Course Notes (Chpts 1-5) by
Bridson, Fedkiw, and Muller-Fischer
The startup code includes
an incomplete fluid animation system. Although rendering
and most of the necessary data structures have been written, this will
be a challenging assignment. You will need to implement the
- (60 points) Air,
smoke density and temperature simulation (MACGrid.h)
- (25 points) Implement a Semi-Lagrangian approach to solve
advection step for air velocity, smoke desnity, and temperature
- Implement MACGrid::advectVelocity():
GriddedData for U,V,W components of the velocity have already been
setup for you See member variables MACGrid::mU, MACGrid::mV,
- Implement MACGrid::advectTemperature(): GriddedData for
temperature has been setup for you. See member variable
- Implement MACGrid::advectDensity():
GriddedData for density has been setup for you. See member
variable MACGrid::mD. Additionally, values in mD will
automatically be rendered for you.
- Implement MACGrid::updateSources(): Initilialize a
smoke source, for example, have smoke come
up from the bottom of the container
- Implement buoyancy forces
- Look at MACGrid::addExternalForces()
- Implement MacGrid::computeBouyancy()
- (25 points) Solve the poisson equation for pressure
- Implement MACGridd::project(). Use the
function cg_solve() to solve a system of linear equations using the
conjugate gradient method described in class.
- (10 points) Add vorticity confinement forces
- (30 points) Boundary
conditions and solid objects
- Smoke should be contained within a closed box (e.g.
boundary conditions with the sides of the grid should be correct -- see
the Bridson notes for details)
- Implement a solid object within the grid (any shape).
- (Extra Credit
- Up to 20 points)
- Implement a preconditioner for the conjugate gradient
step. Document which preconditioner you used, plus the
speedup you got
- Add dynamic objects, for example, an object that the user
can move with the mouse
- Add mouse interaction forces
- Implement a better numerical scheme to avoid numerical
dissapation, for example, cubic interpolation such as the one described
in "Visual Simulation of Smoke" by Fedkiw, Stam, and Wann Jensen.
- Implement fluid viscosity. Compare and show the
results with and without viscosity.
- ZIP your.cpp,.mel,.h,.vcproj, and.sln files
and submit to
full credit, your application
must build without modifications for either msvc 2005 or 2008. Only complete submissions will be graded.
- Briefly write-up which questions you completed in
a file called
- If you used
any additional sources, you must include them in your writeup
- Include movies
showing off your work
you used — or looked at — any source code you found somewhere else or
which someone else wrote, even a single line, you SHOULD describe that
in the writeup. You
are not allowed to use any fluid simulation code available on the web!
Please talk to us before using any existing code for this assignment
except for the code provided by us.
Questions for you to answer (10 points)
This project was built and tested with GLUT,
Boost 1.37 and Boost 1.42,
and Devil 1.6.7 on MSVC 2005. GLUT and DevIL are included these with the source, but you will need to download Boost.
We use Boost's
UBLAS library for its very effecient matrix data
structures and operations (especially
for sparse matrices). DevIL is an image library used to
implement screen capture.
Built in features
- Simulation controls
- Play: Press '>'
or right click to start the simulation
- Pause: Press '='
or right click to pause the simulation
- Reset: Press '<'
or right click to reset the simulation
- Camera controls
- Rotate: Left click, drag to rotate.
- Zoom: Middle click, drag to zoom.
- Rendering options
- Velocity display: Press 'v' or right click to
drawing of velocity vectors.
- Render density as transparent, white cubes
- Render density as sheets with interpolation between
- Recording mode
- Press 'r'
or right click to toggle screen
capture. Every frame will be saved to the /output directory
which you can assemble into a movie file with tools such as Adobe
AfterEffects or VirtualDub.
Alternatively, you can use FRAPS to create
- Configurable grid size
- Edit the global dimensions 'theDim' defined in
- Gridded data: Gridded data is a low level data structure
for implementing any data stored in a grid. See GridData.h
- MAC Grid: MAC Grid implements a staggered
grid described in the Bridson fluid notes. X,Y,Z
components of the velocity are stored at each face. Other quanitites
such as density and temperature are stored in the cell centers.
- Start small! Carefully check your calculations with a tiny grid, say 2x2x1, in debug mode.
Then test in release mode with a larger grid.
- Release mode is much faster than debug mode
- Test your smoke with a 2D Grid, for example, set the grid dimensions to 10x10x1
- Don't forget you can visualize your velocities!
- If you find cg_solve does not converge, it's likely that your system of equations are not setup correctly.
- Make sure your A matrix is positive semi definite. You can check in matlab or write a function to test
your projection step: remember that the projection step ensures
that the resulting fluid is non-divergent. Therefore, after
calling project, computing the velocity divergenceof each cell should
be zero. If this is not the case, there's a problem.


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TIMSS 2007 Contextual Questionnaires
Learning takes place within a context and not in isolation. There are numerous contextual factors that effect studentsí learning, for example, type of school, school resources, instructional approaches, teacher characteristics, student attitudes, and home support for learning contribute heavily to student learning and achievement. For a fuller appreciation of what the TIMSS achievement results mean and how they may be used to improve students learning in mathematics and science, it is important to understand the contexts in which students learn. TIMSS in every cycle collects a range of information about these contexts for learning by administering background questionnaires to students, teachers, school principals, and curriculum experts, which, together with assessing studentsí performance in mathematics and science, provide a rich source of data on student achievement.
The TIMSS 2007 Contextual Questionnaires are based on the Contextual Framework, which encompasses five broad areas on which information is collected:
Just as the mathematics and science frameworks describe what should be assessed in those areas, the contextual framework identifies the major characteristics of the educational and social contexts that were studied with a view to improving student learning. The complete TIMSS 2007 Contextual Framework can be found in the TIMSS 2007 Assessment Frameworks.
Each student in the selected class completed a Student Questionnaire. The questionnaire included questions about home resources, languages spoken in the home, students' learning habits both inside and outside of school, students' self-concept and their attitudes towards mathematics and science, classroom instructional practices related to teaching mathematics and science, and school safety.
Teachers of the assessed classes responded to the Teacher Questionnaire. The questionnaire focused on activities and materials used for mathematics and science instruction and the assessment of students' performance in the subjects. Teachers were asked to refer specifically to the class of students selected for the TIMSS 2007 assessment. Teachers also answered questions about their professional preparation and experience in teaching mathematics and science.
The principal of each school sampled for TIMSS 2007 completed a School Questionnaire. Principals answered questions about the emphasis on the mathematics and science curriculum in the school, the availability and use of materials to teach mathematics and science, and whether the school provided programs and services that involve the students and their families. Additionally, the questionnaire asked school principals general questions about their school's demographic characteristics, resources, and environment.
The TIMSS 2007 National Research Coordinator within each country was responsible for completing the Curriculum Questionnaire. Questions primarily centered on the defined national or regional curriculum in fourth and eighth grade, including what it prescribed and how it is disseminated. NRCs also answered questions about requirements for teachers and how teachers are informed about the mathematics and science curriculum.
Each of the TIMSS 2007 contextual questionnaires can be downloaded free of charge below.
Publications are available in Portable Document Format (PDF). You may need to download a copy of Adobe Acrobat Reader© to enable you to read and print the reports.
Download all questionnaires for:
Download the questionnaires separately:


Browse Dictionary by Letter
Dictionary Suite
zygote a cell formed by the union of two gametes or sex cells. [2 definitions]
zymase an enzyme found in yeast that decomposes sugar into alcohol and carbon dioxide.
zymofermentation. [2 definitions]
zymogen an inactive protein that has the potential to become an enzyme because of an internal change.
zymology the science involving the chemistry of fermentation; enzymology.
zymurgy the branch of chemistry that deals with the fermentation process, as in beer brewing or winemaking.


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Constructivist Childhood Materials
Pattern Block Puzzles
Includes 20 unique pattern designs. Constructed of quality 1/8'' birch plywood.
*Pattern Block Pieces Sold Separately*
Add to Cart
For more information about constructivist curriculum, activities and education visit
the Regents' Center For Early Developmental Education.
visit regents' site
To purchase the Ramps & Pathways book
visit the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC).
Pattern Block Puzzles are not for children under 3 years of age.
© 2023 Constructivist Childhood Materials


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NAMAFU is a traditional Japanese delicacy based on highly refined wheat gluten that is combined with short-grained mochi rice flour, then steamed.
By itself it has no distinct flavor, but possesses a near-magical ability to take on the character of the foods and ingredients that typically surround it, such as soy sauce, sansho pepper, miso, sesame seeds, or stock made from kelp or dried bonito. It's a culinary chameleon whose presence is noted by its unique texture and the way it brings together, at the deepest level, the subtle flavors that are key to Japanese cooking. NAMAFU represents a fundamental aesthetic in traditional Japanese cooking, that no single flavor should take center stage, but all together should form a complex, nuanced wave that rouses and satisfies the senses. NAMAFU is composed of some 60 percent water, and Kyoto's NAMAFU is renowned as the world's best for the same reason that Kyoto's incredible moss gardens are regarded with awe. The city was built upon a massive water table fed by the surrounding mountains, supplying it with plentiful wells that produce an abundance of pure, sweet, life-sustaining water.
There are apocryphal stories of NAMAFU's origin in China, where it was commonly served deep-fried, but we know for certain that it came to Japan during the 14th century. Japanese monks, restricted by their practice from consuming meat, found in the Chinese fu a method to derive healthful protein in a concentrated form. As a result it soon became associated with the Tea Ceremony, and thus with the practice of Zen. But in modern times it moved away from its spiritual underpinnings to become a staple of the fare served in Kyoto's ryotei, the high-end Kyoto dining establishments that carry on the age-old traditions of Japanese cuisine. UNESCO regards traditional Japanese cooking as a landmark of World Cultural Heritage, and NAMAFU is a fundamental part of that heritage.
With the sea vegetable aonori, mugwort, or millet folded in, NAMAFU is molded into familiar forms, like autumnal maple leaves or the iconic Japanese gingko. Natural colors impart a festive quality and bestow on dishes the look and feel of seasonality. These shapes and beautiful colors are also characteristic of Kyoto NAMAFU, and set it apart. It can be prepared in a tremendous variety of ways, from broiling beneath a marinade of miso sauce, stewing with a mix of vegetables and meats, to deep-frying and steeping in dashi. It's incredibly versatile and even makes a wonderful confection, with sweetened azuki beans tucked inside a NAMAFU casing, forming a sort of dessert dumpling. But even as dessert, one of the best things about NAMAFU is that it's a healthy food – low in calories, high in system-friendly protein, and containing less than 2% fat and cholesterol.


The News Scroll 19 February 2020 Last Updated at 6:24 pm | Source: PTI
Novel microchip can operate even when battery runs out, researchers claim
Novel microchip can operate even when battery runs out, researchers claim
Los Angeles, Feb 19 (PTI) Engineers claim to have developed an innovative microchip, called BATLESS, that can continue to operate even when the battery runs out, an advance that may lead to longer lasting devices, especially those which demand extreme power efficiency.
BATLESS, as described at International Solid-State Circuits Conference (ISSCC) 2018 Conference held in the US, is designed with a new power management technique that allows it to self-start and continue to function under dim light without any battery assistance, using a very small on-chip solar cell.
According to the researchers, including those from the National University of Singapore (NUS), the microchip may substantially reduce the size of batteries required to power sensor nodes in Internet of Things (IoT) devices which are connected with each other over the internet.
They said the new microchip could make the IoT sensor nodes 10 times smaller and cheaper to produce.
"We have demonstrated that batteries used for IoT devices can be shrunk substantially, as they do not always need to be available to maintain continuous operation," said lead scientist, Massimo Alioto from NUS.
The researchers said when the battery energy is available, the chip runs in minimum-energy mode to maximise the battery lifetime.
However, they said when the battery is exhausted, the chip switches to the minimum-power mode and operates with a tiny power consumption of about half a nanoWatt -- a billion times smaller than the power consumption of a smartphone during a phone call.
This power, the scientists noted, can be provided by a very small on-chip solar cell that is about half a square millimetre in area, or other forms of energy available from the environment, such as vibration or heat.
Despite being in minimum-power mode when battery is not available, the reduced speed of the microchip is still adequate for numerous IoT applications that need to sense parameters that vary slowly in time like temperature, humidity, light, and pressure, they added.
"BATLESS is the first example of a new class of chips that are indifferent to battery charge availability," Alioto said.
"In minimum-power mode, it uses 1,000 to 1,00,000 times less power, compared to the best existing microcontrollers designed for fixed minimum-energy operation," he added.
According to the NUS researchers, BATLESS microchip covers a very wide range of possible energy, power, and speed trade-offs, as allowed by the flexibility offered through the two different modes. PTI VIS VIS VIS
Next Story : Cabinet elevates Gujarat-based space agency as national institute under MeitY


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be used to switch between versions of the page below.
The overflow behavior of a header content area can differ depending on the type of contents displayed there. Facets would wrap, while a control like the visual filter (lab preview) would require a paging overflow.
When the header content is collapsed – either by clicking the title or by scrolling the page – a very condensed summary of the header content appears in the header title. The summary includes the following information:
- Icon (placed in front of the title)
- Most important attribute
- Filter criteria
It will be important for applications to define a meaningful string to summarize the header content.
There are currently a number of predefined floorplans that have been adapted to the dynamic page layout, such as the overview page, list page, initial page, work list, and object page.
All of them make use of the snapping header concept to allow for rich header content that can be hidden when required. In the page content area, there are different concepts for the different floorplans:
- The overview page features cards which, depending on their type, can display different contents and be arranged by the user.
- The page content of the list page usually consists of a table, chart, or combination of both. The same applies for the worklist, which is usually headed by a tab strip.
- In the object page, the content is organized into sections. Each section can be accessed using an anchor bar on top of the page, which doesn't scroll away. Each section can contain forms, tables, charts or other controls aligned to a grid of up to four columns, depending on the screen size.
Actions and Toolbars
The dynamic page layout features a more powerful concept to offer actions to the user. In general, we intend to bring actions closer to the element that they affect.
Therefore, we have introduced toolbars in tables and forms for their actions. Following the same logic, we introduced a toolbar in the header title for actions that belong to the page to indicate that these actions are global.
Global actions on page level could be:
- Request Access
- Change Status
All these actions affect the whole page and are not meant to finalize a certain state. Instead those actions belong to the object displayed on that page.
Initial page floorplan with a footer toolbar with the determining actions Save and Cancel.
In addition to the actions on the page title, we offer an improved footer toolbar for determining actions, meaning actions that finalize a transient state of the page and which should therefore be at the end of the page.
Determining actions include:
All those actions should be triggered as a result of reviewing the object or to determine the state of the object. Save orCancel, for instance, end the state of being editable. Approve and Reject determine the pending state of a work item. As finalizing or determining actions, these action should be placed at the end of the screen to follow both the reading flow and flow of action.
In order to make the footer toolbar easier to find, we've introduced a padding around the toolbar to set it apart from the window frame. We therefore called it the floating toolbar. In addition to the padding, we introduced an animation when the toolbar appears so that the user's attention is immediately drawn to it.
The new dynamic page layout is the basis for new floorplans in SAP Fiori going forward, as it offers a number of powerful advantages over other page layouts:
- A fixed header title area gives a clear indication of the page content and provides access to page's global actions any time.
- The flexible header content minimizes when scrolling to provide the possibility to display rich header information, as well as powerful filtering controls without permanently blocking screen real estate.
- The new floating footer toolbar overcomes some of the usability issues of the older version of the footer toolbar, providing direct and intuitive access to determining actions.
Standardizing most of the SAP Fiori floorplans on this dynamic page layout will not only improve this usability of the individual pages, but it will also lead to more consistency and coherence across the different pages, also when used side-by-side.


text:
- Special Sections
- Public Notices
This summer Elizabethtown Community and Technical College is offering a unique opportunity for kids 9-14 to learn about latitude/longitude, data collection, and buried treasure. Using a handheld GPS system, students will go to various sites and pinpoint the location of a hidden "cache." Additionally, they will learn how to use a compass, hide a cache, place/track travel bugs (these are not bees or flies!) and how to log onto a computer to find geospatial data about their area. The camp instruction will come from ECTC Professor Jim Vail, Lisa Deavers, Recreation supervisor for Barren River State Park, and Torey Earle, 4-H Agent at Large for Science, Engineering and Technology, University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service College of Engineering, Extended Campus Programs. This course introduces students to absolute location, mapmaking, marking and finding GPS waypoints, data collection, and computer-based GIS data search. It is based, in part, on curriculum developed by 4H titled Exploring Spaces, Going Places. The five-day camp will be from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., July 28-Aug. 1, at ECTC in the Regional Postsecondary Education Center. Field trips are included in the camp. For information or to enroll in the camp, call the Community and Economic Development Center at Elizabethtown Community and Technical College at _PHONE_.


text: This work is concerned with the proposition of high contrast multi-layer structure for the fabrication of reflecting surface in the visible range. The multi-layer SiO2/Ta2O5 system has superior heat resistance and reflecting properties. Ta2O5 and SiO2 thin films were prepared by RF plasma sputtering in Ar-O2 mixed gas using Ta2O5 and SiO2 target respectively. Secondary ion mass spectroscopy and SEM observation were performed in order to investigate the multi-layer structure. The XRD and XPS analyses were also performed in order to investigate the crystal structure and the chemical state of the films. The optical constants of Ta2O5 single film were investigated by the ellipsometric analysis. Using the Ta2O5 film doped Bi2O3 for a reflecting multi-layer structure improved the reflecting properties and the heat resistance of the multi-layer system because of the high refractive index of the doped film.


text:
The Breed4Food program focuses on the development of innovative research projects in two major research areas:
Exploiting DNA information and Precision Phenotyping
Across the two areas Breed4Food will deliver new applied knowledge, distinct and innovative methods, software and tools,
resulting in scientific breakthroughs to enhance genetic improvement to realize a profitable livestock sector, contributing to
sustainability and meeting societal challenges. Beside the two research areas, there is also a partnership between B4F and STW.


text:
Broadcasters historically have tried to remain on the air during emergency events like major storms, earthquakes and other forces of nature. Often times, commercial power is interrupted, and thus, the backup power generator is installed. Propane powered generators for medium duty (powers up to 45 KW) are popular because of the decreased environmental hazards, availability and expense of fuel, ease of maintenance and repair. This sized generator can run the critical loads of a studio facility or a transmitter site with TPO's between 5 and 10 KW.
Most propane generators use a gasoline engine modified to use propane. These generators can also use natural gas, however, because natural gas has slightly less energy, the generator's service rating is reduced by about 10 percent.
The biggest error I consistently see with propane generators is improper fuel tank sizing. It might seem just fine to plop a 500 gallon tank down next to a 45 KW generator and expect everything to be just fine. 500 Gallons may sound like a lot of fuel, but the more important consideration is tank vaporization, that is to say, how fast can the liquid propane can be removed from the tank for use. Propane fuel companies should be able to sizing these things correctly, most of them have books and charts that tell what capacities and sizes are needed. However, as a general trouble shoot guide, the following information is provided:
Generator manufactures will specify how many BTU per hour a generator will require under full load. If not, these are some conservative rules of thumb:
- For every 1 KW of electrical generation, 2 horsepower of engine is needed*
- Under full load, each horsepower will consume 10,000 BTU per hour*
- Propane has 92,000 BTU per gallon
- Propane weighs 4.2 pounds per gallon
*Note: These are not the figures you will find in your engineering handbooks, they are adjusted for generator winding and engine efficiency.
Propane Tank Vaporization Rates (Continuous BTU/hr vs volume at tank temperature):
|Size propane in a tank (assumes 1/3 full)||Maximum continuous BTU/hr at degrees F|
Note: Tank vaporization depends on fuel level, tank temperature and withdrawal rate. The above chart is a conservative generalization and represents a safe median value.
If a propane tank cannot vaporize fuel fast enough, the generator will begin to run lean, eventually overheat and shutdown. The vaporization rate depends on the tank temperature, which drops as fuel is withdrawn. For the above cited 45 KW generator called to duty after a sever winter storm, the tank would need to vaporize: 45KW x 2 HP = 90 HP. 90 HP x 10,000 BTU/hr = 900,000 btu/hr. A 500 gallon tank is too small for that size generator.
As the tank temperature drops a propane tank can develop frost on the outside of the tank, even on a hot summer day, which compounds the problem.
The correct size tank for a 45 KW generator is a 1000 gallons. This can also be two five hundred gallon tanks connected in parallel via a high pressure line.
Also note, the generator's radiator is facing the tanks so that when the unit is running, hot air is blowing on the tanks, warming them up. This particular generator is about 25 years old, which is why it looks a little worn. It still carries the load and mechanically is in sound condition.
Most propane fuel systems have two regulators; one high pressure regulator on the tank, which takes the variable tank pressure and steps it down to about 10 PSI, and the vaporizor which steps the pressure down to a few ounces per square inch (or inches water column) and adds air creating propane gas for the generator to burn.
It is important that the vaporizer be mounted above the snow line and that there is a little screen on the air intake, otherwise mud wasps will build a nest in the air intake and the next time the generator is required to run, it won't start.
Fuel piping is also a concern, if the low pressure lines are not large enough to handle the required BTU, the generator will run lean, creating the same problems of an improperly sized tank. Different piping has different capacities, see the following charts:
Assumes pressure less than 1.5 PSI, one MBTU is equal to 1,000 BTU per hour.
Once the generator is installed, maintenance is required. As a minimum:
- Exercise engine bi weekly for 15 minutes. Propane generators do not need to run under load.
- Check fuel, oil, and antifreeze levels monthly, more often if heavy use.
- Change the oil, oil filter, air filter, check antifreeze freeze point, battery electrolyte specific gravity yearly
- Change out belts and hoses as needed, pay close attention to the block heater hose, this is where leaks often develop
- Clean out mice nests and droppings as needed
Mice love generators.


Drivers give less space to riders in cycle lanes, says research
Problem particularly bad on 40mph and 50mph roads
Cycle lanes mean less space from cars, says research
New research supported by UK cyclists' organisation CTC suggests that motorists give cyclists in cycle lanes less room than those riding on roads without lanes.
Using a bicycle with instruments that measure the distance of passing vehicles, Ciaran Meyers from the University of Leeds' Institute for Transport Studies studied three roads, each with and without cycle lanes on certain sections.
Meyers said his analysis showed that "significantly wider" passing distances were adopted by motorists on roads without cycle lanes when speed limits of 40-50mph were in force.
On a 9.5m-wide carriageway without a 1.45m-wide cycle lane the extra passing distances were 181mm (50mph) and 68mm (40mph) – enough to be deemed statistically significant.
When the speed limit reduced to 30mph, the extra passing distance where a cycle lane was not present was 37mm – not statistically significant.
All the cycle lanes were slightly narrower than the minimum width of 1.5m (5ft) recommended by the Department for Transport. The majority of Britain's cycle lanes do not comply with this guideline.
According to the research, when there is a cycle lane motorists drive within their own marked lane with less recognition of the need to provide a safe and comfortable passing distance to those using the cycle lane. The study concludes that "cycle lanes do not appear to provide greater space for cyclists in all conditions".
John Parkin of the University of Bolton, who was also involved in the study, said: "In the presence of a cycle lane, a driver is likely to drive between the cycle lane line and the centre line in a position which is appropriate for the visible highway horizontal geometry ahead of the driver.
"A cyclist within a cycle lane does not seem to cause a driver to adopt a different position in his or her lane. This has important implications for the width of cycle lanes and implies that their width should never be compromised."
CTC say they support the government's advice on the matter, which is that attempts should be made to reduce traffic volume and speed before considering implementing cycle lanes or, as a last resort, off-carriageway cycle tracks.
One possible solution to the problem of close overtaking of cyclists not mentioned by the CTC is simply to press for a national law in the French style – where motor vehicles must give at least 1m of space when overtaking a cyclist in a built up area and 1.5m elsewhere.


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|Get regular updates on the WMH Facebook page|
Watch for Site Bulletins Here Soon!
This district is in north-central San Diego County in the general vicinity of the towns of Julian and Banner about 50 miles northeast of San Diego. It is at the north end of a belt of gold mineralization that extends south and southwest through the Cuyamaca, Deer Park and Pine Valley districts.
Placer mining may have been first done here in the 1840s. The first lode claims, the George Washington and Van Wert, were located in 1870, and the Julian mining district was organized in that same year, named for Mike Julian, the recorder. Many other claims were located soon afterward. The greatest period of mining activity was from 1870 to 1880, a peak output of $500,000 having been attained in 1874. There was another period of activity from 1888, when the Gold King and Gold Queen mines were discovered, until about 1896. Since then there has been intermittent exploration and development work, particularly at the Golden Chariot and other nearby mines, but very little recorded output. The value of the total production from the district is estimated at $5 million.
Most of the important deposits are in or adjacent to a oneto two-mile-wide northwest-trending belt of mica schist, gneiss, and quartzite of the Julian Schist (Triassic?). On either side of this belt are quartz diorite and schist. The northwest-trending Elsinore fault extends through the area.
The ore bodies occur in lenticular quartz veins ranging from a few inches to about five feet in thickness. The veins strike northwest and dip to the northeast. The ore contains native gold and varying amounts of auriferous sulfides. Also present are small amounts of gold tellurides. Most of the ore shoots had stoping lengths of 100 feet or less, although one at the Owens mine was 400 feet. Surface ores mined during the early days contained considerable rich "jewelry" material, but at depth the ore is low in grade. The deepest working is 350 feet.
C. B. Chieftain, Cincinnati Belle, Eagle Elevada, Gardner $200,000, Gold Cross, Gold King, Golden Chariot $700,000, Gopher, Helvetia $450,000, Hidden Treasure, Kentuck group, Madden group, North Hubbard $200,000, Owens $450,000, Ranchita $150,000, Ready Relief $500,000, Redman, San Diego, Shamrock, Van Wert.
Crawford, J. J., 1894, Gold-San Diego County: California Min. Bur. Rept. 12, pp. 237-243.
Creasey, S. C., 1946, Geology and nickel mineralization of the Julian-Cuyamaca area, California: California Div. Mines Rept. 42, pp. 15-29.
Donnelly, Maurice, 1934, Gealogy and mineral deposits of the Julian district: California Div. Mines Rept. 30, pp. 331-370.Hanks, H. G., 1886, Julian mining district: California Min. Bur. Rept. 6, pt. I, pp. 82-89.
Merriam, Richard, and Stewart, R. M., 1958, Geology and mineral resources of the Santa Ysabel quadrangle, San Diego County, California: Califarnia Diy. Mines Bull. 177, 42 pp.
Merrill, F. J. H., 1916, San Diego County, Julian district: California Min. Bur. Rept. 14, pp. 653-660.
Tucker, W. B., 1925, Gold-San Diego County: California Min. Bur. Rept. 21, pp. 331-349.
Weber, F. Harold, Jr., 1963, San Diego County, gold: California Div. Mines and Geology County Rept. 3, pp. 115-167.
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text:
There is a lot of interest in risk-based monitoring (RBM) of clinical trials, and it's easy to understand why. Monitoring activities can account for 25-30% of the cost of a clinical trial, so any efficiencies to be gained can come at substantial savings for the trial sponsor. ICH Guideline E6 states that the "sponsor should ensure trials are adequately monitored."
But why are clinical trials monitored in the first place? There are several reasons: to ensure that clinicians are carrying out the trial according to the protocol, that the data has limited errors and is of high-quality for analysis, and above all else, to protect the well-being of the clinical trial participants.
Traditional interpretation of the ICH Guidance has often led to 100% source data verification (SDV) of respective case report forms through onsite monitoring. Such monitoring activities can also identify deficiencies in site training and uncover fraudulent behavior. However, such extensive onsite review has several drawbacks:
- Expensive (Eisenstein et al., 2005; Funning et al., 2009; Tantsyura et al., 2010)
- Time-consuming, with effort spent on data of little importance to the goals of the trial
- Error prone (Tantsyura et al., 2010)
- Limited in scope (difficult to compare data across pages, participants and sites)
In contrast, RBM makes use of central computerized review of clinical trial data and site metrics to determine if sites should receive more extensive quality review through on-site monitoring visits.
How important is this topic? There are numerous regulatory guidance documents addressing this issue: the US Food and Drug Administration, the European Medicines Agency and the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency of Great Britain. Further, there are recent publications on the topic from TransCelerate Biopharma, a consortium of pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, as well as the Clinical Trials Transformation Initiative, a public-private partnership comprised of more than 60 organizations.
We have heard the call. Recently-released JMP Clinical 4.1 has incorporated several tools to help identify potentially fraudulent activities within a clinical trial, and we are currently in the active development of an RBM platform to monitor ongoing studies for Version 5.0 (Figure 1). These tools will be extremely flexible, allowing users to take advantage of their CDISC-formatted data and other available site-metrics, and define and vary risk thresholds that are appropriate to the current trial. All of this power and flexibility is contained within the visually striking and interactive framework expected from JMP Clinical.
Over the next several weeks, we'll highlight the features that will help your organization work more efficiently, and show how integration with past JMP Clinical features such as Patient Profiles and Adverse Event Narratives, and recent features for Fraud Detection and Snapshot Comparisons will accelerate trial reviews and manage safety and quality risks.


text:
WebMD Medical News
Laura J. Martin, MD
March 7, 2012 (Orlando, Fla.) -- Could the older, more rustic Amish lifestyle hold the key to preventing allergies?
An Indiana researcher thinks so. His research suggests that children who grow up on Amish farms are less prone to allergies and hay fever than Swiss youngsters who are raised on more modern-day farms.
"And kids who live in either farming environment have much lower rates of allergies and asthma than children who don't grow up on farms," says Mark Holbreich, MD, of Allergy and Asthma Consultants in Indianapolis.
The research adds support to the so-called hygiene hypothesis -- the idea that a too-clean world is to blame for rising rates of allergies.
As our homes and public spaces have become cleaner, the theory goes, young children are being exposed to fewer germs, infectious agents, and other substances that help train their developing immune systems to recognize and fight allergic disease.
"The Amish live a 19th century lifestyle, spending time in the barn, drinking milk directly from the cow, all the things that used to expose us to these substances early in life," Holbreich tells WebMD.
An estimated 50 million Americans suffer from allergies, and allergy rates have been increasing since the early 1980s across all age and racial groups, according to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America.
The new study involved 157 Amish children in the U.S., more than 3,000 Swiss farm children, and nearly 11,000 Swiss children who did not live on farms.
The researchers chose to compare Amish children to Swiss children because many Amish people emigrated from Switzerland to the U.S. in the 1800s.
Only 5% of the Amish children had ever received a diagnosis of asthma, and only one (0.6%) had been diagnosed with hay fever at some point in their life.
Among the Swiss farm children, 7% had been diagnosed with asthma, and 3% with hay fever.
In contrast, 11% of the non-farm-dwelling Swiss children had ever been diagnosed with asthma, and 12% had ever been diagnosed with hay fever.
When it came to testing positive on skin or blood tests for dust mites, ragweed, or other allergens, the differences were more dramatic, Holbreich says. A total of 44% and 25% of the Swiss non-farm and farm kids, respectively, showed sensitivity to allergens, vs. only 7% of the Amish farm kids.
The findings were presented here at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology.
So what is it about the Amish lifestyle that protects against allergies? Holbreich says previous research points to two factors. One is being around large barn animals from a young age, he says. The other: drinking raw, unpasteurized milk directly from the cow.
"We think that when milk is homogenized, it breaks up fat molecules that have an impact on the developing immune system to make kids less prone to all allergies," he says.
But don't start giving your child raw milk, as it can harbor disease-causing bacteria, Holbreich cautions.
"The hope is that we can isolate the protective factor in raw milk and develop an infant formula to prevent allergies," he says.
Jessica Savage, MD, MHS, of Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, agrees that the work appears to support the hygiene hypothesis. "But this is all still very preliminary," she tells WebMD.
These findings were presented at a medical conference. They should be considered preliminary, as they have not yet undergone the "peer review" process, in which outside experts scrutinize the data prior to publication in a medical journal.
SOURCES:2012 Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, Orlando, Fla., March 2-6, 2012.Mark Holbreich, MD, Allergy and Asthma Consultants, Indianapolis, Ind.Jessica Savage, MD, MHS, clinical fellow, allergy & immunology, Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, Md.
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Monday, April 30, 2012
Mother's Day Badge
Ready to make an easy mother's Day badge with crepe paper?
It only takes about 2 minutes and your kids will have fun making them.
One 42" piece of crepe paper
One 5" piece of crepe paper cut as shown below
One paper circle
Glue Dots®
Marker or pen
Step 1. Start at the end of the 42" crepe paper strip and begin folding small pleats. They should be slightly angled so they fan out as shown below. Make sure to hold the folds tight so they don't come undone. This will form into a circle.
Step 2. While still pinching the pleats in place use your free hand to place a few Glue Dots® (or 1 Large Glue Dot®) in the center of the crepe paper circle.
Step 3. Firmly press your paper circle on the Glue Dots®.
Step 4. Using Glue Dots® attach the 5" crepe paper strip to the back of the badge and attach.
Step 5. Personalize the badge with a marker or pen.
1 comment:
 1. I am going to have my girls make these for their grandmas.
Thank you for commenting! I read each and every comment.


Twilight Render Tutorials - Version 2 TwilightLogo2 sm min
Basic Tutorials
Here we explore the basic features of Twilight Render V2. New users should definitely start here to familiarize themselves with how Twilight Render takes your SketchUp geometry and turns it into a beatifully rendered image.
 1. Preflight Checklist, Before You Render
 2. Basic Materials
 3. Basic Lighting
 4. Basic Environment
 5. Basic Rendering
 6. Exploration Rendering
 7. Image Post-Processing
 8. Animation
 9. Importing Material Libraries
Exploration Thumb2
Intermediate Tutorials
Here we explore Twilight Render V2 features a little deeper. After going through the basics, you will quickly ramp up your workflow with these tips for getting the quickest results. Many of these tutorials apply to the V2 Pro version only.
 1. Intermediate Materials 1
 2. Intermediate Materials 2
 3. Batch Rendering
 4. Advanced Tools
 5. Section Plane Rendering
 6. Composite Overlay of Rendering with SketchUp view style
 7. Importers and External Proxies
Looking for V1 Tutorials?
Find them here!
 AddOn and Specialized Tutorials
In this set we provide tutorials for Twilight Render's AddOn tools and any additional specialized tools or features.
 1. Render-to-Texture
 2. Terrain Tools
 3. FastForward Denoising
Don't forget to download our help guides! Everything you need to know about Twilight Render can be found in one of our online videos or downloadable PDF guides.
Tuesday, August 03, 2021


text:
Could you find the mistake in her first step of simplification of LHS expression?
I am sure many algebra teachers would agree with me that this is one of the most common mistakes students do while simplifying algebraic expressions. So, why would be they doing so? What could be the cause(s) for this effect? Why is it that this nonsense does not seem nonsense to them?
(I am intentionally keeping these questions open now, with the hope that some of us would probably pause and try to find the answer for these, though reflection, research or discussion with our peers.)
So, this was the problem:
Actually, I had seen Poonam committing this mistake i.e. 'cancelling' the term x^2 (i.e. x squared) from Numerator (Nr) and Denominator (Dr), however I chose to not stop her to point out this mistake at that moment and I chose to keep my mouth shut and just allow her to go ahead with this mistake. (Why?)
Soon, she found herself stuck up and asked me to help.. I don't know what struck me I rather asked her this question:
"I see you have cancelled out x^2 in Nr and Dr. Why don't you then even cancel out 'x' from Nr and Dr?"
She replied immediately – "No sir, we cannot do this, their signs are different."
"oh ok! Is that the reason?"
"Yes", she answered with a bit of reluctance this time.
I thought for a while and again threw the ball back to her court,
"Okay, so how about canceling the two terms (1 + x^2) from Nr and Dr?"
"How can we do that? They are far away! There is 'x' in between them."
"Oh! Can we rearrange the addends in an addition expression? I mean, can we write (1 + x + x^2) as (1 + x^2 + x)?"
Poonam got what I meant this time and re-wrote the Nr and Dr expressions this way:
As you can see that, now she had no problem in cancelling out the two (1 + x^2) Interesting, isn't it? I just thought of pointing out one more thing to her,
"Could we have cancelled out even the '1's while cancelling out x^2 from Nr and Dr?"
She reacted to this simple idea in such a way, as if I had drawn her attention to some Wonder 🙂 🙂
"Yes sir, we could have easily simplified the expression there itself, instead of this long business of first rearranging and then cancelling (1+x^2)"
So having stuck up in her first way (canceling just x^2), she now simplified the problem, the second way i.e. by cancelling (1+x^2) instead of just x^2 😉
Now, if you carefully check her new solution (on the right side), then you will find many more (serious) mistakes. Can you count and tell me how many? Possible reasons for these mistakes?
I could have pointed out these errors to her, however, at this moment I chose to stay 'out of this zone of new errors.' Why? (Perhaps, addressing this set of errors calls for another round of discussion with her and hence an another post as well.;)
Meanwhile, you can think of the method(s) one can adopt to help her find these mistakes.
Like last time, after simplifying the problem to some extent, she got stuck and cried for help.
Now I thought to withdraw myself and rather involve my another student to take over this game. I intentionally picked up Kanchan, told her to have a look at both the solutions of Poonam so far. She went through her work and then gave a big smile to me, I knew that she will be able to recognize the trap I had laid for Poonam, after all, she too had been dragged into such traps before 🙂
Kanchan forged ahead, thought for a while and wrote this on the board:
I don't know what made her think of these four numbers (3,10,15,9). This is how she instructed Poonam then:
"Now simplify this example using both the ways, with cancelling and without cancelling."
Poonam just solved this 13 / 24. Surprisingly she was not working on 3 and 9 in Nr and Dr here, like the way she was cancelling out 'same addends' 'x' or (1+x^2) in the original problem.
While Kanchan was unable to understand this contradictory behavior of Poonam in both these problems, a teacher would probably understand this duality. May be Poonam thought that the two addends in Nr and Dr can be cancelled out only when they are same. So here was Kanchan expecting Poonam to simplify 3 and 9, and Poonam not doing so because both addends were different! It was interesting to watch both of them fixed up in this lock. 🙂 🙂
Kanchan then looked at me for help. I decided to give in easily this time. Hence just told her to explain while solving.
This is how she proved that the method used by Poonam (cancelling out / simplifying addends in Nr and Dr) changes the value of given fraction and hence is incorrect.
While it was a delight to listen to Kanchan as to why 13 / 24 and 11 / 18 are unequal, I could see that Poonam was mostly accepting what Kanchan was firmly and quickly asserting.
According to Kanchan, 13/24 and 11/18 were the two most simplified forms (gcd of 13 and 24 is 1 and gcd of 11 and 18 is 1) and they were clearly not equal. However Poonam was not yet ready to digest this level of understanding of fractions and hence this type of reasoning was not going much deep into her.
If Kanchan had taken either of these 2 following routes, then it would have been easier for Poonam to understand:
(a) Different reasoning: 13/24 is 1/24 more than half while 11/18 is 1/9 more than half. Thus both are unequal, hence one cannot simplify the addends.
(b) Different numbers: Choose the numbers such that it becomes easier to compare the two fractions.
So I decided to intervene now with (b) rather than (a), and suggested that Kanchan make some changes in her numbers. Replace 10 by 9 in Nr. (What made me think of this replacement?) Why did I choose strategy (b) over (a)?
This replacement made Kanchan's job easier:
So this is the way she explained to Poonam now:
If you simplify the fraction (3+9)/(15+9) without any modifications, then it is equal to 12/24 which is 1/2 i.e Half
While, if you simplify the two addends 3 and 9 in Nr and Dr as 1 and 3 respectively, then the fraction becomes equal to 10/18 = 5/9 which is more than half…
Hence you cannot simplify the addends in the Nr and Dr of a fraction.
This was pretty easier than the previous one, however I wanted to ensure if Poonam had understood this.
"So did you get this now?"
She replied – "Sir, how come Kanchan knows 5/9 is more than half?"
I looked at Kanchan. She began –
"Look Poonam, Why do you say 12/24 is half?"
"Because 12 is half of 24."
"So similarly if we have 9 in the Dr then whats required in the Nr to make it Half?'
She thought for a while and answered in a less confident tone, " 4.5 "
"Yes! Correct! So if 4.5 / 9 is Half then, what about 5 / 9?"
There was a Big Smile on Poonam's face now…. and so on Kanchan's 🙂 🙂 Little did they realize that their game was not yet over.
"Wait Kanchan, you have showed her that she cannot cancel or simplify the "addends" in the the Nr and Dr of a fraction, but what about the reason why we CAN cancel or simplify the "factors" in the Nr and Dr of a fraction?"
She understood what I meant and hence again made another example to make this point:
I was very happy with the way she achieved this. She explained how the same factors in the Nr and Dr (x^2) come together to equal 1, and hence the simplified fraction formed (5/4) by the remaining factors multiplied by this 1, does not change the value of simplified fraction (1 x 5/4 = 5/4 ). So when we casually say that we are 'cancelling out' the same factors,we are actually or mathematically, multiplying and dividing by the same factor, thus multiplying by 1.
I thought to reinforce this idea using only numbers now, so I gave her this example:
I further asked her, what if the problem were (18 x 5) / ( 9 x 4)?
This is how she simplified it:
(18 / 9) x (5 / 4) = 2 x (5 / 4) = 10 / 4
I could feel the joy of understanding radiated from her face.
Do you or your students simplify the fractions with such deeper understanding or by simply cancelling out the factors in top and bottom


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I'm just curious. The man page for kill says that QUIT, aka signal # 3, is a "core" signal. It seems that all it does, for Java processes, is dump the thread information. So, is the QUIT as misnomer? Is it just that the JVM implements a singal 3 handler that dumps threads?
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Yeah, QUIT is a misnomer. As _USER_ said, Sun just decided to make signal 3 dump the threads. – Gray Aug 14 '12 at 21:20
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QUIT is arguably a misnomer for Java. But by that argument any signal name could be a misnomer if an application is allowed to change the default behaviour of the signal's handler.
In reality, the correspondence between UNIX signal names and what they actually do has always been a bit vague and tenuous. However, developers have been dealing with this "issue" for 30+ years without it being a real problem.
And yes, the Java thread stack dump behaviour is implemented by the JVM. The default UNIX / LINUX behaviour is to create a memory dump of the process, unless this is inhibited by other factors.
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Yea, the JVM captures the #3 signal to dump threads. By default, for a normal unix process, it dumps core (i.e. take a memory snapshot of the process and write it to a file) and exits.
For Java, that isn't very helpful, so it does a thread dump instead.
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about).
Riemann's Zeta Function
November 13, 2009
Another relation that we'll use is that
Now, in the expression
November 11, 2009
Yesterday I talked about the function?(x). If you recall (or rather, if you don't… if you do recall, you can probably skip to the next paragraph), I defined this function by lining up two infinite binary trees. One tree was obtained by taking mediants, giving us the Stern-Brocot tree, while the other was obtained by taking midpoints, giving us a tree of "dyadic" fractions (denominators are powers of two). To evaluate?(x), you find x in the Stern-Brocot tree, and then?(x) is the value in the corresponding position of the dyadic tree.
Instead of thinking about infinite binary trees, let us think about cutting each tree off at some level, n. The pictures from yesterday's post are, if you ignore the vertical dots, the trees when n=2. In the dyadic tree, we will obtain all fractions m/2^p where 0


text:
Advanced Revenue Cycle Analytics: An Overview
In a post Meaningful Use era, many people are surprised to learn that they are not alone that their practice continues to use paper superbills. While all certified EHRs are capable of capturing charge data through point and click templates, many practices continue to use paper superbills due to concerns about physician productivity.
#1 – Manual Charge Entry is Expensive and Error Prone
The most obvious revenue cycle problem caused by paper superbills is manual charge entry into the billing or practice management system. Manual data entry typically takes between 2-3 minutes per encounter, which for a large high volume practice can mean several FTEs dedicated only to charge entry. Furthermore, many practices combine the coding and data entry function. This means that revenue cycle staff is splitting their time between data entry work and true coding work which usually leads to less accurate coding and more mistakes.
#2 – Lack of Physician Specific Customization
Another revenue cycle problem caused by the paper superbill is the lack of physician specific customization. The paper superbill is limited by the physician dimensions of an 8.5 x 11 inch piece of paper. Due to the costs of creating and maintaining different versions of the paper superbill, many practices will only have a few different versions of superbill that are designed to accommodate the average physician and the average patient. This means physicians are often writing in descriptions or codes, which slows down both the physician and revenue cycle.
#3 – Low Visibility to Coding Changes and Coder Productivity
The third revenue cycle problem caused by the paper superbill is the lack of transparency into the revenue cycle and coding process. Management does not have visibility into the changes that revenue cycle staff make during charge entry. It is also very difficult to reliably measure and compare revenue cycle staff productivity. Without performance metrics and analytics, it is very difficult for revenue cycle leaders to identify problems and solutions within the revenue cycle process.


text:
Mass of fire, Speed of sight
Q: In my science class we have learned about mass, and I'm just wondering, does fire have any mass? It has stumped all the teachers I asked (even my science teacher), and I would really like to know. (Jimmy, Sioux City, Iowa)
A: Fire is a series of actions and changes that produces a result ó a process. In fact, it is an oxidation process (called combustion or burning) that gives out heat and light energy as well as glowing gas and a small amount of plasma.
The flame color depends on the temperature of the hot burning gasses and the material that burns. Courtesy of the US Forest Service and Wikipedia
So, talking about fire's mass is like talking about the mass of digestion, or boiling, or getting a driver's license ó although it certainly makes us think about what fire is. But a process doesn't have mass.
Flames are another matter. They are burning gases and gasses certainly do have mass.
Flame colors as chemical indicators by Rod Nave, HyperPhysics
Q: I heard at 100 mph what seems to be in front of you is actually behind you because of how fast your eyes receives images. Is this true, and if so how? What speed can your eyes keep up with? (Joe, Virginia Beach, Virginia)
A: Our eyes see faster than you think they do. The entire process ó from light entering the eye to the brain perceiving the image ó takes a mere 50 milliseconds (one sixth of an eye blink). See WonderQuest's speed of human sight.
A pilot weaves among pylons in the Red Bull Air Race at Kemble Airfield, England. Courtesy of Red Bull Air Race and Wikipedia.
Fifty milliseconds isn't much time, but it is time. So no matter how slowly you go, you will travel some distance during that time. At 100 mph (160 km/h), you'll cover 7 feet (2 m). At any speed, your side peripheral vision will pick up objects that are actually behind you. How much difference does that make? Not much. In fact, not much even going 300 mph (480 km/h).
"We reach speeds up to 300 mph (when entering the track)," says Kirby Chambliss, aerobatic champion and winner of the 2006 Red Bull Air Race. "The only time I have trouble seeing the pylons is when I am pulling 11 to 12 G due to tunnel vision. If you are on a straight part of the track it is no problem to see the pylons even at 300 mph." Video of the race.
"...if we focus or try to see the pylons as we go through them [at speeds of about 200 mph (320 km/h)], they would actually be behind us by the time our brain could return a control input," says Mike Mangold, 2005 RBAR world champion. "As I approach a gate, I position my aircraft to fly through what I perceive to be the center of the gate. I do not see the pylons as I go in between them because I am already looking ahead to the next computation. If I look too far ahead, then my ability to accurately position my airplane degrades." Mike looks about one second ahead, which is approximately 300 feet (90 m).
Kirby and Mike travel up to 35 feet (10 m) during 50 milliseconds, and can judge distances ahead well enough that a 35-foot discrepancy doesn't matter. What speed your eyes can keep up with depends on how accurately you need to know your position.
Red Bull Edge, Kirby Chambliss, 5X US Acrobat champion
To see, brain assembles sketch images eyes feed it, University of California, Berkeley, UniSci
Colors are composed by brain not eyes, Cornell University:
(Answered April 18, 2006)


Date of Award
Degree Type
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Political Sciences
First Advisor
Prof. ZHANG Baohui
Second Advisor
Prof. CHUNG Chien Peng
The dissertation addresses the core IR problem of revisionism and relates it to both the declining superpower and the rising great power, both the United States and China. The dissertation also offers a novel conceptualization of international order in terms of which revisionism is understood. The theoretical innovation of the dissertation modifies established structural realist theories and shifts the explanatory focus from security to status. Since status, defined as social position, is composed of both power and prestige, both change in the balance of power and the balance of prestige explain revisionism, which then cause dissatisfaction in the form of status anxiety in the dominant state. This leads the dominant power to revise the international order to maintain its leading status. It then attempts to block the ascendance of the rising challenger, which frustrates the status aspirations of the rising power who responds by carving out an alternative international order that can satisfy its desire for status. The theory explains when and why revisionism relates to both the status-maintenance strategy of the declining dominant power and the status-enhancement strategy of the rising great power. The declining superpower revises to maintain, whereas the rising great power revises to enhance. The dissertation applies this insight to the positional competition for leadership in the Asia-Pacific and the struggle between alternative regional orders. The US pivot to Asia under the Obama administration exemplifies the revisionist status-maintenance strategy. China, after Xi Jinping's assumption of power, then begins to carve out an alternative regional order. On the US side, the dissertation scrutinizes the cases of the Trans-Pacific Partnership and America's Principled Security Network. On the Chinese side, the dissertation scrutinizes the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank and China's project for an Asian Security Order.
Recommended Citation
Åberg, J. H. S. (2017). Status, revisionism, and great power strategy: US-China positional competition and the struggle for leadership in Asia-Pacific (Doctor's thesis, Lingnan University, Hong Kong). Retrieved from


text:
CDC in Ethiopia
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) office in Ethiopia was established in 2001 and works closely with the Ministry of Health and other partners to maintain strong programs in training, treatment, counseling and testing, and laboratory capacity building.
PEPFAR: HIV/AIDS and Public Health Systems Strengthening
CDC-Ethiopia engages with local partners to provide technical expertise and support to scale-up country-owned programs in blood safety, male circumcision, behavioral change communications, prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT), TB/HIV, pediatric and adult antiretroviral treatment (ART), laboratory infrastructure, and strategic information. CDC-Ethiopia builds local capacity to establish and utilize government information systems, conduct surveillance, surveys and studies, integrate comprehensive laboratory services nationwide, and respond to public health emergencies and epidemics.
- From 2003-2007, AIDS-related mortality in Addis Ababa declined by 60%
- 163,100 individuals receiving antiretroviral treatment
- 8,300 HIV-positive pregnant women receiving antiretroviral prophylaxis for preventing mother to child transmission (PMTCT) of HIV
- Over 6.4 million people protected from malaria via indoor residual spraying in 2009
- 4.5 million ITNs distributed to families in Ethiopia since 2005
- 2.2 million Malaria Rapid Diagnostic Test (RDT) kits distributed
CDC-Ethiopia is part of the President s Malaria Initiative (PMI) whose efforts in Ethiopia focus on reducing malaria related deaths in Oromia Regional State. PMI supports the procurement and distribution of insecticide treated bed nets, improved pre-service training for management of acute malaria and anemia in pregnant women, comprehensive case management of fever cases, distribution of rapid diagnostic tests and effective antimalarial drugs, and improved data and information management for operations research, surveillance, and monitoring and evaluation activities.
CDC builds laboratory and epidemiologic surveillance capacity to determine seasonality and burden of influenza disease in Ethiopia. CDC established three sentinel sites in Addis Ababa and provided on-site technical assistance and supportive supervision at the sites. CDC also improved capacity of laboratories to detect influenza viruses at the Ethiopian Health and Nutrition Research Institute and provided training for laboratorians and surveillance officers. In 2009, CDC established an emergency operating center under the emergency public health management directorate.
CDC provides technical support to the Federal Ministry of Health (FMOH) and partners to expand TB/HIV efforts. CDC s programmatic focus in Ethiopia is to prevent TB/HIV through technical assistance and programmatically relevant research. Key activities include conducting a pediatric TB/HIV surveillance evaluation, evaluating the impact of TB screening in HIV-infected persons, intensifying TB case finding among HIV-infected persons, and integrating TB and HIV prevention efforts.
CDC provides technical and programmatic expertise to meet national immunization goals and international resolutions to eradicate polio, reduce measles mortality, and strengthen the national routine immunization program in Ethiopia. CDC investigates circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus cases and provides operational support for acute flaccid paralysis surveillance and supplementary immunization activity. CDC conducted a comprehensive integration evaluation project to assess resource needs for integration of interventions with immunizations and to determine best practices for delivery of
integrated health services at the service delivery level.
CDC office (physical presence)
70 Locally Employed
Top 10 Causes of Death
- Lower respiratory infections 12 %
- HIV/AIDS 11 %
- Perinatal conditions 8 %
- Tuberculosis 4%
- Diarrheal disease 6 %
- Measles 4%
- Cerebrovascular disease 3 %
- Ischaemic heart disease 2 %
- Malaria 2 %
- Syphallis 2 %
Field Epidemiology Training Program
In 2009, the Ethiopian Field Epidemiology and Laboratory Training Program was established to develop a cadre of highly skilled public health professionals in the Federal Ministry of Health and regional health bureaus. Residents of the program have investigated disease outbreaks, conducted case investigation and contact tracing, trained local health sector staff, updated guidelines, conducted and improved surveillance, and made recommendations to improve water quality, hygiene and sanitation. Upon completion of the two-year program, residents receive an MPH in Field Epidemiology from the Addis Ababa University School of Public Health.
Management Capacity Building Program
The Ethiopian Public Health Management Capacity Building Program was established in 2007 to improve the speed of antiretroviral therapy scale-up and the quality of HIV/AIDS care and treatment in Ethiopia. The program s efforts focus on improving outcomes from work processes among national and regional lab managers and the prevention of mother to child transmission of HIV in the Oromia region.
Global Tobacco Surveillance
Ethiopia conducted the Global Youth Tobacco Survey (GYTS) in 2003 and will attend the GYTS Training Workshop in October 2010. CDC provides Ethiopia financial and technical support including establishment of standard survey operating procedures, survey design and sample selection, data management and processing, training and technical assistance in data analysis and reporting, and global data release.
Waterborne Diseases Prevention
CDC provided technical assistance to Population Services International to launch Wuha Agar, a water treatment product, and found through a study that promoting and distributing water chlorination products via antiretroviral clinics is an effective way to increase utilization of them. CDC also developed guidance on safe water implementation strategies and collaborated with partners to evaluate the health impact of interventions in a basic care package.
- Population: 85,000,000
- Per capita income: $870
- Life expectancy at birth women/men: 57 /54 yrs
Global Migration and Quarantine
Ethiopia is an important source country of immigrants, refugees, and adoptees in the US. CDC manages medical guidelines for physicians who perform required exams for immigrants and refugees bound for the US in Ethiopia. CDC also investigates hepatitis A in orphan care centers in the country to reduce infection and prevent outbreaks.
Poxvirus and Rabies Prevention and Control
In 2009, CDC personnel provided epidemiological support and laboratory training in diagnostics to staff at the Ethiopian Health Nutrition Research Institute in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. CDC has also provided technical transfer of seed viruses and reagents towards modern human and animal rabies vaccine development.
Leishmaniasis National Control Program
CDC provides epidemiological expertise and consultation to the Leishmaniasis National Control Program in Ethiopia, which assesses disease burden and risk factors, and is developing a control strategy for visceral leishmaniasis (VL).


Construction continues on Caldecott Tunnel 4th bore
February 7, 2011 8:06:52 PM PST
For the past five months, crews have been carving out the fourth bore of the Caldecott Tunnel. The $420 million project is still two years from completion, but crews have been working around the clock and facing some very real dangers.
For every five feet the road header carves through the East Bay hills, a thick coat of shotcrete is sprayed on the walls, bolts are drilled in for support, and another six inches of shotcrete finishes the process. It is repeated 24 hours a day.
When it is finished, the Caldecott Tunnel's fourth bore will be 4,000 feet long. But each day, the miners only advance 10-15 feet, hauling out 1,500 tons of muck.
So far, they are almost one-third of the way through and every day poses new challenges. The site is considered a "gassy" tunnel, which means something as simple as the electrostatic spark from a cell phone could turn a pocket of methane gas into a deadly fireball.
"It's all about safety; i's not an easy job, it could be dangerous if you're not smart," project superintendent Bill Monahan said.
A process called "brassing in and out" is mandatory. Brass tags indentify who is "in" and who is "out" of the bore. In the early days of tunneling, brass was used because of its high melting point of 1,700 degrees.
"In the event there is a fire, that won't melt; it'll survive the fire and the identifying imprint will still exist," project engineer Bob Smythe said.
Methane gas is also poisonous, so giant ducts constantly blast air into the tunnel.
"So if there was a pocket of methane or poisonous gas, it would be diluted before it got to the sensors," Smythe said.
As the crew tunnels through the Orinda formation and into the Claremont formation, geologists expect to find larger pockets of gas and more dangerous rock formations.
"Along the slick and slides blocks can fall down, break out of the face, and that makes it dangerous for the miners," geologist Gerhard Neuhuber said.
Neuhuber is the geologist hired to oversee the construction company's geologist. Despite the redundancy in safety measures, they had a sobering moment last November, when a large chunk of shotcrete broke off and injured two miners.
"It was about five feet long, and probably six to eight inches thick and three foot in width," Monahan said.
"They were putting the second level on there and they jumped on it too quick, well it just hadn't cured," Smythe said.
You know, you have always have to take care when you work inside a tunnel because something can happen," Neuhuber said. "You never can measure everything."
With all of his geological technology, Neuhuber says he could not have predicted the temperature's effect on the quality of shotcrete and leaking mountain water that may have loosened the shotcrete before it could dry. It is just another dangerous unknown the crews face as they mine their way through the mountain.
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What's New in IBM Cognos Analytics
What's New in IBM Cognos Analytics
Course Length:
Delivery Methods: Available for private class only
Course Topics
 Course Overview
 This What's New in IBM Cognos Analytics training class introduces new features in Cognos Analytics.It includes new products like dashboards and data modules and new techniques with IBM Cognos® Analytics Reporting. Topics include portal navigation, searching, creating dashboards and data modules, and examining new reporting options.The course format includes lecture, instructor-led exercises and independent workshops.
 This course is intended for Report Authors, Developers and consumers, who will transition from Cognos 10 to Cognos Analytics or who are new to IBM Cognos Analytics to create, maintain, and run reports and dashboards.
 Course Outline
 1. Overview of IBM Cognos Analytics
 1. Overview of IBM Cognos Analytics
 2. Overview of Data Modules, Dashboards and Reporting
 2. Overview of IBM Cognos Analytics Portal
 1. IBM Cognos Analytics Interface
 2. Navigating the Portal
 3. Running and Saving Reports
 4. Creating Folders
 5. Setting Preferences
 6. Subscriptions
 7. Searching
 3. New Reporting Features
 1. Examine the new Reporting Interface
 2. Use Layouts and Templates
 3. Create Reports with Multiple Packages
 4. Introduction to Data Modules
 1. Overview of Data Modules
 2. Upload Files
 3. Create Data Modules from Uploaded Files, Data Servers and Packages
 4. Add a Navigation Path to a Data Module
 5. Add relative time to a data module
 5. Introduction to Dashboards and Stories
 1. Compare Dashboards and Stories
 2. Examine the Dashboard Interface
 3. Create a Tabbed Dashboard and Modify Widgets
 1. Maps
 2. KPI
 3. Forecasting
 4. Add Filters (Top, Bottom, etc.)
 5. Examine the Story Interface
 6. Create a Story and Add Animation
 7. Modify a Story Timeline
 6. Introduction to Explorations
 1. Overview of Explorations
 2. Create an Exploration with Spirals and Decision Trees
 7. Summary
 Class Materials
 Class Prerequisites
 Experience in the following is required for this Cognos class:
 - Experience with IBM Cognos is strongly recommended. A basic knowledge of Windows, Internet Explorer or Chrome, and browser techniques is expected.
 Request a Private Class
 - Private Class for your Team
 - Online or On-location
 - Customizable
 - Expert Instructors
 Request Pricing


text:
Human facial attractiveness is evaluated by using multiple cues. Among others, sexual dimorphism (i.e. masculinity for male faces/femininity for female faces) is an influential factor of perceived attractiveness. Since facial attractiveness is judged by incorporating sexually dimorphic traits as well as other cues, it is theoretically possible to dissociate sexual dimorphism from facial attractiveness. This study tested this by using a data-driven mathematical modelling approach. We first analysed the correlation between perceived masculinity/femininity and attractiveness ratings for 400 computer-generated male and female faces (Experiment 1) and found positive correlations between perceived femininity and attractiveness for both male and female faces. Using these results, we manipulated a set of faces along the attractiveness dimension while controlling for sexual dimorphism by orthogonalisation with data-driven mathematical models (Experiment 2). Our results revealed that perceived attractiveness and sexual dimorphism are dissociable, suggesting that there are as yet unidentified facial cues other than sexual dimorphism that contribute to facial attractiveness. Future studies can investigate the true preference of sexual dimorphism or the genuine effects of attractiveness by using well-controlled facial stimuli like those that this study generated. The findings will be of benefit to the further understanding of what makes a face attractive.
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