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Posted September 1, 2006 ATLANTA
Communications & Marketing
Contact Lisa Grovenstein
Johnson part of team designing and building prototypes for better sanitation
When given a choice this summer between helping out with designs for environmentally friendly luxury condos less than a mile away from campus and designing and building solar latrines to improve sanitation in Bolivia, Georgia Tech All-American wide receiver Calvin Johnson chose the latrine project without hesitation.
"Are you sure?" said Kevin Caravati, a student project advisor and senior research scientist at the Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI). "The other project is right down the street."
Johnson's response was brief and to the point. "I want to help the less fortunate," he answered.
Four billion people globally suffer from chronic waterborne disease, and an estimated 13 million children die annually of diarrhea - conditions linked to a lack of adequate sanitation. In a developing country with extreme conditions like Bolivia, poor sanitation poses a serious health risk, contaminating the limited water supply and attracting disease-carrying insects.
"You realize how fortunate you are when you see that people around the world don't have clean water and sanitation," Johnson said.
Emory University's Center for Global Safe Water approached Georgia Tech's School of Civil and Environmental Engineering and GTRI to help remove a significant sanitation roadblock faced by developing countries - the design and cost flaws of current United Nations latrines.
"We wanted help with the project, but it was tough to find students enthusiastic about latrines," Caravati said. "Calvin was our first volunteer. He wanted to have a hands-on experience to build a prototype that had the potential to have a huge global impact on people."
Johnson immediately began work on designs for an inexpensive dry latrine system that uses the sun's rays to safely transform bacteria-laden waste into fertilizer.
He was then joined by his project partner Brad Davis, a building construction student at Georgia Tech, and the two hammered out a final design with Caravati. The goal was to create an improved solar latrine out of the most affordable and available materials. The interior needed to be heated at a minimum of 120 degrees Fahrenheit to kill pathogens, and the design and materials had to be as simple and cost effective as possible.
"We focused on designing the most inexpensive and durable model, taking into account what materials would be readily available in those nations. This gave Calvin and me the ability to think outside of the box and use everyday materials in our design," Davis said.
The team made two prototypes from a hodgepodge of household items, including a bicycle tube to insulate the waste and retain heat, a bleach bottle, plexi-glass, scrap wood and tin foil. The central idea was to 'bake' the waste with an oven-like design that could reach temperatures of more than 150 degrees Fahrenheit while still keeping the inhabited area cool enough for users.
Johnson, Davis and Caravati were able to build two very effective prototypes that would cost only $78 per unit, compared to $120 for existing models used. They were also able to reach sustained temperatures of over 150 degrees while still keeping the inhabited area cool enough for users.
With the initial prototypes completed, Johnson and the rest of the Georgia Tech project team plan to travel in January to a remote area of Bolivia's Andes Mountains to build several of the new latrines and instruct locals on how to build their own.
"I'm looking forward to making the trip to Bolivia after the season," Johnson said.


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Welcome to EC&M's monthly forum for your power quality questions. This month, Mark McGranaghan, vice president of Electrotek Concepts, and EC&M's editorial director, John DeDad address the topics of leading power factor and electrical noise.Q. We suspect that the rack equipment in use at a small data center with a load of about 90kVA and a leading power factor (PF) of.89 has integral PF correction components. These components work in such a way that when the rack equipment is lightly loaded, the power factor goes leading. Why don't all UPS systems seem to handle this very well? Are you familiar with any similar situations at other sites? What was done to solve the problem? McGranaghan's answer It's very confusing to talk about leading and lagging PF when you're dealing with loads like computer power supplies. The terms leading and lagging can only be used for one component of the true PF: the displacement power factor (DPF). This component has to do with the PF caused by the fundamental frequency voltage being out of phase with the current. Only the in-phase components of the voltage and current produce real power. The out-of-phase components produce reactive power, which doesn't do useful work.
The PF is leading when the current leads the voltage, and the PF is lagging when the current lags the voltage. True PF is the total relationship between real power (P), or useful work, and apparent power (S), or total power based on the voltage and current magnitudes. It's expressed by the equation PF=P÷S.
True PF is also influenced by the harmonic distortion in the load current. That's the most important effect for loads like computer power supplies. These loads actually have a DPF very close to unity. However, it's often slightly leading because of the capacitors in the power supplies. For instance, the DPF could be.98 leading. Generally, this isn't a problem for UPS equipment. However, when you measure the true PF, you get a reading like.7 due to all the harmonic distortion in the load current. The meter will say.7 leading because the term leading refers to the DPF component.
The bottom line is that it's unlikely the customer has PF correction equipment at its loads — they just happen to be this way. UPS equipment is generally designed to handle computer power supplies just fine. At least the equipment should be able to handle these loads — they're the most common loads requiring backup power.Q. We've been experiencing problems and shutdowns in our process control system. In discussions with PLC factory technicians, electrical noise and the resulting current ground loops are cited as probable causes. I thought our grounding system would take care of this. How is electrical noise generated and why does it affect our PLCs?
DeDad's answer Electrical noise is characterized by unwanted electrical signals superimposed on a useful waveform. Fig. 1 shows what a waveform with electrical noise distortion would look like. Basically, electrical noise is a repetitive voltage or frequency transient. Power electronic circuits, arcing loads like welders, and switching power supplies (usually associated with computer systems) are the culprits.
Electrical noise usually affects microprocessor-based equipment, such as microcomputers, programmable logic controllers (PLCs), gauges, workstations, monitors, displays, controllers, and data acquisition computers, because of the way these devices work — they operate sequentially, driven by internal clocks operating at millions of cycles per second. Instruction words are brought into the processor from memory and are then executed over the next few cycles. As each instruction is completed, the address of the next instruction is found in the memory. If one sequential address or the instruction it contains is slightly altered, the processor is unable to continue correctly with the programmed sequence, causing an error or halt to occur. It's this inability to tolerate any internal scrambling of these low-voltage bits that makes microprocessor devices so susceptible to problems from electrical noise.
There are two types of electrical noise: normal-mode and common-mode. Normal-mode noise, also known as transverse-mode noise, is the voltage noise that always exists between a pair of conductors. In a 3-phase connection, common-mode noise is noise-voltage appearing equally in-phase with each line-to-line or line-to-neutral voltage.
Common-mode noise appears between the grounding conductor (ground) and line conductors or between the grounded (neutral) conductor and the ground. The latter is usually termed N-G, or neutral-to-ground, voltage. Common-mode noise can destroy the integrity of low-level computer signals by driving stray currents through all the available grounding paths connecting raceways, equipment, and building steel. The result is a current ground loop through the signal circuit.
Fig. 2 shows a local ground loop where one circuit is directly coupled to another and is directly driven. The resistance of the section of the loop that is shared (RG) will determine how much voltage is driven into the target loop by the current of the source loop. Reducing the length of the shared part of the loop will reduce the amount of interference.
You'll find ground loops within a rack set because electronic return paths are shared. All too often there are no provisions for these return currents, so they flow on the only paths available: rack frame steel, bolted and painted rack-to-rack joints, safety ground wires, wireway and conduit surfaces, and anything else available. These chance connections are much worse than any rational intentional path would be. The inevitable system return currents develop voltages of mutually interfering noise over the high impedance of these chance returns. Ground loops are bothersome because the paths on which they flow are poor.

source: openbmb/Ultra-FineWeb


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About this Worksheet:
Week 12 Reading Comprehension (C-12). A short passage about human impact on plants and animals. Cross-Curricular Focus: Life Science. This worksheet is in line with Common Core Standards for 3rd and 4th grade Key Ideas and Details, but may also be used for other grades. The passage's Lexile Level is 820.


How to Mix Glaze
 1. Make sure we have all of the materials you plan to use BEFORE mixing them together
 2. Clean two 5 gallon buckets. Make sure they are really clean! If you can find the 6 gallon bucket, use that to dry mix your ingredients
 3. Use the small triple beam scale and balance it so that the pointer is lined up with the "0" when only the container you are measuring in is sitting on the scale.
 5. Measure your materials out, keeping in mind that you will need to keep track of what you are measuring on a scrap piece of paper. For example, if you need 2700 grams of Custer Feldspar, you set the scale for 500 grams and weigh that out 5 times (making a note of each 500 gram weighing). Then do another weighing at 200 to equal 2700.
 6. Put all of your dry materials into one bucket.
 7. Dry off the glaze mixer on the end of the drill and use that to dry mix the materials until it looks like it's all the same color.
 8. Add water, mixing as you add it. Keep in mind that it's much easier to ADD water than take it out!
 9. Put the rotary sieve on the other clean bucket and sieve the glaze into that bucket.
 10. Clean the first bucket out, then sieve the glaze back into the first bucket. Sieving the glaze twice helps to mix the glaze thoroughly. You may need to add some water as the sieving process sometimes makes the glaze thicker.
 11. Thoroughly clean the sieve and any tools you used to mix the glaze.
 12. Follow the directions below to make sure you add the right amount of glaze.
The triple beam scale should balance like this


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The won cause: black and white comradeship in the Grand Army of the Republic
Univ of North Carolina Press
, 2011 - History
- 282 pages
In the years after the Civil War, black and white Union soldiers who survived the horrific struggle joined the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR)--the Union army's largest veterans' organization. In this thoroughly researched and groundbreaking study, Barbara Gannon chronicles black and white veterans' efforts to create and sustain the nation's first interracial organization.
According to the conventional view, the freedoms and interests of African American veterans were not defended by white Union veterans after the war, despite the shared tradition of sacrifice among both black and white soldiers. In The Won Cause, however, Gannon challenges this scholarship, arguing that although black veterans still suffered under the contemporary racial mores, the GAR honored its black members in many instances and ascribed them a greater equality than previous studies have shown. Using evidence of integrated posts and veterans' thoughts on their comradeship and the cause, Gannon reveals that white veterans embraced black veterans because their membership in the GAR demonstrated that their wartime suffering created a transcendent bond--comradeship--that overcame even the most pernicious social barrier--race-based separation. By upholding a more inclusive memory of a war fought for liberty as well as union, the GAR's "Won Cause" challenged the Lost Cause version of Civil War memory.

source: HuggingFaceFW/fineweb-edu


- GHF CAT Team
Worry Balloons
Updated: Apr 8, 2020
Imagine your worries as balloons and then blow them away!
What you'll need: A piece of paper, coloured pens or pencils, scissors
What's it for?
This activity helps you think about your worries and how you can let them go.
Check In:
 - How are you feeling?
 - What are you thinking?
 - How does your body feel?
 - Cut out five balloon shapes. Make sure they are big enough to write in.
 - Spend a moment thinking carefully about anything you are worried about.
 - Write or draw these worries in the balloon shapes.
 - Place these 'balloon worries' on a smooth table top or on the floor. Place the balloons that have the worries that you're most anxious about closest to you.
 - Imagine that the balloons are in the sky on a windy day. Blow each balloon off the table / away from you on the floor, imagining that you are blowing the worry away.
 - Continue, until you have blown all the balloon worries away.
Extra Activity: Draw a sky for the balloons to sit in and glue them in place. What kind of sky would it be? Where would you place the balloons? Near the ground? Far away?
When you've finished playing / writing spend a moment thinking about your story, ask yourself the following questions:
 - How did it feel to name your worries in the balloons? Was it difficult?
 - How did it feel to blow the balloon worries away?
 - How could you blow your worries away in real life?
Actually naming and thinking about our worries can give us a certain amount of control over them.
Created by Ian Grundy © March 2020
Creative Art: Art, Creative Writing
Psychological Area: Emotional Wellbeing, Anxiety


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After reading a book about dinosaurs, we found ourselves faced with explaining how fossils were made to our young daughter. So we decided it would be much easier if she was able to help us make our own version of fossils instead! Our toddler daughter loved every step of this craft - from making the salt dough, to rolling it out, to deciding what type of fossil to make. You can make a salt dough fossil by pressing your dinosaur toys into the dough, by pressing your own hands and feet into the dough, or by making your handprint look like a dinosaur footprint! The possibilities with this salt dough fossil craft are endless, so encourage your child to use their imagaination and have fun!
What you'll need:
#1: Press a dinosaur toy into the dough. Remove the toy to see the imprint or "fossil" left behind.
#2: Press the foot of a dinosaur into the dough to create a fossil.
#3: Have your own child press their foot into the dough to make their own fossil! This is a great way to preserve how little they are now!
#4: Press your child's hand into the dough so that their hands mimic a three-toed dinosaur footprint. See the photograph at right.
Please add a comment
Step One: Press dinosaur toy into dough
Step Two: Remove toy to show imprint behind
Step Three: Paint your baked fossil
Other ideas: multiple different dinosaur toys, just the footprint of a dinosaur toy, the footprint of your child, your child's hand pressed into dough to mimic a dinosaur footprint.
Please do not reproduce any of our content on your own site without direct permission. We welcome you to link directly to any pages on our site without specific permission. We also welcome any feedback, ideas or anything you want to share with us - just email us at _EMAIL_.


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hours apart to avoid increasing aluminum absorption.
You may need more calcium if you are taking the following anticonvulsants:
If you are taking the following medications, you should take your calcium supplement at least 2 hours before or after your dose of medication because calcium interferes with the absorption (and vice versa):
Do not take extra calcium except on the advice of a physician if you are taking
Do not take calcium together with high-dose vitamin D except on the advice of a physician if you are taking
calcium channel blockers
You may need extra calcium if you are taking:
- Ideally, you should take calcium at a different time of day from these other minerals because it may interfere with their absorption.
It may be advisable to wait 2 hours after taking calcium supplements to eat soy (or vice versa).
A constituent of
called phytic acid can interfere with the absorption of calcium.
Taking supplemental calcium may be helpful if you are taking


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Nestle – The Infant Formula Incident Summary of Case and Results In response to a pamphlet entitled "Nestle Kills Babies," published in 1974 by the Swiss consumer/activist group, Arbeitsgruppe Dritte Welt, Nestle Alimentana filed a four-count libel suit against members of the organization. The pamphlet was a reprint of an earlier one entitled "Bottled Babies," published by a similar British group. Both alleged that false advertising had prompted mothers in LDCs to use infant formula instead of breast feeding, and consequently caused the deaths of thousands of children.However, the original pamphlet had not mentioned Nestle or any of the other companies by name, and thus did not raise the issue of libel. Three of the charges, which Nestle subsequently withdrew, related to allegations made in the pamphlet about Nestle's promotional methods in LDCs. The fourth charge, which led to a judgment against thirteen members of the group in June 1976, focused on the defamatory title "Nestle Kills Babies.
" In his decision, the judge stated that the cause behind the injuries and deaths was not Nestle's products; rather, it was the unhygienic way they were prepared by end-users.Although Nestle won its case, the firm's victory was diluted by (1) having to pay one third of the court costs and (2) being told by the judge to change its marketing methods to prevent further misuse of its products. The defendants were ordered to pay $120 each in damages to Nestle and two thirds of court costs. Suggestions Companies selling consumable products (foods, beverages, pharmaceuticals) to LDCs have long recognized the need to adapt their promotional techniques to their consumers who are, by and large, poor and illiterate.In recent years, one particular group of food producers—those firms making infant formula and other milk products—has come under severe attack by various religious, consumer and governmental organizations. Criticism focuses on two issues: (1) that companies allegedly use false advertising to induce mothers to substitute formula for their own milk, and (2) that firms are directly responsible when misuse of their products results in illness or death. The assault was dramatized in the recent Swiss case involving Nestle Alimentana.
Nestle Essay Example
The responses of milk product manufacturers have ranged from writing corporate policies on LDC marketing to organizing industry councils and holding meetings with pressure groups. But most significantly, companies have altered marketing practices in ways that other firms making consumable items should find instructive. These changes include Tightening up direct selling methods. A common practice is to have "mother-craft nurses,"—local women who may be nurses, dietitians or midwives—visit clinics and homes to encourage doctors and consumers to use infant formula.Critics charge that these women are often unqualified to speak on nutrition and that they distort facts to make formula feeding more attractive than breast feeding. As a result, many firms now forbid representatives from discouraging breast feeding and demand that they go to clinics and homes only if invited or sent by a family doctor. Stressing nutritional training.
Firms are improving the nutritional instruction given to representatives. In addition, promoters are providing consumers with educational presentations, including seminars, films and brochures.Such training not only combats misuse of products, but also benefits the manufacturer. For example, one corporation whose sales representatives in Indonesia conducted local demonstration on uses of a condensed-milk product found that the presentations accomplished several aims: (1) alerted the representative to problems people had in preparing and using the product, (2) served as a rough test market for the product and (3) helped to bolster the firm's image. Controlling distributors' promotional activities. Manufacturers selling milk products through distributors have often given them free rein over local advertising.Some corporate executives worry about becoming too closely associated with distributors' advertising, fearing possible liability for erroneous claims made by distributors.
However, such liability would be difficult to avoid in any situation involving a company's trademarks and products. A few firms, recognizing this, are currently monitoring all new promotional campaigns of distributors. Curtailing mass media advertising. Several corporations that formerly advertised infant formula on TV, radio, billboards and newspapers are now relying solely on sales representatives. Improving labeling and directions for use.Developing promotional/instructional materials to help low-literacy users. The International Council of Infant Food Industries, formed in 1975, is studying ways to improve communication methods for use in areas of high illiteracy.
Possibilities include cartoons, pictures, radio programs and even sound trucks. (Use of new informational materials would be subject to approval of local authorities. ) Price of Social ResponsibilityFor some firms, the cost of maintaining ethical standards is high. One large food company actually closed down its milk-processing plant in Pakistan because pasteurization laws were not being enforced, and local firms selling unpasteurized milk were gaining a competitive edge. Additionally, the quality of the firm's product was tarnished by local consumers who frequently diluted the milk with polluted stream water to "stretch" it for their own use or for resale.In light of these problems, and others—such as the high cost of marketing and training, and the relatively low sales volume—some companies have contemplated withdrawing these products from LDC markets. However, the market potential for milk products in these countries is strong because of increasing populations and rising standards of living.
In addition, the growing role of women in the labor force is creating a greater need for infant formulas. Thus, it appears that firms will remain in these markets.Every 30 seconds a baby dies from unsafe bottle feeding, that's is approximately 1. 5 million babies a year, this is because formula milk companies provide free powder milk to mothers while in hospital in third world countries ensuring that babies are routinely bottle-fed and not breastfed. As a result babies become dependent on artificial milk. Despite the number of deaths formula milk companies continue to promote artificial feeding in ways that undermine breastfeeding. Nestle made a profit of? 2.
7 billion year 2007 from selling baby formula milk.In third world countries bottle feeding is dangerous due to unsafe water supplies and difficulties with keeping bottles sterile. Cost is also a problem, once out of hospital the milk is no longer free. Costing families up to 50% of their weekly income, due to high costs, milk mixtures are over diluted and mothers buy cheaper, bad quality formula milk instead. This means the baby is inadequately fed leading to malnutrition, diarrhea and often death. Formula milk companies make profit by exploiting vulnerable mothers.


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Madam Walker Made Millions Door to Door with Her Line of Beauty Products
When a list is compiled naming the ten top famous African Americans from history, the name Madam C.J. Walker seldom makes the cut. But, that's a mistake: Her name should be included. Madam Walker was the first woman millionaire in the US. Not just the first African American millionaire, mind you, but the first woman ever to reach that lofty goal. And not only was she a shrewd and accomplished businesswoman, she was also a philanthropist and social activist.
Walker's story began in Delta, Louisiana, on December 23, 1867. Born to parents just recently freed from slavery by the Civil War, she was an orphan by the age of eight. She made her way by working in the cotton fields and eventually relocated to St. Louis to be near her four brothers. By then she was widowed and had a daughter of her own, Lelia. She supported her child by working as a laundress.
In the 1890's, suffering from an unknown scalp ailment, Walker began experimenting with homemade remedies and beauty treatments. When she and her new husband, Charles Walker, moved to Denver, Colorado, she started marketing her homemade hair and scalp treatments. Traveling the South and selling her products door to door, Walker watched the demand for her beauty treatments grow.
Madam CJ Walker's Accomplishments Helped Create Nearly 3,000 Jobs
By 1910, demand was high enough for her to begin mass production. Moving to Indianapolis, she built a factory to produce her growing line of beauty products. A hair salon and training school quickly followed. Her manufacturing company created nearly three thousand jobs in the area and her army of door-to-door saleswomen would eventually number nearly 20,000. Less than a year later, she was making headlines for her contributions to worthy African American causes in Indianapolis.
In 1916, Walker moved her headquarters to New York City. There, she became increasingly socially aware and politically active. She donated $5000 to the NAACP's anti-lynching campaign and presented a petition at the White House demanding the passage of national anti-lynching legislation. At yearly conventions, she encouraged the women who worked for her to be politically active as well.
Madam C.J. Walker died on May 25, 1919. She was only 52 years old, yet, during her relatively short lifetime, she had championed many worthy causes. She had been a major contributor to the NAACP, she had encouraged other budding businesswomen, and she had funded numerous scholarships for young men and women to attend the Tuskegee Institute, an all-black college founded by Booker T. Washington.
Madam CJ Walker Closing Statments
While her name does not always make the list of famous African Americans, Madam Walker earned her place in history. Generous and hardworking, she represents the very model of successful entrepreneurship and responsible stewardship. She founded a company that not only earned her millions but gave jobs to thousands of other people as well. And she used her money and her position to support civic and educational agencies that aided black people and also fought against racial discrimination. Even without the word "millionaire" behind her name, she is a woman worth remembering.
Follow the link for another great article - Black Women and Small Business : Avenues for Aid
What are your thoughts of Madame Walker's Accomplishments... please comment below!


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It might be that a combination of AI techniques and photos on the web are your best chance of finding a long lost relative. Facial recognition for kinship is a new technique.
Face recognition technology is usually regarded as something that threatens our security by allowing organizations to spy on us. Never mind that it is fun to tag people in photos or to be told when you have appeared in a photo posted by someone else, it's still slightly scary.
Now we have a novel use of face recognition that might be a force for good - or not... The idea is that humans can tell just by looking at a person whether or not they are likely to be related to another person. Family features are generally pronounced enough for them to be visible even in low quality photos. If this is the case then it should be possible to pull off the same trick using face recognition algorithms.
This is what PhD student Ruogu Fang at Cornell University tried out using 22 facial characteristics. However, instead of just using standard facial recognition techniques such as Eigenface, the features were constructed manually to specifically track genetic relationships. The features were selected using data from genetics on which characteristics were likely to be inherited.
These theoretical features were then tested to discover their predictive ability on a database of famous parents and children. Out of the 22 only six appeared to be as good in practice as in theory. This doesn't necessarily mean that the genetics is wrong - it could be that the measurements being made just don't pick up the essential variation. The best features were: color of eyes, darkness of skin, distance between nose and mouth and the distance between eyes and nose. These features were used in a simple k-nearest neighbor classifier.
The algorithm was tested and achieved a 71% success rate at spotting matches and mismatches. This might not sound very good, but on the same test humans only managed a 67% success rate - so the machine algorithm is slightly better.
The performance could probably be improved by using multiple known family members to match a single unidentified individual.
It isn't difficult to think up uses for this algorithm, even at its current level of performance. For example, if you are searching a large database for lost relatives then it could be used to screen out negative matches before moving to DNA testing. Obviously the huge picture bank that is the social web provides a way to scan for possible genetic matches.
So if you are looking for a long lost relative, AI and the social web could be your best hope.
Ruogu Fang, Kevin D. Tang, Noah Snavely, Tsuhan Chen. "Towards Computational Models of Kinship Verification", IEEE International Conference on Image Processing, 2010.


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Walking and thinking at the same time can be especially difficult for persons who've suffered concussions, and scientists hope to use that multitasking challenge -- measured by a simple radar system -- to quickly screen individuals who may have suffered brain injuries.
By asking an individual to walk a short distance while saying the months of the year in reverse order, researchers at the Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI) can determine if that person is impaired and possibly suffering from a concussion. This simple test, which could be performed on the sideline of a sporting event or on a battlefield, has the potential to help coaches and commanders decide if athletes and soldiers are ready to engage in activity again.
"When a person with a concussion performs cognitive and motor skill tasks simultaneously, they have a different gait pattern than a healthy individual, and we can identify those anomalies in a person's walk with radar," said GTRI research engineer Jennifer Palmer.
More than 1 million concussions and other mild traumatic brain injuries are reported each year in the United States and catching them right after they happen can improve treatment and prevent further injury or other long-term health issues. Diagnosing concussions can be difficult, though, because the symptoms of concussions are not always easily visible or detectable, even though they last for weeks or months following the incident. Methods exist for detecting concussions, but most focus purely on cognitive impairment and do not assess accompanying motor skill deterioration.
Details of GTRI's technique, which simultaneously examines a person's cognitive and motor skills, will be presented on April 26 at the SPIE Defense, Security and Sensing conference in Orlando. GTRI research engineers Kristin Bing and Amy Sharma, principal research scientist (ret) Eugene Greneker, and research scientist Teresa Selee also worked on this project, which is supported by the GTRI Independent Research and Development (IRAD) program.
Several studies have shown that measuring changes in gait could be used to diagnose concussions, but measuring a person's gait typically requires wearing special clothing with reflective markers or sensors so that movements can be captured with motion analysis cameras. Using radar for gait analysis would be faster and less intrusive than these existing techniques. The assessment would be done with radar systems similar to those used by police for measuring the speed of vehicles.
For their study, the GTRI research team compared how 10 healthy individuals walked normally and when impaired. For the impairment scenario, individuals wore goggles that simulated alcohol impairment. Past research has shown that concussion impairment is equivalent to having a blood alcohol level of 0.05 percent.
During the trials, each individual performed four 30-second walking tasks: a normal walk, walk while saying the months of the year in reverse order, walk while wearing the goggles, and walk while wearing the goggles and performing the cognitive task. For each task, the subjects walked away from the radar system, turned around and walked back toward the radar system.
"We're using a 10.5 gigahertz continuous wave radar, which is similar to a police officer's radar gun that measures the speed of a car," explained Bing. "The data we collect tells us the velocity of everything that's in the field of view of the radar at that time, including a person's foot kicks, and head and torso movements."
The researchers analyzed the radar data using information-theoretic techniques, which detected similarities and differences in the information without having to identify and align specific body parts. In addition, these techniques could recognize a gait anomaly without requiring that an individual's normal gait be measured before the person became impaired.
"By looking for differences in the gait patterns of normal and impaired individuals, we found that healthy individuals could be distinguished from impaired individuals wearing the goggles," explained Palmer. "Healthy individuals demonstrated a more periodic gait with regular and higher velocity foot kicks and faster torso and head movement than impaired individuals when completing a cognitive task."
The results also indicated that if no cognitive task was performed, a healthy individual's gait pattern was not statistically different when wearing and not wearing the goggles.
"We found that we needed to examine a person's physical and mental capabilities at the same time to see a change in gait and detect impairment," said Bing. "It's easy for a person to concentrate on one task, but when that person has to multitask we can begin to discriminate between someone who is impaired and someone who is not."
In the future, the researchers plan to collect additional data from healthy individuals of different heights and weights, and from individuals exhibiting concussion symptoms according to neuropsychological screening tests performed at a hospital. They also plan to reduce the size of the system so that it becomes more practical to use.
"For the military, we envision the system could fit into a tough box so that commanders can have it in the field," added Bing. "They could simply press a button, connect the radar system to a laptop, and an easy-to-use interface would display the results and tell them whether their soldier is exhibiting signs of a concussion."
Approval from the Food and Drug Administration will be required before this system can be used to diagnose concussions.
AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.


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When you think of the rain forest, what do you think of? Some people think of the animals. In the rain forest there are a lot of animals. Actually there are more types of animals here than in any other place in the world. The animals play an important part of the life cycle. They actually help produce some plants. You may think this is impossible, but it can happen. The plants can grow from half eaten food, dropped food, rotten food, and even droppings. As you see, the animals are an important part of the rain forest. They help keep their home alive.
There are many places for animals to live. Most of them have adapted to living in the trees. This means that most of the population of the animals live in the trees. The bigger animals live on the forest floor of the rain forest. The large cats live on the forest floor but sometimes get their food from above in the trees. Some of the smaller or medium sized animals live in the trees like the sloth or the marmoset monkey, who can also walk on the ground. Sometimes the animals that you usually see in the water are found in the trees. For example, the tree frog.
There are very many amazing animals in the rain forest. I will tell you about some of them. The leaf cutter ants go up a tree, cut a leaf, bring down part of this leaf on their backs a leaf five times their own body weight! (That is like a person walking six miles with five thousand pounds on their back) They then bury the leaf underground.
They wait for it to grow fungi to eat. Deja vu! That's exactly what we do in farming. Another type of amazing ant is the Aztec ants. They live on a Swollen Thorn Acacia tree. These ants guard the tree! No way! Yes, they kill anything that moves under the tree or any plants that try to grow on the tree. This helps keep the tree and ants alive. The toucan and the parrot are the animal nutcrackers. They adapted to the rain forest by growing hard and strong beaks to crack and open nuts to eat.
In the rain forest there are not many large animals. This is because the vegetation is so plentiful. There are many different types of animals in the rain forest. There are the terrestrial animals. These animals live on micro-organisms, plants, litter, and fallen fruits. Terrestrial animals are land animals. They have not adapted to the trees. Micro-organisms are the little microscopic animals and plants that live in the rain forest. Another type are the herbivores. They are plant eaters. These animals are usually the larger ones like the sloth. The next group of animals are the carnivores. They eat the herbivores. There are very few carnivores. Jaguars are an example of this.The invertebrates are any animals who do not have backbones, such as insects, spiders, worms to name just a few. There are a lot of invertebrates in the rain forest. The arboreal animals live in the trees. There are quite a lot of animals in the rain forest. This group is split into many sub-groups.
The rain forest houses many insects. There are at least 30,000 different types of insects in the rain forest. This means that the other animals are depended upon to keep the insect population down. The animals can do this in many ways. The monkeys do this by eating the insects after picking them off each other. Some of the birds peck at the bark and then eat the bugs that they find. Some animals have adapted to coming out after dark. This is when there are more bugs out. This is a smart thing to do. Though these insects annoy the animals, they will always be there.
These animals are a reality to us, but in the future of Earth they might be a thing of the past since we are destroying their home. We need your help.


text:
Headlam Street, Byker, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE6 2JX | Tel: 0191 _PHONE_
As part of our Science topic on Plants, Year 5 were given the opportunity to dissect lilies. We have been learning about reproduction in plants and found out that a flower has both male and female parts. All living things need to make more of themselves so that their species does not die out. Reproduction is the process by which new living things are made.
We dissected a lily to identify all of the parts of a flower, particularly the male and female parts. We labelled and measured the different parts and used a magnify glass to study them closer!


Croquembouche with Meyer lemon cream
Croquembouche + Meyer lemon cream = 2 burnt fingers
Every single time! So please make it at your own risk.
Croquembouche with Meyer lemon cream
(Based on recipes for chouquette and lemon curd)
375 ml water
3/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 tbs sugar
9 tbs unsalted butter
200 g all-purpose flour (finely sifted)
6 eggs
Lemon cream:
3 Meyer lemons and 1 lime
5 large eggs
150g sugar
1 tbs cornstarch
9 tbs unsalted butter (cubed)
250 ml heavy cream
500 g sugar
2 tbs light corn syrup
1/2 cup water
To make choux:
 1. Preheat oven to 400F.
 2. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment papers or silpat.
 3. In a medium sauce pan, heat the water, salt, sugar, and butter until bubbles form and butter is melted.
 4. Remove the pot from the heat heat and stir in all the flour.
 5. Use a spatula or wooden spoon, mix vigorously until the mixture forms a smooth ball and pulls away from the sides of the pan.
 6. Allow the dough cool slightly (about 5 mins), then add one egg at a time, mix until the dough is smooth and shiny.
 7. Use a spoon, or a piping bag fitted with a wide tip, form or pipe the dough into a 1″ ball.
 8. Bake for 25 minutes.
To make lemon cream:
 1. Zest lemons. Set aside.
 2. Juice lemons (and lime if using) through a sieve to eliminate seeds and pulps.
 3. Use a whisk to combine lemon juice, corn starch, eggs, and sugar in a heated-proof bowl.
 4. Add butter.
 5. Set this bowl over simmering water. Whisk constantly until the mixture becomes thicken, about 18-20 minutes.
 6. Remove from the heat and pass the curd through a strainer into a bowl.
 7. Whisk in the lemon zest.
 8. In a medium bowl, use a handheld mixer to beat heavy cream until stiff.
 9. Fold the cream into the lemon curd and mix until combined.
To assemble:
 1. Use a piping bag fitted with a pointy tip.
 2. Fill the bag with lemon cream.
 3. Pipe the lemon cream into each choux.
 4. Set aside.
To make caramel:
 1. Heat sugar + light corn syrup + water in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
 - Note: Do not stir otherwise the sugar will become crystalized.
 2. Turn off the heat when the sugar turns amber.
To make choux tower:
 1. Carefully deep 12 filled choux in the caramel, one at a time.
 2. Arrange them to create a round base. Use the caramel to glue the choux together.
 3. Continue building the tower by dipping and "gluing" filled choux on top of the base.
 4. Finally, use a fork to dip into the caramel and spin a web of sugar around the tower.


text:
arbonate membranes is EDTA (0.1 molar)
For each 5-ml specimen generally 1 ml of EDTA solution is sufficient; for specimens of higher blood content, 1 ml of EDTA for each 20-ml specimen is recommended.
Fixatives or preservatives recommended are:
30 to 50% alchol
10% buffered formalin
For optimum results employ a limited amount of fluid when preparing specimens that exhibit high cell concentrations. If too much fluid is used with cellular specimens, such as endometrial washing, ascites, gastrics, pleurals, sputums, and urines, the cells crowd and clog the filter. A 5-ml specimen or smaller volume provides a good sample if it is properly mixed before filtration.
The 8um pore size is recommended for filtering most body fluids.
For samples of higher probability of small cancer cells or fewer cancer cells, such as CSF or baby urine, the 5um pore size is recommended.
um = micrometer = micron
Which membranes are recommended for gravimetric analysis?
Q. Which membranes are recommended for gravimetric analysis?
A. We have several membranes to recommend for gravimetric analysis.
- Mixed Cellulose Esters (MCE) Membrane Filters, Plain: In gravimetric analysis using ashing techniques, (MCE) Nitrocellulose filters yield a residue of less than 0.045% of their initial weight. They are hydrophilic with a non-cytotoxic wetting agent extractable level of less than 4% of their weight.
- Polycarbonate Track-Etch Membranes (PCTE) - 25mm: Polycarbonate Track-Etch or our Polyester Track-Etch (PETE) membranes are two membranes that offer exceptionally low tare weights, are non-hygroscopic, and exhibit extremely low absorption and adsorption losses.
Since these membranes are non-hygroscopic, they are particularly well suited for gravimetric analysis. They do not require drying when used directly out of the package. If they are wet, they can be dried rapidly and will not pick up moisture from the air during weighing.
- Analytical Filter Funnels: Funnels are available complete with low hold-up polypropylene support pads, gravimetric analysis is one of the ideal applications for this product. Each package of 12 units comes with an extender that adapts the unit for side-arm flask filtrations. Optional No. 8 rubber stoppers may be ordered for filtering with flask.
- Glass Fiber Filters & Prefilters: Glass fiber filters without binders are recommended for analytical and gravimetric determinations.
How does Epifluorescent microscopy work?
Q. How does Epifluorescent microscopy work?
A. Epifluorescent microscopy uses a UV-visible light source and specific filters to excite fluorescent stains added to microbiological specimens to aid in identifications and enumeration.
Sterlitech Black Polycarbonate membranes are ideal for epifluorescent microscopy, since they retain bacteria on the surface of the membrane and provide a non-distracting background to view fluorescence against.
What membrane has been used to prevent water vapor from passing, but would allow regular air to pass?
Q. What membrane has been used to prevent water vapor from passing, but would allow regular air to pass?
A. The common membranes used for gas/air filtration are our hydrophobic Polypropylene and PTFE Membranes. They both inhibit the flow of water vapors (hydrophilic) while allowing regular air molecules (such as oxygen) to pass.
For the PTFE membrane the water intrusion pressure (which is inversely related to pore size) is greatest with the smaller sizes:
Water Intrusion of PTFE
|Pore Size (um)
||Water Intrusion Pressure (psi)
What is the shelf life of your membranes?
Q. What is the shelf life of your membranes?
A. Cellulose acetate (CA) and nitrocellulose (MCE) membranes will last 2 1/2 to 3 years before reverting to their natural hydrophobic states. Nylon, on the other hand, is naturally hydrophilic so it does not have a shelf life.
An easy test for older membranes is to perform a "wetting out" test. Dipping a small portion of the membrane into water (hydrophilic membranes) or an alcohol (hydrophobic membranes) works well. If the membrane absorbs the material, or "wets out", it has not gone past the shelf life.
Is your Cellullose Acetate (CA) membrane made of mono-, di-, or triacetate?
Q. Is your Cellullose Acetate (CA) membrane made of mono-, di-, or triacetate?
A. Sterlitech CA membranes are made from cellulose diacetate.
What is the difference between cellulose and "regenerated" cellulose?
Q. What is the difference between cellulose and "regenerated" cellulose?
A. Cellulose Acetate is a specific type of polymer used for low protein binding applications.
Regenerated cellulose, on the other hand, is a pure cellulose which has been treated in a chemical bath for better chemical resistance. It has a lower molecular weight and the structure is not as orderly as it is for a cellulose. An example of regenerated cellulose is "cellophane" used in a dialysis application for artificial kidneys.
What is the amount of Lignin, if any, in the Cellulose Acetate membranes?
Q. What is the amount of Lignin, if any, in the Cellulose Acetate membranes?
A. According to the MSDS, the product is 100% cellulose acetate (CA). Some Lignin may still be found within the membrane material due to the fact that the Lignin comes from the cellulose cell walls.
CA is available as a membrane roll, or flat sheet, or syringe filter.
What is the function of a binder in the glass fiber filter?
Q. What is the function of a binder in the glass fiber filter?
A. The binders purpose is to increase strength and dirt-loading capacity while decreasing fiber slough. They are used for filtration of long duration under pressure. Binders are Acrylic material added to the borosilicate glass fibers.
Our TCLP glass fiber filters have a pore size of 0.7um and are available. Glass fiber filters without binders are autoclavable and have a maximum temperature of 500°C.
What is the thickness of the polypropylene membranes?
Q. What is the thickness of the polypropylene membranes?
A. The thicknesses of our polypropylene membranes are:
- 0.1um polypropylene: 75-110um
- 0.2um polypropylene: 140-180um
- 0.45um polypropylene: 140-180um
What are the maximum filtration volumes for the 17mm and 30mm syringe filters?
Q. What are the maximum filtration volumes for the 17mm and 30mm syringe filters?
A. The 17mm and 30mm syringe filters offer greater filtration volume than smaller filters.
- 17 - 12ml
- 17 with glass fiber prefilter - 20ml
- 30 - 120ml
- 30 with glass fiber prefilter - 180ml
What is the maximum operating temperature for the 17mm and 30mm syringe filters?
Q. What is the maximum operating temperature for the 17mm and 30mm syringe filters?
A. The 17mm and 30mm syringe filters have a polypropylene housing, which allows them to withstand higher temperatures than an acrylic housing. The 17mm and 30mm's have a maximum operating temperature of 180°C. They are also able to be autoclaved.


text:
'SMS not radiation' affects kids' brains
Regular predictive texting, not radiation, affects the brain power of mobile phone using young people, say Australian experts.
"We suspect that using mobile phones a lot, particularly things like predictive texts for SMS is training kids to be fast but inaccurate," says Abramson.
Experts concerned about the possible impact of mobile phone radiation on developing brains have recommended children be cautious in their use of the devices.
"Their brains are still developing so if there are effects - and particularly given that the exposure is now almost universal - then potentially it could have effects down the line," says Abramson.
But he says actual evidence on the health effects of mobile phones has been inconclusive, and few studies have been done in children in real life situations.
In one of the first studies of its kind, Abramson and colleagues analysed the cognitive capacities and mobile phone use of 317 children aged between 11 and 14.
In the Mobile Radiofrequency Phone Exposed Users' Study (MoRPhEUS) children were asked how many times they used the phone to speak or SMS each week.
A quarter of the children made more than 15 voice calls a week and a quarter of them made more than 20 text messages a week, says Abramson.
The researchers then tested the young people's response times and accuracy in carrying out certain tasks using a battery of computer tests.
After adjusting for factors such as age, gender, ethnicity, socio-economic status and handedness, the researchers were able to detect a consistent relationship between mobile phone use and brain power.
"The kids who used their phones a lot were faster on some of the tests, but were also less accurate," says Abramson.
Texting points finger
Abramson says the findings were the same regardless of whether the children were making phone calls or texting.
He says given the amount of radiation transmitted when texting is 0.03% that transmitted during voice calls, which suggests radiation is not to blame for the brain effects.
"We don't think that the mobile phones are frying their brains," says Abramson.
He says repeated predictive texting is likely to be training the young people to act fast without thinking, not caring about accuracy.
"If you're used to operating in that environment and entering a couple of letters and getting the word you want, you expect to be like that," says Abramson.
Abramson says one limitation of the study is the small control group.
He says the researchers were surprised to find that 94% of kids studied were using a mobile phone and 77% had their own phone.
"We were hoping we'd have a sizeable comparison or control group that didn't use phones."
They now plan to re-do the study with primary school students.
Abramson says the large international Interphone study has found no link between mobile phones and brain tumours.
He says the phones sold in Australia must past strict safety standards so they do not heat the ear or brain inside the head.
Abramson says a colleague is setting up a new study on the link between mobile phone use and the developement of brain tumours in young people.
Science and Technology Studies expert Associate Professor David Mercer of the University of Wollongong, who studies the mobile phone controversy, says scientific debate continues over whether radiofrequency effects cause health risks.
He says research by Swedish oncologist Lennart Hardell has consistently found risks associated with mobile phones, but these findings are debated.
Mercer says current safety standards in Australia do not take into account subtle radiation effects, which do not involve heating.


text:
Written by: Andrea Mulder-Slater
[Andrea is one of the creators of KinderArt®]
Students can create a mobile while learning about outer space.
What You Need:
- Lightweight cardboard or poster board.
- Aluminum foil.
- Yellow paint
What You Do:
- Cut a crescent moon and three star shapes out of the cardboard or poster board.
- Trace around the stars (twice) onto aluminum foil and cut out the shapes.
- Glue the foil to the cardboard moon - both sides.
- Paint the moon a lovely yellow.
- Glue tinsel to the bottom of each of the cardboard stars and then glue the foil to both sides of the stars.
- Tape or glue a thread from each of the stars to the moon.
- Glue a long piece of thread to the inside curve of the crescent moon so it can hang.
- Hang the mobile up.
Offers an interactive gaming and entertainment center for kids who wish to learn more about the solar system, the universe, and space.
►More Recycling Lessons
Recycled Crafts Box
Earth friendly projects and activities.
Recycled Re-Seen : Folk Art from the Global Scrap Heap
Whether it is a dustpan made out of a license plate, a bowl fashioned from a bent vinyl record, a pair of sandals with soles made of Goodyear tire treads, or a tin-can lantern, folk artists all over the world are turning trash into treasure.
© Andrea Mulder-Slater & KinderArt®
Illustration: Geoff Slater
Do YOU have a lesson to share?
© KinderArt ® | _URL_


Sub or Hoagie? Regional Foods Quiz
By: Staff
4 Min Quiz
Image: refer to hsw
About This Quiz
Depending on where you are in the United States, you might have a hard time ordering some of your favorite foods. Here's a quiz that will test your knowledge of some regional food names.
If you're in the South, you'd call a long sandwich with all the trimmings a sub. If you lived in New Jersey, you might call it what?
While New Jersey is the Garden State, you'd call a long sandwich a hoagie.
When ordering a soda in the Midwest, you'd probably ask for a pop -- true or false?
Pop is the word of choice for a soda in the Midwest.
The "Krystal Burger" of the South is known as what in the Northern states?
Sammy Davis was Mr. Bojangles, and as far as we know wasn't a fan of sliders.
In Southern states, pancakes are often referred to as what?
There is only one correct answer, and that answer is flapjacks.
Southerners love their cornbread, even though someone from Rhode Island might call it what?
All of these sounds reasonable, but the correct answer is Johnny Cake.
This mushy dessert cake was called Indian pudding by Native Americans, but something else by New Englanders.
The New Englanders called it hasty pudding.
People in some parts of the world might call this spoon-dipped fruit dessert a Pandowdy. It's really just another name for what?
While there are some differences, a pandowdy is really just the same as a cobbler.
This specialized roast beef sandwich is called what in Buffalo, N. Y.?
Stacked beef chip sounds pretty yummy, but it's known as a beef weck sandwich.
A steak sandwich in Philadelphia is called what?
Who wants to eat something called a "loinwich"? Cheesesteak sounds a lot more appetizing as the correct answer.
The Pennsylvania Dutch call their version of coffee cake what?
Famous for cooling in the kitchen windowsill, shoo-fly pie gets its name for a most obvious reason.
Explore More Quizzes
About HowStuffWorks Play


text:
The differences in Alkaloid Profiles among leaves of varying maturity, season and geography: Drying methods differ by season and availability of dry weather, which in turn could affect the levels of oxidation which could determine the ratio of Mg to 7hmg, and the presence of other easily destroyed alkaloids, which could affect the alkaloid profile.
Since the 1960s, 25 alkaloids were isolated and chemically characterized from M. speciosa. The alkaloid content varies according to geographical region and season. The alkaloid profile of M. speciosa is summarized in Table 1. The main indole alkaloids present in
the young leaves of M. speciosa are mitragynine and its analogues,
speciogynine, paynantheine and speciociliatine. In addition, a new
alkaloid, 7-hydroxy-7H-mitragyine (7-hydroxymitragynine; 7-
HMG) was isolatedas aminor constituent(Fig. 2; Seatonet al., 1960;
Beckett et al., 1965b, 1969; Lee et al., 1967; Shellard et al., 1978a,
1978b; Ponglux et al., 1994; Leon et al., 2009; Orio et al., 2012).
These alkaloids were also found in the methanolic extract of the
mature leaves together with mitragynaline, pinoresinol, mitralactonal,
mitrasulgynine and 3,4,5,6-tetradehydromitragynine as
minor constituents (Takayama et al., 1998). In the ethyl acetate
extract, nine corynanthe-type indole alkaloids were isolated
namely, mitragynine, speciogynine, speciociliatine, paynantheine,
7-HMG, mitragynaline, corynantheidaline, corynantheidine and
isocorynoxeine, whereas 9-methoxymitralactonine and mitralactonine
were obtained as minor constituents (Takayama, 2004).
Investigation of Malaysian M. speciosa found new types of alkaloids
namely mitragynaline, corynantheidaline, mitragynalinic acid
and corynantheidalinic acid (Houghton et al., 1991). The total
alkaloid content from the leaves varies from 0.5% to 1.5%. An
additional indole alkaloid found in the fruits of M. speciosa is
7-hydroxyspeciociliatine (Kitajima et al., 2007). Microbial transformation
of the leaves was shown to yield two major metabolites:
mitragynine pseudoindoxyl and hydroxyl mitragynine pseudoindoxyl
(Zarembo et al., 1974).
Mitragynine is, with 66% of the total alkaloid mixture, the most
abundant active alkaloid derived from the leaves of M. speciosa
(Shellard, 1974, 1989; Shellard et al., 1978a, 1978b; Jansen and
Prast, 1988a; Takayama et al., 1998; Chittrakarn et al., 2008). It
was first isolated by Hooper (1907) and again by Field (1921)
and Ing and Raison (1939). Field (1921) isolated two new alkaloids
from Mitragyna species: mitragynine (from M. speciosa) and
mitraversine (from M. parvifolia). Mitragynine was assumed to be
a physiologically active constituent having morphine-like properties.
However, it should be noted that it may not be the most
potent psychoactive component. In particular over more chronic utilization this may be the less abundant 7-HMG (Horie et al., 2005;
Matsumoto et al., 2005a; 2008). The structure of mitragynine was
first fully determined in 1965 by Zacharias et al. (1965) through Xray
crystallography. A computational study recently identified the
lowest energy conformation of mitragynine, which was in excellent
agreement with X-ray crystal structure geometry (Liu et al.,
2010). The first synthesis of mitragynine was reported by Takayama
et al. (1995). Alternative synthesis ways were reported later by Ma
et al. (2009). The molecular structures of M. speciosa alkaloids were
found to be either indoles with a methoxy group in the C19 position
and an open E ring with substitution occurring at the C9 position,
or oxindoles without substitution in the C9 position and having a
closed E ring (Fig. 2; Seaton et al., 1958; Beckett et al., 1966; Shellard
and Philipson, 1966). Most of the alkaloids in M. speciosa have similarities
to yohimbe and Uncaria alkaloids (Matsumoto et al., 2004).
Mitragynine is a white amorphous powder. It is soluble in alcohol,
chloroform and acetic acid.
"...Vicknasingam and colleagues performed a survey of current M. speciosa use in 136 active users in northern Malaysia. They found that M. speciosa (Ketum) users were relatively older (mean 38.7 years). About 77% of the users had previous drug use history. Long-term consumers with more than 2 years of use had higher odds of being married, of consuming more than the average three glasses of Ketum a day and reporting better appetite. Short-term users (<2 years of use) had higher odds of having ever used heroin, testing positive for heroin in a urine sample and of using Ketum to reduce addiction to other drugs. Both, shortand long-term consumers reported that they used Ketum in order to reduce their intake of more expensive opiates, to manage withdrawal symptoms and because it was cheaper than heroin. Only very few consumers (5.6–12.5%) report 'euphoria induction' as a reason to use Ketum. Drugs can be consumed in order to instrumentalize their psychoactive effects to better achieve other, non-drug related goals (Müller and Schumann, 2011). Ketum users report as major self-perceived benefits of their drug use that the drug 'helps to work harder' (76.6–87.5%), that it 'makes more active' (76.6–86.1%), it 'increases sexual desire' (73.4–84.7%), and an increase in appetite (57.8–77.8%). Interestingly, self-perceived use was higher in short-term than in long term users, thus suggesting a loss or reduction of the self-perceived instrumentalization. These findings differ from those in neighbouring Thailand where Ketum was used primarily to increase physical endurance. "
Differentiating the strains even further, very young leaves, were found to have 4 of the same alkaloids found in mature leaf. This could explain why "white vein" might be considered to have a different effect. Unfortunately, the differences in genetics were not documented, which means the differences in the alkaloid profiles may be caused by the genetic differences vs the differences in geographical agricultural conditions. There could also be cultural differences in how they cure their leaf.
The malaysians report effects quite differently and use it for correspondingly different purposes. The review indicates that there might actually be 3 strains. Thai, Malaysian, and the other, which all appear to be quite different in alkaloid content.


Saturday, June 23, 2012
Portobello... and Fort San Lorenzo...
After our stop in Colon we headed over to Fort San Lorenzo. Toward the end of the 16th century King Phillip of Spain ordered a fortress to be built overlooking the Chagres River. The purpose of the fort was to protect the land from pirates and slave ships as it offered a clear view of incoming ships. Originally the fort was built out of wood, but in time deteriorated and was burnt down in 1596 by Francis Drake. The fort was eventually rebuilt in 1671 but attacked by Joseph Bradley who was one of Captain Henry Morgan's men. There were 350 men stationed at the fort and all but 30 died in the battle, including all of the officers. Morgan showed up less than a week later, just in time to see Bradley die of wounds incurred during the attack.
Our first look at the fort
Cannons at the fort
More ruins
A water view
A new discovery as they expand their digging in the ruins
The castle overlooking the water
The fort was rebuilt by Spaniards but attacked again in 1740 by Sir Edward Vernon, under orders from Britain. They bombarded the fort with their ships cannons until the Spaniards surrendered. After destroying the building and killing many, Vernon's men set fire to one of the buildings, destroyed the castle and then sailed off to Portobelo. In 1761 the fort was repaired and fortified, but never again attacked by pirates. It was abandoned by the Spaniards in 1821 when Panama became independent. After Panama became part of Columbia the fort was used as a prison, then as a point of entry for mail from from Britain to Latin America. During the California Gold Rush in 1849 it served as a campground for adventurers. The Chagres remained the main inter-ocean route until 1850 when the railroad was built from Colon to Panama City.
The original immigration and customs building
Side view of the fort
Underground barracks, perhaps this is where the officers hid
A large piece of history
Lined up canons
A bird perched on every pillar like they were statues, but they're real
Yes it's a real bird
The 17th and 18th century buildings that remain today are magnificent examples of Spanish colonial military architecture of this era. In 1980 Fort San Lorenzo was recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. The fort gives us a fascinating glimpse of what life was like back then.
Church of San Felipe, home of the "Black Christ"
The Black Christ
Close Up of the Black Christ
Old school buses never die, they ship 'em to Panamá where they become chivas
A street dog taking a nap
School kids heading home
An old house in Portobelo
A pet monkey hangin' out on a porch
The town of Portobelo itself, is a run down, sleepy little town with a population of less than 3,000. Founded in 1597 by Spanish explorer Francisco Velarde Mercado. Legend has it that Christopher Columbus originally called the city "Puerto Bello" meaning beautiful port in 1502. From the 16th to the 18th centuries it served as an important port for silver exporting.
Today Portobelo is a small waterfront community of run down cement block homes, a small grocery store and a few restaurants. The streets are lined with river rock making for a bumpy walk, while a church and marketplace take center stage in the village square. The church of San Felipe, has become well-known since it's the home of the "Black Christ." This carefully guarded, priceless relic is carved out of dark wood which makes it appear black. Some say it arrived in the village in 1658, but nobody really know when or how it got there. Every year in October they celebrate the statue with a procession through the streets. Tens of thousands of pilgrims drive, walk or crawl to the tiny village in October to worship the eight foot statue, hoping for a miracle.
Our trip was like a step back in time as we walked through ruins of old and towns filled with poverty. But as we come back to present day we realize how fortunate we are to be able to experience such wonders, as our adventures continue....along the gringo trail.
 1. So great that you are exploring old and new towns, as well as the safe one's and the not so safe. But I have to ask...was this an eye exam? LOL
 2. Shortly before I was levied to Panama the U.S. Army decomissioned the old Fort Gulick over on the Atlantic side; the locals who were involved decided that they wanted to rename it "Christo Negro".
 Apparently the infuriated the non-Colon-resident population of Panama, which proceeded to raise five kinds of hell until dispersed by the old Panamanian Army (the Fuerze de Defensa de Panama, or PDF in English). Portobelo was hit pretty hard, and I remember that a good part of town was still burned out when I first saw it in 1986. Cool old place, but pretty beatup at the time.


text:
Of or pertaining to Pluto; Plutonian; hence, pertaining to the interior of the earth; subterranean.
Of, pertaining to, or designating, the system of the Plutonists; igneous; as, the Plutonic theory.
(ploo tahn' ic) - Igneous rocks that form from the cooling of magma in the interior of a planet or asteroid.
describes igneous rocks formed deep beneath the earth's surface
Plutonic rocks are igneous rocks that crystallize below the earthâ€™s surface. They are characterized by visible crystals arranged in a three-dimensional interlocking mosaic.
of igneous rock that has solidified beneath the earth's surface; granite or diorite or gabbro
Related to the cooling of molten materials within the earth. A pluton is a body of hot material that rises within the earth because it is less dense that the material around it. When this material cools before breaking the surface, it forms plutonic, or intrusive, rocks.
An igneous rock, or relating to igneous rock, that crystallized below the surface of the earth. The crystals in a plutonic rock are the size of grains of sugar or larger.
pertaining to igneous rock formed at great depth. A plutonic rock is coarse-grained due to slow cooling underground.
Refers to rocks of igneous origin that have come from great depth.
Applies to igneous rocks formed beneath the surface of the Earth; typically with large crystals due to the slowness of cooling. Synonym of intrusive. Antonym of volcanic.
eruptive or igneous rock consolidated at depth.
having to do with a class of intrusive igneous rocks that have solidified far below the earth's surface; or or having to do with the theory that the present condition of the earth's crust is mainly due to igneous action. [AHDOS


text:
Learn the Ways AMI Can Help Your Gas Utility
Interested in AMI, but not sure if it's right for your gas utility?
We can help you understand how advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) is the foundation of improved service, reduced costs, and upgraded safety for your gas utility.
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Get a FREE consultation with one of our experts and learn how AMI can help you:
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- Perform methane detection
- Do pressure monitoring


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The aim of this laboratory work is to design a strut/bracket assembly for aircrafts. Experiments are carried out to determine mechanical properties of certain materials.The material chosen is Mild Steel. Given the possible condition experienced by the material and the safety factor, the dimensions for the designs of the strut/bracket assembly for aircrafts are obtained to avoid failure by yield or fracture. The diameter of the pin, d,which is subjected to shear stress should be larger than 14.56mm. The diameter of the rod, D, should be larger than 12.74mm. The thickness of the rod would be 10mm.
This report provides insight into the magnetic phenomenon of Hysteresis. Hysteresis is defined as a retardation effect where the magnetisation of a magnetic material lags behind the magnetizing force. Here we will explore the hysteresis loop for a silver steel ferromagnet and use this to discover it's magnetic properties. The method used will be to place a ferromagnet inside a solenoid with an alternating voltage which will continually reverse the magnetic field and magnetism direction. The relation between these two quantities will be used to produce a hysteresis loop from which magnetic properties can be deduced. The results obtained were: saturation magnetisation = (8.4±0.5)(105)Am-1; remnant magnetisation = (5.9±0.5)(105)Am-1; coercive field: (4.3±0.5)(104)Am-1; energy expended per cycle per unit volume of material: (1.55±0.05)(103)Jm-3s-1; energy product: (8.7±3.0)(104)Jm-3.
Estudio de los procesos termodinámicos que conllevan una máquina de expreso. Se utiliza solo agua, sin el filtro de café para utilizar solo la densidad del agua. Se encuentra que es similar a un proceso de Carnot, pero como un ciclo abierto.


What Makes Bengal Cats So Special?
What Makes Bengal Cats So Special?
You might see a cat with special stripes fur on the Internet and wondered what kind of cats they are, is that their original fur color? It's the Bengal cat, a "little leopard", which is interested in by a lot of cat lovers today because of its unique ( and cuteness, too).
Now, let's see what makes Bengal cats so special:
1. They love water
It sounds weird, right? Cats are always scared water, they hate their fur getting wet, you can see this when taking a bath for them. Yes, but Bengal is an exception.
Bengal cats are extremely fond of water. It's not uncommon to see a Bengal cat swimming in a pool with his family, or taking a refreshing dip in the bath. The reason why Bengal cats have this strange habit is that their ancestors were underwater hunters.
If with other cats, anything with water is dangerous and should be avoided. Well, opposite to others, everything with water is the best play area for Bengal cats. Do you intend to keep an aquarium when you have a Bengal cat? Please protect the aquarium carefully, so that your cat does not touch the water. If not, your fish will probably not be intact.
Playing with water is like a hobby, an endless passion for Bengal cats. That hobby also blends into their drinking habit. Other normal cats will drink water by tapping the tongue and mouth directly. What about Bengal? They will dip a hand in the bowl of water, soak it wet and then put it up to the mouth, and lick.
2. Wild-appearing but a gentle-tempered domestic cat.
Bengal cats are not domesticated. They were originally bred for that purpose. Bengal cats always have half of their wild instinct, what they succeed from their ancestors – the Asian spotted cat.
The breeders always wanted the Bengal cat to have the most beautiful wild appearance in its coat. That is why the Bengal cat has not been domesticated as a domestic cat forever.
Bengal cats love hunting, running, climbing all day. Therefore, make sure that around your little Bengal cat is always full of appropriate toys. Otherwise, sofa, cushions, or anything will become their toys.
A little naughty hunter
Yes, the Bengal cats always have a hunting instinct when they were born. Be sure you can teach them properly. If not? It is highly recommended that you choose another calmer cat.
Because the instinct to tear the prey is always flowing in the blood of the Bengal cat. Therefore, do not be surprised to see that a small Bengal cat can tear up everything in your home. You need to teach and provide enough toys for this cat. If not, you will spend quite a bit of money to buy new things with these devils.
They have the personality of a dog
Exactly! In addition to enjoying bathing, wading, or playing all day, Bengal cats love to walk. Owning a Bengal cat means that you are raising a cat with a puppy-like personality.
Try to ensure that your Bengal cat will be taken for a regular walk.
Resistant to leukemia virus in cats
In the genetic samples and blood of the ancestor of the Bengal cat, there is a very special type of antibody. This antibody is resistant to the virus that causes leukemia in cats. That's why breeders are eager for Bengal cats to be born. And they succeeded! Blood samples from Bengal cats have been inherited from this antibody, which helps Bengal cats fight against the leukemia virus. It also opens up opportunities for other domestic cats to suffer from this malignancy.
One of the most expensive cats
Bengal is inherently a hybrid cat, so their resistance is extremely weak. The percentage of kittens that are fully grown, without any health problems, is rare. The standard of coat color and purebred origin is also very strict. As a result, Bengal cats are even rarer now.
The price of Bengal cats falls around an average of $ 1,000. But depending on the purity, color, shape, the price of Bengal cats will range from $ 400 – $ 10,000. What an unbelievable price, isn't it?
That's all about my sharing _What makes Bengal cats so special_. When adopting Bengal cats, you need to be especially patient with them. A cat with half of the wild blood is certainly unlike the others. Vandalism, unruly will become an inherent personality of Bengal cats without proper teaching. Patience, love, pampering in the right way, Bengal cats will always love and be with you.
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The 10 Commandments of And How Learn More
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In the world of modern architecture and design, rolling doors have gained immense popularity for their practicality, versatility, and aesthetic appeal. Whether in commercial, industrial, or residential settings, these innovative doors offer a range of benefits that make them an excellent choice for various applications. This article delves into the advantages of rolling doors, shedding light on why they have become a preferred solution for many.
One of the most significant advantages of rolling doors is their space-saving design. Unlike traditional swing or hinged doors that require clearance space, rolling doors open and close vertically. This allows you to maximize floor space and utilize areas that might otherwise be rendered unusable. In crowded environments, such as warehouses or garages, this feature becomes invaluable as it enables efficient utilization of available space.
Rolling doors are renowned for their robust security features. Constructed from durable materials like steel or aluminum, these doors provide a formidable barrier against unauthorized access. Many rolling doors are equipped with advanced locking mechanisms, tamper-resistant features, and reinforced tracks, making them an excellent choice for securing valuable assets and properties.
Investing in rolling doors means investing in durability. These doors are built to withstand harsh environmental conditions, heavy usage, and wear and tear. The materials used in their construction, such as galvanized steel or corrosion-resistant aluminum, ensure that they remain functional and visually appealing for years to come. This durability translates into reduced maintenance costs and fewer replacements, providing a cost-effective solution in the long run.
Rolling doors can be customized to suit a wide range of applications. From industrial settings like warehouses, factories, and loading docks to commercial spaces like retail stores and restaurants, and even residential garages, rolling doors offer a versatile solution that caters to diverse needs. Their adaptability to various sizes, styles, and designs makes them an attractive option for architects, designers, and property owners.
In settings where rapid access is essential, rolling doors shine. These doors are designed for swift and smooth operation, allowing for quick openings and closures. In commercial environments with high foot traffic or heavy vehicle movement, the efficiency of rolling doors minimizes delays and optimizes workflow. Rolling doors are no longer limited to industrial or utilitarian settings. Manufacturers offer a wide array of designs, finishes, and colors that can be customized to align with the aesthetic requirements of the space. This flexibility allows rolling doors to seamlessly integrate into various architectural styles, contributing to the overall visual appeal of the environment.
For spaces where noise reduction or temperature control is crucial, insulated rolling doors come to the rescue. These doors are equipped with insulation materials that help regulate indoor temperatures and reduce external noise. This feature is particularly valuable in environments like warehouses, manufacturing facilities, or entertainment venues, where maintaining a comfortable and quiet atmosphere is essential. Rolling doors are engineered for minimal maintenance requirements. With self-lubricating components, rust-resistant coatings, and sturdy construction, these doors typically require only routine checks and occasional cleaning. This translates to reduced downtime and fewer interruptions to daily operations.
Many rolling door manufacturers prioritize eco-friendly practices. Using sustainable materials and designs that promote energy efficiency, these doors contribute to a greener footprint. Energy-efficient insulation and the ability to control airflow also support environmental sustainability by reducing the need for excess heating or cooling. Ultimately, the advantages of rolling doors boil down to convenience. From ease of use to improved security, space optimization to aesthetic enhancement, these doors offer a comprehensive solution that simplifies daily operations and adds value to any space they grace.
In conclusion, the versatility, durability, and array of benefits offered by rolling doors have firmly established them as a preferred choice across industries. Whether you're looking to optimize space, enhance security, or elevate the aesthetics of a space, rolling doors provide a solution that caters to modern needs. As architecture continues to evolve, rolling doors stand as a testament to how practicality and design can harmoniously come together for the benefit of functionality and style.


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"Market data" is the collective term used to identify information associated with the investment market. This includes information such as current rates of interest applied to specific assets, movement of stocks within given areas of the market, foreign exchange rates, and data collected from different trading venues. Access to market data is essential for investors, since the information provides the basis for conducting different types of trades, arranging for financing of loans and similar debt instruments, and in general managing financial assets to best advantage.
When it comes to stock options, market data is often provided in the form of some sort of data feed or message from the different markets. A traditional approach to this process is the generation of the feed using a device known as a ticker. The ticker provides the means of printing an ongoing hard copy of market activity using what is known as ticker tape. Each company traded on the exchange is assigned a symbol that identifies current price movements and essential data regarding bids and asks associated with the investment. In recent years, electronic versions of the ticker tape available at various financial web sites has broadened access to this real time information, allowing investors to make use of market data with greater ease.
Stock market data systems do more than provide the latest information to investors, dealers, and other interested parties. The information contained within the system can also be utilized to access the history of the marketplace, a benefit to many investors who like to know how a given investment has performed in the past before attempting to predict how it will post gains or losses in the future. Financial data vendors can often provide investors with access to historical market data when and as needed. Brokers and dealers are highly likely to include background information on an opportunity when pitching it to a client, allowing the investor to develop an informed opinion on whether or not to buy, sell, or hold a given asset.
While market data is often provided in real time, there are instances when the data may be provided on some sort of time delay. This may occur depending on what is happening in the marketplace. Unusually high activity can result in a slight delay as the ticker attempts to process all the inbound information and dispense it to interested parties. When this occurs, the feed may be stopped for a moment to allow tickers to finish the process of relaying the time-delayed data, then begin again once the necessary seconds or minutes have passed and the information is once again dispensed in a real time fashion.


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1. NAME AND TITLE
SANDYL: A Monte Carlo Three-Dimensional Code System for Calculating Combined Photon-Electron Transport in Complex Systems.
SANDYL incorporates material from the SORS photon and ETRAN photon-electron codes. Major
additions and modifications occur in the atomic ionization and relaxation routines and in the general-geometry multiple-material aspects of the electron transport.
Sandia Laboratories, Livermore, California.
3. CODING LANGUAGE AND COMPUTER
Fortran IV; CDC.
4. NATURE OF PROBLEM SOLVED
SANDYL performs timeand space-dependent transport calculations of the photon-electron cascade
in complex systems. All generations of particles in the 1 keV to 1000 MeV energy range are followed.
5. METHOD OF SOLUTION
SANDYL uses the Monte Carlo method. In its computations, a large number of possible particle trajectories are generated one at a time and, as the particle proceeds through the material of the system, contributions to the quantities making up the desired information are tallied. After a number of trajectories, the averages of these quantities are statistical approximations to the solution.
The problem geometry is divided into zones of homogeneous atomic composition bounded by sections of planes and quadrics. Thus, the material of each zone is a specified element or combination of elements.
For a photon history, the trajectory is generated by following the photon from scattering to
scattering using the various probability distributions to find distances between collisions, types of
collisions, types of secondaries, and their energies and scattering angles. The condensed-history Monte
Carlo method is used for the electron transport.
6. RESTRICTIONS OR LIMITATIONS
7. TYPICAL RUNNING TIME
No study has been made by RSIC of typical running times for SANDYL.
In order to obtain generality, sacrifices are made in efficiency. A user may be able to achieve
significant economies in computer run time either by programming modifications or by the judicial use
of the zoning and variance reduction techniques available in the code.
8. COMPUTER HARDWARE REQUIREMENTS
SANDYL is operable on the CDC computer.
9. COMPUTER SOFTWARE REQUIREMENTS
A Fortran IV compiler is required.
H. M. Colbert, "SANDYL A Computer Program for Calculating Combined Photon-Electron Transport in Complex Systems," SLL-74-0012 (May 1974).
L. G. Haggmark, C. J. MacCallum, and M. E. Riley, "New Scattering Cross Sections for Electron
Transport," Trans. Am. Nucl. Soc. 19, 471 (1974).
11. CONTENTS OF CODE PACKAGE
Included are the referenced documents and one (1.2MB) DOS diskette which contains the source
codes and sample problem input and output.
12. DATE OF ABSTRACT
KEYWORDS: TIME-DEPENDENT; ELECTRON; GAMMA-RAY; BREMSSTRAHLUNG; POSITRON; COMPLEX GEOMETRY; MONTE CARLO


Can I Give My Dog Beano?
Can I Give My Dog Beano?If your dog often has a bad case of gas, you may be hoping that Beano can work for them. But is it really something that can also work effectively and safely for dogs?
In contrast, gas in humans is usually easily explainable. We tend to eat a lot of different foods on a daily basis. We also know which foods give us gas and which ones don't. People successfully take a Beano dose prior to eating things like cruciferous vegetables which can include broccoli or cauliflower. With a dog though, they should be primarily eating their formulated dog food.
As such, a recurring gas problem could be a sign that something else is wrong. If that's the case then Beano certainly isn't the answer. In fact, it's usually not a good idea to treat just symptoms in dogs. Actually, that's also true for humans but we won't get into that here. Just know that you could be masking something in your dog that merits more attention.
Can I Give My Dog Beano? Answer: Not Recommended
Beano works proactively and if your dog already has gas, you won't be doing them any favors by giving them some.
Further, providing a dog Beano before they eat is also not really a good idea. The enzymes it contains are made for the human digestive system. There are some specially formulated products which are similar to Beano, but they are for dogs. You can get them from your vet, online, or from most pet stores.
However, this is not typically something that they should need. If they are getting the right sort of food on a daily basis, all things equal, then very bad gas doesn't occur very often. The cause of chronic gas needs to be figured out, preferably with a vet's diagnosis, in order to rule out and ultimately eliminate such a condition. This is better rather than introducing something new, such as Beano, into your dog's system.
Give Them the Good Stuff
Prevent your dog from getting gas by feeding them specially formulated and quality dog food. Don't buy the stuff that is dirt cheap at the supermarket. Dogs need good dog food and anything outside of that will cause them stomach irritation including too much gas.
Beano is also not the cheapest thing on the planet. Giving it to your dog while feeding them low-grade dog food or table food isn't the most economical or smartest thing to do.
A much better approach is to be preemptive and put your hard earned money into the best possible, vet-recommended dog food you can find. That should alleviate most of the stomach problems they experience. You may also see an almost immediate and noticeable difference in their energy levels. Using Beano isn't going to achieve that!
The shininess of their coat and their zest for life will also improve. If you've never given your dog the premium stuff, try that strategy first as you may be surprised at what a difference it makes.
Explaining the Gas
You may be able to determine why your dog has terrible gas, as they naturally shouldn't. If it's a regular occurrence that remains unexplained, ask your vet about it the next time you take them in for a checkup.
If it's a once in a while thing, you'll probably be able to pinpoint it to some table scraps you fed them. It could also be linked to a time when they got loose and may have ended up eating something they shouldn't have.
Better Tip than Beano
Sticking to daily feeding times is important. Your dog's digestive system will get used to it, and produce the juices necessary to break down the food properly. If you feed them at sporadic times, or some days once and other days multiple times, their system won't be able to find any pattern. They'll likely be left with undigested food that can result in lots of bad gas.
By remaining consistent and developing a pattern you should be improvements. Also, by feeding them a top quality brand of dog food, you'll definitely be doing them a favor.
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Although Spiller's operation of anterolateral chordotomy has been often performed since 1911 for the control of intractable pain, it may still be said to be a much neglected procedure, the great scope of which has not been recognized by the medical profession.
Historically, Van Gehuchten in 1893 first expressed the definite opinion that fibers conveying pain and temperature sensation passed up the cord in Gowers' tract, although Gowers himself had suggested this in 1879.
No actual proof was afforded until Spiller's1 fortunate observation of a patient at the Philadelphia General Hospital in August, 1904. This patient showed an almost complete loss of the sense of pain and temperature in the legs, with preservation of tactile sensibility. He was under observation for some months and died in January, 1905. The necropsy revealed a solitary tubercle involving the right tract of Gowers at the extreme lower end of the thoracic cord


Irish milky tea a trojan horse to obesity?
Haha, caught your attention?
I wonder how much milky tea has to do with obesity in Ireland, because of its regular drip-feed of insulin-spiking milk throughout the day.
Such a sacrosanct thing surely couldn't have any ill effects, right? Simply to question the Irish cup of tea risks an onslaught of horror.
A cupán tae is heart-warming. It's a relief in the busy day. It's milky goodness, without that harsh bitterness of brewed black tea. In being the heart-warming relief, it's also an emotional crutch – I learned this habit from my childhood and regularly practice it myself daily. A cup of tea can be that emotional sticky plaster that settles the nerves after life's daily stresses, like getting the kids out the door for school or finding a fix to a software bug.
But the first cup of tea is soon followed by the next cup of tea, losing count of the number of cups of tea by the end of the day.
The origins of the cup of tea don't seem so dramatic. As far as I can tell, it was a mid-afternoon treat. You'd have the small porcelain teapot, and pour yourself a small porcelain cup of tea. Drinking from a cup that tiny might be enough to get laughed at today. What we have for cups of tea are mugs of tea.
My focus here is on the milkiness of tea, I'll ignore the topic of sugary tea. For me, the milkier the better. I know others have more refined taste and manage to just "whiten" their dark cup of brewed tea. A milky drink is really a kids' drink, drinking it as an adult might be something we could be ashamed of. It's got that childhood motherly comfort that not many foods or beverages can provide.
In his book The Obesity Code, Dr. Jason Fung's core thesis is that obesity is an outcome of hormonal (im)balances, in contrast to our "fed" view that it's simply how many calories we eat.
He says that any food causes some spike in insulin, the hormone that's responsible for storing fat. Hormones are meant to be "pulsatory" in nature – that is that their intention is to spike for a short period and then go back to near-zero levels.
The trouble comes from decades of insulin flowing in your body for too many hours during the day. Your body's systems ignore the higher-than-expected levels of the hormone (an intelligent thing to do), which then means that even more insulin has to be pumped into the bloodstream in order for the glucose in your blood to go somewhere else where it won't make so much harm.
Dr. Fung's general advice is to tweak what you eat and when you eat. The "when" is an interesting one that's probably overlooked by many of us. The idea is that we can go with two, perhaps three, meals a day, and let our insulin levels drop right down for the rest of the day.
He suggests that there are two modes in our bodies related to insulin, and you can't be in-between: you're either in fat-storage mode, or in fat-burning mode.
Where does milky tae come into all this? A single little cup of slightly-milky tea has a small effect of insulin. It spikes it up just a tiny bit. Then your body goes back down to picking into your fat reserves.
But take this to a modern setting: between meals, it's very easy to get a cup of tea per hour, and the cups are actually mugs. Let's say you're drip-feeding yourself 200ml of milk throughout the day. Your body never gets that four or six hour rest of fat-burning mode, because you keep spiking it with little bits of insulin throughout your day.
And what piggy-backed habits do you have for your cup of tea? Maybe depending on the time of day you have it with a little chocolate, or a few biscuits, or nuts, or cheese. It might be the hook to more things you're consuming that only the milky tea itself (yes, I just said it, tea is a gateway drug).
What's my real point to myself here? It's to find a replacement habit for this milky tea habit (such as pu-erh tea with bit of lemon juice), plus it's implementing this in my normal days more broadly so that my body is indeed getting long stretches with no insulin spikes caused by my own consumption of food and drinks.