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You are here: Home1 / St. Ann Center for Intergenerational Care-Bucyrus Campus
St. Ann Center for Intergenerational Care-Bucyrus Campus
2450 W. North Avenue
Milwaukee, WI 53205 United States
Family Caregiver Support Group for Women (Bucyrus Campus)
St. Ann Center for Intergenerational Care-Bucyrus Campus, 2450 W. North Avenue
Milwaukee, WI 53205 United States + Google Map
If you are caring for a child or adult with a disability, medical needs or aging issues...who is caring for you? This free discussion and support group offers women who are family caregivers a little breathing space and a chance to talk. Join us for an opportunity to: Develop friendships Share your feelings with others who understand Receive emotional support Discuss solutions to caregiving issues with other family caregivers
First Friday Community Business Group
February 4 @ 7:30 am - 9:00 am
An event every month that begins at 7:30 am on day First of the month, repeating indefinitely
One event on July 5, 2019 at 7:30 am
Join us for this monthly meeting of north-side residents interested in improving business networking opportunities and strengthening the area's social fabric. Meetings are held on the first Friday of each month. All are welcome!
Alzheimer's Caregiver Support Group (Bucyrus Campus)
Caregivers meet to share experiences, difficulties, insights and resources with each other. They laugh and cry over what is happening in their lives; they accept each other fully. Come and experience how good it is to be understood. If you cannot attend but wish to talk about your situation, contact Pastor Tony Phillips.
Parkinson's Support Group (Bucyrus Campus)
An event every month that begins at 1:00 pm on day Second of the month, repeating indefinitely
If you or someone you know is living with Parkinson's consider joining this support group. Topics of conversation include: • Brain stimulation surgery • Progress in medicines • Exercises that can help with symptoms Everyone is encouraged to ask questions. Occasionally, there are speakers on various topics surrounding Parkinson's. Snacks and beverages are always served. Registration is NOT necessary for this group.
March 4 @ 7:30 am - 9:00 am
April 1 @ 7:30 am - 9:00 am
May 6 @ 7:30 am - 9:00 am
June 3 @ 7:30 am - 9:00 am
July 1 @ 7:30 am - 9:00 am
July 1 @ 1:00 pm - 2:30 pm
July 15 @ 1:00 pm - 2:30 pm
August 5 @ 7:30 am - 9:00 am
August 5 @ 1:00 pm - 2:30 pm
September 2 @ 7:30 am - 9:00 am
November 4 @ 7:30 am - 9:00 am
December 2 @ 7:30 am - 9:00 am
December 2 @ 1:00 pm - 2:30 pm
December 16 @ 1:00 pm - 2:30 pm
January 6, 2023 @ 7:30 am - 9:00 am
January 6, 2023 @ 1:00 pm - 2:30 pm
February 3, 2023 @ 7:30 am - 9:00 am
February 3, 2023 @ 1:00 pm - 2:30 pm
March 3, 2023 @ 7:30 am - 9:00 am
April 7, 2023 @ 7:30 am - 9:00 am
April 7, 2023 @ 1:00 pm - 2:30 pm
May 5, 2023 @ 7:30 am - 9:00 am
June 2, 2023 @ 7:30 am - 9:00 am
July 7, 2023 @ 7:30 am - 9:00 am
July 7, 2023 @ 1:00 pm - 2:30 pm
August 4, 2023 @ 7:30 am - 9:00 am
September 1, 2023 @ 7:30 am - 9:00 am
October 6, 2023 @ 7:30 am - 9:00 am
November 3, 2023 @ 7:30 am - 9:00 am
December 1, 2023 @ 7:30 am - 9:00 am
The Coggs Center


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SciencePG Frontiers
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Pharmacists, Manufacturers of Pharmaceuticals, Clinicians, Scientists, Researchers and Environmentalists Can Now Carry Out Their Normal Functions Without Engaging Reagents and Equipments But Computers Only
Pharmacists and manufacturers of pharmaceuticals such as medications and vaccines can now use computers to assess the activities, efficacies, pharmacological properties, resistance, and several other characteristics of their products, and even design them without touching any reagent, equipment or animal tissue.
By Norbert Nwankwo
From Computational Biology and Bioinformatics
Pharmacists and manufacturers of pharmaceuticals such as medications and vaccines can now use computers to assess the activities, efficacies, pharmacological properties, resistance, and several other characteristics of their products, and even design them without touching any reagent, equipment or animal tissue. Similarly, Medical Doctors can now determine disease progression without wearing gloves and looking into organs or through microscopes, etc. For hospital patients, clinicians' choice of antibiotics, anti-infective, etc for their ailments can also be made using Computer-Aided Drug Resistance Calculator (Patent Application filed in 2014) if eventually it is granted.
In the same manner, other para-medical personnel, environmentalists, scientists, researchers, etc can also evaluate structural and physio-chemical properties of a wide range of their bio-active bio-molecules including chemicals, toxicants (Lead, Zinc, and others), reagents, etc without using the labor-intensive, time and resource consuming clinical laboratory experimentations. These professionals will only engage their computer-aided procedures and sequence information (consensus and mutated sequences) of their bio-active bio-molecules where they are protein/peptide based, or their protein targets or the genes/proteins encoding them.
Preliminary clinical procedures for studies likes these are known to consume resources and time. Thanks to the prevailing rational, computer-assisted, robotics- and information technology-based procedures, which are now gradually taking over the preliminary irrational clinical experimentation-based approaches. This understanding is unveiled in the research article titled "Novel Computerized Approaches to Investigating Pharmacological Activities".
Earlier, it appeared impracticable that these biological behaviors could be read from their sequence information until some Serbian researchers including Veljkovic V (Centre for Multidisciplinary Research, Institute of Nuclear Sciences VINCA, Belgrade), saw proteins not just as pieces of fish, meat or enzyme but signals (numerical sequences) and further analyze them using Digital Signal Processing (DSP) techniques. The techniques, which include Informational Spectrum Method (ISM) presented protein functions in numerical terms.
The procedure entails converting proteins (amino acids in linear formation or sequences) into signals (numerical sequences) by interchanging the amino acids alphabetic codes with their corresponding numerical values in the Amino Acid Index (Molecular descriptor/biological parameter) such as the Electron Ion Interaction Potential (EIIP). Some of these Molecular descriptors are deposited in the www.genome.jp/aaindex. The signals (numerical sequences) are then processed using Discrete Fourier Transform (DFT), which uncovers the embedded biological functionalities.
Explaining translation of protein functions into numbers, Veljkovic V commented that ISM employs "Molecular descriptors such as EIIP derived from Mendeleyev Periodic Table, meaning that there isn't need, any experimental or theoretical pre-knowledge about proteins (and their biological functions, before they are) subjected to ISM analysis". DSP approaches are the foundation of radar technology, speech detector, image processing, etc and they formed the bedrock of this and other researches.
This claim is supported by countless research outputs from the lead author and other researchers.
The lead author, Norbert Nwankwo has preliminarily buttressed this understanding in a work, which is published as "Can Bio-functionalities be deciphered from Protein Sequence Information using Computational Approaches" at the 29th Annual Symposium of the Protein Society held Barcelona, Spain, July 22-25, 2015. At the International Conference on Retroviruses and Novel Drugs held at Chicago, USA on the 8-9th of June, 2015, he further threw more light on these approaches in a presentation titled "Direct Computerized Translation of Biological Data into Biological information: the Gains of Digital Signal Processing Bioinformatics-based Techniques". He has also shown how "Assessing Vaccine Potency" could computationally be achieved (InnoCentive Award ID: 9933477).
The biomedical device, Computer-Aided Drug Resistance Calculator originated from his PhD Thesis, titled "Signal Processing-based Bioinformatics Methods to Identification and Characterization of Bio-functionalities of Proteins" (available at the www.openthesis.org). The biomedical device was later proposed in a publication termed "A Signal Processing-based Bioinformatics Approach to assessing Drug Resistance: Human Immunodeficiency Virus as a case study". It was further developed and submitted for patent. The lead author has also published a research article titled "HIV Progression to AIDS: Bioinformatics Approaches to Determining the Mechanism of Action" to explain HIV/AIDS progression using same computerized procedures.
Other related researches by the lead author that formed the basis for this understanding include "Digital Signal Processing Techniques: Can They Analyze Vaccines Containing Mixtures of Proteins?". This was presented at the 8th Vaccine and ISV Congress held at Philadelphia, USA on the 26-28 October, 2014. His published articles also include "A Digital Signal Processing-based Bioinformatics Approach to Identifying the Origins of HIV-1 non B subtypes infecting US Army Personnel serving abroad" and "Digital Signal Processing Techniques: Calculating the Biological Functionalities".
The inventors of the techniques engaged in these studies have a number of works, which supported the view. Apart from "Screen for Repurposing Approved and Experimental Drugs for Candidate Inhibitors of EBOLA virus infection", that provide investigators with an online program and a virtual screen for the discovery of interventions for Ebola Virus Disease, Veljkovic V et al also determined the role of Ebola and Endothelium interaction in the development of Eblola as well as the protein residues of the Hepatitis C Virus that are associated with Interferon/Rabavirin efficacy. He has also evaluated the possible procedure by which Influenza vaccine protects us from cardiovascular diseases using computerized procedures. Working with Doliana R, he also in a study titled "Emilins interact with anthrax protective antigen and inhibit toxin action in vitro", demonstrated the protection we get from Emilins when exposed to Anthrax antigens. These are amongst his numerous computer-based findings that are now aiding healthcare professionals.
Another Serbian co-inventor of the procedure engaged, Cosic I (Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, Australia), has investigated over 1000 proteins emanating from about 25 groups including Tumor Necrosis Factors (TNF), Protease inhibitors, Heat Shock Proteins (HSP), Oncogenes, etc from which she has developed several drug and vaccine candidates, etc. She has other countless in-silico assessments using this procedure.
In their own contribution, other German researchers (Obermeier M et al) have engaged a different approach to decode biological behavior of HIV strains when treated with CCR5 antagonists using neither reagents or equipments but computers and sequence information. As a result, clinicians can now ascertain if CCR5 antagonist administration is relevant on HIV/AIDS patient harboring a specific HIV strain without any clinical test.
Based on these and other assessments, and those embodied in the article, health professionals may now have a sign of relief from laborious clinical procedures while healthcare delivery systems as well as research procedures are being simplified and revolutionized through computerization of clinical procedures.
The researches carried out by the lead author are privately sponsored. He is currently with the Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Port Harcourt, Port Harcourt, Nigeria.
1. Godwin Molokwu is with the Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Madonna University, Elele, Nigeria.
2. Ngozika Njoku is with the Nova Psychiatric Services, Quincy, USA.
Paper link:
http://www.sciencepublishinggroup.com/journal/paperinfo?journalid=112&doi=10.11648/j.cbb.20150304.12

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Wow, I wish my wishes would come true when I touch blue! The name of this book is Touch Blue and it was written by Cynthia Lord.
A girl named Tess Brooks lives on an island by Maine. The school on her island is planning to get shut down, but the people have an idea to stop this from happening. They are going to get as many families as possible to adopt foster children. This will bring more children to the school and then the school might be able to stay open. Tess and her family are adopting a boy named Aaron. He is thirteen years old and plays the trumpet. Soon, Tess realizes she is going to need another plan for Aaron to stay. Aaron has stayed with many families before and it is not an easy thing for them all. Tess hopes to make things work with Aaron.
My favorite part is when Libby and her friend Grach Cuho (who is adopted), dress up as bees for the talent show and the lyrics that they sing are "Please don't hurt the bees; We eat yellow stuff from the trees. If you give a sneeze, we will sting you on your knees!" That was my favorite part because it was funny and it didn't make any sense! Also, because when they yell, "Please don't hurt the bees" a baby starts to cry. A character I found interesting was Tess because I have not met very many people that collect lucky things like her such as blue sea glass, a white quartz, a plastic lobster, and two pennies from when she was born. This book made me wonder why someone would love to live on an island where news spreads so fast. I would not like that because you cannot keep anything private without people talking about it.
In conclusion, this book is very interesting for kids ages 7-9 years old. If you really want to check out this book, then find your way through your school library and take this book home!


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Will 500,000 Sharks Be Slaughtered for a COVID-19 Cure?
Tiffany Duong
Oct. 04, 2020 08:00AM EST Animals
A woman swims at night with a shark in the Indian Ocean, Maldives on March 23, 2017. Andrey Nekrasov / Barcroft Media via Getty Images
Scientists are racing to create a cure for COVID-19, but the toll on sharks might be irreparable. Conservationists estimate that half a million of the predators may be killed to supply the world with a coronavirus vaccine when one is developed.
Shark liver oil is primarily made of squalene, which helps regulate a shark's buoyancy in deep water. The compound is also found in plants, humans and other animals. Used as a moisturizing agent in cosmetics, squalene also creates a stronger immune response in vaccines, making them more effective, reported Science Times.
Squalene has been used in flu vaccines since 1997, Boston 25 News reported, and has an "excellent safety record" according to the CDC, Miami Herald reported. It could also help reduce the amount of vaccine needed per person, the Boston news report said.
Shark Allies, an advocacy group fighting against shark overfishing, claims that five COVID-19 vaccine candidates use shark squalene; the California-based non-profit is petitioning the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Europe, China and all vaccine developers to omit the compound or find an alternative that doesn't require sharks.
One British pharmaceutical that currently uses shark squalene in flu vaccines plans to manufacture a billion doses of the compound for potential use in coronavirus vaccines by May 2021, Sky News reported. VICE reported that roughly 3,000 sharks have to die to extract a single tonne of squalene.
"It's called harvesting, but really you're not growing it, you're taking it from the wild," Stefanie Brendl, executive director of Shark Allies, told Boston 25 News. "It's a limited resource."
Shark Allies worries that the development and production of enough vaccines to create worldwide immunization to the novel coronavirus and future coronaviruses that are identified could carry "an immense ecological cost," VICE reported.
"It's something we need to get ahead of ASAP, because we are facing many years of vaccine production, for a global population, for many more coronavirus vaccines to come," Brendl told VICE. "The real danger is in what this can turn into in the future. A reliance on shark oil for a global vaccine — it's truly insane. A wild animal is not a reliable source and cannot sustain ongoing commercial pressure. [And] the overfishing of sharks globally is already at critical levels."
The conservationists fear that a global vaccine using shark squalene will endanger most shark species and could potentially wipe out some more threatened species, Miami Herald reported. Shark populations are vulnerable because they reproduce in low numbers and are slow to mature. According to VICE, great whites, hammerheads and whale sharks are among those most often targeted for their livers. According to Oceana, deep-sea sharks are especially vulnerable because their livers contain more squalene than other species as it helps them adapt to their environment, reported Miami Herald.
"We're not trying to take anything away from humanity and say don't cure yourself, don't create a vaccine," Brendl told Boston 25 News. "What we're saying is the alternative is already there."
In a popular online campaign, Shark Allies outlined the non-shark alternatives for squalene already in existence. Plant-based oils can be harvested from things like yeast, wheat germ, sugarcane and olive oil, VICE and Miami Herald reported. Bacteria-created squalene has also been researched, the petition noted. The problem with these alternatives is that they are about 30% more expensive and harder to extract than shark-based squalene, Miami Herald reported.
A team of researchers in Poland who were working on a plant-based squalene alternative in 2013 stressed in their report that "in the interest of protecting biodiversity, raw materials of animal origin must be replaced by alternative sources that respect our environment."
Shark Allies also noted that there are coronavirus vaccines in development that do not require squalene at all and encouraged the development of those alternatives.
Sharks Are Vanishing From Many of the World's Reefs - EcoWatch ›
Sharks: Imperiled, Maligned, Fascinating - EcoWatch ›
How to Protect Sharks From Overfishing - EcoWatch ›
Coronavirus: Can We Trust Recent COVID Vaccine Successes? - EcoWatch ›
Baby Megalodon Sharks Were Six-Foot-Long Cannibals, Study Finds ›
Blue blood from horseshoe crabs can help in COVID-19 fight. Here's ... ›
Coronavirus treatment experiments doctors test on patients | The ... ›
Coronavirus: Monkeys missing from COVID-19 research - Deseret ... ›
vaccines coronavirus covid-19 public health sharks biodiversity


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Teaching Women's History at Universities
A symposium on Teaching Women's History at Atlantic Canadian Universities will be held on September 17th, 2005. The Department of History & Classics at Acadia University will host the event.
Fall Conference of Women's History Network of British Columbia
The Women's History Network of British Columbia (WHN) will be holding its annual conference September 30th to October 1st, 2005 in Burnaby, B.C. Sessions will be at the Burnaby Village Museum. For complete conference information check the WHN website at www.members.shaw.ca/whnbc.
The theme of the gathering is "Saints and Sinners: Unruly and Respectable Women in British Columbia's History". Proposals for conference papers should be sent by July 29th to:
Linda Quiney
1937 West 14th Ave.
Vancouver, BC V6J 2K1
Nurse Deborah Hurcomb, ca. 1900
(Pittaway/Library and Archives Canada/PA-057339)
Conference on History of Canadian Nursing
The Hannah Conference on the History of Canadian Nursing will be held at the University of Ottawa, June 15-16, 2005. Speakers will include internationally-recognized researchers in the field of Canadian nursing. Participants will have free admission to a new exhibit on nursing at the Canadian Museum of Civilization.
Annual Meeting re Women's History
The Canadian Committee on Women's History will be holding its annual meeting on May 30th, 2005. The gathering will be in London, Ontario in conjunction with meetings of the Canadian Historical Association. The CCWH, which promotes teaching and research related to women's history, is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year. Events on May 30th will include sessions on Race and Gender in the Making of the Canadian Historical Profession, Great Books in Women's History, Reflections: 30 Years of the Canadian Committee on Women's History, and an evening reception.
Young women in Grade 11 & 12 are invited to attend a free seminar on women in politics. Hosted by Marlene Catterall, MP for Ottawa West-Nepean, the seminar will be held in Ottawa on Friday, May 13, 2005 from 8:30 am to 3:00 pm.
Women in Public History
The fall conference of the Ontario Women's History Network will be held in Ottawa on October 21 and October 22, 2005. The theme is Women in Public History, and the conference will highlight Centuries of Canadian Nursing--a new exhibit at the Canadian Museum of Civilzation. For more info contact:
Katy Whitfield, OWHN Secretary
katy.whitfield.sympatico.ca
A National Conference on Teaching, Learning & Communicating the History of Canada
This conference will not focus on women's history, though topics to be addressed include Women and Canadian History. The conference theme is New Frontiers in our History: 100 Years of Alberta and Saskatchewan in Confederation.
The biennial national conference re teaching and communicating the history of Canada will be held October 28-30, 2005 in Edmonton, Alberta. Organized by the Association of Canadian Studies, the conference will be at the Westin Hotel and Conference Centre. Partners include Edmonton Public Schools, Canada's National History Society, Historica, Library and Archives Canada and the Canadian Century Research Infrastructure. There will be over 50 sessions, excursions and events as well as a Learning Exhibiton. For more information consult the Association of Canadian Studies website or contact the ACS:
general@acs-aec.ca
National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women
December 6 is the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women in Canada. People across the country will be remembering the tragic day when fourteen young women were murdered in Montreal. The killings took place on December 6, 1989 at l'École Polytechnique de Montréal. For more info on the commemoration and violence against women in Canada, check out the Status of Women Canada website.
Latest News in 2005
Cindy Klassen Wins Rosenfeld Award
In December 2005 Canadian speed skater Cindy Klassen was named Canada's top female athlete for 2005, winning the Bobbie Rosenfeld Award. Rosenfeld was one of the most incredible woman athlete in Canadian history and earned the title of female athlete of the half-century back in 1950.
Cindy Klassen, age 26, grew up in Winnipeg. She began her career in sports as a hockey player. After taking up long-track speed skating at university, the talented young woman became one of the best speed skaters in the world. During 2005 Cindy won eight World Cup medals and also managed to set four world records.
Victim of Bear Attach Dies
Author Patricia Van Tighem died in Kelowna on December 14, 2005 at the age of 47. Her death ended more than two decades of chronic pain and recurring nightmares following an attack by a grizzly bear.
In 1983 she and her husband Trevor Janz were severely mauled while hiking in Waterton Lakes National Park in Alberta. As a result of the bear attack, Patrica lost an eye and was permanently disfigured. She endured dozens of failed surgeries in the following years and suffered from depression for the remainder of her life. To help her deal with the trauma of the bear attack and its enduring effects, Patricia wrote the moving book The Bear's Embrace. She raised four children, completed her degree in nursing, and established the Calgary branch of an organization called About Face. But Patricia Van Tighem was never able to fully recover from her ordeal.
2006 as Year of the War Bride?
On December 15, 2005 the province of New Brunswick declared 2006 as the Year of the War Bride. The motion was passed unanimously in the legislature, after being introduced by T.J. Burke (Frederiction North). Mr. Burke's grandmother was a war bride. The motion noted that one in thirty Canadians are descended from a war bride. The year 2006 marks the 60th anniversary of the year that the majority of war brides arrived in Canada at Pier 21 in Halifax. Some people would like the federal government to declare 2006 as the Year of the War Bride.
More about Canadian war brides
New Television Series about Canadian Women
Aina Wilen, a Finnish Canadian who fought for the franchise, shown with her family (mothertongue.ca)
A 13-episode television series about notable women from many different ethnic communities in Canada is being launched in the fall of 2005. The programs were directed, written and produced by journalist Susan Poizner.
Each episode in the series tells the story of an interesting woman in Canada. The tlevision programs depict women in Canadian history who were part of a variety of communities across the country: Acadian, Japanese, African Canadian, Algonquian/Eastern Woodlands, Chinese, Doukobor, Finn, Italian, Jewish, Muslim, Rwandan, Ukranian and Vietnamese. The programs begin airing in early September, and copies can be purchased from Marlin Motion Pictures Ltd. for classroom use.
More about the series, including broadcast times:
mothertongue.ca
Celebrating Canadian Nurses
Canadian nurse in South Africa, c.1900 (Library and Archives Canada/C-028733)
A major exhibit and a new book have been developed to celebrate the history of Canadian nurses. On June 17, 2005 the Canadian Museum of Civilization in Gatineau, Quebec opened an exhibition called A Caring Profession: Centuries of Nursing in Canada -- advertised as the first national exhibit on Canadian nursing. Museum curator Christina Bates worked on the nursing exhibit for about five years, incorporating many artifacts from the Canadian Nursing Association. The exhibition includes videos, games, historical photographs and items such as uniforms and stethoscopes. Visitors can explore this display until September 4, 2006.
The recently released book about the history of Canadian nursing is called On All Frontiers: Four Centuries of Canadian Nursing. This impressive publication looks at Canadian nursing from the seventeenth century until the present. Illustrated with more than a hundred photographs, the book was edited by Christina Bates, Dianne Dodd and Nicole Rousseau.
More about Canadian nursing history from:
Photographs: Canadian Nurses, online resource from Library and Archives Canada
A Caring Profession, exhibit information
Canadian Nursing History Collection, an online resource featuring artifacts
On All Frontiers: Four Centuries of Canadian Nursing, book info from amazon.ca
Symbol of a Profession: One Hundred Years of Nurses' Caps, online resource from Canadian Museum of Civilization
Mina Hubbard Centennial
The year 2005 marks the centennial of Mina Hubbard's amazing trek across Labrador, in a famous race to complete a trip attempted by her husband. A variety of special events are planned to celebrate Mina's incredible journey through what was at the time uncharted territory.
Canadian Climber Makes History
On May 30, 2005 Shaunna Burke of Ottawa became the second woman in Canadian history to reach the summit of Mt. Everest, the highest mountain in the world. The first Candian woman to reach the top was Sharon Wood.
Last year Ms. Burke, a 29-year-old graduate student, made an unsuccessful attempt to climb Everest. She returned this year with a climbing team that suffered a number of tragic events. One of her former professors, Sean Egan, died on Everest this spring, and Ms. Burke's climbing partner, Ben Webster, had to return home after breaking his leg. Following weeks of stormy weather, Shaunna continued up the south side of Mt. Everest.
EverestNews.com
Article from Tabaret, University of Ottawa, Fall 2004
Images of Expedition 2005, from Algonquin College
Acclaimed Canadian Author Dies
Award-winning writer Christina McCall passed away on April 27, 2005 at the age of 70. A recipient of the Governor General's Award for her book Grits: An Intimate Portrait of the Liberal Party, Christina McCall penned articles for The Globe and Mail, Saturday Night and Maclean's as well as authoring books. She was a talented researcher, editor and writer.
Procession for Canada's First Female Saint
Saint Marguerite Bourgeoys, 1700 (Portrait by Pierre Le Ber, copyright expired)
On Sunday, April 24, 2005, about a thousand people paraded through the streets of Old Montreal as the remains of Saint Marguerite Bourgeoys were carried to what one can hope will be a final resting place.
Marguerite Bourgeoys arrived in New France back in 1653, and created Canada's first religious community. Her remains have been moved a number of times, and have now been carried to the foundation of the church she established centuries ago. More from CBC News.
Time Magazine Honours Canadian Woman
Time Magazine has selected Canadian author Alice Munro as one of the 100 most influential people in the world. The April 18th edition of the publication (released on April 11, 2005) lists the acclaimed short-story writer along with such famous folks such as U.S. President George Bush, Ukranian President Viktor Yushchenko, the Dalai Lama, and the multi-talented Oprah Winfrey. Born in Ontario, Alice Munro is widely known for collections such as Open Secrets and Lives of Girls and Women. She is the recipient of both the Giller Prize and the Governor General's Literary Awards.
Mt. Everest (Courtesy of NASA)
Ottawa Climber Aims for Seven Peaks
Canadian mountaineer Peggy Foster has already climbed the highest peaks on six continents, and has set her sights on the seventh: Everest, the highest mountain in the world.
Many of the world's best climbers are eager to scale the highest peaks on all seven continents, and Peggy is getting close to her goal. The 45-year-old climber tried to reach Mount Everest once before but was forced back when her oxygen mask malfunctioned. If Peggy makes the summit of Everest in the spring of 2005, she will become the first woman in Canadian history to reach the Seven Summits. Learn more about Peggy Foster on her website The Seven Summits Odyssey. Hear Peggy talk about her quest in a CBC radio interview from 2001.
Back in 1986, Canadian climber Sharon Wood became the first woman from North America to climb Mt. Everest.
Clarkson to Award Trophy to Women's Hockey Champs
The famous Stanley Camp won't be presented to men's hockey champions this year, but Governor General Adrienne Clarkson plans to present a trophy to a female hockey team. Way to go Adrienne! It's not clear yet just which teams will compete for the trophy, but Clarkson's plan should help promote Canadian women who excel in the sport of hockey. More from CBC Sports in a story from March 11, 2005.
Alanis and Fay Wray to be Honoured
Singer Alanis Morissette, who recently obtained U.S. citizenship, and deceased actress Fay Wray will soon be recognized on Canada's Walk of Fame. The two women, as well as seven men, will be honoured in the Annual Walk of Fame Induction Ceremony on June 5th. Comedian Tom Green announced the 2005 Inductees on March 9, 2005. More about Canada's Walk of Fame, which celebrates the achievements of outstanding Canadians.
Play about Charlotte Whitton Opens in Winnipeg
On February 24, 2005 a new play about former Ottawa mayor Charlotte Whitton opened in Winnipeg at the Prairie Theatre Exchange. The play Molly's Veil provides a look into Charlotte's secret life, and her close involvement with a woman called Margaret Grier. Playwright Sharon Bajer created Molly's Veil after studying correspondence between the women, which is preserved at the National Archives.
Charlotte Whitton become mayor of Ottawa in 1951. She is famous for an oft-quoted phrase: "Whatever women do they must do twice as well as men to be thought of half so good...luckily it's not too difficult." . More about Dr. Whitton's career from the CBC Archives, where you can listen to an interesting radio clip.
Writing Contest for Young Canadians
To celebrate the release of the new book 100 Canadian Heroines, Dundurn Press is inviting young Canadians to make a case for their favourite heroine in Canadian history, and win some great prizes. Participants must be 12-16 years of age. Be sure to check out all the contest details and download a cool poster. The contest closes April 30, 2005.
Two Canadian Women on Podium in Italy
On January 8, 2005, two Canadian skiers captured medals in the World Cup competitions in Santa Caterina, Italy. Allison Forsyth from Canmore, Alberta won a bronze in the women's giant slalom, while her teammate Genevieve Simard from Val-Morin, Quebec earned a silver. What a team!
Death of the Queen of Hugs
Lois Hole (Government of Alta.)
The Honourable Dr. Lois E. Hole, Lieutenant Governor of Alberta, died of cancer on January 6, 2005 following a lengthy illness. An extraordinary women, Ms. Hole was a highly respected leader in the province of Alberta as well as a kind and caring individual widely known for the hugs she affectionately gave to those who needed them.
Born in Saskatchewan, Dr. Hole began farming along the Sturgeon River in St. Albert about fifty years ago with her husband Ted. Her many accomplishments included mother and wife, businesswoman, school trusteee, author, and chancellor of the University of Alberta. On February 10th, 2000, she became Alberta's 15th Lieutenant Governor. More
Copyright © 2004 Merna M. Forster. All rights reserved.


2018 was fantastic and we managed to grow significantly compared to previous years. Thank you to all our loyal customers for support, critic and all other inputs we received throughout the year.
2019 is going to be our best and most innovative year ever! We have initiated a new project to make our rubber even smarter and better to maintain our position as the leader within rubber production, but more importantly to make production more cost effective to the benefit of our customers. We haven't raised prices for the last 7 years and we plan to stay this way for the security and benefit of our highly valued customers.
We are proud to be a member of the IWCA.
It has been the mission of the IWCA to educate and assist its members in developing professionalism, ethics and standards of safety and to actively represent the concerns and interests of window cleaning companies.
The mission of the IWCA is to educate and assist its members and the window cleaning industry in standards of safety, conduct industry research and provide business operations resources as well as represent the interests of the industry to regulatory agencies.
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Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign; he reigned thirty-one years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Jedidah daughter of Adaiah of Bozkath. He did what was right in the sight of the LORD, and walked in all the way of his father David; he did not turn aside to the right or to the left. In the eighteenth year of King Josiah, the king sent Shaphan son of Azaliah, son of Meshullam, the secretary, to the house of the LORD, saying, "Go up to the high priest Hilkiah, and have him count the entire sum of the money that has been brought into the house of the LORD, which the keepers of the threshold have collected from the people; let it be given into the hand of the workers who have the oversight of the house of the LORD; let them give it to the workers who are at the house of the LORD, repairing the house, that is, to the carpenters, to the builders, to the masons; and let them use it to buy timber and quarried stone to repair the house. But no accounting shall be asked from them for the money that is delivered into their hand, for they deal honestly." The high priest Hilkiah said to Shaphan the secretary, "I have found the book of the law in the house of the LORD." When Hilkiah gave the book to Shaphan, he read it. Then Shaphan the secretary came to the king, and reported to the king, "Your servants have emptied out the money that was found in the house, and have delivered it into the hand of the workers who have oversight of the house of the LORD." Shaphan the secretary informed the king, "The priest Hilkiah has given me a book." Shaphan then read it aloud to the king. When the king heard the words of the book of the law, he tore his clothes. Then the king commanded the priest Hilkiah, Ahikam son of Shaphan, Achbor son of Micaiah, Shaphan the secretary, and the king's servant Asaiah, saying, "Go, inquire of the LORD for me, for the people, and for all Judah, concerning the words of this book that has been found; for great is the wrath of the LORD that is kindled against us, because our ancestors did not obey the words of this book, to do according to all that is written concerning us."
I commend you because you remember me in everything and maintain the traditions just as I handed them on to you. But I want you to understand that Christ is the head of every man, and the husband is the head of his wife, and God is the head of Christ. Any man who prays or prophesies with something on his head disgraces his head, but any woman who prays or prophesies with her head unveiled disgraces her head-- it is one and the same thing as having her head shaved. For if a woman will not veil herself, then she should cut off her hair; but if it is disgraceful for a woman to have her hair cut off or to be shaved, she should wear a veil. For a man ought not to have his head veiled, since he is the image and reflection of God; but woman is the reflection of man. Indeed, man was not made from woman, but woman from man. Neither was man created for the sake of woman, but woman for the sake of man. For this reason a woman ought to have a symbol of authority on her head, because of the angels. Nevertheless, in the Lord woman is not independent of man or man independent of woman. For just as woman came from man, so man comes through woman; but all things come from God. Judge for yourselves: is it proper for a woman to pray to God with her head unveiled? Does not nature itself teach you that if a man wears long hair, it is degrading to him, but if a woman has long hair, it is her glory? For her hair is given to her for a covering. But if anyone is disposed to be contentious-- we have no such custom, nor do the churches of God. Now in the following instructions I do not commend you, because when you come together it is not for the better but for the worse. For, to begin with, when you come together as a church, I hear that there are divisions among you; and to some extent I believe it. Indeed, there have to be factions among you, for only so will it become clear who among you are genuine. When you come together, it is not really to eat the Lord's supper. For when the time comes to eat, each of you goes ahead with your own supper, and one goes hungry and another becomes drunk. What! Do you not have homes to eat and drink in? Or do you show contempt for the church of God and humiliate those who have nothing? What should I say to you? Should I commend you? In this matter I do not commend you!
"Around midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening."
I was watching a television commercial the other day for a hearing device that's designed to look like a Bluetooth earpiece. In reality, it isn't a phone device at all. It simply amplifies the sound around the person who's wearing it. Maybe there are some people who wear the device so they can listen in on other people's conversations without being too obvious about it.
The Bible tells us that as Paul and Silas sang their midnight praises to God in the dungeon at Philippi, the other prisoners were listening. The word listening could be translated "listening for pleasure." There is something about your favorite song that draws you in. I always notice music, and when I hear a song I love, I will tune in. I'm listening for pleasure.
There in the dungeon, everyone was listening in because they had never heard anything like it. I wonder if Paul and Silas were singing some cool harmonies. Maybe not, but I think just the idea of their singing the praises of God in such a dark, oppressive, horrible place caught the attention of the other prisoners.
You can be a great worshipper and not sing well at all. It is all about the attitude of your heart and a willingness to glorify and honor God, regardless of your circumstances.
We have a lost world out there, and they are watching us as Christians. They are watching us when things go well for us, and they are watching us when things are not going so well. When they see us giving praise to God under such circumstances it is a powerful testimony. It opens a door of ministry. And suddenly there is an audience who will listen to what we have to say when they wouldn't have listened to us otherwise.
When we glorify God despite our circumstances, the world takes notice.
Others shared that they want to minister to other women when they go back home. Some churches used to have women's ministry but for some reasons it had stopped. After this training the women wanted to revitalise the women's ministry in their churches.
"The women we have met in that training seem to have Esther's character: 'If I perish, I perish.' They stand up despite the clear warnings of their husbands, neighbours or the authorities. They know the cost. One knew very well that her husband might lose his government job if a family member would be found witnessing for Jesus. She was warned by her husband to tone down her evangelistic zeal. But she could not keep herself from speaking of Jesus. Two others have marriages about to fail if it were not for their enduring stand as wives to keep the family intact. These participants are capable to lead other women even after just the first training.
As the women penetrate the walls of shame and break the silence, God fulfils His promise of Isaiah 61:7. Instead of shame and dishonour you shall have a double portion of prosperity and everlasting joy!
I've heard it said, "If you don't know your purpose, you will be distracted by the voices." The same principle applies to the purpose of our words. The Bible has a lot to say about the ways we should use our words.
The prophet Isaiah recognized the importance of his words. "The Sovereign Lord has given me a well-instructed tongue, to know the word that sustains the weary."(Isaiah 50:4) I read this and begin to ask God for a well-instructed tongue.
Oh, how I wish I had this perfected. But I don't. My words still put me to shame sometimes. It is only by the grace of God that I can speak in ways that honor God. Because, like Isaiah, He helps me.
SPECIAL OFFER: If this message is where you are and you need more practical help choosing your words wisely, Gwen is offering a 20% OFF discount on her latest book, I Want It ALL (that has a Bible Study guide right in the back!). Get thebook discounted from her site when you use the coupon code: 20OFF. Click here to get yours now.
I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Simplifying Your Journey."
Our word for today from the Word of God comes from John 10:3-4. "The sheep listen to (the shepherd's) voice. He calls His own sheep by name and He leads them out. When He has brought out all His own, He goes ahead of them". That one verse, "He puts His sheep out, He goes ahead of them" has been an anchor for Karen and me over and over as we have moved into unfamiliar or difficult territory in our life. Jesus, the Good Shepherd, is leading us this direction; He's traveling this road ahead of us, and He knows where He's going.
And what do smart sheep do? They try to figure out where they're going to find some good pasture, or they try to figure out which road is safe and which one is dangerous, or move in the direction that looks best to them? No, smart sheep don't do that. No, they do what my wife did traveling in that unfamiliar territory out West. They quit trying to figure it out for themselves and they follow the One who knows every mile in the road! John 10:27, "My sheep listen to My voice; I know them, and they follow Me."
Maybe you've been trying to fix things yourself, control things, manipulate things. What a great way to get lost and confused-and to miss your destination. Jesus' most fundamental command is simply, "Follow Me." Are you? That's more than going to His meetings or believing His beliefs, or doing His work, or keeping His rules. We're talking about how you determine which way you're going to go in the decisions that really matter in your life.
His answer might be to show you verses that focus on one specific part of you and your life.
Whatever that verse lights up, you make that your conscious assignment for that day to do that part of you Jesus' way. You apply that verse to something you will face today. "Lord, what can I apply this to? What am I doing to do differently today because of what you've said?" Through the accumulation of those daily obediences, God will lead you on the path to His larger will. Because His macro will is the sum of a lot of micro wills that you do each day. The right you will make the right choices.
The Spirit of God uses the applied Word of God to lead the child of God to the will of God. So your job is much the same as my wife's was on her journey into new territory-find out where your Leader is going and just get behind Him and go there. Speed up when He speeds up. Stop when He stops. Turn when He turns.
You wouldn't believe the freedom and relief it is to realize you don't have to figure this all out any more. Following Jesus sure simplifies your journey. Oh, and by the way, guarantees you'll reach your destination.
LHM Daily Devotion - October 10, 2017 "The Way, the Bridge"
The old Kosciuszko Bridge is no more.
Seventy-eight years ago, New York officials proudly opened the Kosciuszko Bridge, which connected Brooklyn and Queens. When they did so, they heralded the opening of a new era of travel when quick-and-easy passage would take place between those two great boroughs.
• Second, the engineers who did the designing had greatly underestimated the amount of traffic which would want to make use of their span.
Indeed, the bridge was designed to handle only 25 percent of the traffic that currently passes over it, and it now has become a great bottleneck for commuters, visitors, and commerce.
After many years of frustration, the decision was finally made to bring down the bridge. Two weeks ago, in a matter of seconds, hundreds of explosive charges reduced the 22-million pounds of steel to a great pile of scrap metal.
It should be noted there was no such engineering difficulty 2,000 years ago when the Savior built a new bridge between sinful humankind and the Triune God.
The Savior's bridge was capable of handling the souls of every man, woman, and child who ever lived. On this bridge there would be no bottlenecks; there would be no traffic jams; there would be no complications.
No toll or payment was demanded from those who wished to make use of the bridge. From the day the bridge's plan was first revealed to Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden -- until it was completed on Resurrection Sunday -- the bridge was designed to be free.
Understand, there had been a cost, but that charge was paid for by God's Son, the world's Savior. The foundation had been laid when He had fulfilled the laws we had broken; the span was set by His resistance to temptation; and the roadbed had been completed when He had conquered death the day He rose. Because of Jesus' finished work, all who believe in Him as Savior have their sins forgiven and are granted passage from Earth to heaven.
Now if I make this bridge sound like a good thing, it is. But you should know there are problems. First, the bridge is capable of handling far more souls than are currently using it. Second, the bridge will not be there forever. The time is coming when it will, like the Kosciuszko span, be taken down.
Which explains why it is our job to encourage as many people to use God's bridge as possible, that is, to believe in Jesus as Savior, while there is still time.
THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, there is only one Way to get from where we are to where You are. While there is still time, grant that those who are lost may see Jesus is the bridge, the only Way to heaven. This we ask in His Name. Amen.
Se publicó una historia acerca de un pájaro que murió al estrellarse contra una puerta de vidrio de un conocido santuario para aves en Inglaterra.
Recuerde que el Señor le ama y que, a través de su Hijo Jesucristo, Él ha prometido estar con usted. Por más que usted no lo vea, Él está a su lado cuidándolo y dirigiéndolo... porque quiere mantenerlo seguro.


If you follow my social media accounts then you probably know that we're expecting our second little girl in May 2019! I've been getting a lot of questions about my maternity leave dates and details so I thought it would be best to just post it up publicly. I feel like since this is my second time around, I have a much better understanding of what is possible work-wise with pregnancy and the newborn stage and it's easier to create these guidelines. As long as everything goes as planned, I will be exclusively breastfeeding this babe like I did with Reeve so it puts some constraints on how long I can be apart from her and how far away I can travel for shoots.
WEDDINGS: No weddings between April 1st-August 15th 2019. All 2019 weddings must be local to LA area.
Thank you!!! Please email me chloe@chloemoorephotography.com if you have any follow up questions!


This course aims to introduce a range of environmental factors, which may pose a risk to the health of human populations. It also addresses risk assessment and management methods for evaluating and controlling such risks. A variety of diseases associated with exposure to common occupational and environmental factors will be discussed. In addition, there will be an overview of the historical, legislative and administrative aspects of occupational health.
1 Describe the nature of environmental health hazards and the ways in which they impinge upon communities and occupational groups.
2 Outline the types of factors that influence the distribution of health disorders, within an exposed population.
3 Explain "risk" as a central concept in describing, evaluating and managing EOH problems.
4 Describe the roles and relationships of key disciplines (including epidemiology, toxicology, occupational and environmental hygiene and ergonomics) in the prevention, investigation and management of EOH problems.
A CD of learning materials will be issued. Specific readings will also be provided on MyUni.
This is an online course via MyUni. Here you will see Announcements related to the course and Discussion Boards where you will submit tutorial responses and conduct discussions with your fellow students.
As an online course much of the contact you have with fellow students and staff will be via MyUni You will be assigned to an online discussion group to which you will submit your answers to tutorial questions. Following submission of your assignment there is a period where you will have the opportunity to read, and provide constructive comment, on the work of your fellow Discussion Group members. Participants in this course have a wide range of backgrounds and this is your opportunity to gain an insight into different problem-solving perspectives (and remember your contribution is assessable).
The University expects full-time students (i.e. those taking 12 units per semester) to devote a total of 48 hours per week to their studies. This means that, for this course, you are expected to commit approximately 12 hours per week to private study.
Lectures, demonstrations and field activities for locally-based students may offered during the Semester, as a supplement to the online learning. Students are encouraged to attend where possible.
While this is an on-line course a series of supplementary lectures may be offered for locally-based students who are able to attend.
The course is set up in two major sections, namely occupational health (4 modules) and environmental health (3 modules). Each section includes two tutorials and one assignment which are to be submitted online by the due date.
The tutorials are submitted into the relevant Classroom (Electronic Discussion Board). Your commentary on other participants' assignments is also submitted to the Discussion Board. You will note that from the due date for lodgement of each assignment, a further period is allowed for you to make commentary on what other participants have said.
The tutorials provide an opportunity to respond to challenging questions and to comment on the responses of other students. You are encouraged to make comments - indeed you are required to make at least 10 comments during the semester.
Your responses are to be submitted as a Word document attachment uploaded to the relevant discussion board on MyUni. It is advisable to write some free text commentary or preface to your submission in the text box. You can download other student's responses by clicking on the relevant attachment relating to the individual response.
The comments that you make on other students work can be typed directly into the text box unless you wish to attach some supporting information.
NOTE: Please label the attachment as student name tutorialnumber.doc (e.g. FredSmithtutorial1.doc), and don't forget to put your name on the document itself. Please do not submit PDF documents.
The questions will be suitable for high level discussion and adult learning. They will draw upon the experiences and perspectives of the students and staff.
There are two major assignments, one for Occupational Health and one for Environmental Health. Assignments relate to a topic of your choice, but you must use the Occupational Health Hazard management paradigm in addressing the first topic and the Environmental Health Risk Assessment paradigm in addressing the second topic.
The EnHealth 2012 document provides a very detailed description of the paradigm for Environmental Health Risk Assessment.
Using the OHS management framework presented in the first half of this course and the skills learnt in the tutorials, the task is to report on a hazard in a workplace of your choice. If you have a part time job, you might want to relate this assignment to your workplace.
If you cannot easily visit a workplace, please contact the coordinator, who will assign a workplace or workplace topic for you.
(i) A brief description of the industry, processes, tasks, equipment and workgroup (up to 400 words).
(vi) References. Presented in standard format. e.g. Author, Date. The written presentation is aimed to test your report-writing skills.
It should not exceed 2000 words in length (excluding the references). Inclusion of photographs and diagrams is encouraged but is not compulsory (some workplaces may not permit photos to be taken). Jargon should be kept to a minimum but where necessary, should be thoroughly explained.
If you have any doubts as to whether your choice is appropriate please discuss your proposed topic with the course coordinator.
Important: This assignment is designed to promote your understanding of how to search the scientific literature, interpret exposure levels in relation to standards and how to write a report of a professional standard. It is expected that students will have conducted a search using Medline (PubMed) or Scopus.
(i) A brief description of environmental health issue (up to 500 words).
(iii) How the risk is assessed. (up to 500 words).
(iv) The practicalities of controlling the risk and managing the hazard. (up to 500 words).
You should structure the report along the lines of the Risk Paradigm presented in the enHealth EHRA report, i.e. Issue & Hazard Identification, Exposure Assessment, Risk Characterization, Risk Management and Communication.
If you have any doubts as to whether your choice of environmental health issue is appropriate please discuss your proposed topic with the course coordinator.
Note: There is no need for any field visits.
In addition to the major assignments, there are two mini assignments related to Occupational Health and two mini assignments related to Environmental Health.
Major assignments should be submitted electronically to the Course Coordinator, or as otherwise instructed. You should retain a copy of the assignment submitted. Assignments will not be accepted by other means unless there are exceptional circumstances.
The Discipline of Public Health reserves the right to refuse to accept an assignment that is more than 7 days late. Please adhere to the set dates for submitted work to facilitate class discussion and feedback.
Extensions must be requested, at the latest, by the last working day before the due date of submission. They will generally be granted only on medical and genuine compassionate grounds. Only the course coordinator, or a person authorised by him or her, may grant extensions.
Lateness: marks will be deducted when assignments for which no extension has been granted are submitted late.Marks will be deducted from the mark (awarded on merit) at the rate of 5% per day.
Plagiarism is a form of academic dishonesty that amounts to theft or fraud. It is the unacknowledged use of the thoughts or writings of another person, as if they are one's own. This may occur as a result of deliberate misuse of another person's work, or through ignorance or inexperience about the correct way to acknowledge other work. Plagiarism includes presenting information or paraphrasing ideas from books, articles, etc. or other students' work, without clear identification of the source through proper use of referencing; and quoting directly from a source, without indicating that it is a direct quote.
This is considered an extremely serious matter, which may lead to failure of an assignment, or even suspension from University.
You should be aware that any of your submitted assessment work may be submitted for electronic checking of plagiarism. Turnitin (http://www.turnitin.com) is an online plagiarism prevention service. You should check your drafts of your major assignments via Turnitin (see the Assignments section on MyUni), prior to submission.
Although we encourage students to submit assignments that demonstrate their understanding of the topic, the length of assignments should be within the expected word length. Being succinct is an important skill. A penalty of 10% of the mark (awarded on merit) may apply in the case of an obvious breach of this guidance.
Expression and presentation appropriate to discipline Highly developed skills in expression and presentation. Well developed skills in expression and presentation. Good skills in expression and presentation. Accurate and consistent acknowledge-ment of sources. Adequate skills in expression and presentation. Rudimentary skills in expression and presentation. Inaccurate and inconsistent acknowledgement of sources.


text:
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control
Ahmad Muhammad Njidda,
Oyeronke Oyebanji,
Joshua Obasanya,
Olubunmi Ojo,
Adebayo Adedeji,
Nwando Mba,
John Oladejo,
Chikwe Ihekweazu
Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, Abuja, Nigeria
Correspondence to Dr Ahmad Muhammad Njidda; ahmad.njidda{at}ncdc.gov.ng
national public health institute
Summary box
Nigeria and several other African countries have been battling with public health challenges for decades. These challenges came to fore during the Ebola virus disease (EVD) crisis that affected many countries in the West African region, including Nigeria.
As a result, many African countries have established their National Public Health Institutes as a focal point to prevent, detect and respond to diseases of public health importance, but currently, only 9 of the 15 countries in West Africa have a designated national public health institute.
Before the EVD crisis, Nigeria established the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), which played a pivotal role in the control of the EVD outbreak in Nigeria, as well as provided support to other countries that were affected by the crisis.
Modelled on the US Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the NCDC has institutionalised Nigeria's capacity to respond to the increasing threats of outbreaks of infectious diseases and other public health emergencies. This is achieved through building collaborations and taking the lead in prevention, preparedness and surveillance, and also coordinating the public health laboratory networks.
African public health institutes are currently in early stages of evolution. Building a national public health institute requires strong commitment, clarity of vision. The experience of setting up the public health institute of Nigeria can inform similar efforts in other African countries.
Only a few African countries like Ethiopia and Mozambique have long standing National Public Health Institutes (NPHI). However, since the large 2014–2016 Ebola virus disease (EVD) outbreak in West Africa, many African countries have been setting up NPHI1 2 to optimise the use of scarce resources to prevent, detect and respond to infectious disease threats. The Africa Union and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) have also set up regional disease control centres.3
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) was conceived much earlier in 2007 as an attempt to establish an institution that can effectively mobilise its resources to respond to these outbreaks and other public health emergencies. Modelled after the US Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Atlanta, the first formal step to establish NCDC took place in 2011 when units of Federal Ministry of Health—the Epidemiology Division, the Avian Influenza Project and its laboratories—and the Nigeria Field Epidemiology and Laboratory Training Program (NFELTP) were moved to form the nucleus of NCDC.
Detecting and responding to infectious disease outbreaks has long presented a major public health challenge in Nigeria, given its size and complexity. Several large infectious disease outbreaks have been reported in Nigeria, including the yellow fever outbreak in 19864 and 19875 that affected 9800 and 1249 people, respectively, the large meningitis outbreak in 1996 with 109 580 cases and 11 717 deaths,6 cholera outbreaks in 2001 and 20047 and more recently, the meningitis outbreak in 2017.8 9 In between these was the much acclaimed successful response to the outbreak of EVD in September 2014.10
Nigeria's public health challenges continue to grow—rapid population growth, increasing movement of people and destruction of infrastructure in the North East of Nigeria following the 'Boko Haram' insurgency and outbreaks from new and re-emerging pathogens. The year 2017 saw an increase in the rate of infectious diseases like Lassa fever,11 yellow fever, monkey pox, cholera and new strains/subtypes/serotypes of existing pathogens like Neisseria meningitidis serogroup C in Nigeria.12 In addition, Nigeria has had to address emerging public health threats, such as increasing antimicrobial resistance,13 and increasing incidence of non-communicable diseases14 and high maternal mortality rates.15
The establishment of NCDC is indeed more justifiable now than when it was conceived in 2007. The value of the NCDC to the country became most obvious from its role in the coordination of the response to the 2014 EVD outbreak in Nigeria16 17 and coordinating the support that Nigeria provided to the Governments of Sierra Leone and Liberia during the EVD outbreak in those countries. This outbreak and the need for strong, country-led coordination become the basis for further growth of the NCDC. Notably, NCDC now takes the front seat in preventing and preparing for public health emergencies, and in managing the surveillance and reference laboratory architecture for Nigeria. NCDC has strong partnerships with the WHO and the US CDC, which support various activities at the Centre through grants and technical assistance to support disease surveillance, establishment of reference laboratory systems, outbreak response activities and others.
Together with the African Field Epidemiology Network, NCDC also manages the delivery of the Nigeria Field Epidemiology and Laboratory Training Programme (NFELTP). The NFELTP is a 2-year in-service training in applied epidemiology and laboratory practice within the NCDC/Federal Ministry of Health and Federal Ministry of Agriculture. The programme also offers basic epidemiology training to health workers at Local Government levels to improve surveillance and response to priority diseases.18 The NFELTP is modelled after the US-CDC Epidemiology Intelligence Service and has been replicated in >80 countries around the world. In Nigeria, NFELTP has developed a pool of Field Epidemiologists and Laboratory experts with skills to gather critical information and turn it into public health action, and it is a major public health asset within Nigeria's national public health institute.19
The NCDC also has a very strong relationship with the new ECOWAS Regional Centre for Disease control which is also the regional hub for the Africa Centre for Disease Control. Other partnerships that the Centre has recently developed include with the University of Maryland, Baltimore, the Robert Koch Institute, the Global Outbreak and Response Network and Public Health England, all focusing on specific aspects of its mandate.
The NCDC has strengthened its focus on prevention and preparedness; stockpiling and prepositioning of supplies for outbreak response in the states; development of guidelines and checklists for emergency preparedness; and generally increasing its role in supporting the States. NCDC also provides guidance and support to other professionals and sub-national government public health organisations and officials.
One way that NCDC has been able to coordinate preparedness and response activities is the establishment of its Incident Coordination Centre. This serves as a location to review outbreak reports and decide on preparedness and response activities. Dashboards are available to display data from the subnational level, which provides a snapshot of disease trends in the country. The Incident Coordination Centre is also tasked with daily intelligence gathering and risk analysis of public health events to identify potential threats. It serves as an Emergency Operations Centre during outbreaks, with an incident manager leading the response, bringing together the various pillars of outbreak response working in a command and control structure.
The NCDC is also the focal point for the implementation of the International Health Regulations (IHR), which is a global legal agreement that aims to prevent and respond to the spread of diseases and to avoid their becoming international crises. A Joint External Evaluation was carried out in June 2017 to assess Nigeria's capacity to prevent, detect and respond to treats of public health importance. Several areas of strength were highlighted as well as areas requiring an improvement in capacity.20 Subsequently, a National Action Plan is being developed to strengthen areas of weakness.
The journey of NCDC shows that building NPHI takes clarity of vision, perseverance, commitment and a strong legal mandate. Achieving a legal mandate will demonstrate Nigeria's commitment to providing a strong scientific focus for ensuring the health security of Africa's most populous nation. Over the next 5 years, the NCDC's mission is to work in partnership with other arms of Government and partners to protect the health of Nigerians. This will be accomplished through integrated disease surveillance; a linked and connected public health laboratory network within the country and the sub region; and the coordination of emergency preparedness and response activities.
NPHI help to concentrate a country's resources for the prevention, detection and response to infectious diseases in a single organisation. Nigeria's experience of setting up its NCDC can inform similar efforts in other African countries.
About – NPHIL. The National Public Health Institute of Liberia is a center of excellence for better health outcomes for Liberians through a strong health system. http://nationalphil.org/index.php/about/ (cited 25 Feb 2018).
Liberia IANPHI. National Public Health Institute of Liberia (NPHIL). http://www.ianphi.org/membercountries/newprofiles/liberia.html (cited 25 Feb 2018).
Nkengasong JN ,
Maiyegun O ,
Moeti M
. Establishing the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention: responding to Africa's health threats. Lancet Glob Health 2017;5:e246–7.doi:10.1016/S2214-109X(17)30025-6
De Cock KM ,
Nasidi A ,
Enriquez J , et al
. Epidemic yellow fever in eastern nigeria, 1986. The Lancet 1988;331:630–3.doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(88)91425-0
Monath TP ,
DeCock K , et al
. Urban yellow fever epidemic in western Nigeria, 1987. Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg 1989;83:401–6.doi:10.1016/0035-9203(89)90518-X
Mohammed I ,
Alkali AS , et al
. A severe epidemic of meningococcal meningitis in Nigeria, 1996. Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg 2000;94:265–70.doi:10.1016/S0035-9203(00)90316-X
WHO. Nigeria. 2018 http://www.who.int/csr/don/archive/country/nga/en/ (cited 25 Feb 2018).
WHO. Meningococcal disease – Nigeria. 2017 http://www.who.int/csr/don/24-march-2017-meningococcal-disease-nigeria/en/ (cited 25 Feb 2018).
Nnadi C ,
Oladejo J ,
Yennan S , et al
. Large Outbreak of Neisseria meningitidis Serogroup C - Nigeria, December 2016-June 2017. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2017;66:1352–6.doi:10.15585/mmwr.mm6649a3
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. An account of the Ebola virus disease outbreak in Nigeria: implications and lessons learnt. BMC Public Health 2017;18:3.doi:10.1186/s12889-017-4535-x
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. Antimicrobial resistance in West Africa: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Int J Antimicrob Agents 2017;50:629–39.doi:10.1016/j.ijantimicag.2017.07.002
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. The burden of non-communicable diseases in Nigeria; in the context of globalization. Ann Afr Med 2014;13:1–10.doi:10.4103/1596-3519.126933
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Twitter @NCDCgov
Provenance and peer review Not commissioned; internally peer reviewed.
© Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted. This is an Open Access article distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/


We know that the Honeycomb-specific apps are still fairly sparse right now, but now there's a pretty powerful news aggregator for you in News360. The app has been on iPad and iPhone for a while now and has garnered stellar reviews. Now, Android users finally get to share in the experience.
News360 is a powerful news aggregator that can pull from over 1500 sources, or from your cloud on Facebook, Twitter, Google Reader, and Evernote to create a personal stream. The service can also pull your interests from Facebook to help curate and organize your news, or even use your location information to give you local stories from your area.
For curation, News360 will track your consumption habits from your personal cloud services to learn what kinds of stories you like, and it also uses "semantic analysis" to rank various news sources by impact. The app then organizes your news neatly into categories for easy access. There are also options for "Trending" and "Popular" stories, as well as many links from each story to get more info or different perspectives.
Definitely worth a try if you have a Honeycomb tablet, and you certainly can't beat the price: free. Check it out in the Android Market.
This app is awesome on the PLaybook as well.


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Multi-Sensor Aerosol Project
Documentation and publications
Data product documentation
Documentation and user guides for the Deep Blue data sets, along with links to the data sets themselves, can be found on the Data tab of this site.
A series of webinars was put together around the time of the MODIS Collection 6 data product suite release, to familiarize existing data users with updates to the data sets, and to provide information for new users. These were recorded and can be viewed, together with slide show packages, via the AEROCENTER website; those specific to the Deep Blue aerosol products can be viewed here and here. NASA's Applied Remote Sensing Training (ARSET) page also lists opportunities to register for in-person and online data use training, and provides resources including recordings of previous training webinars.
The focus of the table below is on papers involving the Deep Blue team concerning algorithm development, validation, and intercomparisons, as opposed to investigative applications of the data by other researchers. They are organized by year of publication, and then alphabetically by first author surname within a given year, and include a summary of what the paper is about.
Sayer, A. M., N. C. Hsu, C. Bettenhausen, J. Lee, W. V. Kim, and A. Smirnov (2018), Satellite Ocean Aerosol Retrieval (SOAR) Algorithm Extension to S-NPP VIIRS as Part of the "Deep Blue" Aerosol Project, J. Geophys. Res. Atmos., 123, doi:10.1002/2017JD027412.
This study describes updates to the SOAR over-ocean aerosol retrieval algorithm, and performs validation against Maritime Aerosol Network observations. This paper describes the algorithm used for ocean retrievals in the version 1 VIIRS Deep Blue data set.
Hsu, N. C., J. Lee, A. M. Sayer, N. Carletta, S.-H. Chen, C. J. Tucker, B. N. Holben, and S.-C. Tsay (2017), Retrieving near-global aerosol loading over land and ocean from AVHRR, J. Geophys. Res. Atmos., 122, doi:10.1002/2017JD026932.
This paper describes the modification of our Deep Blue (over-land) and SOAR (over-water) aerosol retrieval algorithms for application to AVHRR satellite measurements.
This study was selected as a Research Spotlight by AGU, featured in EOS here.
Lee, J., N. C. Hsu, A. M. Sayer, C. Bettenhausen, and p. Yang (2017), AERONET-based nonspherical dust optical models and effects on the VIIRS Deep Blue/SOAR over water aerosol product. J. Geophys. Res. Atmos., 122. doi:10.1002/2017JD027258.
This paper describes new nonspherical dust aerosol models, and illustrates the effect of implementing them in the SOAR VIIRS algorithm. Note the same models are also used in our SOAR AVHRR data. It includes further examples and quantification of the well-known biases which can result if spherical dust is instead assumed.
Sayer, A. M., N. C. Hsu, J. Lee, N. Carletta, S.-H. Chen, and A. Smirnov (2017), Evaluation of NASA Deep Blue/SOAR aerosol retrieval algorithms applied to AVHRR measurements, J. Geophys. Res. Atmos., 122, doi:10.1002/2017JD026934.
This study evaluates our new AVHRR Deep Blue/SOAR demonstration aerosol data set by comparison against AERONET, Maritime Aerosol Network, and other satellite aerosol products.
Sayer, A. M., N. C. Hsu, C. Bettenhausen, R. E. Holz, J. Lee, G. Quinn, and P. Veglio (2017), Cross-calibration of S-NPP VIIRS moderate-resolution reflective solar bands against MODIS Aqua over dark water scenes, Atmos. Meas. Tech., 10, 1425-1444, doi:10.5194/amt-10-1425-2017.
The standard calibration of S-NPP VIIRS's reflective solar bands is thought to be biased at the present time. This study performs a cross-calibration against MODIS (Aqua), which makes the two radiometrically-consistent, and decreases the errors in the SOAR aerosol retrieval over ocean. This is an important step toward multi-sensor data consistency.
The cross-calibration results described in this study will be applied in our Deep Blue/SOAR VIIRS data processing.
Lee, J., N. C. Hsu, C. Bettenhausen, A. M. Sayer, C. J. Seftor, M.-J. Jeong, S.-C. Tsay, E. J. Welton, S.-H. Wang, and W,-N. Chen (2016), Evaluating the Height of Biomass Burning Smoke Aerosols Retrieved from Synergistic Use of Multiple Satellite Sensors over Southeast Asia, AAQR 16(11), 2831-2842, doi:10.4209/aaqr.2015.08.0506.
Case studies of the aerosol single-scattering albedo and height estimation (ASHE) algorithm, making use of the validation data available during springtime field campaign studies in South-East Asia.
Sayer, A. M., N. C. Hsu, T.-C. Hsiao, P. Pantina, F. Kuo, C.-F. Ou-Yang, B. N. Holben, S. Janjai, S. Chantara, S.-H. Wang, A. M. Loftus, N.-H. Lin, and S-C. Tsay (2016), In-Situ and Remotely-Sensed Observations of Biomass Burning Aerosols at Doi Ang Khang, Thailand during 7-SEAS/BASELInE 2015, AAQR 16(11), doi:10.4209/aaqr.2015.08.0500.
Evaluation of Collection 6 MODIS Deep Blue data at the mountain site of Doi Ang Khang, Thailand during the spring 2015 biomass burning season. Deep Blue data are also used in combination with other remote sensing and in situ data for analysis of mass, chemical, and optical properties related to biomass burning emissions.
Sayer A. M., N. C. Hsu, C. Bettenhausen, J. Lee, J. Redemann, B. Schmid, and Y. Shinozuka (2016), Extending "Deep Blue" aerosol retrieval coverage to cases of absorbing aerosols above clouds: Sensitivity analysis and first case studies, J. Geophys. Res. Atmos., 121, doi:10.1002/2015JD024729.
Algorithm for the retrieval of properties of absorbing aerosols above clouds (AACs), such as smoke and dust, from sensors like SeaWiFS, MODIS, and VIIRS. The paper describes the theory, simulations, and demonstration case studies with validation data from the Ames Airborne Tracking Sunphotmeter (AATS). The paper serves as a basis for an algorithm which will eventually be included in the Deep Blue data product suites.
Lee, J., N. C. Hsu, C. Bettenhausen, A. M. Sayer, C. J. Seftor, and M.-J. Jeong (2015), Retrieving the height of smoke and dust aerosols by synergistic use of VIIRS, OMPS, and CALIOP observations, J. Geophys. Res. Atmos., 120, 8372–8388, doi:10.1002/2015JD023567.
Extension of the aerosol single-scattering albedo and height estimation (ASHE) algorithm as applied to VIIRS, OMPS, and CALIOP observations to nonspherical dust aerosols, as well as smoke aerosols.
The paper includes several updates made to the algorithm, case studies, and extensive uncertainty estimates.
Sayer, A. M., N. C. Hsu, C. Bettenhausen, M.-J. Jeong, and G. Meister (2015), Effect of MODIS Terra radiometric calibration improvements on Collection 6 Deep Blue aerosol products: Validation and Terra/Aqua consistency, J. Geophys. Res. Atmos., 120, doi:10.1002/2015JD023878.
Description of the calibration improvements made to MODIS Terra data included in the Collection 6 reprocessing of the Deep Blue aerosol products.
Terra data are stable over the mission to date to within a precision of approximately 0.01 in AOD, and show strong stability, and global and regional consistency, when compared to the Aqua record. This relies on the extensive efforts of the MCST and OBPG in improving and maintaining the high radiometric quality of the source MODIS data.
Sayer, A. M., N. C. Hsu, and C. Bettenhausen (2015), Implications of MODIS bow-tie distortion on aerosol optical depth retrievals, and techniques for mitigation, Atmos. Meas. Tech., 8, 5277-5288, doi:10.5194/amt-8-5277-2015.
Description and illustration of the effects that the `bow-tie distortion', which is an across-track sampling distortion due to the scan geometry of MODIS and the curvature of the Earth's surface, has on AOD retrievals using Deep Blue and other algorithms. The paper also provides some potential techniques for the mitigation of this distortion's effects on these data sets.
This issue is becoming more relevant with the application of Deep Blue and other algorithms to multiple sensors, such as VIIRS, which suffer different (and generally smaller) across-track distortions. It affects the spatial characteristics of the data sets differently, which has implications for data set continuity and comparability.
Sayer, A. M., L. A. Munchak, N. C. Hsu, R. C. Levy, C. Bettenhausen, and M.-J. Jeong (2014), MODIS Collection 6 aerosol products: Comparison between Aqua's e-Deep Blue, Dark Target, and "merged" data sets, and usage recommendations, J. Geophys. Res. Atmos., 119, 13,965–13,989, doi:10.1002/2014JD022453
Validation and three-way comparison between MODIS Collection 6 Deep Blue, Dark Target, and AERONET data. Also describes the construction of, and validates, the 'merged' Deep Blue/Dark Target data set provided within Collection 6 data products. Results for MODIS Aqua only.
Banks, J.R., H. E. Brindley, C. Flamant, M. J. Garay, N. C. Hsu, O. V. Kalashnikov, L. Kluser, and A. M. Sayer (2013), Intercomparison of satellite dust retrieval products over the west African Sahara during the Fennec campaign in June 2011. Remote Sensing of Environment, 136, 99-116, doi:10.1016/j.rse.2013.05.003
Intercomparison of validation of satellite AOD data products, including MODIS Deep Blue, over the Sahara during the Fennec field campaign.
The analyses in this work involve Deep Blue data for both Collection 5 and 6, so provide one example of the differences between the two data versions in this region.
Huang, J., N. C. Hsu, S.-C. Tsay, Z. Liu, M.-J. Jeong, R. A. Hansell, and J. Lee (2013), Use of spaceborne lidar for the evaluation of thin cirrus contamination and screening in the Aqua MODIS Collection 5 aerosol products, J. Geophys. Res., 118 (12), 6444-6453, doi:10.1002/jgrd.50504
Enhanced cirrus cloud screening techniques developed in this paper are applied in MODIS Collection 6 and VIIRS data processing.
Hsu, N. C., M.-J. Jeong, C. Bettenhausen, A. M. Sayer, R. Hansell, C. S. Seftor, J. Huang, and S.-C. Tsay (2013), Enhanced Deep Blue aerosol retrieval algorithm: The second generation, J. Geophys. Res. Atmos., 118, 9296–9315, doi:10.1002/jgrd.50712
Description for the enhanced Deep Blue algorithm as applied to MODIS Collection 6 and SeaWiFS (versions 3, 4) over-land data sets. This includes both updates to the original (Hsu et al. 2004, 2006) surface treatment over bright surfaces (e.g. deserts), and additionally a description of the new surface model used over darker land surfaces (e.g. vegetated areas).
Levy, R. C., S. Mattoo, L. A. Munchak, L. A. Remer, A. M. Sayer, F. Patadia, and N. C. Hsu (2013), The Collection 6 MODIS aerosol products over land and ocean, Atmos. Meas. Tech., 6, 2989-3034, doi:10.5194/amt-6-2989-2013 This paper focuses on updates to the Dark Target land and ocean AOD algorithms for MODIS Collection 6. However, it also contains a brief description of the 'merged' Deep Blue/Dark Target data set included within these files, and updates to the Level 3 aggregation strategy adopted in MODIS Atmospheres Collection 6 processing.
Sayer, A. M., N. C. Hsu, C. Bettenhausen, and M.-J. Jeong (2013), Validation and uncertainty estimates for MODIS Collection 6 "Deep Blue" aerosol data, J. Geophys. Res. Atmos., 118, 7864–7872, doi:10.1002/jgrd.50600
Validation of MODIS Deep Blue Collection 6 aerosol retrievals against AERONET. Description of how the uncertainty estimates for AOD at 550 nm provided within Collection 6 data products were generated. Note that the discussion refers to MODIS Aqua only, although the same method was applied to MODIS Terra data as well.
Shi, Y., J. Zhang, J. S. Reid, E. J. Hyer, and N. C. Hsu (2013), Critical evaluation of the MODIS Deep Blue aerosol optical depth product for data assimilation over North Africa, Atmos. Meas. Tech., 6(4), 949-969, doi:10.5194/amt-6-949-2013
Validation and bias correction methodology for MODIS Deep Blue data over North Africa. The analyses focuses on Collection 5 data, although some Collection 6 results are also shown.
Carboni, E., G. E. Thomas, A. M. Sayer, R. Siddans, C. A. Poulsen, R. G. Grainger, C. Ahn, D. Antoine, S. Bevan, R. Braak, H. Brindley, S. DeSouza-Machado, J. L. Deuzé, D. Diner, F. Ducos, W. Grey, C. Hsu, O. V. Kalashnikova, R. Kahn, P. R. J. North, C. Salustro, A. Smith, D. Tanré, O. Torres, and B. Veihelmann (2012), Intercomparison of desert dust optical depth from satellite measurements, Atmos. Meas. Tech., 5, 1973-2002, doi:10.5194/amt-5-1973-2012
Multi-sensor intercomparison and validation of satellite AOD products for Saharan dust during March 2006.
Hsu, N. C., R. Gautam, A. M. Sayer, C. Bettenhausen, C. Li, M.-J. Jeong, S.-C. Tsay, and B. N. Holben (2012), Global and regional trends of aerosol optical depth over land and ocean using SeaWiFS measurements from 1997 to 2010, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 12, 8037-8053, doi:10.5194/acp-12-8037-2012 AOD trend analysis using the SeaWiFS Deep Blue (land and ocean) version 3 data set.
Sayer, A. M., N. C. Hsu, C. Bettenhausen, Z. Ahmad, B. N. Holben, A. Smirnov, G. E. Thomas, and J. Zhang (2012), SeaWiFS Ocean Aerosol Retrieval (SOAR): Algorithm, validation, and comparison with other data sets, J. Geophys. Res., 117, D03206, doi:10.1029/2011JD016599
Covers the SeaWiFS over-ocean aerosol retrieval as applied in version 3 of the SeaWiFS Deep Blue data set. Contains an algorithm description, validation against AERONET and the Maritime Aerosol Network, and comparison against MODIS, MISR, AATSR, and MERIS data.
Note that the algorithm applied over ocean in the version 4 SeaWiFS data set is essentially the same as this, albeit with some additional tests to identify and remove turbid water pixels, as the version 3 tests did not perform well in some situations.
Sayer, A. M. N. C. Hsu, C. Bettenhausen, M.-J. Jeong, B. N. Holben, and J. Zhang (2012), Global and regional evaluation of over-land spectral aerosol optical depth retrievals from SeaWiFS, Atmos. Meas. Tech., 5, 1761-1778, doi:10.5194/amt-5-1761-2012 Validation of the over-land version 3 SeaWiFS Deep Blue data set against AERONET. Comparison against MODIS and MISR aerosol products.
Jeong, M.-J., N. C. Hsu, E. J. Kwiatkowska, B. A. Franz, G. Meister, and C. Salustro (2011), Impacts of Cross-Platform Vicarious Calibration on the Deep Blue Aerosol Retrievals for Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer Aboard Terra, IEEE Trans. Geosci. Remote Sens., 49 (12), 4877-4888, doi:10.1109/TGRS.2011.2153205
Describes the application of the vicarious calibration correction to MODIS Terra data in the Collection 5 Deep Blue data set. The calibration methodology was developed by the Ocean Biology Processing Group at NASA GSFC. These corrections account for residual calibration errors in band gains, detector response vs. scan angle (RVS), and polarization sensitivity of the sensor.
Note that a similar, updated methodology is also applied to MODIS Terra measurements for Collection 6.
Jeong, M.-J., and N. C. Hsu (2008), Retrievals of aerosol single-scattering albedo and effective aerosol layer height for biomass-burning smoke: Synergy derived from ''A-Train'' sensors, Geophys. Res. Lett., 35, L24801, doi:10.1029/2008GL036279
Retrieval of aerosol single-scattering albedo and height information from a combined use of MODIS, OMI, and CALIOP observations. The algorithm provides the height of smoke aerosols over broad areas, which were not previously available from single passive sensors.
Hansell, R. A., S. C. Ou, K.-N. Liou, J. K. Roskovensku, S.-C. Tsay, C. Hsu, and Q. Ji (2007), Simultaneous detection/separation of mineral dust and cirrus clouds using MODIS thermal infrared window data, Geophys. Res. Lett., 34 (11), L11808, doi:10.1029/2007GL029388
Describes the D* test, one of the methods used to separate mineral dust and cirrus clouds in the Deep Blue algorithm. This test is not applied in the SeaWiFS version of the algorithm as that sensor lacks thermal infrared bands.
Hsu, N. C., S.-C. Tsay, M. D. King, and J. R. Herman (2006), Deep Blue retrievals of Asian aerosol properties during ACE-Asia, IEEE Trans. Geosci. Remote Sens., 44, 3180–3195, doi:10.1109/TGRS.2006.879540
Use of the Deep Blue algorithm, applied to SeaWiFS and MODIS Terra data, to investigate aerosol properties during the ACE-Asia field campaign (spring 2001).
Hsu, N. C., S. -C. Tsay, M. D. King, and J. R. Herman (2004), Aerosol properties over bright-reflecting source regions, IEEE Trans. Geosci. Remote Sens., 42(3), 557–569, doi:10.1109/TGRS.2004.824067
Original Deep Blue algorithm paper, providing an overview and example application to MODIS data over northern Africa and the Arabian Peninsula.
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Home Business Enterprise Software
Beezz WP7 Twitter app adds live tile and toast notification support
Twitter is not integrated into Windows Phone 7, but the Beezz app does a lot to make it close with live tile and toast support so most of my Twitter needs are now filled for free.
Written by Matthew Miller, Contributing Writer on Dec. 12, 2010
Lack of Twitter support was one of the main hangups I had with Windows Phone 7 at launch, but we quickly saw 3rd party applications launched for this functionality. However, it wasn't until now when one that was truly useful appeared with both live tile and toast (top of the screen notifications) support. Beezz just rolled out on the Marketplace with this notification support, version 1.1, and is available for FREE.
The first Twitter app launched on Windows Phone 7 was Seesmic, but it didn't support the native keyboard functionality so was uninstalled right away. Keyboard support has been added, but there are too many screens for me so I do not use it. The official Twitter app was next and it works fairly well. However, with no notification support it is a real pain to have to go into the application and wait for it to refresh to see your latest Twitter stream.
You can find Beezz in the Marketplace (link to the Zune desktop) and give it a try. It has now earned a spot above the fold on my Start screen. There is no multiple account support, no ability to upload videos (may be an OS limitation), and no conversation view. The lack of conversation view kills me and is what I hope they add as a priority for the next update.


See Latifah's testimonial below and to the right a checklist of the items that we supplied and installed to create the bathroom.
When I moved into my new home, and started thinking about decorating all of our bathrooms, I decided to visit Aqua's showroom and have a chat to Lee about what ideas he had. His team at Aqua, were polite, helpful, and I was very happy with the final results. I would definitely use them again and recommend them to anyone needing to redo their bathrooms.
1 x iNova Proiezion Tall Storage Unit 35x30x165cm LH Hinge Blanco Gloss PRCS01..


I'm not a football person outside of Friday Night Lights reruns but I still found this photo essay captivating. Jesse Reiser is thoughtful in examining the real dangers of the game as well as highlighting the glories. The combination of nostalgia and competitive fervor is intoxicating, making the sport feel epic and fragile all at once.
This incredible New York Times photo essay from Sen. John McCain's memorials weaves poignant images with videos from the multiday event to form a touching tribute worthy of a man who so ardently served his country from service member to senator. Photographer Tom Brenner's hauntingly beautiful opening image honestly captures the reverence Sen. McCain will continue to garner from service members and citizens alike.
These pictures, made in the aftermath of a powerful 6.7 magnitude earthquake that struck Hokkaido, Japan, on Thursday, are a stark reminder of the tremendous power of nature. The disaster has left 9 dead and more than 150 injured, as well as extensive damage across the region and millions of people without power. In pictures like this, to see an entire hillside left devastated in a matter of minutes is at once both awe-inspiring and deeply troubling.
Every year when Labor Day rolls around, it's always good to be reminded of the many people and movements that have helped shape our modern-day workplace. One such shift is the focus of this piece. Where words weren't enough, Lewis Hine grabbed people's attention by telling the story through photography. And by dedicating his work to exposing the harrowing reality of child labor in a time when the medium wasn't as widespread, Hine showed what photography can do for social change.
Photographer Sebastian Sardi's series Black Diamond documents the men, women, and children in Jharkhand, India, who risk their lives to mine coal amid underground fires and toxic, gas-filled air. Sardi's portraits treat each subject with the utmost dignity. Standing stoutly atop a pile of rocks, arms crossed in a defiant pose, or intently holding the viewer's gaze, these people clearly don't want the viewers' pity but instead demand their respect. Is coal worth more than our humanity?
The fact that war wounds are sometimes invisible is turned literal in this stunning and shocking photo essay by Camillo Pasquarelli. The photographer examines the long-term traumatic effects of pellet guns, a so-called nonlethal method of crowd control used by the police in Kashmir that has rendered protesters and passersby blind. Even more horrific, the pellets often must stay within the human body as there is often no safe or reasonable way to remove hundreds of tiny shards. Using X-rays and portraiture to great effect, Pasquarelli calls for the viewer to examine the level of harm unseen by the naked eye.
To see centuries of history reduced to ashes is devastating, to say the least. The National Museum in Rio de Janeiro is not only Brazil's crown jewel of historic preservation, but this 200-year-old museum is one of the largest in the Americas with some 20 million objects dating as far back as the Early Cretaceous period. While some of these items were recovered safely before being lost to the inferno, it is sadly estimated that 90% of the museum's holdings have been lost.
With travel being more accessible to a lot of people these days, this piece from the Guardian is a reminder of how some cities are bearing the weight. On the one hand, it can be argued that Barcelona did too good a job in promoting itself as a destination, especially in a region that's already got established tourism giants like Paris and London. But as a visitor of a major tourist hub, you wonder whether your experience of the place is authentic or not, or better yet, what even is authentic.
These panoramas highlight lively street life in New York in direct contrast to the stagnating storefront market. Todd Heisler's eye for color and juxtaposition allows subtle details to pop and the images to feel timeless and vibrant, succeeding in catching the various moods of the city's neighborhoods.