I'm working on some experiments that I'll put in a blog post in about a week. This stuff takes time!
In the meantime, what exactly is alkalinity and its relationship to the resulting tea?
Yes, these experiments do take a while to sort out. I'm still wrapping my head around some of these concepts and reactions. As far as I know the easiest way to alkalize water is to add baking soda. One way to find out how alkaline levels affect tea is to add 1/2-1 teaspoon of baking soda to a cup of water, then use that to make tea. Use cheap tea, it will not taste very good.
Likewise, too much magnesium makes tea over extracted and metallic in flavor. So if the water is too hard (high calcium/magnesium levels) tea won't be at its best.
PH is interesting also. Not all teas do well with high pH. Yesterday, I steeped @Ethan Kurland's Champion Black tea with Nice! Iceland Spring water and it did not come out great, because the pH levels are high at 8.89 turning an otherwise sweet delicious tea into a sour mess. So while sencha and DongDing and high mountain oolong do well with higher pH, it looks like black tea does not.
As far as I know the easiest way to alkalize water is to add baking soda. One way to find out how alkaline levels affect tea is to add 1/2-1 teaspoon of baking soda to a cup of water, then use that to make tea. Use cheap tea, it will not taste very good.
I don't think this is a completely fair experiment. Adding a teaspoon of baking soda in a cup would raise the alkalinity in something like tens of grams per liter. Adding a teaspoon into something like 20 gallons would i think be a more reasonable test.
"In most natural waters, all anions except HCO3− and CO32− have low concentrations. Thus carbonate alkalinity, which is equal to m_HCO3 + 2m_CO3 is also approximately equal to the total alkalinity."
Things like Sodium Chloride or Calcium Chloride or Carbon Dioxide do not change alkalinity from what i understand (but change TDS, or pH).
In the past i've lived in a place with very "hard" tap water (creating a lot of scale) which nevertheless made a very good tea (in my opinion). I think that not all minerals that contribute to alkalinity, TDS, pH, hardness, etc have a comparable effect on the taste of the water.
I use Poland Spring. I drink Taiwanese green oolongs and sheng. The tap water in NYC is good for drinking but is clearly lacking for tea when compared side-by-side with Poland spring water. I've tried to and failed to muster the effort to seriously analyze which water brands are the best. I've tried a few but they all seem mostly ok. Poland Spring always seems to be near the top of the list and is easily accessible for me.
I do remember that Essentia water made gaoshan very flat and tasteless. Don't recommend.
Last edited by Shine Magical on Wed Jan 30, 2019 8:16 am, edited 1 time in total.
low pH means this equilibrium is shifted to H+ side and there are lots of H+ protons and the water is acidic. In acidic conditions, compounds in the water tend to be in their protonated form like -COOH versus their unprotonated form COO-. This has really big affects on what form minerals and tea compounds take and their solubilities and probably their properties such as taste and smell.
From how I understand it, alkalinity is related to the pH, but it refers to the actual amount of basic compounds in the water. If there are 6 grams per liter of bicarbonate, this is different that having only 3 grams of bicarbonate per liter, even though the pH might be the same. Alkalinity is important to water chemistry because it dictates how well the system buffers change. If there is a lot of bicarb, you will have to add a lot of acid to lower the pH. If there is a low alkalinity, then small additions of acid can cause a big change in pH.
I really don't know how these two affect tea, though. This is why I like what Victoria is doing. If we get lots of data on the types of waters that make tea taste good, then we might be able to figure out the important parameters.
It seems that a little bit higher pH is preferable. I feel like this helps give a thicker mouthful.
I would guess that you want a high enough alkalinity so that the pH is maintained throughout the addition of tea compounds to the water, but not too high that it effects extraction of key components.
Steeping tea is an incredibly complex process. There are so many different compounds in the leaf, some of them good and some of them detrimental to the flavor/aroma. It's a chemists nightmare to perform such separations with a single process. I can't fathom trying to claim a high pH extracts more x compounds while alkalinty does y.
Personally, i do find that going too scientific is the wrong approach. The best measurement in the end is simply one's tastebuds, and a simple comparison between waters side by side. While one may get results with all those measurements, breweing has still so many factors involved which are simply not measurable, such as one's particular mood that day, which can influence the tea, or just the taste experience. In this world of scientific facts (and purposeful denial of such), brewing tea is still one of the few areas where one can experience perception without doing any harm, and can train one's intuition. Which is an aspect that may get lost by too much science.
Which, of course is just my personal view on this.
Today I was doing a tasting for my grandma and was giving her some of my puerh. I was leaving my place and forgot to bring the water. I got out and realized that, and thought, "I'll just use grandma's, how bad could it be?" It was bad. Really bad. Almost no flavor and really bitter. And I have learned a valuable lesson of some sort. Grandma didn't notice though. But for me, it was undrinkable. I hadn't realized till now what a MASSIVE difference good water makes, because I've never had anything really bad before. But man...night and day doesn't cover it.
I've tried going scientific and nonscientific. To be honest, your water solution has to be at least repeatable, or what's the point? Whether it's a mineral recipe, or a jar with charcoal sticks, it's gotta be consistent. For example, I've been playing with storing my water overnight in a large jar with binchotan bamboo charcoal. It's been really really good, but today it wasn't. It could be because I used tap water from manhattan instead of brooklyn this time, or that I didn't dry the bamboo and the jar before refilling. Even though this is a more unscientific thing than mineralizing the water with specific minerals, it only makes sense to approach this with the scientific method.
The plus is, as long as you keep trying different things and keep decent track of the results, the science will do itself.
As far as using science to make a great water without too much experimentation, well, there's still a dozen problems to solve before you even do anything.
If you think I should add anything let me know. Will be interesting to see how it turns out. Unfortunately, I got the flu so haven't made any progress this week. My filtered city water is pretty high TDS, relative to bottled waters I prefer, so I'm thinking of getting a Titration kit to see how much calcium, magnesium, bicarbonate is in my water. Also, I'll talk to city water agency again.
@teasecret where are you getting your binchotan bamboo charcoal? So far, I've gotten my bamboo charcoal sticks from TeaHabitat, but she's an hour away.
teasecret where are you getting your binchotan bamboo charcoal? So far, I've gotten my bamboo charcoal sticks from TeaHabitat, but she's an hour away.
That's going to be helpful for sure. I would also look at waters that are unequivocally bad with tea, such as Acqua Panna. It locks-up flavors to a startling degree. I've compared its analysis to other waters that work well but have yet to identify what is responsible for the change in flavor.
I get my charcoal from morihata.
If anyone has any charcoal usage tips please let me know!
If you think I should add anything let me know. Will be interesting to see how it turns out. Unfortunately, I got the flu so haven't made any progress this week.
TDS, pH, alkalinity, carbonates CO3, bicarbonates HCO3, calcium Ca, magnesium Mg, silica SiO2, sodium Na, potassium K, chlorides Cl, sulfates SO2, nitrates NO3 and simple rating: good/bad, possibly including tea pairing.
Maybe it could be in a form of a google doc that anybody could edit to add the data of different bottled waters.
From the world of beer, this article could prove very useful.
Mmmmmm! Yummy tap water. Why would anyone use bottled water when you can have all this.


text:
Class of 1926 Material, 1951-1991
File — Box: Communal Collections 12, Placement: 03, Folder: 1
Identifier: Folder 1
Roger H. Schnurlein Collection on the Class of 1926
Letter to Mechanical Engineering Class of '26 announcing the 25th anniversary, signed by Ed Kaegi [includes statistics about the Mechanical Engineering Class of 1926]
Letter announcing 25th anniversary of Class of 1926 during Gala Week, April 27-29, 1951, letter signed by Walter W. Walb, February 16, 1951.
Black & gold, felt '26.
List of Mechanical Engineering graduates, Class of 1926, includes addresses, 1951.
Itinerary for Gala Week events for Class of 1926, 25th anniversary, 1951.
Certificate of Membership, Roger H. Schnurlein, Purdue Alumni Association, life member, June, 1976.
Certificates, Purdue University testimonial to Roger Schnurlein, to mark with congratulations and well-wishing the 60th and 65th anniversaries of his graduation from the university, April 27, 1986 and April 21, 1991.
From the Collection: Collection material is in English.
From the Collection: 0.025 Cubic Feet (One folder)
From the Collection: Schnurlein, Roger Herman (Person)
Box: Communal Collections 12, Placement: 03, Folder: 1 (Text)
Part of the Purdue University Archives and Special Collections Repository
http://www.lib.purdue.edu/spcol
504 W. State Street
West Lafayette Indiana 47907 United States
archives@purdue.edu
Folder 1, Class of 1926 Material, 1951-1991, Box: Communal Collections 12, Placement: 03, Folder: 1. Roger H. Schnurlein Collection on the Class of 1926, MSA 208. Purdue University Archives and Special Collections. https://archives.lib.purdue.edu/repositories/2/archival_objects/16853 Accessed January 30, 2023.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Free Digital Access
What you need to know about the Quarantine Act
Hundreds of Canadians stranded in Wuhan, China will soon be back in Canada, but under quarantine. Here's a closer look at Canada's Quarantine Act.
By Michelle McQuiggeThe Canadian Press
Tue., Feb. 4, 2020timer3 min. read
updateArticle was updated Mar. 23, 2020
Hundreds of Canadians stranded in Wuhan, China — the epicentre of the global novel coronavirus outbreak — will soon be back in Canada, but under unusual conditions. Invoking powers granted under the Quarantine Act, the federal government will isolate the new arrivals at an Ontario military base for 14 days, which is the incubation period for the new coronavirus. Here's a closer look at the legislation:
Has Canada always had a Quarantine Act?
According to the federal government, a piece of legislation bearing the same name went into effect shortly after confederation in 1872, but was left largely unchanged for more than a century. After the deadly SARS outbreak of 2003, however, the government acted on a recommendation to beef up the legislation. The act as we know it today received royal ascent in 2005.
What's allowed under act?
The legislation gives the federal health minister sweeping powers to stop the spread of communicable diseases either in or out of Canada. Those measures include everything from routine screenings conducted by quarantine officers at airports to the sort of isolation expected to take effect later this week when Canadians return from Wuhan, China and settle in for a 14-day detention at a military base in Trenton, Ont.
"The Quarantine Act is always active. It's being used all the time," says Steven Hoffman, director of the Global Strategy Lab and a global health law professor at York University. "It's just not always used in a very public way."
Hoffman says the act technically empowers the government to make use of any building they see fit and designate it as a quarantine site, including private homes. Using a military facility, he says, allows Ottawa to centralize screening and potential treatment for the roughly 250 people expected to return to Canada this week while limiting the strain on potentially overtaxed health-care resources.
"It's accessing a different part of the government's apparatus and not putting any additional burden on the hospitals that are already quite busy at this time of year," he says.
Does the government have any obligations under the act?
The legislation gives the government a fair bit of latitude to do whatever they feel is necessary to stop the spread of a disease that could pose a public health risk, Hoffman says.
"They're not in prison," he says of the people under quarantine. "The government, under the act, is supposed to take steps to make it as least intrusive as possible, but what exactly that means, there is some discretion."
A letter the government sent to those slated to fly from Wuhan later this week says they will not be allowed to see friends and family for the duration of their 14-day quarantine. Hoffman says the government is not obliged to provide technology that would enable those under quarantine to communicate with the outside world, but he adds federal officials may do so on the strength of international research. He says studies conducted during an Ebola outbreak showed people were more likely to comply with quarantine orders if they had the means of contacting friends and family.
What happens if someone violates the Quarantine Act?
Hoffman says the legislation contains a wide range of penalties for those flouting the law. Someone violating direct instructions and potentially placing the public at risk of a communicable disease, he says, can face a fine of up to $1 million and as many as three years in prison.
Is detaining Canadians an unusual step?
Yes. Hoffman says it's the first time the act has been deployed to this extent since coming into effect. He says federal officials could have simply ordered Canadians returning from China to self-isolate at home and hope for the best, but are clearly opting for an "abundance of caution approach" instead. Hoffman calls this particular use of the act "very appropriate," noting that such a measure may also help stem the tide of anxiety and misinformation related to the new coronavirus.
How are other countries handling the situation?
International health authorities have documented more than 180 coronavirus cases in two dozen countries outside mainland China. While some countries have taken extraordinary steps, such as barring the entry of non-citizens, quarantine measures have been fairly consistent. Countries including the United States, Australia, India and South Korea have placed people returning from Wuhan and surrounding areas under quarantine for two weeks.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 4, 2020.


Over half of Britain's 34 million motorists struggle with night driving, while many avoid driving at night altogether, a new survey has found.
Results revealed 73% of drivers said they experienced visual discomfort from the glare of oncoming headlights.
Statistics highlighted that more road accidents occur at night - not surprising. Low light levels cause the pupil to dilate and this can accentuate any focussing errors - no matter how minor - causing blur.
At night it's therefore more important than ever to wear a pair of spectacles or contact lenses with an up to date prescription. No glare lenses are recommended.
A US man has become the first case of diagnosed "internet addiction disorder" relating to Google Glass.
When your eyes shine so do you.


text:
Iran army exercise simulates response to ISIS attack
Does ISIS pose any real threat to Iran?
TEHRAN - Iran's army conducted exercises Tuesday close to its border with Afghanistan designed to simulate how it would respond if "terrorist groups" such as the Islamic State organisation mounted an attack.
The operation in the northeastern province of Khorasan came a day after a military commander said ISIS would be "neutralised" if it breached a 40 kilometre (25 mile) zone approaching Iran's borders.
Tanks, helicopters and planes took part in Tuesday's manoeuvres, the ISNA news agency reported.
The exercise followed ISIS attacks that killed 129 people in Paris last week.
"One aim of the exercise was to practice methods and means to confront the possible actions of terrorist groups at the borders," said General Amir Reza Azarban, an army commander in the province.
Iran, the major Shiite power in the Middle East, is heavily involved in conflicts in Syria and Iraq against ISIS, primarily Sunni Muslims who denounce Shiites as apostates.
On Monday, General Ahmad Reza Pourdastan, the army's head of ground forces, announced the 40 kilometre limit on the borders with Iraq and Afghanistan, which if breached would trigger action.
"We have strongly warned that if any action is taken (by ISIS), it will face a decisive response from Iranian armed forces and we will do the same in Afghanistan," Pourdastan said.
"Before the enemy reaches borders, its actions will be neutralised."
His comments came after Iraq's Foreign Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari said intelligence sources showed Iran was among countries ISIS planned to attack.
Iran's Revolutionary Guards Corps, which is independent of the army, has advisory missions in Iraq and Syria at the invitation of the Baghdad and Damascus governments.
Pourdastan's statement came just weeks before Iranian pilgrims prepare to travel to Iraq for the annual Arbaeen commemorations, which have been targeted by militants in past years.
Almost one million Iranians have signed up online to attend this year's 70-kilometre (40-mile) religious walk between Najaf and Karbala on December 2, marking the death of Imam Hussein.


Speaking for the first time about her stint in a US clinic, Sarah said her drinking went out of control as her relationship with ex-fiance Tom Crane disintegrated and she tried to "numb" the pain.
She told Hello! magazine: "The day I left for rehab, I was in such a mess. I've been told by those close to me that was when I hit my worst.
"I was crying hysterically. I felt ashamed, embarrassed, terrified - my emotions were all over the place."
The singer said she was ricocheting between emotional extremes as her wild living spiralled as a way to cope with being down.
The chart star - who scored hits such as Love Machine and Biology with the girl group - sought help for depression and alcohol abuse in October when her relationship with DJ Tom fell apart.
She said: "Our lives had started to go in different directions without us even realising and we'd become like passing ships.
"He had his career, I had mine, and somehow they didn't seem to marry up. As far as our future plans were concerned, I didn't see how it would work.
"I was so down but I just tried to keep busy and, to numb myself, I was drinking more. It was my way of escaping."
Harding said her "emotions were all over the place" adding: "One minute I was deliriously happy, to the point of hysteria, and totally in denial about my problems saying, 'I'm fine, I'm fine.' The next it hit me and when it did, it hit me hard. It's all about acceptance."


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Rise Festival in Mont-de-Lans has announced its lineup for 2016, with Seth Troxler and Kano headlining a bill that also includes Jackmaster, Fred V & Grafix, Midland and a bunch of other stars. Taking place from Saturday 10th December until the 19th, the snowtop festival will bring a combination of music, adventure and wellbeing activities to the Les Deux Alpes ski resort this Winter.
Back for its third year, Rise Festival is a creation of Wasteland Ski and Running Wild, and the two groups have all but perfected the art of using mountainside parties to protect attendees against the dreary cold of winter. A picturesque scene provides a spectacular backdrop to some of the biggest DJs from near and far, so it should be no surprise that the festival has earned rave reviews in previous years.
A strong set of bookings sets 2016 up as the strongest Rise Festival yet, with a sample of the names coming in including dubstep pioneer Artwork, future garage duo Bondax and Hot Creations' Richy Ahmed. With Monki, Artful Dodger and more also in attendance, the festival will cover all the big genres in UK underground dance music, with techno, house, garage and DnB all well represented by the wide-ranging lineup. Grime from Kano and the tech house selections of Seth Troxler will take up the headline slots, so clearly the Rise organisers have set their sights especially high for this one.


Hino Australia has confirmed that its all-new smart Multimedia system, which includes a standard reversing camera, is being rolled out across its entire range of light, medium and heavy duty trucks.
Hino Australia has further ramped up its involvement in the Virgin Australia Supercars Championship extending its sponsorship of IRWIN Racing, which complements its partnership with the Championship.
Hino Australia has launched a new on-line search tool to enable owners to identify if their truck is the subject of a recall.
The new Hino 500 Series Standard Cab range will headline the Hino stand at this year's Brisbane Truck Show.
Australia's leading Hino dealerships have received accolades at the company's Dealer of the Year awards, held at Sydney's Westin Hotel on Saturday 23 February.
The ongoing evolution of safety on the roads has seen vehicle manufacturers make giant strides in recent years.
Hino has claimed success in the Under 10-litre class for the 10th consecutive year in the 2019 Dakar Rally, which was recently held in Peru.
Victory is in site with Hino Team Sugawara!
Hino Team Sugawara achieves 10 consecutive wins at the Dakar Rally 2019!


text:
Lensete (Ensete ventricosum) è una pianta della famiglia Musaceae, nota anche come falso banano o pseudo-banano.

Nel 1991 il governo etiope ha dichiarato l'enset coltura nazionale. Coltivato per il contenuto di amido accumulato nel suo cormo, soprattutto da piccoli agricoltori, sostiene la sicurezza alimentare di circa 20 milioni di persone ed ha meritato il titolo di Albero contro la fame, soprattutto per la sua resistenza alla siccità. Può essere raccolto in qualsiasi momento dell'anno, per diversi anni. La pianta è definita Coltura delle donne per il ruolo preponderante delle donne nella maggior parte delle operazioni, in particolare della raccolta e della lavorazione del prodotto. L'estrazione dell'amido è un processo che richiede un notevole impegno di forza lavoro e l'adozione di tecnologie anche semplici di processamento potrebbe ridurre significativamente l'impegno fisico e i tempi di lavorazione, aumentando nel contempo la resa e il valore del prodotto.

Origine e storia

La forma selvatica di Ensete ventricosum si è diffusa nell'Africa tropicale dall'Etiopia, dove fu domesticata circa 8000 anni fa, attraverso il Kenya, l'Uganda e la Tanzania a sud fino al Mozambico e al Sudafrica, e a ovest fino alla Repubblica Democratica del Congo. Il genere Ensete comprende sette specie, tre nell'Africa tropicale, una in Madagascar e tre nell'Asia tropicale.

Distribuzione, caratteri botanici ed esigenze ambientali

Cresce sugli altopiani meridionali, centrali e settentrionali intorno al lago Tana, ai monti Semien e fino a Adigrat e nell'Eritrea meridionale. Coltivato nel Vietnam settentrionale e centrale, è utilizzato come ortaggio. Si trova spontaneo nelle foreste montane e fluviali, spesso in radure, calanchi e vicino a ruscelli. In coltura, si incontra ad altitudini comprese tra 1.600 e 3.100 m, ma cresce meglio tra 1.800 e 2.450 m. Per una crescita ottimale, richiede una piovosità media annua di 1.100 – 1.500 mm e temperature medie tra 16 e 20 °C. Può tollerare periodi di siccità e gelo, ma le basse temperature ne rallentano la crescita. Cresce bene nei terreni fertili e ben drenati, da moderatamente acidi ad alcalini (pH tra 5,6 e 7,3), con il 2 – 3% di sostanza organica.

L'ensete è un parente stretto del  banano (Musa sp.) e a lui morfologicamente simile: sono entrambe grandi piante erbacee e monocarpiche. Pianta perenne che raggiunge un'altezza da 4 - 11 m, ha il tronco (pseudofusto) costituito da guaine fogliari sovrapposte. Le parti sotterranee e basali rigonfie di queste formano i cormi, lunghi da 0,7 a 1,8 m e, a maturità, del diametro di 1,5 - 2,5 m. Le foglie sono disposte a spirale, emergendo dall'apice dei cormi, hanno lamine intere, lunghe fino a 5 m e larghe 1,5 m, con una nervatura mediana fortemente incanalata e numerose nervature laterali, di colore verde brillante o verde scuro. L'infiorescenza cresce all'apice, i fiori sono unisessuali. I frutti sono bacche oblungo-obovate, di colore arancione a maturità, piuttosto secche e fibrose, contenenti fino a dieci grandi semi neri.

Coltivazione

L'ensete è coltivato soprattutto da piccoli agricoltori, in diversi sistemi climatici e agroecologici e con importanti differenze nei sistemi di coltivazione, tra i diversi gruppi etnici. In molti casi, i coltivatori disboscano per piantare ensete, caffè e altre colture. È coltivato in  monocoltura o in consociazione. Le giovani piante solitamente consociate con colture annuali (ad esempio, mais, fagioli, cavoli, taro e patata) e le piante più vecchie con piante perenni (come avocado, caffè e agrumi). Questa coltura può anche fornire un reddito interessante, in quanto le piante più grandi possono essere vendute in piedi prima di essere lavorate, oppure una porzione di kocho o bulla fermentati può essere prelevata dalla fossa di stoccaggio per la vendita.

L'ensete è spesso coltivato vicino alle abitazioni, così che le piante possono essere facilmente fertilizzate con sterco di vacca e rifiuti domestici. L'applicazione del letame è considerata pratica essenziale dai coltivatori e molto diffusa. Per la messa in coltura, si usano polloni ricavati da un cormo immaturo e si ricorre alla propagazione per seme per eventuali ibridazioni. I polloni raccolti vengono piantati in un vivaio, dove rimangono per circa un anno, per essere in seguito trapiantati, ad una densità da 2 a 4 metri quadrati per pianta e, spesso, pacciamati con erbe secche o detriti vegetali. Il diserbo è importante soprattutto nelle prime fasi della crescita, nella stagione secca è necessario rimuovere le infestanti come Cynodon dactylon e Cyperus rotundus. Ogni anno si effettuano alcune potature, fino alla raccolta.
I parassiti rappresentano la più grave minaccia per la produzione. La malattia più grave è causata dal batterio Xanthomonas campestris pv musacearum. Le misure di controllo includono la piantumazione di piante sane e prive di malattie di specie meno sensibili, la rotazione delle colture, la rimozione della Canna indica, ospite alternativo. Le malattie causate dai funghi Phyllosticta sp., Piricularia sp. e Drechslera sp., che colpiscono polloni e giovani piante e dei nematodi radicali (Pratylenchus goodeyi, Meloidogyne sp.), si possono controllare con lo sfoltimento dei polloni, il regolare diserbo e la rotazione delle colture. Ulteriori parassiti (topo, talpa, istrice, termiti) e malattie (batteriche, fungine e virali) causano danni da moderati a limitati.
Tipicamente, il raccolto si pratica da quattro a sette anni dopo il trapianto, ma può essere effettuato in qualsiasi momento, dopo il secondo anno. Il momento di raccolta ottimale è alla comparsa dell'infiorescenza. Se raccolto troppo giovane, si ha un basso contenuto in amido. La raccolta comporta la rimozione dell'intera pianta, l'asportazione delle guaine fogliari dallo pseudofusto e la separazione del cormo. La raccolta e poi l'estrazione dell'amido richiedono un notevole impegno di forza lavoro, in particolare della componente femminile della famiglia. La resa è determinata dalla cultivar, dai fattori climatici, dalla fertilità del suolo, dal tempo di maturazione e dalle modalità di lavorazione. La resa di kocho è di 16 – 42 kg/pianta ovvero 12 – 25 t/ha/anno.

Servizi di appoggio alla produzione

L'Ethiopian Institute of Biodiversity Conservation and Research in Addis Ababa e la Debub University in Awassa si occupano di raccolta, valutazione, caratterizzazione e conservazione del materiale genetico dell'ensete a livello nazionale. Bioversity International, un centro di ricerca del CGIAR, si dedica alla conservazione a lungo termine dell'intero patrimonio genetico delle banane.

Nel 2005, il Jimma Agricultural Mechanization Research Center (JAMRC) ha sviluppato, con l'assistenza della FAO, tecnologie prototipo per la decorticazione e spremitura dell'ensete.

Produzione e commercio internazionale

L'ensete è economicamente importante solo in Etiopia. Dal 1997, anno in cui 167.900 ettari risultavano investiti ad ensete, l'area sarebbe aumentata del 46% e la resa di 12 volte, rendendolo la seconda specie coltivata in Etiopia.

Destinazione e consumo

L'ensete è coltivato per ottenere alimenti amidace dallo pseudostelo, dal cormo e dal gambo dell'infiorescenza: il kocho, la bulla e lamicho. Una famiglia media, che dipende dall'ensete come coltura alimentare, coltiva da 200 a 400 piante, con un consumo annuo pro-capite medio del prodotto di 10 a 20 piante. Il prodotto più comune è il kocho, ottenuto dalla fermentazione della polpa, risultante dalla raschiatura dello pseudofusto e dalla schiacciatura del bulbo, avvolta in foglie e posta in una fossa interrata all'interno dell'orto domestico. La bulla si prepara dal liquido amidaceo ottenuto spremendo il composto. Le parti solide possono essere consumate dopo alcuni giorni di decantazione. Il procedimento dura diverso tempo e assorbe molto lavoro e può essere meccanizzato. Per il consumo, si prepara un impasto, da stendere in strato sottile per la cottura su una piastra riscaldata. La bulla si consuma anche come semolino. In alcune zone, il kocho è un alimento di prestigio per feste e cerimonie. 100 g. di kocho e di bulla freschi contengono da 48 a 51% di aqua, di 0,2% di proteina e forniscono da 171 a 225 calorie

Le guaine fogliari forniscono fibre di buona qualità per la fabbricazione di corde, cesti, stuoie, sacchi, materassi e materiale da imballaggio. Ad alcune varietà si attribuiscono, inoltre, proprietà medicinali: per trattare le fratture, stimolare il travaglio o indurre l'aborto e curare l'epatite e altri disturbi del fegato. La pianta fornisce un foraggio del valore superiore a quello dei sottoprodotti di molte colture, le foglie contengono in media per 100 g di sostanza secca circa 12 g di proteina. Alcune specie sono coltivate come piante ornamentali.

Ripartizione di genere del lavoro e sicurezza alimentare

La ripartizione del lavoro, dalla semina alla gestione post-raccolta è ben definita. Tradizionalmente, gli uomini sono responsabili dell'impianto, uomini e donne intervengono nel controllo delle infestanti, mentre le donne si occupano della maggior parte della raccolta e della lavorazione del prodotto, di maggiore assorbimento di lavoro. La pianta ha così meritato, a ragione, la definizione di Coltura delle donne. Spettano alle donne capofamiglia le decisioni relative all'epoca della raccolta e all'impiego del ricavato dalla vendita dei prodotti. L'adozione di tecnologie anche semplici di processamento potrebbe ridurre significativamente l'impegno fisico e i tempi di lavorazione, aumentando al contempo la resa e il valore del prodotto.

L'ensete sostiene la sicurezza alimentare di circa 20 milioni di persone ed ha meritato il titolo di Albero contro la fame, per la sua capacità di resistere alla siccità e ad altre avversità. Può essere raccolto in qualsiasi momento dell'anno e in qualsiasi fase, per diversi anni, mentre il suo amido disidratato può essere conservato per lunghi periodi. Capace di rese elevate con esigenze ridotte, può sostenere una popolazione più ampia per unità di superficie rispetto ai cereali. In quanto coltura perenne, non necessita dissodamento, previene l'erosione con la sua ampia chioma e migliora la fertilità del suolo.

Note

Voci correlate
 Piante da radici e da tubero

Altri progetti

Collegamenti esterni

Musaceae

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


In Indefinite Objects, Luis López provides a unique method of the syntax-semantics interface utilizing indefinite noun words as a database. conventional methods map structural configurations to semantic interpretations without delay; López hyperlinks configuration to a style of semantic composition, with the latter yielding the translation. The polyvalent habit of indefinites has lengthy been explored by means of linguists who've been drawn to their syntax, semantics, and case morphology, and López's contribution might be obvious as a synthesis of findings from a number of traditions. He argues, first, that scrambled indefinite gadgets are composed through functionality software preceded by means of selection functionality whereas gadgets in situ are composed through limit. This distinction yields the various interpretive chances of indefinite items. López's extra nuanced method of the syntax-semantics interface seems to be wealthy in empirical consequences.Second, he proposes that brief scrambling additionally yields Differential Marking, only if context stipulations are fulfilled, whereas in situ items stay unmarked. hence, López contributes to the broad literature on Differential item Marking through exhibiting that syntactic configuration is a vital issue. López substantiates this process with facts from Spanish, Hindi-Urdu, Persian (Farsi), Kiswahili, Romanian, and German.
This e-book, first released in 1950, is a set of what the writer felt to be the minimal of English grammar correct to effective communique in language. The scope of this name was firm by means of accumulating from children's writings examples of universal faults and weaknesses, and it truly is via those texts that definite strategies emerged as basic, together with predication, word-order, proximity, equivalents, style and repetition. Pattern in English will be of curiosity to scholars of English language.
the quantity includes such a lot up to date theoretical and empirical study on international or moment language methods analyzed from the viewpoint of cognition and impact. It includes articles dedicated to a number of issued with regards to such extensive themes as gender, literacy, translation or tradition, to say a number of. the gathering of papers deals a optimistic and encouraging perception right into a fuller figuring out of the interconnection of the language-cognition-affect trichotomy.
concentrating on the relation among sensible different types and lexical and phrasal different types in Arabic dialects, Benmamoun proposes that universally useful different types are distinctive for categorial positive aspects which ensure their relation with lexical different types. Language edition is attributed to variations with appreciate to the categorial function necessities of practical different types and the way they have interaction with lexical different types. The booklet brings new insights to concerns concerning the syntax of practical different types, the relation among syntax and the morpho-phonological part, and comparative syntax.
provide a finished imaginative and prescient of the linguistically major structural and interpretive houses of adjectives and adverbs, to focus on the similarities among those different types, and to sign the significance of a cautious and particular integration of lexical and compositional semantics.
The editors open the e-book with an summary of present learn sooner than introducing and contextualizing the rest chapters. The paintings is aimed toward students and complicated scholars of syntax, semantics, formal pragmatics, and discourse. it's going to additionally attract researchers in philosophy, psycholinguistics, and language acquisition attracted to the syntax and semantics of adjectives and adverbs.
This publication is the 1st cross-linguistic learn of clausal negation in keeping with an in depth and systematic language pattern. Methodological concerns, particularly sampling, are mentioned at size. commonplace negation– the elemental structural ability languages have for negating declarative verbal major clauses– is typologized from a brand new viewpoint, taking note of structural transformations among affirmatives and negatives. In symmetric negation affirmative and unfavourable buildings express no changes with the exception of the presence of the unfavourable marker(s), while in uneven negation there are extra structural alterations, i.e. asymmetries. A contrast is made among constructional and paradigmatic asymmetry; within the former the addition of the unfavorable marker(s) is followed through additional structural changes compared to the corresponding affirmative, and within the latter the correspondences among the contributors of (verbal etc.) paradigms utilized in affirmatives and negatives should not one-to-one. Cross-cutting the constructional-paradigmatic contrast, uneven negation could be additional divided into subtypes in response to the character of the asymmetry. common negation buildings present in the 297 pattern languages are exemplified and mentioned intimately. The frequencies of the different sorts and a few typological correlations also are tested. useful motivations are proposed for the structural kinds– symmetric negatives are language-internally analogous to the linguistic constitution of the affirmative and uneven negatives are language-externally analogous to varied asymmetries among confirmation and negation at the practical point. correct diachronic matters also are mentioned. The e-book is of curiosity to language typologists, descriptive linguists and to all linguists attracted to negation.
This ebook analyzes the constitution of coordination from views: the symmetrical houses the development imposes on its conjuncts, and the way conjuncts engage with different different types open air coordination with admire to contract and different grammatical phenomena. an excessive amount of facts represented during this publication are taken from different types of Spanish. in contrast to English, Spanish has a wealthy trend of overt contract among the topic and the verb, among nouns and adjectives, and in addition among clitics and lexical DP items and oblique gadgets. Spanish contract paradigms exhibit very fascinating styles of contract mismatch that supply very important theoretical insights. except another way certain, it may be assumed that non-English examples are from Spanish. IX bankruptcy number 1 advent even supposing coordination has figured kind of gradually within the Generative culture starting with Chornsky's (1957) Conjunction Transformation (later referred to as Conjunction Reduction), till lately, the 2 triumphing parts of analysis have been ellipsis (see, for instance, Van Oirsouw 1987) and the semantic interpretation of conjuncts.' the interior constitution of coordination used to be often left unanalyzed, or assumed to be ternary branching, as in (I).
This is a chain which goals to fulfill the necessity for books on glossy English which are either updated and authoritative. The texts are perfect for the coed, the instructor, and the scholar, yet specially for English conversing scholars in in another country universities the place English is the language of guideline, or complex expert scholars of English in overseas universities. even supposing English is one of the so much studied language on the earth, this is often one of many first systematic comparisons of infinitives with and with out using "to". Patrick Duffley examines those makes use of adopting the semantic procedure, which indicates that the 2 infinitive varieties each one have a easy which means that's able to explaining all in their specific makes use of. the writer has conducted precise learn for this booklet, studying over 24,000 occurences of the infinitive, in addition to taking into consideration the observations of past grammarians. The publication demanding situations outdated assumptions that grammar is self sustaining of that means and will be handled in basically formal phrases. It additionally fulfils a necessity for literature on a space of English grammar which has occasionally been presumed to be chaotic and unsystematic. The textual content is aimed experts in linguistics and complex scholars of English as a moment language.
From phrases to Grammar is a distinct creation to grammar for college students. Taking a word-based method of grammar, this leading edge e-book introduces the topic in the course of the research of over 100 of the main prevalent English words.?
This special approach not just introduces scholars to grammar but additionally presents them with an realizing of ways grammar works in daily English. Written via an skilled instructor and writer, From phrases to Grammar is perfect for all scholars of English Language.
ultimately, an essential advisor to grammar for everyone!
In addition to together with easy information regarding phrases, words, clauses, and sentences, "Lessons in English Grammar" contains pertinent information regarding utilization, punctuation, and spelling.
A significant attempt used to be made to make this booklet finished and available for either local and non-native audio system of English. all the fifteen classes contains concise causes of the subject or themes to be provided within the lesson. useful routines designed to deepen the knowledge of every subject instantly persist with. A lesson precis and a check-up try out concludes each one lesson.


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CANBERRA OBSERVED
Labor may find it's not easy to avoid being green
The prospects of another Labor-Green alliance should send a shiver up the collective spine of the Australian electorate, but Greens leader Richard Di Natale has made it clear this is his definitive objective should Labor manage a narrow win in the coming poll.
Senator Di Natale tries out
a cabinet decorating idea.
Labor has sought to downplay the possibility of such a union, but may have little choice if it does not secure power in its own right if the Greens have their way.
Over recent years the Greens have graduated from their origins as a purely protest party on the fringes of politics to a party that regularly returns MPs and that now wants to possess and use executive power.
Having tasted office in Tasmania and in the Australian Capital Territory in shared-power arrangements, as well as having a huge say in the running of the Gillard government, the Greens are no longer prepared to sit on the crossbenches.
Greens MP Adam Bandt does not even try to hide the party's ambitions.
"The Greens are not in Parliament just to make up the numbers. We are not a ginger group trying to force another party to change its position," he wrote in The Age at the start of the campaign.
"We are not a faction of any other party. Nor are we there only to secure a handful of concessions while other parties get to implement their agendas.
"So we need to be in the House of Representatives as well as the Senate, especially because the house leads to government, providing an opportunity to exercise power in a very different and important way compared with being in the Senate alone."
So, there you have it: the Greens ultimate ambition is government itself. But if they cannot have government, they are pushing to enjoy some of its power.
Senator Di Natale is already planning for the spoils of office, declaring early in the campaign that he wants an actual cabinet post should Labor win government on July 2.
Opposition Leader Bill Shorten quickly tried to bat away the prospect of an alliance with the Greens, insisting that the Greens were "dreaming" if they thought another joint government was in the offing.
There is at least a small chance of a hung parliament or a narrow Labor majority in the House of Representatives, but it is also likely that the Greens will emerge with the balance of power in the Senate in the double-dissolution election, whatever the outcome otherwise.
In this circumstance "Prime Minister Bill Shorten" might have little choice but to agree to a power-sharing arrangement, which might include cabinet positions.
Senator Di Natale has previously declared he wants a cabinet post.
"We should be open to cabinet posts, we have done that already in Tasmania and the ACT," Di Natale told Fairfax in an interview.
"My view is you are in politics to get outcomes. I would relish the opportunity to be a health minister in a future government. … Why couldn't we see [Senator] Larissa Waters as an environment minister in a future government?"
Indeed the Greens leader is already measuring the curtains in the Cabinet ministers' offices.
"I think we can enter into an arrangement with the Labor Party to support them in government in the same way we have [in 2010] – you offer confidence and ask for key policy outcomes and you do that election by election."
A return to power sharing with the Greens at a federal level would be disastrous for Australia, and would serve only accelerate the Green agenda, which is at its philosophical core a form of social Marxism that seeks to revolutionise society and break down institutions.
In practice the Greens are anti-farming, anti-business, anti-industry, anti-defence, anti-religion, and anti-family.
Unlike other major parties, whose policies (for good or ill, wise and unwise) are largely aimed at improving the economy and to make life better for individuals and families, the Greens have a rolling agenda that aims to alter radically all facets of society. Each policy victory is merely a stepping-stone towards that goal.
Even at a practical level, a new Labor government would mean a reintroduction of a carbon tax (something Senator Di Natale has promised too) as well as a raft of higher taxes such as a sugar tax, and other environmental imposts.
Labor's rejection of the Greens plan has been firm, but it needs to be unequivocal in its rejection because at a state level it was also firm in rejecting power sharing before the poll but succumbed afterwards.


Tropical sprue is a malabsorptive disease of the small bowel, characterised by inflammation and villous flattening in the small intestine. The symptoms and pathological appearance are similar to those of coeliac disease, but this is not an autoimmune condition and is considered most likely to be an infective one. The causative agent is, however, unclear, although it is probably bacterial. Tropical sprue is seen in residents of, and visitors to, tropical areas and it tends to begin with an acute episode of diarrhoea, fever and malaise before settling into a more chronic presentation of steatorrhea, malabsorption, nutritional deficiency, anorexia, malaise and weight loss. Folate deficiency is a significant part of the clinical picture.
Tropical sprue was epidemic during World War II and caused one sixth of all Allied casualties in India and Southeast Asia.
It is distinct from tropical enteropathy, an asymptomatic condition, defined by mild histological changes in the intestinal mucosa, which co-exists in endemic areas and is probably an adaptation to environmental factors.
Tropical sprue usually occurs in residents of tropical or subtropical climates (less commonly, visitors), most often in developing countries.
The condition may not present until after they have left the area. The lag can be up to 10 years.
The incidence varies with geography.
It occurs mostly in Southeast Asia and the Caribbean but not in Jamaica.
It remains the most common cause of malabsorption in India.
There is no predilection for race or gender.
It tends to affect adults but can also occur in children.
The aetiology is presumed to be infective but the exact cause remains elusive.
The exact nature of the infection, whether initiated or perpetuated by enterotoxic coliform bacteria, viruses or a combination of pathogens, is not clear.
Most commonly the condition only affects the upper small intestine although, more rarely, the stomach or colon can be involved.
Iron, folate and vitamin B12 - are the most common, and there may be signs such as, pallor or glossitis.
Vitamin A - with hyperkeratosis and skin scaliness.
Vitamin D and calcium - may cause abdominal pain, bone pain, weakness, tingling.
Vitamin K - risk of prolonged INR and haemorrhage.
Abdominal pain - may be mild and does not usually dominate the clinical picture.
FBC - macrocytic anaemia with low folate and vitamin B12 levels in 60%.
Serum potassium, iron and albumin - all may be low due to malabsorption and diarrhoea.
Volume depletion is common - urea may be raised.
Calcium and phosphate may be abnormal, especially with low albumin.
Malabsorption of D-xylose - a dose of 25 g xylose is given by mouth and normal results are that urine contains at least 20 mg per 100 ml at one hour and a total of 4g excreted in five hours. (Normal renal function is needed.) Lower results suggest malabsorption.
Faecal fat measures - patients are fed a diet with high fat over 72 hours (80 to 100 g per day). A faecal fat exceeding 6 g a day is abnormal but steatorrhoea usually requires at least 15 g a day.
Check stool - for cysts, ova and parasites.
Consider bone densitometry - in appropriate patients.
Jejunal biopsy - this shows incomplete villous atrophy (as opposed to coeliac disease where there is complete villous atrophy).
Secondary malabsorption due to protozoal (eg, giardial), helminthic, bacterial, or viral infections.
Tuberculosis of the gut can occur without pulmonary manifestations.
Disease of the pancreas, causing pancreatic insufficiency.
If vitamin B12 levels are very low, B12 replacement must start prior to folate replacement, as otherwise the demands of the haemopoietic system may precipitate subacute combined degeneration of the cord.
Potassium supplements may also be needed as rapid utilisation occurs when haemaopotiesis starts. Failure to supplement may account for the occasional sudden death seen at the start of treatment for severe B12 deficiency.
In children, delay in skeletal maturity, rickets, growth failure.
Fluid volume replacement (electrolytes and water).
Antibiotics - tetracycline is most often used and prolonged periods of treatment are necessary - eg, 6-12 months.
Patients in southern India respond poorly to antibiotics.
Tetracycline is not used in children whose permanent teeth have not yet come through, and another broad-spectrum antibiotic is substituted.
In the USA, co-trimoxaxole is recommended although this drug is less commonly used in the UK.
Folic acid - may need to be given parenterally at first if absorption is poor (but if very B12 deficient this must be replenished FIRST).
Vitamin B12 injections - given daily for 5 to 10 days and then once a month. Absorption of vitamin B12 recovers early and so deficiency may be due to bacterial action rather than malabsorption.
Oral iron may also be required, but iron and tetracycline should not be taken close to each other, as the tetracycline chelates the iron and neither is absorbed.
Symptom improvement - eg, disappearance of anorexia with adequate B12 and folate replacement.
Improvement of FBC and biochemical parameters.
Untreated disease runs a chronic, relapsing course.
Treatment is associated with a good prognosis.
The diagnosis should be considered in any patient with diarrhoea and signs and/or symptoms of malabsorption who has spent more than two weeks in a tropical region where the disease is endemic.
Improvement after folate replacement is prompt and dramatic. Failure to do so should elicit doubt about the diagnosis. Remember to replace vitamin B12 first if levels are very low.
Deficiencies of folic acid and vitamin B12 and resultant megaloblastic anaemia are the defining characteristics of the disease.
There is no established way to prevent the disease whilst visiting areas of risk. It seems sensible to observe safe practices regarding drinking water, peeling fruit and avoiding raw unpeeled vegetables, and this may minimise exposure to the causative agent.
In 1747 a Yorkshireman, Dr William Hillary, moved to Barbados to practise medicine. In 1759 he published one of the earliest books on tropical diarrhoeal disease, and he coined the term 'sprue'. in the book he describes chronic diarrhoea, malabsorption and weight loss occurring more frequently in Barbadians than in settlers. This was probably the first recorded account of tropical sprue.
Ramakrishna BS, Venkataraman S, Mukhopadhya A; Tropical malabsorption. Postgrad Med J. 2006 Dec82(974):779-87.
Dutta AK, Balekuduru A, Chacko A; Spectrum of malabsorption in India--tropical sprue is still the leader. J Assoc Physicians India. 2011 Jul59:420-2.
Thielman NM, Guerrant RL; Persistent diarrhea in the returned traveler. Infect Dis Clin North Am. 1998 Jun12(2):489-501.
Bhatnagar S, Gupta SD, Mathur M, et al; Celiac disease with mild to moderate histologic changes is a common cause of chronic diarrhea in Indian children. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr. 2005 Aug41(2):204-9.
Westergaard H; Tropical Sprue. Curr Treat Options Gastroenterol. 2004 Feb7(1):7-11.
Tomkins AM, Smith T, Wright SG; Assessment of early and delayed responses in vitamin B12 absorption during antibiotic therapy in tropical malabsorption. Clin Sci Mol Med Suppl. 1978 Dec55(6):533-9.


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Q: GroupBy causes Dump to omit linked objects in LinqPad to Entity Framework I wired up my LinqPad to Entity Framework and was happily writing my query until I noticed that some of my objects were not in the result list.
I had a query that resembles this:
 IQueryable<IGrouping<Customer, Order>> myResults;
 myResults = Orders.Include("OrderDetail").GroupBy(x=>x.Customer);
 myResults.Dump(20);

When I ran that the Order.OrderDetail objects were not in the dump.  (The data is there though. I ran some foreach statements to check and it was all in the resulting objects, just not being dumped.)
But if I just run this:
 Orders.Include("OrderDetail").Dump(20);

Then I get the OrderDetail objects in the dump.
Am I doing something wrong?  Is it wrong to expect that LinqPad would dump my Include Objects even though there is a GroupBy going on?

A: Seen something similar before. Did you try swapping the order of the groupby and include?
myResults = Orders.GroupBy(x=>x.Customer).Include("OrderDetail");

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
FREE PHONE LINK
www.freephonelink.net
Archive for the 'HEALTH MEDICAL DIET' Category
DEVELOPERS ARE WORKING ON SENSORS FOR SMART PHONES TO TAKE YOUR TEMPERATURE, BLOOD PRESSURE & SUGAR LEVELS
Researchers are working on putting sensors in glass so smart devices can do more to monitor users' health. Photo: Lisa Maree Williams
Imagine if an app in your phone or tablet could take your pulse or measure your blood sugar just when you touch the screen, without any added hardware. New developments in the construction of screen glass might mean such technologies are on the way.
Scientists at Corning, makers of the popular Gorilla Glass found in millions of handheld devices, and Canada's Polytechnique Montreal, have released a study about building light-based sensors into the physical structure of glass used for device screens. The sensors are placed in stackable layers using finer detail than ever before.
The technology means apps can get more accurate readings from far more sensors than just those already placed under screens to detect a touch or swipe. It uses laser to inscribe wave-guides into the glass that use photons of light to describe the transmission of information.
"[It] can be used to transmit information encoded on to the light, in other words, sense its environment to ascertain the properties of a material placed near that surface," said Dr Alan F Evans, Corning's research director.
The team behind the system has already built two prototype applications. The first is a temperature sensor based on interferometer technology, which reads body temperature from the touch of a finger.
The other is a unique authentication system that uses tiny dots to scatter infrared light that can be read by the device's camera. The pattern of scattered light can then be transposed into ones and zeros read as binary data, making strings of characters of up to a quadrillion patterns.
"It's like a permanent and unique barcode on every smartphone that's very difficult to counterfeit and also not easily seen, so doesn't intrude with the operation of the phone," Dr Evans said.
With the possibility of more detailed sensors built into an interface substrate like a touchscreen, it potentially makes every glass surface a computer.
The research brings us a step closer to Corning's own speculative short film series A Day Made of Glass, where computers are embedded in surfaces from kitchen walls to the dashboards of cars.
Of the industries set to receive a boost, observers say wearables will particularly benefit as we demand more responsiveness and accuracy from devices.
"I see this advancement being even more useful for wearables like glasses and watches," says Joanan Hernandez, founder of Montreal developer Mollejuo AR Studio, which makes mobile apps to help guide travellers in unfamiliar cities.
"Putting transparent sensors on glasses and watches will reduce the circuit box needed for these devices, which in turn will make them more attractive and easier to wear."
The basis for laser-inscribed wave-guides opens the field to even more circuits based on light. When the glass can distinguish between materials or even within a specific material, the possibilities are endless.
Putting food on your phone to see if it's been washed in contaminated water or spitting on your screen to see if you have a cold coming on might not sound socially acceptable today, but phones and tablets are soon set to do much more than take calls, send emails and play games.
Tags: medical test apps, smart phone apps, smart phone medical tests, smart pnones & blood pressure, sugar level tests using smart phones, temperature tests & smart phone, usin smart phone to take sugavels
Posted in APPS & STUFF, HEALTH MEDICAL DIET, PHONE USES, SENSORS PROBES CONTROLS | No Comments »
CANCER DIAGNOSIS VIA SMARTPHONE APP
Smart phone app can now diagnose you for skin cancer
A mobile phone app that allows people to analyse their moles for cancer risk is a good tool, but should not be relied on in isolation, the Cancer Society of New Zealand warns.
Skin Scan, an application for iPhones, allows users to take photos of their moles and find out whether they are likely to be cancerous.
Released by Romanian company Cronian Labs, the technology
can be downloaded for $5.49.
The Cancer Society of New Zealand has applauded the technology as a way of reminding people to look after their skin and seek medical help for any changes to the appearance of moles.
Using specific mathematical algorithms, the tool calculates the mole's shape and surrounding skin by building a structural map to reveal tissue growth patterns that help to identify abnormal developments.
It also takes into account the user's age and gender.
It returns with a green, yellow or red result – showing whether the lesion is a low, medium or high risk of being cancerous.
Cancer Society health promotion manager Dr Jan Pearson tried the device and was impressed that it included the recommendation of visiting a doctor, but said more could be done for consumers.
"It listed some doctors' surgeries, but not many. It's designed more for an Australian market."
But it also stores photos, so any changes to the mole over time can be monitored.
Pearson said that's what people need to be aware of most, for everyone's skin looks different.
"For melanoma, which is the most serious skin cancer, there are a number of different things that might be a melanoma. There's a whole range of changes."
But while the application makes it easier for people to monitor their moles, they should not rely on the technology alone, Pearson said.
"It could miss stuff, so my advice would be that if you've noticed any changes, see a doctor.
"You do need to detect it early."
Those more at risk of developing skin cancer – particularly people with a number of moles, who have been seriously sunburnt in the past, or who have a family history of melanoma – should be extra careful, she said.
"Get someone to check the areas you can't see yourself.
"That's one of the things with skin cancer is you can see it."
Specific changes to be wary of were a changed or new freckle, a mole which won't heal, a spot which looks different from those around it and a spot which has changed size, shape or colour within the last few months.
One pitfall with the application was that it was not compatible with all iPhone cameras, because older models did not provide the quality image required.
"I tried it with an iPhone 3 and the camera wasn't good enough, but I might have another play," Pearson said.
"We'd be cautious to recommend it, but hopefully, it will make people more aware that they have to look after their skin and look for any changes."
Sourced & published by Henry Sapiecha
Tags: cancer tests via smartphone, new app for medical tests, skin cancers and smartphones, testing for skin cancer via a smartphone
Posted in CELL MOBILE PHONES, HEALTH MEDICAL DIET, LATEST EQUIPMENT, PHONE USES, SENSORS PROBES CONTROLS, SMART PHONES | No Comments »
NEW SMARTPHONE APP COULD WELL BE CALLED DOCTOR SMARTPHONE
ARE WE ON THE WAY TO A DOCTOR SMARTPHONE?
(Reuters) – Tired of long waits at the hospital for medical tests? If Korean researchers have their way, your smartphone could one day eliminate that — and perhaps even tell you that you have cancer.
A team of scientists at Korea Advanced Institute of Science of Technology (KAIST) said in a paper published in Angewandte Chemie, a German science journal, that touch screen technology can be used to detect biomolecular matter, much as is done in medical tests.
"It began from the idea that touch screens work by recognizing the electronic signs from the touch of the finger, and so the presence of specific proteins and DNA should be recognizable as well," said Hyun-gyu Park, who with Byong-yeon Won led the study.
The touch screens on smartphones, PDAs or other electronic devices work by sensing the electronic charges from the user's body on the screen. Biochemicals such as proteins and DNA molecules also carry specific electronic charges.
According to KAIST, the team's experiments showed that touch screens can recognize the existence and the concentration of DNA molecules placed on them, a first step toward one day being able to use the screens to carry out medical tests.
"We have confirmed that (touch screens) are able to recognize DNA molecules with nearly 100 percent accuracy just as large, conventional medical equipment can and we believe equal results are possible for proteins," Park told Reuters TV.
"There are proteins known in the medical world like the ones used to diagnose liver cancer, and we would be able to see the liver condition of the patient."
The research team added that it is currently developing a type of film with reactive materials that can identify specific biochemicals, hoping this will allow the touch screens to also recognize different biomolecular materials.
But confirming that the touch screen can recognize the biomolecular materials, though key, is only the first step.
Since nobody would put blood or urine on a touch screen, the sample would be placed on a strip, which would then be fed into the phone or a module attached to the phone through what Park called an "entrance point."
"The location and concentration of the sample would be recognized the same way the touch of the finger is recognized," he added.
There are no details yet on a prospective timetable for making the phone a diagnostic tool, however.
Tags: am i sick doctor smartphone, calling doctor smartphone, health test by smartphone, maxwell smart & your health, shoephones and doctor smart, smartphone to diagnose your healh
Posted in HEALTH MEDICAL DIET, HUMAN PHONE INPUT, LATEST EQUIPMENT, NEW USES DISCOVERIES, NEWS UPDATES PRESS RELEASES, PHONE USES, SMART PHONES | No Comments »
SMART PHONES HELP TO SAVE LIVES
Calling all heroines & heroes:
Fire Dept app could help save lives
By Paul Ridden
13:25 January 26, 2011
Around three hundred thousand people in the U.S. are said to suffer sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) each year, so with survival rates standing at less than eight percent and brain death taking a grip just four to six minutes after an attack, every second counts. The San Ramon Valley Fire Department is therefore calling on members of the public who have been trained in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) to help. A new location-aware iPhone app has been developed that notifies registered users within the 155 square-mile (401.5 sq km) San Ramon Valley, California region when their skills are needed to save lives.
If a cardiac emergency happens in a publicly accessible location, the freely available iPhone app developed by the San Ramon Fire Department will use the smartphone's GPS capabilities to identify registered users trained in CPR in the vicinity and let them know that someone nearby needs help. It will also direct the local heroes to the exact location of the closest public access Automated External Defibrillator.
"The creation and deployment of a smartphone application that notifies trained bystanders of nearby cardiac arrest events completely redefines the traditional meaning of a witnessed arrest by expanding awareness over a much broader area," said Fire Chief Richard Price. "Providing actionable, real-time information during a sudden cardiac arrest emergency, including mapping the victim and rescuer locations, along with the nearest AED locations, is the quintessential use of GPS technology on a mobile phone today."
Users are offered the choice of incident notification by type and can also use the app as "a virtual window into San Ramon Valley's 9-1-1 dispatch center." They can also use the app to view the current status of incident alerts, including information about when the professionals are due to arrive at the scene. The Fire Department also utilizes the technology to communicate with over 700 members of the Community Emergency Response Team.
A limited version of the app has been in public testing for the past six months with more than 22,000 iPhone users, and has now been released as full version 2.0.3 to the iTunes store. It will run on any iPhone or iPad running iOS 4.2 or later.
The initiative has been applauded by the American Heart Association. "Fast action can save a life when someone collapses during a cardiac arrest," said Dr. Junaid Khan. "CPR can double or triple a person's chance of survival." It's also received a warm welcome from numerous other organizations, including the International Association of Fire Chiefs, the Contra Costa Emergency Medical Services and the National EMS Management Association.
For those who don't live in the area of coverage, you can let your curiosity get the better of you and download the app to listen in to what's going on. However, with Chief Price confirming that the technology is to be shared with other public safety agencies around the globe, similar initiatives may soon pop up in your area too.
Tags: heart attacks tendered to promptly, quick action for heart attack victims with smart phones, smart people and phones
Posted in CELL MOBILE PHONES, HEALTH MEDICAL DIET, LATEST EQUIPMENT, PHONE USES | No Comments »
IPHONE MEDICAL APPLICATION FOR SKIN CONDITIONS
Handyscope turns an iPhone
into a digital dermoscope
Call me crazy, but I've always found some peace of mind knowing that the latest medical gadget scanning some worrisome part of my body isn't an accessory for a smartphone, but costs in the millions of dollars and is the result of years of expensive research and development. However, as someone who has more than their fair share of moles dotted all over their body, I'm willing to make an exception for the handyscope. Consisting of an optical attachment and an accompanying app, the handyscope turns an iPhone into a digital dermoscope to provide an instantaneous up close look at potential skin cancers.
The handyscope features a case into which an iPhone 3G, 3GS and 4 slides so that the iPhone's camera aligns with the handyscope's lens system. The device is then placed flush against the patient's skin, which is illuminated by polarized light from the built-in LEDs. The device features a standardized zoom and auto-focus with images captured with a single tap using the iPhone app.
The images can be immediately viewed full screen with a magnification of up to 20x and saved with another tap. The shooting date and time is automatically recorded with saved the images, while patient data and other comments can also be added manually. The data is all encrypted and can be password protected so there's no doctor/patient privilege privacy concerns.
One of the big pluses of the device, aside from its portability, is the ease with which images of suspicious moles can be shared with colleagues or uploaded to a second opinion service where world-renowned specialists can weigh in with their view.
"We developed the handyscope for all doctors who want to have the possibility to take pictures of the skin and work with them later. It is an alternative for those who miss the ?capture-and-save-function' when using conventional handheld dermatoscopes," explains Andreas Mayer, chief executive officer of FotoFinder.
The handyscope has its own in-built 2400mAh battery pack, which will keep the LEDs running for up to eight hours and can be recharged with the standard iPhone USB cable.
FotoFinder will launch the handyscope in February at the 69th Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Dermatology in New Orleans. Health professionals can order the handyscope for 1,166.20 euro (approx. US$1,590), while the app costs US$11.99 through the iTunes App Store.
Tags: dermaguard, dermascopes, iphone scanners, medical skin scanners, phone skins, pink skin, skin you alive, skinning animals, skinning the cat, snake skins
Posted in APPLE, CELL MOBILE PHONES, HEALTH MEDICAL DIET, LATEST EQUIPMENT, NEW USES DISCOVERIES, NEWS UPDATES PRESS RELEASES, PHONE USES, PHOTOS PICS | No Comments »
TEXTING WHILE WALKING IS DANGEROUS TO YOUR HEALTH & WEALTH
Water fall:
texting woman
who stumbled
into mall fountain
threatens to sue
January 21, 2011 – 1:14PM
Texting woman falls in fountain, sues mall
A woman accidentally fell into a fountain while text messaging and is now suing the shopping centre.
A US woman whose fall into a shopping centre fountain has become a viral video sensation is threatening to sue the mall.
Cathy Cruz Marrero, 49, was texting on her mobile phone when she tumbled head first into a shallow fountain in a mall in Wyomissing, Pennsylvania, this month.
"I saw the water coming at me, I could see the pennies and nickels at the bottom of the fountain and then I was in it," Marrero told local newspaper the Reading Eagle.
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Oblivious … Cathy Cruz Marrero texts while she walks towards the fountain.
A video of her fall, which was captured on the centre's CCTV cameras, was posted on YouTube and has since attracted more than 1½ million views. Laughter could be heard on the footage while it was being played.
Marrero, who works at a store in the centre, told US television network ABC's Good Morning America she had initially laughed at her fall but added that no one had taken her feelings into consideration when they posted the video on the internet.
"It shows in the video. Nobody went to my aid. Not one single person … it could have been anybody's mother. It could have been a senior citizen falling and would they have gotten the same treatment as I did?" she asked.
Stumble … Cathy Cruz Marrero walks into the side of the shallow fountain.
"I didn't get an apology, what I got was, 'At least nobody knows it was you.' But I knew it was me."
Marrero's lawyer, James Polyak, said they suspected someone in the mall's security office recorded the footage on a mobile phone.
"We intend to hold all responsible parties accountable whether that means requesting or demanding an apology – certainly requesting an explanation for why this happened, how this happened," he said.
Head first … Cathy Cruz Marrero falls towards the water.
Marrero, who has convictions for theft from the 1990s, is free on $US7500 ($7600) bail for theft by deception and receiving stolen property charges from 2009, the Eagle reported.
She is due back in court in April and could face six months of house arrest and be forced to wear an electronic tag.
Marrero admitted to Good Morning America's host George Stephanopoulos that she did learn a lesson from her fall.
Making a splash … Cathy Cruz Marrero's leg flails in the air as she goes under the water.
"Do not text and walk," she said.
Tags: dangerous texting, dog walks & texting, foolish women, good bad texting, oops i fell in, oops i was texting, texting the dog, texting under water, walking texting is dangerous to your health, walking the dog
Posted in CELL MOBILE PHONES, HEALTH MEDICAL DIET, LEGAL COURT POLICE, NEWS UPDATES PRESS RELEASES, PHONE USES, PROBLEMS FAQ | No Comments »
APPLE HAS GRIEF WITH CHINESE AUTHORITIES
accuses Apple of
not being green
January 21, 2011 – 9:33AM
iPhone maker Apple was criticised by Chinese green groups for lax corporate oversight of its suppliers in China, leading to poor environmental and work safety standards that poisoned dozens of factory workers.
Apple, which announced blockbuster profits and a dazzling outlook for iPhone and iPad sales earlier this week, continues to be dogged by accusations of aggressive pricing and secretive supply chain management in Chinese factories where they now assemble most of their products.
"We've found that Apple isn't honouring its commitment in ensuring its supply chain's work safety and environmental responsibility and giving dignity and respect to the workers," said Ma Jun, of the Institute of Public & Environmental Affairs (IPE) which published a detailed report on Apple supply chain malpractice this week, in conjunction with other green groups.
"[Apple] only care about the price and quality [of their products] and not the environmental and social responsibility issues. In some ways they drive the suppliers to cut corners to win their contracts," Ma said.
Apple said it had a rigorous auditing regime and all its suppliers were monitored and investigated regularly.
"Our supplier responsibility reports document the progress of our extensive auditing program since 2006," an Apple spokeswoman said.
Foxconn suicides
Last year, Apple's main China supplier Foxconn was hit by over a dozen worker suicides that critics blamed on harsh factory conditions and a militaristic culture. Apple's CEO Steve Jobs has denied the allegations, saying that Foxconn is not a sweatshop.
Many Western multinationals – including toymaker Mattel which suffered a toxic lead paint scandal in 2007 – have struggled to regulate product quality across scores of suppliers in knotted Chinese supply chains, but the report said Apple's standards fell far short of its status as a leading global brand.
"It's not easy to control [the supply chain] but peer brands are doing a lot more [than Apple] to deal with this," said Ma.
The nine-month survey "The other face of Apple" found that at least 49 factory workers in eastern China working in factories assembling products for Apple, had fallen ill.
Lianjian Technology in the eastern city of Suzhou which the green group claims is one of Apple's major touchscreen suppliers, was accused of using N-Hexane, a toxic solvent, to clean touch screens, leading to at least 47 factory workers being poisoned.
Another company named by the green group as a user of N-Hexane was Taiwan-based touchscreen chip maker Wintek. A Wintek spokesman said it had stopped using the chemical and all its employees had recovered.
"Apple's lack of responsiveness eventually made us quite shocked. It's the whole complacency that it doesn't have to be accountable to the NGOs, to the communities, even to the poisoned workers," Ma said.
Tags: a diet of green apples, apple a day keeps workers away, chinese doldrums for apple, green apples can make you sick, green apples in china are not so green, the grief thief
Posted in APPLE, COUNTRIES, HEALTH MEDICAL DIET, PROBLEMS FAQ, SUPERSTARS | No Comments »
TRACKING LOCATION OF ANY MOBILE NUMBER IN THE WORLD HOW TO VIDEOS
This nasty new Android ransomware encrypts your phone — and changes your PIN
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I can't start using internet from mobile network. I've saved APN as per operators data. But how i can select the APN?
hi,ithink htc is good brand but in diffrend quality is alittle weak.
what is the diference between status and chacha?
I m using htc ststus.everything ok but all the time getting an auto message save 50, save 40 randomely. Can anybody define the problem and tell me hoe to fix it.
pls help me how to set my Internet connection.
Anonymous, 23 Mar 2013Pls is htc supported to skype please is Htc status compatible for instagram?
i forgot my password and i'd like to know, how do i reset it?
some of my numeric keys do not work.
please i bought the phone close to 3 months now. just last week part of my touch is not working. more importantly the return, home, options and search keys are not working which is making the pone difficult to use. further, i cannot pull the ring when the phone hibernates. please what might be the cause?
HI , my frined loggen his facebook in my HTC mobile , plese help me , bcz there no option, i will be rely thanks for your this kind of help .
Can anyone help me to do the internet settings on the phone?
Can I use skype for calls on this phone and whatsapp??
Is there 3g network in status?


text:
PYTHONIC_NS_BEGIN

namespace builtins
{

  PYTHONIC_EXCEPTION_IMPL(Warning)
}
PYTHONIC_NS_END

#endif

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


The original black and white sketch was done by an old friend of mine. I liked the sketch and asked for his permission to expand upon it digitally.
My first expansion was just more black and white lines, turning the few trees scattered about the paper into a full thick swamp. The original had little to no density.
The first slide of the movie is after the digital black and white additions.
The mermaid began as entirely different work of mine that I decided would make a great addition to the piece. The Enchanted Mermaid has here own entry here.
Most of Bog Lands was done with a mouse, not my wacom, because at the time my wacom wasn't functioning and I wanted to paint anyway. Make sure you view the full size to get an appreciation for the level of depth.
The tiny sprites in the trees also come from another work, although their appearance in Bog Lands is not the final version of the Flaming Sprites.
The logo you see in the corner is fairly new at the time of writing this still. There is a video demonstrating the creative creation of it here.
Your critiques, comments, thoughts and ideas are welcome.


"Our organizations represent children, pregnant women, families, children's health care providers, hospitals and advocates across the country, and we speak with one voice today to urge the U.S. House of Representatives to keep Medicaid strong for children and vote 'no' on the AHCA. This bill ends the Medicaid program as we know it, jeopardizing coverage for the 72 million vulnerable Americans – primarily children, pregnant women, seniors and people with disabilities – who rely on Medicaid for their health care.
"Children make up the single largest group of people who rely on Medicaid; nearly 36 million children receive Medicaid coverage, including children with special health care needs and those from low-income families. Medicaid also provides comprehensive prenatal care to pregnant women, allowing millions of pregnant women to have healthy pregnancies and helping millions of children get a healthy start. Unlike many private health insurance plans, Medicaid guarantees specific benefits designed especially for children. Medicaid's Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnostic and Treatment (EPSDT) benefits are the definitive standard of pediatric care, covering an array of services like developmental, dental, vision and hearing screenings, and allowing health problems to be diagnosed and treated appropriately and as early as possible. Simply put: Medicaid works. In fact, children in Medicaid are more likely to get check-ups, miss less school, graduate and enter the workforce than their uninsured peers.
"Medicaid is able to provide affordable, comprehensive care for every child because of the strength of Medicaid's state-federal partnership. The program already provides flexibility to states and allows each state to meet the needs of its Medicaid population when a natural disaster, public health crisis like the current opioid epidemic or economic recession increases the number of people enrolled and the cost of providing services.
"The AHCA includes harmful proposals to restructure Medicaid, and the changes to AHCA unveiled on Monday evening go from bad to worse, allowing even more damaging changes to the program. In addition to the bill's initial proposal to fund Medicaid through per capita caps, the amendments would allow states to choose a block grant model, which would eviscerate existing protections afforded to children and pregnant women in the Medicaid program. Comprehensive EPSDT benefits would no longer be required for children, allowing states to ration limited dollars by drastically cutting back pediatric services.
"Block grants and per capita caps have a singular purpose, to reduce federal funding to states. In a bill that is supposed to be improving care for Americans, block grants and per capita shift costs from the federal government to the states, putting pressure on states to come up with the resources to cover their Medicaid patients when federal funds run out and costs inevitably rise. These drastic changes would place politicians, rather than health care providers, in charge of health care for children, pregnant women and families. Whether a life-saving childhood vaccination, a wheelchair or a hearing aid, politicians should not be the ones determining who gets what coverage, which providers offer those services, and what families must pay.
"The AHCA does not make coverage more affordable for families. In fact, it makes it harder for families to afford premiums in the individual market and phases out the option for states to expand Medicaid to cover more low-income adults, which has led to tremendous cost savings for states and better health outcomes for families across the country. Having healthy parents means children are healthier, too. Restructuring Medicaid financing, and opening the door to harsh work requirements for Medicaid enrollees, as the AHCA proposes, are not only bad for state budgets, they are harmful to child health.
"The AHCA's provision allowing states to deny Medicaid coverage unless mothers and fathers are working is especially onerous. This provision would mean that a married, pregnant woman could be required to return to work 60 days after giving birth in order to keep her Medicaid coverage. Maintaining health coverage for mothers after birth is essential for infants' healthy development. Among adults with Medicaid coverage, about 80% are in working families; this proposal is not only short-sighted and dangerous, it offers a solution to a problem that does not exist.


Thank you so much for stopping by, I'm so glad you're here.
My food and life philosophies are pretty simple – listen to your body. I believe that when you eat (with a focus on plants and wholefoods), move and rest intuitively, you are on your own way to optimum health and wellness. Feed yourself nourishing meals, snacks and drinks when you want and made up of what YOU feel like.
Society has made eating, dieting and lifestyle choices increasingly more complicated and stigmatised. If you didn't eat kale for breakfast then can you even call yourself healthy? I don't agree with the one-size-fits-all approach to food or wellness, instead we are all unique and we must celebrate this. That's not to say that I haven't previously been trapped by social media stigmas. From low fat to raw food diets, and from low carb to the belief that gluten free = healthy … I have been there, done it all, and have learnt a lot and grown in the process. I now live to eat. Food makes me excited, and nothing is out of bounds. It's all about what feels right for ME.
Whether you have a big bowl of oats or an indulgent chocolate mousse for breakfast, it's for no one else to judge apart from yourself. So, do what feels good for you. Let's strip back the fads, step away from the 'superfoods' promising us optimum health and forget about the 'perfect' diet.
Here you will find plant-based recipes that I hope will bring you joy, make your tummy smile and be as kind to other beings as possible.
My journey to veganism isn't all that complicated: I have always been interested in healthy eating though I used to be a very fussy eater! I feel I have found my niche – where I am no longer an awkward eater, but one who embraces foods in every colour of the rainbow, of every taste and that encompasses a wide variety of cuisines. As I became more independent in my cooking, I yearned to experiment with new flavours, ingredients and techniques – and gravitated towards beans, seeds, lentils, ancient grains… all this 'hippie' food as some may call it. The more I experimented, the more I craved this style of eating. From switching up dairy to almond milk in my late teens, to forgoing white meat and fish for chickpeas and legumes, and finally giving up my thick Greek yoghurt for coconut yoghurt, I never felt as though I was missing out. For me, it was all about expanding my repertoire, incorporating new foods and enjoying everything I ate. You may say I have now gone the other way and regularly enjoy 'fake' meats, tofu and tempeh for example.
Plant-based, wholesome foods, as natural as possible. But yes, that does include vegan donuts.
While living in a carnivorous household, I am met daily with cow's milk in the fridge, meat near my seitan and my black beans sat next to tins of tuna. I make sure I do not lecture my family but encourage them to see the delicious benefits of a plant-based lifestyle through hearty meals and indulgent bakes. I hope you can similarly share these recipes with loved ones. It's also a great tool for discussion about animal cruelty and I learn more everyday about the horrors of the meat and dairy industry. Veganism is certainly on the rise, and I am so happy for that.
Eating mindfully is also something I am passionate about. Eating is a huge part of our lives, and the cycle of hunger, preparation, satiation and cleaning is incessant. So why not enjoy the daily rituals? The more time, heart and soul I can put into my cooking, the better it tastes and the more enjoyment I am met with. But that's not to say that the quick easy-to-throw-together meals don't taste just as good. As long as there's a focus on fresh, wholesome and high-quality ingredients, what's not to love? Mealtimes are a feast for all the senses – texture, sight, sounds, smells, and taste – and while every meal may not be Instagram-worthy, take time to appreciate what's in front of you. It amazes me every time I see people grabbing a sandwich on the go, texting while piling their forks high and mindlessly scrolling through Facebook while devouring a packet of cookies. STOP. Take time to use all your senses on the food, and you'll feel so much more satisfied after.
In a nutshell: when we are truly in tune with our bodies, it is from here that health flourishes.
I hope you can relate to, be inspired by or simple enjoy reading what I have to offer. I put a lot of love, soul and life into my recipes and writings, and I would love to hear what you think, so please do get in touch or leave a comment on any of my posts.
*Disclaimer: I do not have any background in nutrition, though it is a passion of mine, I have no qualifications in this area. Similarly, I am definitely not a trained chef but love to learn as I go!