Glasses-free 3D is something available on just a handful of TVs, which manage it only through complicated hardware, and at no small cost.
Still, the effect is pretty smooth and no more tiresome for the eyes than glasses-assisted technology, from what we've been able to gather.
There is one more accomplishment that tech experts are looking for: holographic television, which offers a different perspective at the action, depending on the angle from which one beholds the TV.
Researchers from the Massachusetts institute of Technology (MIT) claim to have created something of the sort.
Called Tensor Display, it uses several layers of liquid crystal displays (LCDs) with a refresh rate of 360 Hz per second.
The technique is different from the one used in Nintendo's 3DS
, which has two layers of LCD screens (the bottom for light and dark bands and the top for the two slightly offset images).
The problem with this old method (a century old really) is that the only way so far known for creating multiple perspectives would rely on complicated hardware and algorithms. Hundreds of perspectives would have to be produced in order to suit a moving viewer, and that means that too much info has to be displayed at once.
Every frame of the stereo-3D video would need the screen to flicker 10 times, each with a different pattern. Thus, a convincing stereo-3D illusion would need a 1,000 Hz refresh rate.
MIT's Tensor Display lowers that requirement by using a higher number of LCDs, although it does bring another problem: the pattern calculation becomes more complex. Fortunately, the researcher had a convenient factor to exploit: not all aspects of a scene change with the viewing angle. This reduced the amount of information that needed to be sent to the LCD screens.
The end result was a panel that produces stereo-3D images based on calculations similar to those behind CT, X-ray and computed tomography, of all things (they produce 3D images of internal organs).
The Media Lab researchers will demo a Tensor Display prototype at Siggraph 2012 (5-9 August), made of three LCD panels. A second model will have two LCDs with a sheet of lenses between them (refract light left and right), primarily for wider viewing angles (50 degrees rather than 20).
Practical and commercial applications should appear soon, or at least sooner than any alternatives.
“Holography works, it’s beautiful, nothing can touch its quality. The problem, of course, is that holograms don’t move,” said
Douglas Lanman, a postdoc at the Media Lab.
“To make them move, you need to create a hologram in real time, and to do that, you need little tiny pixels, smaller than anything we can build at large volume at low cost. So the question is, what do we have now? We have LCDs. They are incredibly mature, and they are cheap.”


The Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) spacecraft is expected to discover its 1,000TH comet this summer.
The SOHO spacecraft is a joint effort between NASA and the European Space Agency. It has accounted for approximately one-half of all comet discoveries with computed orbits in the history of astronomy.
"Before SOHO was launched, only 16 sun grazing comets had been discovered by space observatories. Based on that experience, who could have predicted SOHO would discover more than 60 times that number, and in only nine years," said Dr. Chris St. Cyr. He is senior project scientist for NASA's Living With a Star program at the agency's Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md. "This is truly a remarkable achievement!"
About 85 percent of the comets SOHO discovered belongs to the Kreutz group of sun grazing comets, so named because their orbits take them very close to Earth's star. The Kreutz sun grazers pass within 500,000 miles of the star's visible surface. Mercury, the planet closest to the sun, is about 36 million miles from the solar surface.
SOHO has also been used to discover three other well-populated comet groups: the Meyer, with at least 55 members; Marsden, with at least 21 members; and the Kracht, with 24 members. These groups are named after the astronomers who suggested the comets are related, because they have similar orbits.
Many comet discoveries were made by amateurs using SOHO images on the Internet. SOHO comet hunters come from all over the world. The United States, United Kingdom, China, Japan, Taiwan, Russia, Ukraine, France, Germany, and Lithuania are among the many countries whose citizens have used SOHO to chase comets.
Almost all of SOHO's comets are discovered using images from its Large Angle and Spectrometric Coronagraph (LASCO) instrument. LASCO is used to observe the faint, multimillion-degree outer atmosphere of the sun, called the corona. A disk in the instrument is used to make an artificial eclipse, blocking direct light from the sun, so the much fainter corona can be seen. Sun grazing comets are discovered when they enter LASCO's field of view as they pass close by the star.
"Building coronagraphs like LASCO is still more art than science, because the light we are trying to detect is very faint," said Dr. Joe Gurman, U.S. project scientist for SOHO at Goddard. "Any imperfections in the optics or dust in the instrument will scatter the light, making the images too noisy to be useful. Discovering almost 1,000 comets since SOHO's launch on December 2, 1995 is a testament to the skill of the LASCO team."
SOHO successfully completed its primary mission in April 1998. It has enough fuel to remain on station to keep hunting comets for decades if the LASCO continues to function.
For information about SOHO on the Internet, visit:
Explore further: Long-term warming, short-term variability: Why climate change is still an issue


People who struggle to find enough food to eat are poor. The World Bank’s poverty line is an income of less than $1.25 a day. Financial Times readers, who spend more than that amount on their morning newspaper, are in no position to dispute that judgment. In the past two decades, economic growth in China and India has reduced global poverty by an unprecedented amount. That achievement is not diminished because some individuals in both these countries have become very rich. Fundamentally, poverty is about absolute deprivation.Kay observes that there is also a relative definition of poverty:
Under the definition that I have proposed on this blog for wealth, poverty would simply be an absence of wealth, or a deficit of valued outcomes.
The median income is the level that equal numbers of people are above and below, so that a rise in Sir Martin Sorrell’s bonus does not lead anyone into poverty – that would confuse poverty and inequality. But the choice of median income as a reference level has a wider significance. It encapsulates the idea that in a rich society, poverty is an enforced inability to participate in the everyday activities of that society. You might therefore be poor if you lack access to antibiotics or Facebook, even though in this respect you are no worse off than the Sun King or John D. Rockefeller, and in other respects considerably better off than most people in the world.
However, to define poverty as social exclusion takes the definition far away from the assessment of income. It is not hard to imagine places in which few, if any, people experience a sense of exclusion. These might include both sophisticated societies with high incomes per head – towns in Scandinavia – and simple cultures without access to modern essentials – rural villages in the developing world. Poverty becomes a cultural and political phenomenon rather than an economic one.
But once we define poverty in terms of outcomes beyond simple incomes as measured in currency units, we have indeed entered the territory of culture and politics, and ultimately, what constitutes a life worth living.
Just as GDP doesn't measure all that matters when it comes to wealth, I am deeply skeptical of efforts to define multi-dimensional metrics of "poverty" that integrate different valued outcomes. Statistics are indeed important inputs to policy, and I prefer mine simple and transparent.
So let's leave poverty defined in terms of absolute income, as defined by the World Bank and others. If we care about obesity, lack of access to antibiotics or even Facebook -- all perfectly legitimate valued outcomes -- then let's track these outcomes on their merits and based on transparent variables that measure these outcomes. Just don't label these issues "poverty" as it will conflate arguments about what it means to be wealthy with efforts to attain whatever valued outcomes we as a society decide to pursue.


Technology Review has a writeup on the latest advance in the lab towards an invisibility cloak made of metamaterials, described this week in Science. We've been following this technology since the beginning. The breakthrough is software that lets researchers design materials that are both low-loss and wideband. "The cloak that the researchers built works with wavelengths of light ranging from about 1 to 18 gigahertz — a swath as broad as the visible spectrum. No one has yet made a cloaking device that works in the visible spectrum, and those metamaterials that have been fabricated tend to work only with narrow bands of light. But a cloak that made an object invisible to light of only one color would not be of much use. Similarly, a cloaking device can't afford to be lossy: if it lets just a little bit of light reflect off the object it's supposed to cloak, it's no longer effective. The cloak that Smith built is very low loss, successfully rerouting almost all the light that hits it."


At NIDA's last Drug Facts Chat Day, Razorfang asked this question:
"can you get viruses from drugs?"
The answer to this might surprise you. Although you can't get viruses directly from drugs, using drugs can increase your chances of catching a virus like HIV (the virus that causes AIDS). In fact, behaviors associated with drug abuse are one of the biggest factors in the spread of HIV across the US.
That's because drugs can mess up your judgment and lead to bad decisions—bad decisions like unsafe sex. And risky sex can lead to more than pregnancy. It can also lead to becoming infected with HIV or other sexually transmitted viruses.


Courtesy Iona Knapp
Iona Knapp, right, has been diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment, a potential precursor to Alzheimer's disease. Like 1 in 7 people with Alzheimer's or other dementias, the 65-year-old Lake Monticello, Va., woman lives alone. Her daughter, Sharon Mullen, lives 90 minutes away, in Manassas.
Iona Knapp’s father died of Alzheimer’s disease and her late mother suffered from dementia. Now, the 65-year-old Lake Monticello, Va., woman has been diagnosed herself with mild cognitive impairment, or MCI, and she fears their fate soon may be her own.
The trouble is, Knapp lives by herself, which would make her one of 5.4 million people in the U.S. living with Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias -- and one of 800,000 Americans doing it alone, according to a new report issued Thursday by the Alzheimer’s Association.
The report, “2012 Alzheimer’s Disease Facts and Figures,” estimates that one in seven people with Alzheimer's or dementia lives alone, and that up to half of those people have no identifiable caregiver. Most are older women with milder impairment.
“That’s a huge issue,” said Dr. Kenneth Langa, professor of medicine at the University of Michigan, and an expert on the economics and demographics of Alzheimer’s Disease.
As the baby boom generation ages, more and more people diagnosed with Alzheimer’s will be living alone, sometimes because they choose to do so, but also because a spouse has died, or because they have few or no children living nearby, said Langa, who wasn’t involved in the new report.
The analysis finds that Alzheimer’s costs the country about $200 billion per year in Medicare, Medicaid, and personal out-of-pocket expenses. As enormous as that cost is, it takes 15.2 million unpaid caregivers, usually family members, to keep it from rising even higher.
The personal impact on living alone with Alzheimer’s, dementia, or even MCI like Knapp’s, can be dramatic compared to living with a caregiver. Patients who live alone have a much higher risk of wandering off, suffering bad falls, missing medication and doctor appointments, and exacerbating other medical conditions like heart disease or diabetes. Ultimately that’s not only harmful to those people, but it ratchets up costs, too.
As Knapp herself discovered when she served as an unpaid caregiver to her mother, living alone has a host of practical costs and dangers.
When she accompanied her mother to the bank one day, “the teller said, ‘Your mother is way overdrawn. She has no money,’” Knapp recalled. “I looked back over the past two years of records, and found my mother had bankrupted herself.”
Now, she said, “I imagine my own future. I meet with my attorney on Friday. I want to talk to him about all kinds of things I can put in place so my older daughter can step in and take over financially.”
Such advanced planning is critical for anybody with Alzheimer’s, but especially for those who live alone, said Angela Geiger, chief strategy officer for the Alzheimer’s Association.
Legal and logistical considerations like advanced directives, power of attorney designations, and answers about who will be part of the care team must be addressed. None of these decisions is pleasant, Geiger explained, but they must be addressed.
“You really want to say, ‘Here are the two or three triggers for me. I’d like to go to assisted living as soon as possible,’ or, ‘Do I want to stay in my house as long as possible?' 'Who pays my bills?’”
While Knapp wrestles with those decisions, she’s trying to adapt so she can continue to live by herself, independently, for as long as possible. But it’s a challenge. She writes reminders on a white board. She programs appointments into her smart phone.
Such tactics aren’t foolproof, though: This week, she missed a doctor’s appointment.
Knapp is considering the purchase of an alarm button she can wear to alert emergency services in case she finds herself injured or lost. She’s also thinking of selling her house, and moving into senior housing close to her daughter, Sharon Mullen, whose family lives in Manassas, Va. Transportation will be available there, she hopes, because she’s already growing worried about her own driving. “There are times now, when I’ll be, like, ‘Where am I going?’”
The Alzheimer’s Association has created an online social network called ALZ Connected, in an effort to provide support, especially for those who find it tough to get out for in-person group support meetings.
According to Langa, barring some miracle of science -- and the science of Alzheimer’s and dementia has been frustrating so far -- the population of Alzheimer’s and dementia sufferers is going to grow significantly over the next decade. And because of America’s changing demographics, more and more of those people will be living alone.
“To me that is one of the key issues going forward, from a public policy standpoint,” he said. “What will the care-giving resources be?”
Do you live alone? Do you worry about what you'll do if you have health issues? Tell us on Facebook.
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While any kind of dog can attack, some breeds are more prone to attacks than others. In fact, some dogs are more likely than others to kill humans.
The Centers of Disease Control estimates that more than 4.7 million people are bitten by dogs every year. Of those, 20 percent require medical attention.
In a 15-year study (1979-1994) a total of 239 deaths were reported as a result of injuries from dog attacks in the United States. Through its research, the CDC compiled a list of the dogs most responsible for human fatalities. They are as follows:
The study found that most dog-bite-related deaths happened to children. But, according to the CDC there are steps children (and adults) can take cut down the risk of a dog attack from family pets as well as dogs they are not familiar with:
-Don't approach an unfamiliar dog.
-If an unfamiliar dog approaches you, stay motionless.
-Don't run from a dog or scream.
-If a dog knocks you down, roll into a ball and stay still.
-Avoid looking directly into a dog's eyes.
-Leave a dog alone that is sleeping, eating or taking care of puppies.
-Let a dog see and sniff you before petting it.
-Don't play with a dog unless there is an adult present.
-If a dog bites you, tell an adult immediately.
But, the CDC's report says most attacks are preventable in three ways:
1. "Owner and public education. Dog owners, through proper selection, socialization, training, care, and treatment of a dog, can reduce the likelihood of owning a dog that will eventually bite. Male and unspayed/unneutered dogs are more likely to bite than are female and spayed/neutered dogs."
2. "Animal control at the community level. Animal-control programs should be supported, and laws for regulating dangerous or vicious dogs should be promulgated and enforced vigorously. For example, in this report, 30% of dog-bite-related deaths resulted from groups of owned dogs that were free roaming off the owner's property."
3. "Bite reporting. Evaluation of prevention efforts requires improved surveillance for dog bites. Dog bites should be reported as required by local or state ordinances, and reports of such incidents should include information about the circumstances of the bite; ownership, breed, sex, age, spay/neuter status, and history of prior aggression of the animal; and the nature of restraint before the bite incident."
CDC officials did make one important note about its list: The reporting of the breed was subjective. There is no way to determine if the identification of the breed was correct. Also, there is no way to verify if the dog was a purebred or a mixed breed.
Copyright 2011 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.


Threatened birds of the world: the official source for birds on the IUCN Red List.
Barcelona: Lynx Edicions, 2000.
Quarto, laminated boards, 852 pp. colour illustrations, maps.
This comprehensive volume documents globally threatened species whether extinct in the wild, critical, endangered or vulnerable and includes notes on identification, range and population, ecology, threats, conservation, targets and references. Also includes listing of lower risk species.


ASIA NEWS NETWORK
WE KNOW ASIA BETTER
Publication Date : 04-09-2012
With health and wellness gaining prominence in people’s wish lists, there is now a growing awareness of healthier choices.
Here are more answers for your myriad of options. Pick a wellness plan that will suit you best.
Please explain—what’s all the fuss over over nitrates and nitrites?
Multiple choice: Which meal would you consider supportive of brain health?
a) Scrambled eggs cooked in butter plus a generous topping of cheese and sour cream
b) Green salad with lean chicken or turkey ham topped with low-fat Caesar salad dressing.
A is the healthier meal. For one, eggs are nutritious and are considered brain food.
Vegetables are very good for you; however, we do not know about the toppings. Perhaps the ham is laced with preservatives and additives, including aspartame and nitrite. By itself, nitrite isn’t so bad. But when it is eaten, it can transform into nitrosamine compounds, considered potent cancer-causing chemicals.
This occurs when a chemical reaction happens between nitrate (added to food) and amines (found in protein that is present in the body).
Added to processed foods, this chemical, also known as sodium nitrite or potassium nitrite, prevents the contamination of foods by controlling the toxin production of clostridium botulinum (which causes botulism). In the US, these chemicals are allowed to be used, setting the limit to one part nitrite to 120 parts per million.
Nitrates for fertilisers are suspected to enter the food and water supply. And this is why proper farming is a big issue.
Nitrite and nitrosamine are linked with increased cancer of the colon, lung, pancreas, liver, etc.
How to neutralise nitrite poisoning? Take megadoses of vitamin C and E, beta-carotene and flavonoids.
Visit your dentist
How do I cure bad breath?
Would you believe that billions of bacteria, fungi, viruses and parasites live in our mouths? It’s true. There are over 600 species of bacteria that claim our mouths as their home. An overgrowth of bacteria leads to tooth decay and gum disease. It could, one day, lead to tooth loss. If you are brushing, flossing and gargling regularly, then you shouldn’t have a real problem.
But if you don’t, then it’s time to visit your dentist. Dental plaque, a sticky, grainy film that grows on teeth due to the mixture of bacteria with the sugars and starches from the food you eat, causes bad breath. Tartar is the hardened plaque build-up after so much dental neglect.
Brush or floss twice daily, thrice if you can. Do not sleep without doing your cleansing ritual. Eradicate parasites from your tummy.
Looking at yourself in the mirror and then smiling is a practice that can get you started on better dental health. Run your tongue over your teeth. If it feels grainy, then it’s time for your dental check-up and cleaning.
Make it a habit to take two acidophilus (good bacteria) capsules daily.
Consider digestive enzymes, one to three tablets daily or eat fresh, raw (uncooked) fruits and vegetables.
Juice fresh veggies/fruits as your morning starter, tonic and cleanser.
Chlorophyll tablets could be taken.
Steep parsley leaves in hot water and sip as a tea.
Rule out parasites. See your doctor.
Alternation to steroids
Are there any legal and natural supplements as an alternative to steroids? I am a professional athlete.
Yes there are. Called branched chain amino acids (BCAA’s), these are compound of leucine, valine and isoleucine. Considered natural anabolic muscle-building supplements, they are a principal source of calories for the human muscle, especially effective during an intense workout.
BCAAs can also reduce the appetite while producing glycogen which balances insulin secretion.
More importantly, it promotes lean muscle mass and distribution.
Supplements should be taken 30 minutes before a workout.


Bolivia: Coca-chewing protest outside US embassy
Indigenous activists in Bolivia have been holding a mass coca-chewing protest as part of campaign to end an international ban on the practice.
Hundreds of people chewed the leaf outside the US embassy in La Paz and in other cities across the country.
Bolivia wants to amend a UN drugs treaty that bans chewing coca, which is an ancient tradition in the Andes.
But the US has said it will veto the amendment because coca is also the raw material for making cocaine.
The protesters outside the US embassy also displayed products made from coca, including soft drinks, toothpaste, sweets and ointments.
They were supporting a Bolivian government campaign to amend the 1961 UN Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs to remove language that bans the chewing of coca leaf.
The convention stipulates that coca-chewing be eliminated within 25 years of the convention coming into effect in 1964.
Bolivia says that is discriminatory, given that coca use is so deeply rooted in the indigenous culture of the Andes.Eradication
The US is opposed to changing the UN convention because it says it would weaken the fight against cocaine production.
In a statement, the US embassy said Washington recognised coca-chewing as a "traditional custom" of Bolivia's indigenous peoples but could not support the amendment.
"The position of the US government in not supporting the amendment is based on the importance of maintaining the integrity of the UN convention, which is an important tool in the fight against drug-trafficking," it said.
The US is the world's largest consumer of cocaine and has been leading efforts to eradicate coca production in the Andes for decades.
Bolivia is the world's first biggest producer of cocaine after Peru and Colombia, and much of its coca crop is used to make the illegal drug.
Bolivian President Evo Morales has long advocated the recognition of coca as a plant of great medicinal, cultural and religious importance that is distinct from cocaine.
As well as being Bolivia's first indigenous head of state, Mr Morales is also a former coca-grower and leader of a coca-growers trade union.
The Bolivian amendment would come into effect on 31 January only if there were no objections.


Visit a Travel Clinic Before Going AbroadEn Español (Spanish Version)
Food and Water-borne Illnesses | Vaccination Requirements | Travel Clinic Services | Post-travel Care
With the age of aviation, traveling the world has not only become easier, but it is also an enriching experience. Although some of us may stay within the limits of our national borders, many of us will travel to exotic locales in countries with varying degrees of sanitation and standards of hygiene. The risk of food- or water-borne illnesses, as well as more harmful diseases while on vacation, including malaria and yellow fever, can be a reality of travel. Despite these significant health risks, many will not seek medical advice before a trip. But whether your destination is Cancun or Calcutta, it may be well worth the time to visit a travel health clinic before your departure.
The following individuals should seek medical advice before traveling abroad:
- Infants and young children
- Those with chronic conditions such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, kidney disease, irritable bowel syndrome, epilepsy, or HIV infection
- Cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy
- Persons on prescription medications including H-2 blockers and antacids
- Pregnant women
While these individuals must take extra precautions when traveling, anyone planning a trip overseas should consider seeking medical advice from a travel clinic.
Food and Water-borne Illnesses
Food- and water-borne illnesses, such as traveler’s diarrhea, are the most common maladies faced during travel. Contaminated food and water can be sources of infection from Escherichia coli, bacillary dysentery, and hepatitis A—all of which can lead to severe dehydration. In general, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends drinking only bottled water (be sure it is a fresh bottle by checking the seal) and avoiding undercooked or raw foods (especially vegetable and fruits), dairy products, shellfish, or food that has been allowed to cool to room temperature. Based on the country you will be visiting, a travel health clinic can provide you with a complete list of CDC precautions and recommendations along with necessary antibiotics and water sanitation devices.
Depending on your destination, general health risks can range from the common cold to typhoid fever. The World Health Organization (WHO) cites malaria as one of the most serious risks to international travelers. This potentially fatal disease, transmitted through mosquito bites, occurs in more than 100 countries—many of which are popular destinations, such as Mexico, the Caribbean, India, Egypt, and South Africa. Also of concern are vaccine-preventable hepatitis A and B, both of which can cause liver damage.
Travel health clinics can provide you with information about the year-round health risks that exist in your destination and alert you about new outbreaks that may arise prior to your time of travel. They will also provide you with the recommended immunizations and antibiotics to safeguard against tropical and other illnesses. Of main concern are the following:
- Hepatitis A or B—Mexico, Central and South America, Africa, the Middle East, Asia, the Caribbean, eastern and southern Europe
- Malaria—Asia, Africa, the Middle East, the South Pacific, Mexico, Eastern Europe, Central America, and the Caribbean
- Traveler’s diarrhea—Latin America, Africa, Asia, and the Middle East
- Yellow fever—Africa and South America
- Cholera—Southeast Asia
- Typhoid—Asia, Africa, Soviet Union
- Japanese encephalitis—Southeast Asia
While some countries only recommend that visitors get vaccinated before arriving, others require vaccination as a condition of entry, and will inspect health records to verify that the necessary vaccinations have been taken. In these countries, anyone who has not been vaccinated may be quarantined until they have been, or denied entry altogether. A travel health clinic can determine the vaccination requirements for your destination, administer inoculations and provide you with the necessary documentation, such as an International Certificate of Vaccination as well as other travel health records, which can be updated before each trip.
Travel Clinic Services
Your destination, length of stay, itinerary, and previous medical history are important factors to consider when seeking travel health advice. The staffs at most travel health clinics consist of physicians and nurse practitioners with specialized degrees in infectious diseases or tropical medicine. They are qualified to develop a travel care plan customized to your individual health needs; administer vaccines and booster shots for polio or measles, mumps, and rubella; and write prescriptions for antibiotics and other medications. It is important to make an appointment 4-6 weeks in advance of your trip. This will give you enough time to begin a malaria vaccine regimen if you need to, and for vaccinations to boost your immune system before your trip.
In general, services provided by most travel health clinics include:
- CDC and WHO information about health risks and recommendations in your area of travel
- United States State Department travel advisories; consulate information
- Pre-travel counseling based on destination, length of stay, and medical history, including how to care for chronic conditions while traveling
- An individualized plan of prevention and treatment, including recommendations for food and water safety, and recommendations for avoiding insect-borne diseases
- Vaccinations for influenza; hepatitis A and B; yellow fever; typhoid; polio; tetanus/diphtheria; Japanese encephalitis; measles, mumps, and rubella; and rabies
- Vaccination certificates required by some countries before entry
- Antibiotics or over-the-counter medications for diarrhea or prescriptions for malaria prevention
- Permanent medical records listing any present illness as well as medical needs
- A list of recommended doctors or clinics abroad
- Information about traveler’s medical insurance, which provides affordable coverage for medical emergencies (also check with your current provider)
- Tests to determine whether any illnesses were acquired abroad
- Treatment of any illnesses acquired abroad
Another essential aspect of travel clinic services is post-travel care. This is particularly important for those with chronic conditions and anyone experiencing persistent health problems upon their return, including the following:
- Fever (seek immediate attention if you have traveled to an area where malaria is prevalent)
- Urinary tract or genital infections
- Skin disorders
Many hospitals and medical centers provide travel health services. The following site can provide you with a list of travel health clinics in your area: http://http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
United States State Department
World Health Organization
Aurora Health Care Travelers Clinic. Staying healthy abroad starts with healthy advice at home. Available at: http://www.aurorahealthcare.org/services/travelclinic/index.asp. Accessed July 2005.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Pre-and post-travel general health recommendations. Health Information for International Travel, 2005-2006. Available at: http://www.2ncid.cdc.gov/travel/yb/utls/ybGet.asp?section=recs&obj=food-drink-risks.htm. Accessed July 2005.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Malaria and Travelers. Available at: www.cdc.gov/malaria/travel/index.htm. Accessed July 2005.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Vaccination Certificate Requirements for Direct Travel from the United States to Other Countries. Available at: www.cdc.gov/travel/vaccinations/cert-requirements2.htm. Accessed July 2005.
Internal Medicine Doctors for Adults. Health Care Topics: Travel Immunization. Available at: www.doctorsforadults.com/topics/dfa_travel.htm. Accessed July 2005.
MayoClinic.com. Global travel: Advance planning can prevent illness. Available at: http://www.mayoclinic.com/invoke.cfm:id=HQ00760. Accessed July 2005.
Medical College of Wisconsin. Health Risks of Travel Range from Unusual to Mundane. Available at: http://healthlink.mcw.edu/article/1031002363.html. Accessed July 2005.
MedicalNewsService.com. American Society of Travel Agents Urge Healthy Travel for Consumers. Available at: http://www.medicalnewsservice.com/fullstory.cfm?storyID=3029&fback=yes. Accessed July 2005.
Medical University of South Carolina. Travel Clinic. Available at: http://www.muschealth.com/medical_services/specialty_listing/travelclinic/. Accessed July 2005.
See a doctor before you travel. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website. Available at: http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/page/see-doctor.htm. Created July 31, 2008. Updated January 13, 2011. Accessed August 8, 2011.
Tulane University. Clinic Keeps Travelers Fit. Available at: http://www2.tulane.edu/article_news_details.cfm?ArticleID=5752. Accessed July 2005.
UMass Memorial Medical Center. Traveler’s Health Services. Available at: http://www.umassmemorial.org/ummhc/hospitals/med_center/services/travelers/index.cfm. Accessed July 2005.
University of Connecticut Health Center. The International Traveler’s Medical Service. Available at: http://health/uchc.edu/clinicalservices/travel/. Accessed July 2005.
University of Maryland Medical Center. Travel Medicine. Guide for the Adventurous Traveler. Available at: http://www.umm.edu/travel/guide.htm.AccessedAccessed July 2005.
University of Texas Health Services. Travel Medicine. Available at: http://www.uth.tmc.edu/uths/travel.html. Accessed July 2005.
United States State Department. Medical Information for Americans Traveling Abroad. Available at: http://travel.state.gov/travel/tips/health/health_1185.html. Accessed July 2005.
Vanderbilt International Travel Clinic. Health Services You’ll Receive After You Return. Available at: http://www.vanderbilttravelclinic.com/services/after.html. Accessed July 2005.
Vanderbilt International Travel Clinic. Health Services You’ll Receive Before you travel. Available at: http://www.vanderbiltclinic.com/services/before.html. Accessed July 2005.
Last reviewed August 2011 by Brian Randall, MD
Please be aware that this information is provided to supplement the care provided by your physician. It is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. CALL YOUR HEALTHCARE PROVIDER IMMEDIATELY IF YOU THINK YOU MAY HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new treatment or with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.


Glucose is a type of sugar. It comes from food, and is also created in the liver. Glucose travels through the body in the blood. It moves from the blood to cells with the help of a hormone called insulin. Once glucose is in those cells, it can be used for energy.
Diabetes is a condition that makes it difficult for the body to use glucose. This causes a buildup of glucose in the blood. It also means the body is not getting enough energy. Type 2 diabetes is one type of diabetes. It is the most common type.
Medication, lifestyle changes, and monitoring can help control blood glucose levels.
Type 2 diabetes is often caused by a combination of factors. One factor is that your body begins to make less insulin. A second factor is that your body becomes resistant to insulin. This means there is insulin in your body, but your body cannot use it effectively. Insulin resistance is often related to excess body fat.
The doctor will ask about your symptoms and medical history. You will also be asked about your family history. A physical exam will be done.
Diagnosis is based on the results of blood testing. American Diabetes Association (ADA) recommends diagnosis be made if you have one of the following:
Symptoms of diabetes and a
random blood test
with a blood sugar level greater than or equal to 200 mg/dL (11.1 mmol/L)
- Fasting blood sugar test—Done after you have not eaten for eight or more hours—Showing blood sugar levels greater than or equal to 126 mg/dL (7 mmol/L) on two different days
- Glucose tolerance test—Measuring blood sugar two hours after you eat glucose—Showing glucose levels greater than or equal to 200 mg/dL (11.1 mmol/L)
- HbA1c level of 6.5% or higher—Indicates poor blood sugar control over the past 2-4 months
mg/dL = milligrams per deciliter of blood; mmol/L = millimole per liter of blood
Treatment aims to:
- Maintain blood sugar at levels as close to normal as possible
- Prevent or delay complications
- Control other conditions that you may have, like high blood pressure and high cholesterol
Food and drinks have a direct effect on your blood glucose level. Eating healthy meals can help you control your blood glucose. It will also help your overall health. Some basic tips include:
If you are overweight, weight loss will help your body use insulin better. Talk to your doctor about a healthy weight goal. You and your doctor or dietitian can make a safe meal plan for you.
These options may help you lose weight:
Physical activity can:
- Make the body more sensitive to insulin
- Help you reach and maintain a healthy weight
- Lower the levels of fat in your blood
exercise is any activity that increases your heart rate. Resistance training helps build muscle strength. Both types of exercise help to improve
long-term glucose control. Regular exercise can also help reduce your risk of heart disease.
Talk to your doctor about an activity plan. Ask about any precautions you may need to take.
Certain medicines will help to manage blood glucose levels.
Medication taken by mouth may include:
- Metformin—To reduce the amount of glucose made by the body and to make the body more sensitive to insulin
Medications that encourage the pancreas to make more insulin such as sulfonylureas (glyburide,
tolazamide), dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors (saxagliptin,
Insulin sensitizers such as
pioglitazone—To help the body use insulin better
Starch blockers such as
miglitol—To decrease the amount of glucose absorbed into the blood
Some medicine needs to be given through injections, such as:
Incretin-mimetics such as
stimulate the pancreas to produce insulin and decrease appetite (can assist with weight loss)
Amylin analogs such as
replace a protein of the pancreas that is low in people with type 2 diabetes
Insulin may be needed if:
- The body does not make enough of its own insulin.
- Blood glucose levels cannot be controlled with lifestyle changes and medicine.
Insulin is given through injections.
Blood Glucose Testing
You can check the level of glucose in your blood with a blood glucose meter. Checking your blood glucose levels
during the day can help you stay on track. It will also help your doctor determine if your treatment is working. Keeping track of blood sugar levels is especially important if you take insulin.
Regular testing may not be needed if your diabetes is under control and you don't take insulin. Talk with your doctor before stopping blood sugar monitoring.
may also be done at your doctor's office. This is a measure of blood glucose control over a long period of time. Doctors advise that most people keep their HbA1c levels below 7%. Your exact goal may be different. Keeping HbA1c in your goal range can help lower the chance of complications.
Decreasing Risk of Complications
Over a long period of time, high blood glucose levels can damage vital organs. The kidneys, eyes, and nerves are most affected. Diabetes can also increase your risk of heart disease.
Maintaining goal blood glucose levels is the first step to lowering your risk of these complications. Other steps include:
- Take good care of your feet. Be on the lookout for any sores or irritated areas. Keep your feet dry and clean.
- Have your eyes checked once a year.
- Don't smoke. If you do, look for programs or products that can help you quit.
- Plan medical visits as recommended.


First ever direct measurement of the Earth’s rotation
Geodesists are pinpointing the orientation of the Earth’s axis using the world’s most stable ring laser
A group with researchers at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) and the Federal Agency for Cartography and Geodesy (BKG) are the first to plot changes in the Earth’s axis through laboratory measurements. To do this, they constructed the world’s most stable ring laser in an underground lab and used it to determine changes in the Earth’s rotation. Previously, scientists were only able to track shifts in the polar axis indirectly by monitoring fixed objects in space. Capturing the tilt of the Earth’s axis and its rotational velocity is crucial for precise positional information on Earth – and thus for the accurate functioning of modern navigation systems, for instance. The scientists’ work has been recognized an Exceptional Research Spotlight by the American Physical Society.
The Earth wobbles. Like a spinning top touched in mid-spin, its rotational axis fluctuates in relation to space. This is partly caused by gravitation from the sun and the moon. At the same time, the Earth’s rotational axis constantly changes relative to the Earth’s surface. On the one hand, this is caused by variation in atmospheric pressure, ocean loading and wind. These elements combine in an effect known as the Chandler wobble to create polar motion. Named after the scientist who discovered it, this phenomenon has a period of around 435 days. On the other hand, an event known as the “annual wobble” causes the rotational axis to move over a period of a year. This is due to the Earth’s elliptical orbit around the sun. These two effects cause the Earth’s axis to migrate irregularly along a circular path with a radius of up to six meters.
Capturing these movements is crucial to create a reliable coordinate system that can feed navigation systems or project trajectory paths in space travel. “Locating a point to the exact centimeter for global positioning is an extremely dynamic process – after all, at our latitude, we are moving at around 350 meters to the east per second,” explains Prof. Karl Ulrich Schreiber, meanwhile as station director of the geodetic observatory Wettzell where the ring laser is settled. Karl Ulrich Schreiber had directed the project in TUM’s Research Section Satellite Geodesy. The geodetic observatory Wettzell is run together by TUM and BKG.
The researchers have succeeded in corroborating the Chandler and annual wobble measurements based on the data captured by radio telescopes. They now aim to make the apparatus more accurate, enabling them to determine changes in the Earth’s rotational axis over a single day. The scientists also plan to make the ring laser capable of continuous operation so that it can run for a period of years without any deviations. “In simple terms,” concludes Schreiber, “in future, we want to be able to just pop down into the basement and find out how fast the Earth is accurately turning right now."
For more information please visit the TU München homepage http://portal.mytum.de/pressestelle/pressemitteilungen/NewsArticle_20111220_100621/newsarticle_view?.


A common virus that affects 50-70% of adults. If a woman acquires cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection during pregnancy, there is about a 15% chance that her infant will have infection and serious complications. Women who have had CMV infection and who are considering breastfeeding their prematurely born infant should check first with their child's doctor since there is a risk of transmitting the virus to the infant through breast milk. Prematurely born infants may not be able to fight off the CMV infection as do infants born at term. CMV infection is usually a mild infection in adults. Infants born to women who have had CMV long before they became pregnant are at low risk of having an infant with serious CMV infection.


the National Science Foundation
Available Languages: English, Spanish
This classroom-tested learning module gives a condensed, easily-understood view of the development of atomic theory from the late 19th through early 20th century. The key idea was the discovery that the atom is not an "indivisible" particle, but consists of smaller constituents: the proton, neutron, and electron. It discusses the contributions of John Dalton, J.J. Thomson, Ernest Rutherford, and James Chadwick, whose experiments revolutionized the world view of atomic structure. See Related Materials for a link to Part 2 of this series.
atomic structure, cathode ray experiment, electron, helium atom, history of atom, history of the atom, hydrogen atom, neutron, proton
Metadata instance created
July 12, 2011
by Caroline Hall
October 10, 2012
by Caroline Hall
Last Update when Cataloged:
January 1, 2006
AAAS Benchmark Alignments (2008 Version)
4. The Physical Setting
4D. The Structure of Matter
6-8: 4D/M1a. All matter is made up of atoms, which are far too small to see directly through a microscope.
9-12: 4D/H1. Atoms are made of a positively charged nucleus surrounded by negatively charged electrons. The nucleus is a tiny fraction of the volume of an atom but makes up almost all of its mass. The nucleus is composed of protons and neutrons which have roughly the same mass but differ in that protons are positively charged while neutrons have no electric charge.
9-12: 4D/H2. The number of protons in the nucleus determines what an atom's electron configuration can be and so defines the element. An atom's electron configuration, particularly the outermost electrons, determines how the atom can interact with other atoms. Atoms form bonds to other atoms by transferring or sharing electrons.
10. Historical Perspectives
10F. Understanding Fire
9-12: 10F/H1. In the late 1700s and early 1800s, the idea of atoms reemerged in response to questions about the structure of matter, the nature of fire, and the basis of chemical phenomena.
9-12: 10F/H3. In the early 1800s, British chemist and physicist John Dalton united the concepts of atoms and elements. He proposed two ideas that laid the groundwork for modern chemistry: first, that elements are formed from small, indivisible particles called atoms, which are identical for a given element but different from any other element; and second, that chemical compounds are formed from atoms by combining a definite number of each type of atom to form one molecule of the compound.
9-12: 10F/H4. Dalton figured out how the relative weights of the atoms could be determined experimentally. His idea that every substance had a unique atomic composition provided an explanation for why substances were made up of elements in specific proportions.
This resource is part of a Physics Front Topical Unit.
Topic: Particles and Interactions and the Standard Model Unit Title: History and Discovery
This classroom-tested learning module gives a condensed, easily-understood view of the development of atomic theory from the late 19th through early 20th century. The key idea was the discovery that the atom is not an "indivisible" particle, but consists of smaller constituents: the proton, neutron, and electron. It discusses the contributions of John Dalton, J.J. Thomson, Ernest Rutherford, and James Chadwick, whose experiments revolutionized the world view of atomic structure.
%0 Electronic Source %A Carpi, Anthony %D January 1, 2006 %T Visionlearning: Atomic Theory I %I Visionlearning %V 2013 %N 21 May 2013 %8 January 1, 2006 %9 text/html %U http://www.visionlearning.com/library/module_viewer.php?mid=50&l=
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Questions Relating To The Future Of Humankind
By Jason G. Brent
24 October, 2011
WE HAVE COME A LONG WAY FROM THE NUCLEAR BOMBS DROPPED ON JAPAN IN 1945--20,000 TONS TNT EQUIVILENT--- TO NUCLEAR DEVICES WHICH PRODUCE OVER 57,000,000 TONS TNT EQUIVILENT.
1. After many years of thinking and research I could come up only with three ways by which the growth of the human population can be reduced to zero or made negative, if that were necessary for the survival of our species.
a) By war, with or without weapons of mass destruction, starvation, disease, ethnic cleansing, rape, mutilation, and other horrors. This most likely would occur as humanity got close to the carrying capacity of the earth and almost certainly would occur after humankind reached or exceeded the earth's carrying capacity.
b) By the voluntary action of all of humanity. This most likely would occur prior to reaching the carrying capacity of the Earth. Of course, this also could happen after humanity reached or exceeded the carrying capacity of the Earth and be used to reduce the human population to the carrying capacity of the Earth without violence---provided the horrors in (a) above have not commenced. This action would include education of women, raising their standard of living, modifying the culture of many societies, increasing the standard of living of all of humanity, and many other actions of a similar nature. Voluntary action includes any and all non-violent steps humankind could take to reduce population growth to zero or make it negative except coercive action.
c) By the coercive action of society limiting the number of children a person or a couple could produce. This most likely would occur prior to reaching the carrying capacity of the Earth. Of course, it could also be used to reduce human population to the carrying capacity of the Earth after humanity has exceeded the carrying capacity of the Earth, provided the horrors in (a) above have not commenced.
There isn't a single accepted definition of "carrying capacity". For the purposes of this essay I will define "carrying capacity" as the number of human beings combined with the average per capita usage of resources which will permit that number of human beings to exist and survive on this planet for a minimum of 1000 years. An alternative definition of "carrying capacity" is the number of human beings combined with the average per capita usage of resources which if exceeded even for a short period of time will result in the inability of the Earth provide the resources necessary for civilization to continue causing a rapid and horrendous decline in the human population. While no one knows what the carrying capacity of the Earth may be, it cannot be infinite-- it must be finite. No matter how much the average per capita usage of resources is reduced the Earth could not support 1 trillion human beings. Similarly, if the per capita usage of resources were increased such that each human being used 30 times the amount of resources used by the average American is highly unlikely that the Earth could support 1 billion human beings.
At present human population is growing. It is highly likely that the average per capita usage of resources will continue to increase due to the rapidly growing economies of India and China and the growing economies of many of the other nations of the world. Therefore, a very strong case can be made that humanity will shortly exceed the carrying capacity of the Earth, if humanity already has not exceeded that capacity. If humanity exceeds the carrying capacity and takes no immediate action to reduce the population and/or the usage of resources to reduce it's impact on the planet below carrying capacity, then humans will enter into a violent competitions for the resources necessary to survive and the horrors set forth in 1(a) will occur. In simple terms, it will be each and every man/group/religion/nation/culture against every other man/group/religion/nation/culture in order to obtain resources which the Earth can provide so that the individual survives-- pure violent Darwinism. Billions will die and die horribly and more importantly the catastrophe will use up and/or destroy any remaining resources such that civilization will be unable to restart forever or at least for thousands of years
2. Does society, no matter how defined, have a right to limit the number of children a person produces by coercion or is the right to determine how many children a person produces absolute and society has no right to interfere with that decision? In considering this question limit yourself to the right I have set forth above and do not consider how that right could or would be enforced and whether enforcing that right would be harmful or beneficial to society. Those questions and any and all others would have to be considered, evaluated and discussed only if the right to limit the number of children a person produces by coercion exists in society. As far as I have been able to determine after doing many years of research I could not find a single human right that was not subject to control or modification by society. Even the right to life is not absolute-- many nations and cultures take away right to life when a person has committed certain types of murder. The right walk the streets as a free person is not an absolute right-- almost every nation or culture takes away that right and places a person in prison when a serious/heinous crime has been committed. Your reasons for your answer are requested.
3. While United Nations issues about eight different projections of the future human population, the most quoted and accepted projection is the "medium" projection. The most recent medium projection/estimation/prediction/prognostication (use whatever word you desire) issued by the UN predicts that the human population will exceed 10 billion and still be growing by the year 2100. Do you agree with that prediction after giving due consideration to the rate by which humanity is using the limited finite nonrenewable resources of our planet and the rate our species is using resources normally considered renewable? Do you agree with that prediction after giving consideration to the projected increase in per capita usage of resources by the nations of the world and in particular by the ever increasing per capita usage of resources of China and India? You may want to review the work of Lester Brown of the Earth Policy Institute as to the future usage of resources by China. Do you believe that the carrying capacity of the Earth, no matter how defined, is substantially less than 10 billion of our species and that the continued population growth will result in the collapse of society/the social order/civilization and the horrors set forth in paragraph 1 (a) above will happen prior to the year 2100? You may want to consult the works of William Catton, Richard Heinberg, Chris Clugston, David Pimental, James Lovelock and many others. Clugston's work can be viewed free of charge on his web site www.wakeupamerika.com (it is spelled with a 'k" and not a "c")-- pay particular attention to his book "Scarcity". The reasons for your answers to these questions would be most appreciated.
Since no rational person would want to control population growth by the horrors set forth in paragraph 1(a) above, there are in reality only two ways to control population growth/reduce population growth to zero/make it negative. No one can present a logically and factually supported case that the voluntary action (as defined in paragraph 1 above) of humanity will reduce population growth to zero prior to the commencement of the horrors described in paragraph 1(a) with absolute certainty. In other words, there is some level of probability that if humanity were to limit itself to voluntary action to control population growth that action will fail and humanity will exceed the carrying capacity of the Earth such that the horrors described in paragraph 1(a) would occur. No one knows what is the chance of success or what is the chance of failure of voluntary action-- no one knows if the chance of success is 70% and the chance of failure is 30% or 80/20 or 60/40 or 50/50 or any other combination of numbers. However, there is a chance of failure and failure will lead to the collapse of society/the collapse of the social order/the destruction of civilization and to the horrors described in paragraph 1(a).
More importantly, there is a vastly greater chance of failure of voluntary action if population growth not only has to be reduced to zero but made negative to substantially reduce the human population from the current 7 billion or from the future 10 billion (year 2100) to a much lower number in order for our species to survive for a reasonable period of time. A number of experts (whatever the word "expert" means) ( David Pimental of Cornell University and James Lovelock of Gaia fame, for example) have presented factually and logically supported cases that the Earth's carrying capacity is 2 billion or less of our species. Humanity ignores at its peril the work of these experts. If the chance of success/failure is one set of numbers for voluntary action relating to reducing population growth zero, then there is a second set of numbers for success/failure in which the success side of the equation is substantially reduced and failure side of the equation is substantially increased in considering voluntary action in relation to population reduction.
Since chance of failure of voluntary action could result in the horrific deaths of billions, perhaps as many as 9.6 billion--(10.1 billion alive in 2100 less the possible carrying capacity of 0.5 billion = reduction of 9.6 billion),the question becomes---- what level of possible failure of voluntary action is acceptable to humankind? Of course, the number of horrific deaths could be substantially less than 9.6 billion. However, since no one can guarantee with 100% certainty that the voluntary action will not prevent a substantial number of horrific deaths, the leaders of humanity have a duty to convene one or more conferences of the best minds presently on our planet to evaluate and consider coercive population control. It cannot be denied that many arguments can be made against coercive population control--- the experiment in India a number of years ago was a failure, humanity could equate coercive population control with the actions of Adolph Hitler or racists, it will take as long to impose coercive control as to make voluntary action successful and many others.
Coercive population control need not be discriminatory. If each couple in the entire world were limited to one child, no religion, group, nationality, race, culture, etc., would benefit at the expense of any other religion, group, nationality, race or culture.
This essay is not intended discuss or debate the advantages/disadvantages, or the problems/benefits of coercive population control. Rather, the purpose of this essay is to show that humanity must consider and evaluate coercive population control because there is a substantial, but undefined, risk that voluntary action will lead to the horrific deaths of a substantial number of human beings in the very near future----probably before the year 2050 and almost certainly before the year 2100.
Jason G. Brent email@example.com
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Micro vs Macro
Micro and macro are prefixes that are used before words to make them small or big respectively. This is true with micro and macroeconomics, micro and macro evolution, microorganism, micro lens and macro lens, micro finance and macro finance, and so on. The list of words that makes use of these prefixes is long and exhaustive. Many people confuse between micro and macro despite knowing that these prefixes signify small and large respectively. This article takes a closer look at the two prefixes to find out their differences.
To understand the difference between micro and macro, let us take up the example of micro and macro evolution. To signify evolution that takes place within a single species, the word microevolution is used whereas evolution that transcends the boundaries of species and takes place on a very large scale is termed as macroevolution. Though the principles of evolution such as genetics, mutation, natural selection, and migration remain the same across microevolution as well as macro evolution, this distinction between microevolution and macroevolution is a great way to explain this natural phenomenon.
Another field of study that makes use of micro and macro is economics. While the study of the overall economy and how it works is called macroeconomics, microeconomics focuses on the individual person, company, or industry. Thus, the study of GDP, employment, inflation etc. in an economy is classified under macroeconomics. Microeconomics is the study of forces of demand and supply inside a particular industry effecting the goods and services. So it is macroeconomics when economists choose to concentrate upon the state of the economy in a nation whereas the study of a single market or industry remains within the realms of microeconomics.
There is also the study of finance where these two prefixes are commonly used. Thus, we have microfinance where the focus is upon the monetary needs and requirements of a single individual where there is also macro finance where financing by the banks or other financial institutions is of very large nature.
Micro and macro are derived from Greek language where micro means small and macro refers to large. These prefixes are used in many fields of study such as finance, economics, evolution etc. where we have words like micro finance and macro finance, micro evolution and macro evolution etc. Studying something at a small level is micro while studying it on a large scale is macro analysis. Financing the needs of an individual may be micro financing whereas the financial needs of a builder requiring money for a very large infrastructural project may be referred to as macro finance.


— Copyright Dorothy Sloan 2013 —
Early Railroad Map of Missouri & Eastern Kansas
Very Rare Pocket Map
389. [MAP]. WELLS, J[ohn] G[aylord]. Wells’ New Rail Road and Township Map of Missouri and Eastern Kansas from the Latest Government Surveys. J.G. Wells, 11 Beekman St. New York. 1857. Scale of Miles... Explanation [with symbols] State Capital. County Towns. Rail Roads. Proposed Rail Roads. [pictorial seal] Great Seal of the State of Missouri [below lower neat line at left] Lith. V. Keil 181 William St. N.Y. [centered below lower ornamental border] Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1857, by J.G. Wells, in the Clerk’s Office of the District Court of the Southern District of New York. New York, 1857. Lithograph map of Eastern Kansas, all of Missouri, and parts of Indian Territory, Nebraska, Iowa, Arkansas, and Illinois, printed on bank note paper, full hand coloring, borders in bright rose pink, ornate border of grapes, grape leaves, Native American portrait in oval at each corner; neat line to neat line: 42.8 x 63 cm; border to border: 51 x 71 cm; overall sheet size: 60 x 79 cm; folded into original green embossed cloth (14.7 x 9.5 cm), title lettered in gilt on upper cover (Wells’ New Map of Missouri and Eastern Kansas), printed yellow endpaper affixed to inside upper cover (Wells’ List of New Publications). Mild age toning to map, a few stains at top left, clean splits at a few folds (no losses), overall a fine copy with brilliant color. Uncommon (one copy of the 1858 edition located by OCLC, University of Virginia at Charlottesville).
First edition. Not in Modelski’s railroad bibliographies, or other standard sources. Railroads began to be important in the region in the late 1850s, but ironically, the only railroad shown on this map is the Pacific Railroad Line between St. Louis (“The Gateway to the West”) and Jefferson City, with shorter trunk lines to the north and south of St. Louis. Slowly the emigrant and other trails were being replaced by railroad tracks. On the other hand, several proposed lines are indicated, such as one from Jefferson City to Kansas City, and another from Keosauqua, Iowa, to Kansas City. Tooley lists cartographer J.G. Wells (1821-1880) but notes only one map (Ohio) by him. Other located publications indicate that he was active principally in 1857. Circa 1856, Wells published a map of Kansas and Nebraska. In 1857 Wells published an extraordinary amount of material, such as pocket guides for Iowa (Howes W250), Nebraska (Howes W251), and popular guides, such as Wells’ National Hand-Book, and even a book on how to be your own attorney. Other maps by Wells in 1857 include New Sectional Map of Minnesota (1857); New Sectional Map of Kansas (1857); Kansas and Nebraska (1857); New Sectional Map of Nebraska (sold at our Auction 20 in 2007 @ $8,225). He also published an undated panoramic map of the Civil War in the 1860s (one copy located at University of Virginia at Charlottesville). The list of Wells’ forty publications on the front pastedown is impressive. The mysterious Wells’ cartographic output was short-lived and vigorous, and all his maps are very rare.
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The Smart Student's Handbook provides information to motivate and guide students on the path to a successful academic career. It will also help parents and organizations that are sponsoring students to monitor their educational performance.
Author Leevon Washington Phillips's unique scholastic guide is filled with valuable information to help students get and stay organized, such as:
- Goals for individual terms and the year as a whole
- Study, assignment, and examination tips
- Assignment and performance tracking forms
- Class and study timetables
- A monthly planner/journal
By helping students to better organize their studies, The Smart Student's Handbook inspires students to succeed in their academic pursuits, provides a means of assessing performance, and identifies areas that need improvement.


Fast Food Tied to Asthma, Eczema and Hay Fever in Kids
MONDAY, Jan. 14 (HealthDay News) -- Kids who eat fast food three or more times a week are likely to have more severe allergic reactions, a large new international study suggests.
These include bouts of asthma, eczema and hay fever (rhinitis). And although the study doesn't prove that those burgers, chicken snacks and fries cause these problems, the evidence of an association is compelling, researchers say.
"The study adds to a growing body of evidence of the possible harms of fast foods," said study co-author Hywel Williams, a professor of dermato-epidemiology at the University of Nottingham, in England.
"Whether the evidence we have found is strong enough to recommend a reduction of fast food intake for those with allergies is a matter of debate," he added.
These finding are important, Williams said, because this is the largest study to date on allergies in young people across the world and the findings are remarkably consistent globally for both boys and girls and regardless of family income.
"If true, the findings have big public health implications given that these allergic disorders appear to be on the increase and because fast food is so popular," he said.
However, Williams cautioned that fast food might not be causing these problems. "It could be due to other factors linked to behavior that we have not measured, or it could be due to biases that occur in studies that measure disease and ask about previous food intake," he said.
In addition, this association between fast foods and severe allergies does not necessarily mean that eating less fast food will reduce the severity of disease of asthma, hay fever or eczema (an itchy skin disorder), Williams said.
The report was published in the Jan. 14 online issue of Thorax.
Williams and colleagues collected data on more than 319,000 teens aged 13 and 14 from 51 countries and more than 181,000 kids aged 6 and 7 from 31 countries. All of the children were part of a single study on child asthma and allergies.
Kids and their parents were asked about whether they suffered from asthma or runny or blocked nose along with itchy and watery eyes and eczema. Participants also described in detail what they ate during the week.
Fast food was linked to those conditions in both older and younger children.
Consuming three or more weekly fast food meals was associated with a 39 percent increased risk of severe asthma among teens And three such meals for younger children was associated with a 27 percent increased risk of severe asthma, as well higher risk of rhinitis and eczema.
Fruit, however, appeared to reduce the incidence and severity of these conditions for all the children, and for incidence and severity of wheeze and rhinitis among the teens.
According to Williams, three or more weekly servings of fruit reduced the severity of symptoms 11 percent among the teens and 14 percent among the children.
When looked at closely, the data among children was not as convincing as among teens. However, fast food meals were still associated with symptoms except for current eczema, and in poorer countries, except for current and severe asthma.
"Eating fast food is not healthy for a multitude of reasons," said Samantha Heller, an exercise physiologist and clinical nutrition coordinator at the Center for Cancer Care at Griffin Hospital in Derby, Conn.
It's notorious for being high in sodium, saturated fat, trans fats and refined and processed carbohydrates, and low in essential healthy nutrients such as vitamins, minerals, healthy unsaturated fats and fiber, she said.
"I cannot imagine any parent would choose the convenience of fast food over their child's health if they fully understood how deleterious a diet of fast and junk food is to children," Heller added.
Healthy compounds like vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and healthy fats are essential players in whole-body immunity. Kids eating fast food regularly are subject not only to the disease-promoting and inflammatory effects of trans and saturated fats, excess sodium and refined carbohydrates but also likely to suffer from deficiencies of essential health-promoting compounds, Heller said.
"This can lead to chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, obesity, behavior problems, and as this study suggests, possibly asthma, eczema and colds," she said.
Eating at home more often not only saves money but also keeps families healthier, Heller said.
"For example, you can make healthy fast-food dishes in your own kitchen, such as black bean veggie burgers on whole-wheat buns with tomato and avocado, mashed potatoes with low-fat milk and olive oil or roasted sweet potato fries," she suggested.
For more about healthy eating for children, visit the Nemours Foundation.
SOURCES: Hywel Williams, Ph.D., professor of dermato-epidemiology, University of Nottingham, U.K.; Samantha Heller, M.S., R.D., exercise physiologist and clinical nutrition coordinator, Center for Cancer Care, Griffin Hospital, Derby, Conn.; Jan. 14, 2013, Thorax, online


Leaf Characteristics (PK1) This set introduces simple vocabulary to describe the physical features of 40 North American tree, garden, and house plant leaves. First - The child sorts 9 leaf characteristics cards (3" x 4") onto 3 control cards (10-3/8” x 5¼”) that identify characteristics of Leaf Types, Leaf Veins, and Leaf Margins. Second - After learning the 9 characteristics of leaves, it is time to describe the 3 characteristics of just one leaf. A leaf card is selected from the 40 leaf cards provided (3" x 4"). The child selects the 3 characteristics cards (type, venation, margin) that describe that leaf, and places them on the blank Leaf Identification card (10-3/8” x 5¼”). Real leaves can be used in this exercise as well. Background information is included for the teacher.
Leaves (PK1C) This set consists of 40 DUPLICATE leaf cards (80 cards total). One group of 20 cards illustrates familiar leaves such as dandelion, marigold, and ivy. The second group illustrates common North American tree leaves such as oak, maple, and cottonwood. These are the same leaf cards found in In-Print for Children's “Leaf Characteristics” activity.
Flowers (FL1) This set is designed to help children recognize and to name 20 common flowers, many of which are commercially available throughout the year. This duplicate set of picture cards can be used in simple matching exercises, or in 3-part matching activities if one set is cut apart. The 40 photocards (3¼” x 4") are in full-color and laminated. Flower background information is included for the teacher.
Nuts (PK3) Nuts are nourishing snacks and learning how they grow will make eating them all the more fun! This set of 22 two-color cards (5½” x 3½”) of plant and nut illustrations represents eleven edible nuts/seeds. The child pairs the illustration cards of the nuts in their growing stage to the cards of the nuts in and out of their shells. Make the activity even more successful by bringing the real nuts into the classroom.
Kitchen Herbs & Spices (PK5) This set help children to learn about 20 plants that give us herbs and spices. The delicately drawn, 2-color illustrations clearly show the parts of the plants that give us edible leaves, seeds, stems, bark, bulbs, and berries. Create an aromatic and tasty exercise by having the children pair real herbs and spices with these cards (4½” x 6¼”).
Plants We Eat (PK9) Learn more about food plants and their different edible parts. This set classifies 18 plant foods into six groups: roots, stems, leaves, flowers, fruits, and seeds. A duplicate set of 18 labeled picture/definition cards (6" x 6") shows plants in their growing stage with only their “food” portion in color. One set of picture/ definition cards is spiral bound into 6 control booklets that include definitions of the root, stem, leaf, flower, fruit, and seed. The other set of picture/ definition cards are to be cut apart for 2 or 3-part matching exercises. Plant description cards can be used for “Who am I?” games with our plant picture cards or with real foods. Both cards and booklets are laminated.
Plants We Eat Replicards (PK9w) Six replicards are photocopied to produce worksheets for an extension exercise using our set Plants We Eat (PK9). Children color and label the worksheets, which illustrate three plant examples for each of the following groups: roots, stems, leaves, flowers, fruits, and seeds. The Plants We Eat booklets serve as controls. After worksheets (8½” x 11") are colored and labeled, they can be cut apart, stapled together, and made into six take-home booklets. These booklets may generate lively family dinner-table discussions: “A potato is a what?”
Plants - Who am I? (WP) This beginning activity for lower elementary strengthens both reading and listening skills, and provides children with simple facts about 10 plants. The set consists of duplicate, labeled picture cards with descriptive text and features plants different from those in the First Knowledge: Plant Stories (see below). The set of cards with text ending in “Who am I?” is cut apart into 10 picture cards, 10 plant name cards, and 10 text cards. The other set is left whole. Cards are used for picture-to-text card matching exercises and for playing the “Who am I” game. Cards measure 6½” x 4" and are in full color and laminated.
First Knowledge: Plant Stories (PK7) This set consists of 19 duplicate plant picture/text cards. One set is cut apart for 3-part matching activities, and the other set is placed in the green, 6-ring mini-binder labeled Plants. The teacher has the option of changing the cards in the binder as needed. The children can match the 3-part cards (6" x 3¾”) to the cards in the binder, practice reading, learn about the diverse characteristics of these plants, and then play “Who am I?” The eight angiosperms picture cards can be sorted beneath two cards that name and define Monocots and Dicots. These activities prepare children for later work with our Plant Kingdom Chart & Cards (see below), which illustrates the same plants.
Plant Kingdom Chart and Cards (PK6) Our 4-color plastic paper chart and cards represents the current classification of the plant kingdom (not illustrated here) – the same as is used in secondary and college level biology courses. This classification organizes the plant kingdom in a straightforward manner with simple definitions and examples under each heading. Firs the plants are categorized as either Nonvascular Plants (Bryophytes) or Vascular Plants. Then the Vascular plants are divided into two groups: Seedless Plants or Seed Plants. Seed Plants are divided into two groups: Gymnosperms and Angiosperms with sub-categories. Nineteen picture cards (2¼” x 3") illustrate the currently recognized phyla of the plant kingdom. Children match the 19 plant picture cards to the pictures on the chart (18" x 32"). Text on the back of the picture cards describes each plant. Advanced students can recreate the chart with the title cards provided, using the chart as a control of error. Background information is provided.
Parts of a Mushroom Parts of a gilled mushroom are highlighted and labeled on six 2-color cards (3" x 5"). Photocopy the Replicard (8½” x 11") to make quarter page worksheets. The child colors and labels the worksheets, using the picture cards as a guide. Completed worksheets can be stapled together to make a booklet for “Parts of a Mushroom”. (In-Print product code FK1)
Fungi (FK4) Members of the Fungus Kingdom have a wide variety of forms. Children see fungi everywhere, such as mold on food, or mushrooms on the lawn. This duplicate set of labeled picture cards shows 12 common fungi found indoors and out. Fungi illustrated: blue cheese fungus, bolete, coral fungus, cup fungus, jelly fungus, lichens, mildew, milky mushrooms, mold, and morel. Background information is included. Pictures cards (3½” x 4½”) are in full color and laminated.
Classification of the Fungus KingdomChart and Cards (FK3) This classification of the Fungus Kingdom organizes 18 representative fungi into four major groups and two important fungal partnerships: Chytrids, Yoke Fungi, Sac Fungi, Club Fungi, Lichens, Mycorrhizae. Children match the 18 picture cards (2-7/8” x 2-3/8”) to the pictures on the 2-color chart (18" x 16"). After this activity, they can sort the picture cards under the label cards for the 5 fungus groups, using the chart as the control. Description of each fungus type is printed on the back of the picture cards. Background information is included for the teacher. This chart is printed on vinyl and does not need to be laminated.


Education for Sustainable Diversity (ESD), as defined by the Office for Inclusion, is the practice of acquiring knowledge about and becoming aware of ways in which our beliefs and biases impact the quality of relationships among people from different cultural groups around the world.
The goal of the Office for Inclusion is to support a campus community that understands how to fully integrate the University’s core values of diversity and inclusion into campus work and learning environments. ESD serves to provide opportunities for people to better understand the complexities of and synergies between, the issues threatening our intercultural sustainability and assess their own values and those of the society in which they live in. ESD seeks to engage people in negotiating a sustainable future, making decisions and acting on them. To do this effectively, the following skills are essential to ESD:
- Envisioning -- being able to imagine a better future. The premise is if we recognize and begin to understand the issues that obstruct intercultural respect, we will be better able to work through issues and find ways to respect each other.
- Critical thinking and reflection -- learning to question our current belief systems and to recognize the assumptions underlying our knowledge, perspective and opinions. Critical thinking skills help people learn to examine social and cultural structures in the context of sustainable intercultural development.
- Systemic thinking -- acknowledging complexities and looking for links and synergies when trying to find solutions to problems.
- Building partnerships -- promoting dialogue and negotiation, learning to work together.
- Participation in decision-making -- empowering people.
- Interactive theatre uses customized and uniquely designed sketches performed by actors to address specific issues, and allow for open and guided discussion between the audience and actors to find solutions to issues.
- Customized small-group workshops, large-group presentations, and symposia featuring themes around diversity, inclusion and social justice.
- e-learning tools custom designed for large audiences on specific topics
- Topics include: MSU's anti-discrimination policies, diversity/inclusion, best practices
For more information or to request a service, please contact the main office at 517-353-3922.


Its an interesting question. But since doctors dont really know the answer, youve caught the scientific community napping as well. Even so, several things come to mind.
The first thing to consider is the possibility that you nap because you have daytime sleepiness. If so, then what might be the cause?
- Do you take any medicine that might make you sleepy? Review your prescriptions with your pharmacist or next time you visit your doctor.
- Have you started having problems sleeping at night? If you sleep well at night and wake up refreshed, dont worry. But if you feel groggy or have early morning headaches, you may have sleep apnea or some other cause of interrupted sleep.
- Could you be depressed? Ask yourself if you no longer enjoy activities that previously gave you pleasure, and whether you are feeling low.
It sounds as if your nap is voluntary and enjoyable. So it probably does not reflect an underlying sleep disturbance. If it refreshes your day without making it hard for you to sleep at night, snooze away.
For most people, a 20- to 40-minute nap between noon and 4:00 p.m. is the best way to catch a few winks without disturbing the sleep-wake cycle. But remember to give yourself a good 10 minutes to wake up gently before you engage in mentally or physically demanding tasks.
When NASA and the FAA studied napping in airline pilots, they found that napping improved mental alertness and performance. Many night shift workers are also perked up by naps as brief as 1520 minutes.
Do naps improve overall health? Napping is the exception in America. But afternoon siestas are the rule in many Mediterranean and Latin American countries.
Scientists have learned that blood pressure drops during a siesta. But it rises abruptly on awakening. Is this meaningful? Probably not, but we cant be sure.
Until doctors dream up a way to resolve the contradiction, there is no reason for you to deprive yourself of a pleasurable nap.


Breakthroughs bring the next two major leaps in computing power into sight
Breakthroughs might make quantum computing, replacement for silicon practical within a decade
One of the best things about covering technology is that you're always on the edge of a completely new generation of stuff that will make everything completely different than it ever was before, even before the last generation made everything different.
"Completely different" always seems pretty much the same, with a few more complications, higher costs and a couple of cool new capabilities, of course.
Unless you look back a decade or two and see that everything is completely different from the way it was then…
Must be some conceptual myopia that keeps us in happy suspense over the future, nostalgic wonder at the past and bored annoyance with the present.
The next future to get excited about is going to be really cool, though.
You know how long scientists have been working on quantum computers that will be incomparably more powerful than the ones we have now because don't have to be built on a "bit" that's either a 1 or a zero? They would use a piece of quantum data called a qubit (or qbit, consistent with everything in the quantum world, the spelling wants to be two things at once), that can exist in several states at the same time. That would turn the most basic function in computing from a toggle switch to a dial with many settings.
Multiply the number of pieces of data in the lowest-level function of the computer and you increase its power logarithmically.
Making it happen has been a trick; they've been under development for 20 years and probably won't show up for another 10.
Teams of Austrian scientists may cut that time down a bit with a system they developed they say can create digital models of quantum-computing systems to make testing and development of both theory and manufacturing issues quicker and easier.
They did it the same way Lord of the Rings brought Gollum to life: putting a living example in front of cameras and taking detailed pictures they could use to recreate the image in any other digital environment.
Rather than an actor, the photo subject was a calcium atom, drastically cooled to slow its motion, then manipulated it using lasers, putting it through a set of paces predicted by quantum-mechanical theory, and recorded the results.
Abstracting those results lets the computer model predict the behavior of almost any other quantum particle or environment, making it possible to use the quantum version of a CAD/CAM system to develop and test new approaches to the systems that will actually become quantum computers, according to a paper published in the journal Science by researchers from the University of Innsbruck and the Institute for Quantum Optics and Quantum Information (IQOQI).
Far sooner than quantum computers will blow our digitized minds, transistors made from grapheme rather than chunkier materials will allow designers to create processors far more dense – and therefore more potentially powerful – than anything theoretically possible using silicon and metallic alloys we rely on now.
Graphene is a one-atom-thick layer of carbon that offers almost no resistance to electricity flowing through it, but doesn't naturally contain electrons at two energy levels, as silicon does. Silicon transistors flip on or off by shifting electrons from one energy level to another.
Even silicon doesn't work that way naturally. It has to be "doped" with impurities to change its properties as a semiconductor.
For graphene to work the same way, researchers have to add inverters that that mimic the dual energy levels of silicon. So far they only work at 320 degrees below zero Fahrenheit (77 degrees Kelvin).
Researchers at Purdue's Birck Nanotechnology Center built a version that operates at room temperature, removing the main barrier to graphene as a practical option for computer systems design
The researchers, led by doctoral candidate Hong-Yan Chen presented their paper at the Device Research Conference in Santa Barbara. Calif. in June to publicize their results with the inverter.
Real application will have to wait for Chen or others to integrate the design into a working circuit based on graphene rather than silicon.
Systems built on graphene have the potential to boost the computing power of current processors by orders of magnitude while reducing their size and energy use, but only if they operate in offices not cooled to 77 degrees Kelvin.
It will still be a few years before graphene starts showing up in airline magazines, let alone in IT budgets. We'll probably be tired of them, too, by the time quantum computers show up, but there's just no satisfying some people.
Read more of Kevin Fogarty's CoreIT blog and follow the latest IT news at ITworld. Follow Kevin on Twitter at @KevinFogarty. For the latest IT news, analysis and how-tos, follow ITworld on Twitter and Facebook.


Some school districts are returning to an old idea, AP reports. They’re grouping students by performance rather than age. The boldest experiment will start in Kansas City, Missouri schools this fall when 17,000 students will switch to the new system.
Students — often of varying ages — work at their own pace, meeting with teachers to decide what part of the curriculum to tackle. Teachers still instruct students as a group if it’s needed, but often students are working individually or in small groups on projects that are tailored to their skill level.
For instance, in a classroom learning about currency, one group could draw pictures of pennies and nickels. A student who has mastered that skill might use pretend money to practice making change.
Students who progress quickly can finish high school material early and move forward with college coursework. Alternatively, in some districts, high-schoolers who need extra time can stick around for another year.
Advocates say the approach cuts down on discipline problems because advanced students aren’t bored and struggling students aren’t frustrated.
Kansas City’s traditional public schools have seen enrollment fall by half as students move to suburbs or enroll in charter or private schools; 40 percent of schools are closing. The district spent $2 billion in state desegregation case funds without raising test scores. Kansas City is desperate. Superintendent John Covington will start the new system in elementary schools.
“This system precludes us from labeling children failures,” Covington said. “It’s not that you’ve failed, it’s just that at this point you haven’t mastered the competencies yet and when you do, you will move to the next level.”
In a Marzano Research Laboratory study of 15 school districts in Alaska, Colorado and Florida, “researchers found that students who learned through the different approach were 2.5 times more likely to score at a level that shows they have a good grasp of the material on exams for reading, writing, and mathematics.”
Greg Johnson, director of curriculum and instruction for the Bering Strait School District in Alaska, recalled that before the switch there were students who had been on honor roll throughout high school then failed a test the state requires for graduation.
Now, he said if students are on pace to pass a class like Algebra I, the likelihood of them passing the state exam covering that material is more than 90 percent.
Teachers love the new approach, Johnson says.


Our district has created a process for the Response to Intervention which we call A4L (Assessment for Learning). Regardless of the name of the program, the work that happens to help support students is sound. Our teachers understand that the first two levels of intervention are done in class. When a student requires something other than the standard curriculum instruction, teachers are to start documenting what they are doing for that student and why. Teachers work in their Professional Learning Communities to get support with this work. Once every six weeks, the PLC is replaced by an A4L meeting where all of the specialists meet along with the team to make sure that all students are making progress. These meetings allow for all the players to be in the same place at the same time. Also, the group is able to draw from each others' strengths for strategies and ideas. The documentation for the students in the intervention process is kept in the grade level's team notebook so that all the data for the students is in the same place and is in a format that is accessible.


Author and Audience: The book of 2 Thessalonians was written by Paul and addressed to the church at Thessalonica (see 2 Thessalonians 1:1; 3:17). Paul wrote this letter around A.D. 50–51 (see Bible Dictionary, (“Pauline Epistles,” p. 743).
Historical Background: The similarities between this letter and 1 Thessalonians are so strong that many believe they were written within six months of each other. Paul wrote it soon after hearing the reports of Silas and Timothy when they returned from delivering his first letter. For more information see the introduction to the book of 1 Thessalonians (p. 208).


Breaking the COX code
Using the team approach
Editor’s Note: This story, first published in 2004, has been updated.
Prostaglandins, which were first isolated from the prostate gland in 1936, are very rapidly metabolized, or broken down, making measurement in the blood difficult. Researchers at Vanderbilt led by John Oates, M.D., developed methods for measuring levels of prostaglandin metabolites (breakdown products) in the urine using mass spectrometry.
Using this technique, the research team—which by the late 1970s included L. Jackson Roberts, M.D.—identified prostaglandin D2 as a product of the human mast cell and demonstrated its release during allergic asthma.
With colleagues including Garret A. FitzGerald, M.D., now chair of Pharmacology at the University of Pennsylvania, Oates and Roberts showed that low doses of aspirin blocked the production of thromboxane, a prostaglandin made by platelets that causes blood clotting and constriction of blood vessels. Their findings supported the use of low dose aspirin to prevent heart attacks.
In the early 1990s, Vanderbilt researchers led by Ray DuBois, M.D., Ph.D., discovered a link between the COX-2 enzyme and colon cancer. That work helped lead to current tests of COX-2 inhibitors as a potential way to prevent cancer.
In 2004 another group led by the late Jason Morrow, M.D., and David H. Johnson, M.D., director of the Hematology-Oncology division at Vanderbilt, reported that urine levels of a prostaglandin metabolite called PGE-M could predict the effectiveness of a COX-2 inhibitor in patients with non-small cell lung cancer. This suggests, Morrow said in 2004, “that the measurement of these inflammatory ‘mediators’ and their suppression may be useful in the treatment of lung cancer.”
COX enzymes also may play a role in Alzheimer’s disease. In addition to prostaglandins, the COX pathway can lead to the production of highly reactive molecular compounds called levuglandins, which, in turn, can form “adducts,” or irreversible attachments to proteins that may be toxic to nerve cells.
Also in 2004, Oates and his colleagues at Vanderbilt and Johns Hopkins University reported that they found a 12-fold increase in the level of adducts in the brains of patients who had Alzheimer’s disease compared to age-matched control brains.
“These are the first clear data showing that COX products are elevated in the brains of patients with Alzheimer’s disease,” says Oates, Thomas F. Frist Professor of Medicine and professor of Pharmacology.
Vanderbilt currently is participating in a national trial to see if long-term use of COX inhibitors will reduce the incidence of the disease.


: the study of the conformation of the skull based on the belief that it is indicative of mental faculties and character
Study of the shape of the skull as an indication of mental abilities and character traits. Franz Joseph Gall stated the principle that each of the innate mental faculties is based in a specific brain region (organ), whose size reflects the faculty's prominence in a person and is reflected by the skull's surface. He examined the skulls of persons with particular traits (including criminal traits) for a feature he could identify with it. His followers Johann Kaspar Spurzheim (1776–1832) and George Combe (1788–1858) divided the scalp into areas they labeled with traits such as combativeness, cautiousness, and form perception. Though popular well into the 20th century, phrenology has been wholly discredited.


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Before approximately the 14th century there were two hundredweights in England, one of 100 pounds, and one of 108 pounds. In 1340, King Edward III changed the value of the stone from 12 pounds to 14 pounds. Since a hundredweight is 8 stones, the 100-pound hundredweight became 112 pounds.
A unit of mass equal to one-millionth of a gram.
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Created:Fri 31 Oct 2003 this page last updated:: Wed 08 Feb 2013