text: In this study, low pressure water/O-2 plasma treatment was performed in order to obtain COOH functionalities on the surface of poly-E-caprolactone (PCL) membranes as well as non-woven polyester fabric (NWPF) discs. The plasma treatments were performed in a cylindrical, capacitively coupled RF-plasma-reactor and then following steps were performed: in situ (oxalyl chloride vapors) gas/solid reaction to convert OH functionalities into -COCl groups; and hydrolysis under open laboratory conditions using air moisture for final COOH functionalities. COOH and OH functionalities on modified surfaces were detected quantitatively by using fluorescent labeling technique and an UVX 300G sensor. Electron spectroscopy for chemical analysis (ESCA) was used to evaluate the relative surface atomic compositions and the carbon and oxygen linkages located in non-equivalent atomic positions of untreated and modified surfaces. Atomic force microscope (AFM) analysis showed that nanoscale features of the PCL surfaces are dramatically changed during the surface treatments. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) results indicated the changes in the relatively smooth appearance of the untreated NWPF discs after the plasma treatment. Periodontal ligament (PDL) fibroblasts were used in cell culture studies. Cell culture results showed that plasma treated PCL membranes and NWPF discs were favorable for the PDL cell spreading, growth and viability due to the presence of functional groups and/or nanotopographies on their surfaces.


text:
We are pleased to announce that our Speech and Drama adjudicator is:
Qualifications: L.L.A.M. F.R.S.A. M.S.T.S.D. (Adj)
Vivienne has studied Speech and Drama since the age of four and has been teaching the subject since 1980. She is Head of Speech and Drama at a large independent girl's school in Bedford. She is also the Principal of the Redford School of Speech and Drama, established in 1982, training children and adults of all ages in all aspects of the performing arts and communication. Many of her former students perform in TV, film and theatre around the world and in major West End productions, the Globe, the RSC and the National Theatre. Others are pursuing careers as teachers of Speech and Drama, Theatre Directors and Technicians.
Vivienne has produced and directed a diverse range of musical and theatrical productions, and particularly enjoys writing and devising original and creative theatre with her senior students. For the past twenty years, she has organized and directed a widely-acclaimed summer school for students aged 7 to 21, which culminates in a commissioned play written for, and performed by, the students who attend.
Vivienne is an examiner for the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art, a Council member of the Society of Teachers of Speech and Drama and an Adjudicator member of the British and International Federation of Festivals travelling extensively throughout the UK, Ireland and the Channel Islands. She is currently a Speech & Drama representative on the Adjudicators Council.
She has recently been awarded a Fellowship of the Royal Society of Arts in recognition of her extensive work in Speech & Drama, particularly with young people.
She is a former secretary and now a Vice-President of the Bedfordshire Festival of Music, Speech and Drama which has given her a clear understanding and insight into the work, energy and commitment that Festival organizer's, teachers and pupils put into making their Festivals a success.
When not working (which is a rare occurrence) Vivienne enjoys seeing as much theatre as possible, reading, particularly books for children and young adults, cooking and relishes spending time with her family.
She is looking forward to adjudicating at the Festival and hopes that it will be a memorable and happy occasion for all those taking part.
The Festival Performance
The Festival experience differs from the examination situation in that it offers participants the opportunity to perform on a public stage in front of an audience and receive a mark and feedback from a qualified adjudicator.
The adjudicator will therefore look for a complete performance, including attention to dress, entrances and exits, announcing and acknowledging both applause and, where appropriate, the accompanist.

source: m-a-p/FineFineWeb


colorful and variegated tree sparrow, a high-flying songbird. discover the vibrant colors and graceful flight of this captivating songbird.
Colorful and Variegated Tree Sparrow, a High-Flying Songbird
GardenBy May 24, 2024
The tree sparrow (Passer montanus), also known as the Eurasian tree sparrow, is a captivating and vibrant songbird. With its colorful and variegated plumage, this high-flying species is a remarkable sight to behold. In this article, we will explore the characteristics and behaviors of the tree sparrow, shedding light on its unique features and the importance of its role in the avian world.
Appearance
The tree sparrow is a small bird, measuring approximately 14 to 16 centimeters in length with a wingspan of 26 centimeters. Its lightweight body weighs between 17 to 30 grams. What sets the tree sparrow apart is its striking plumage, which features a harmonious blend of colors. The upper part of its body, including the mantle and upper back, displays a rich brown-chocolate hue. The lower part, specifically the belly, is adorned in a vinous pink shade, gradually fading to white towards the lower section.
The head of the tree sparrow showcases a delicate plumage in slate-blue, with the exception of a black forehead and chestnut-colored cheeks. The upper wings flaunt black feathers, marked by two prominent white bars, while the rest of the wings transition to a light yellow shade. The rump is a lustrous olive green, the tail is black with white streaks, and the legs and feet are a rosy-brown color. The tree sparrow's beak is small, conical, and grayish-blue in color.
During the breeding season, the plumage of the tree sparrow becomes even more vibrant and colorful. Conversely, in winter, its feathers lose their luster, only to regain their brilliance as spring arrives.
Habitat and Distribution
The tree sparrow is found in Europe and Western Asia, with its range spanning from Western Europe to Central Siberia. It can be observed as far north as Scandinavia and as far south as the northern edge of Africa. While the tree sparrow primarily inhabits forests, particularly open woodlands, it is also adaptable to various environments. It can thrive in urban parks, gardens, cultivated areas, orchards, and even in forests with its abundance in those habitats. This adaptability enables the tree sparrow to remain one of the most prevalent passerines in forested regions.
Behavior
The tree sparrow is known for its distinct vocalizations. Its contact call is a recognizable "pink-pink," which is often heard early in the morning. Additionally, the tree sparrow produces a varied array of melodic notes, lending a cheerful and dynamic quality to its song. During the breeding season, the male tree sparrow utilizes its call to defend its nest and territory, a behavior that differs from region to region.
While the tree sparrow can be social, particularly during other seasons, the male exhibits territorial behavior during the breeding period. It perches conspicuously and sings to defend its space. While it forages on the ground by hopping from place to place, it prefers nesting in concealed branches. In most cases, tree sparrows are sedentary, remaining in their territories throughout the year. Interestingly, outside the breeding season, the male tree sparrows live apart from females and young individuals, forming separate groups. This unique tendency has earned the species its scientific name, "coelebs," which means "bachelor."
Feeding Habits
The tree sparrow has an omnivorous diet, consuming both plant and animal-based food sources. During the warmer months, it primarily feeds on insects such as caterpillars, flies, spiders, larvae, and earthworms. In other seasons, its diet consists predominantly of seeds, which provide the necessary energy for migratory birds, along with flowers, buds, and fallen fruits. The tree sparrow finds its food on the ground, utilizing various foraging techniques.
Reproduction
Breeding season typically begins from April and extends until July. During this period, the female tree sparrow constructs the nest, starting as early as March. Building the nest involves numerous trips, with the female gathering moss, rootlets, and plant fibers, intricately weaving them together and blending them into the surroundings. The nest is carefully designed with a cup shape, lined with feathers and hairs. Its exterior is adorned with lichens for camouflage. Once completed, the nest is secured on sturdy branches, in forks or crevices.
The female alone incubates the 4 to 5 pale blue and speckled eggs for a duration of 11 to 14 days. Upon hatching, the male joins the female in feeding the nestlings, predominantly providing them with insects. The tree sparrow typically raises one brood per year, although second broods may occur if the first one was early in the season. The fledglings remain in the nest for approximately 15 days before taking flight.
Importance in the Garden
The tree sparrow's fondness for seeds may lead it to feast on newly sown seeds in gardens, especially during seasons when insects are scarce. However, its impact on crops is minimal, and it plays a vital role in naturally controlling insect populations that can damage vegetables, plants, and flowers. As such, welcoming tree sparrows into gardens proves beneficial for protecting plantations without the need for chemical intervention.
Conservation Status
The tree sparrow is not currently considered a threatened species. Although its population has experienced a decline, it is less impacted compared to other avian species due to its forest habitat. Birds in agricultural environments, on the other hand, face greater challenges due to the widespread use of pesticides. While forests are unfortunately diminishing, the tree sparrow demonstrates a relatively successful ability to adapt to alternative environments, ensuring its survival.
In conclusion, the tree sparrow is a captivating and colorful songbird that enchants with its vibrant plumage and melodious call. Its adaptability allows it to thrive in various habitats while playing a crucial role in maintaining the ecological balance. The tree sparrow is a delightful addition to any garden, offering natural pest control and adding a touch of beauty to the avian world.
Rate this post
JENNIFER BIO
Author
I'm Jennifer. My hands are often covered in soil, and my heart is full of passion for nature. Through my writings, I share my personal gardening journeys, tips, and the joy of cultivating both plants and a community of fellow garden lovers. Every plant I grow adds a story to my life, and I love sharing those tales with my readers.


Address Number Methodology
If you need a physical address for a new structure, call the 9-1-1 Administrative Office at _PHONE_. A "physical address" is also known as an "official 9-1-1 address." When you call the 9-1-1 Administrative Office, make sure you have a physical address for a nearby structure to help us locate your site on the 9-1-1 Map. We do not assign addresses to open land … your structure must at least be staked out so we can identify the approximate location of the center of the structure.
The addressing methodology used in Franklin County was adopted to enable our "first responders" to reach citizens requiring emergency services in the shortest time possible with the least amount of confusion. For public safety reasons, we strive for consistency in our addressing of structures throughout Franklin County. However, there is not complete consistency across the County. For the most part, the cities, towns and villages in the County took responsibility for addressing the structures in their communities and the methodologies used are not the same in many cases.
Road Address Determination
Generally, primary structures in the County are addressed to the road they face unless there is no immediately identifiable access to the structure. Consideration is given to the means of "access" to the structure if access is a substantial distance from the road it faces. The optimal situation is when a structure faces the same road from which the driveway to the structure extends. In the event that a structure is a substantial distance from the road it faces and there is no driveway from that road but there is a driveway from another road, the structure will be addressed to the road with the access.
Address Number Determination
On East/West Roads, odd numbers are on the north side and even numbers are on the south side
On North/South Roads, odd numbers are on the west side and even numbers are on the east side
Address numbers increase as you travel north and as you travel east.
Address numbers decrease as you travel south and as you travel west.
How You Can Help "First Responders"
Make sure your Address Number is displayed so that it can be seen from the road. If your structure is a significant distance from the road, display your Address Number on your mail box or on a sign post at the end of your driveway.


text:
in
To calculate impedance of pH electrode 400 using method 300, a circuit equivalent of electrode 400 is obtained at step 310. Accordingly,
Based on experimental simulation values, it was determined that the resistive component R2 of gel layer 420 is the primary aging component of pH electrode 400. Thus, diagnosis of the pH electrode 400 substantially relies on the measurement of the electrical characteristics of the solution junction layer (i.e., gel layer 420). Since R2 is in connection with Q, a constant phase element (CPE), in parallel, and since Q is a significantly more complex component, it was appreciated that finding a measurement solution of R2 can be simplified by approximating Q. In particular, based on the experimental simulation values it was determined that constant phase element Q has an n value larger than 0.5. Therefore, constant phase element Q can be approximated by replacing Q with a capacitance. Accordingly,
Based on the simplified circuit equivalent 600, the voltage across terminals 620 and 630 when a test current I is applied is given by the following equation:
where Vc0 is the initial voltage (i.e., at time t0) across nonzero-frequency component C2. Further, the initial voltage Vc0 is given by the formula:
where V0 is the initial voltage V across terminals 620 and 630. Thus, substituting Eq. 2 into Eq. 1 gives:
As discussed above, the resistive component R2 of gel layer 420 is the primary aging component of pH electrode 400. Thus, diagnosis of the pH electrode 400 substantially relies on the measurement of the electrical characteristics of the solution junction layer (i.e., gel layer 420. Therefore, Eq. 3 and 4 can be utilized to compute an equation for zero-frequency component R2 and nonzero-frequency component C2 of the electrode. From Eq. 3 and 4, the following equations are generated:
Further, because the primary aging component of the pH electrode is the zero-frequency resistive component R2, it is advantageous to select an arbitrary value for nonzero-frequency component C2. In accordance with one embodiment, component C2 is approximated by an arbitrary value K. The arbitrary value K is, in one embodiment, ascertained based on experimental simulation values. In one example, K is set to a value of approximately 10 nF. However, it is noted that any arbitrary value can be selected based on the characteristics of the particular pH electrode being tested. Additionally, the methods and calculations explained herein can be applied to any suitable equivalent circuit with substantial exponential response to a constant current excitation.
At step 320, a diagnostic test signal is applied to electrode 400. In one embodiment, the diagnostic signal is a known DC current I that is injected into the electrode. Further, in one embodiment the diagnostic current applied to the electrode comprises a series of oscillating square waves, such as the waveform 700 illustrated in
At step 330, a voltage response of the electrode created by the diagnostic signal is measured. The voltage is measured across the electrode and corresponds to the voltage (V) 610 across terminals 620 and 630 represented in
In one embodiment, voltage response 800 (i.e., samples 802-812) is acquired over a time duration that is substantially less than the time constant associated with the electrical characteristics of the pH electrode. In one embodiment, time durations 702 and/or 704 (illustrated in
At step 340, the voltage samples taken at step 330 are utilized to compute the electrode impedance based on the equivalent circuit of the electrode. In accordance with one embodiment, values t0, ΔV1, ΔV2, Δt1, calculated from the voltage samples are applied to Eq. 5 and/or 6, computed based on the circuit equivalent for the pH electrode. The resulting computation solves the circuit equation for R2C2. Further, as discussed above the value of C2 can be set to an arbitrary value K. As such, Eq. 5 becomes:
In addition to calculating the source impedance of the pH electrode, the sample data from step 330 can also be utilized determine the source voltage produced by the pH sensor, which is indicative of pH level of the solution. In embodiments where the test currents are applied for equal durations and magnitudes, but opposite polarity, the total average charge to the electrode will be zero for a complete test cycle. Source voltage Vph is given as:
where P3 is the positive sample taken at time t3 and N3 is the negative sample taken during the prior application of the negative test current (i.e., t0). Thus, Vph represents the average of the voltage changes resulting from the switched test current. Because the time duration between t0 and t3 is substantially less then the time constant of the pH electrode, pH readings are updated more frequently than in conventional systems.
Although the subject matter has been described in language specific to structural features and/or methodological acts, it is to be understood that the subject matter defined in the appended claims is not necessarily limited to the specific features or acts described above as has been determined by the courts. Rather, the specific features and acts described above are disclosed as example forms of implementing the claims and can be varied in a number of ways within the scope of the claims.


text:
The Timucua were the Native American tribe living in northeast Florida and southeast Georgia at the time of first contact with Europeans. A few books written in the Timucuan language were created for the Spanish religious authorities as a way to convert the natives to Catholicism in their native language. Now a Florida professor has discovered one such book that had been unknown to researchers until now. Read the story below:
Timothy J. Johnson, Craig and Audrey Thorn Distinguished Professor of Religion at Flagler College, recently discovered a Spanish-Timucua book by the Franciscan Friar Francisco Pareja. The book, previously unknown to scholars, was published in Mexico in 1628.
Pareja and his anonymous Timucua co-editors, authored 130 folios with various woodcut images. The book is permanently housed in the Codrington Library of All Souls College in Oxford, England. The title of the work is, "IIII. parte de catechismo en lengua Timuquana y castellana: En que se trata el modo de oyr Missa, y sus ceremonias," which translates in English to "Part Four of the Catechism in the Timucua and Castilian Languages, which treats the manner of listening to the Mass and its ceremonies."
The rare find came when Johnson, on sabbatical for the Fall 2019 semester, had been researching Spanish-Timucua sermon stories from seventeenth century Florida and came across a reference to the book in the Codrington Library. In disbelief of what he was reading, he quickly notified the staff and requested images to verify his hunch. Once the existence of the book was verified, the library offered to make the entirety of the book available online, found here.
Says Johnson of the initial findings: "This discovery is what dreams are made of for people who work with historical documents. This book allows scholars to further explore a pivotal historical period in American history that has been neglected for far too long."
The native language of most of Northern Florida in the Spanish colonial period was Timucua, and Franciscans began to study this language and teach native people reading and writing at the end of the sixteenth century. Two books published in Timucua in 1612 are the oldest written materials in an indigenous language of the present-day U.S.
The Timucua people were devastated by disease, war, and slavery, and though there are probably descendants, there is no modern Timucua tribe. Because the language is no longer spoken, linguists and historians have been eager to learn as much as possible about the language and its speakers through a small number of published religious materials in Timucua, including catechisms, a confessional, and a doctrina – an explanation of Christian doctrine.
According to Professor George Aaron Broadwell of the University of Florida, who is an expert in Timucua literature and language, "The discovery of this previously unknown book in Timucua is a very rare occurrence. The last discovery of a new item in this language happened in the nineteenth century."
You can read the full story here: _URL_

source: openbmb/Ultra-FineWeb


text:
Variable quantity that mathematically describes the wave characteristics of a particle. It is related to the likelihood of the particle being at a given point in space at a given time, and may be thought of as an expression for the amplitude of the particle wave, though this is strictly not physically meaningful. The square of the wave function is the significant quantity, as it gives the probability for finding the particle at a given point in space and time. Seealso wave-particle duality.
Learn more about wave function with a free trial on Britannica.com.
Sentencelike expression that may be thought of as obtained from a sentence by substituting variables for constants occurring in the sentence. For example, "x was a parent of y" may be thought of as obtained from "Adam was a parent of Abel." A propositional function therefore has no truth-value, becoming true or false only when its free variables are replaced by constants of appropriate syntactic categories (e.g., "Abraham was a parent of Isaac").
Learn more about propositional function with a free trial on Britannica.com.
Equation that expresses the relationship between the quantities of productive factors (such as labour and capital) used and the amount of product obtained. It states the amount of product that can be obtained from every combination of factors, assuming that the most efficient available methods of production are used. The production function can thus measure the marginal productivity of a particular factor of production and determine the cheapest combination of productive factors that can be used to produce a given output.
Learn more about production function with a free trial on Britannica.com.
In mathematics, one of a set of functions related to the hyperbola in the same way the trigonometric functions relate to the circle. They are the hyperbolic sine, cosine, tangent, secant, cotangent, and cosecant (written "sinh," "cosh," etc.). The hyperbolic equivalent of the fundamental trigonometric identity is cosh2math.z − sinh2math.z = 1. The hyperbolic sine and cosine, particularly useful for finding special types of integrals, can be defined in terms of exponential functions:
Learn more about hyperbolic function with a free trial on Britannica.com.
In mathematics, an expression, rule, or law that defines a relationship between one variable (the independent variable) and another (the dependent variable), which changes along with it. Most functions are numerical; that is, a numerical input value is associated with a single numerical output value. The formula math.A = πmath.r2, for example, assigns to each positive real number math.r the area math.A of a circle with a radius of that length. The symbols math.f(math.x) and math.g(math.x) are typically used for functions of the independent variable math.x. A multivariable function such as math.w = math.f(math.x, math.y) is a rule for deriving a single numerical value from more than one input value. A periodic function repeats values over fixed intervals. If math.f(math.x + math.k) = math.f(math.x) for any value of math.x, math.f is a periodic function with a period of length math.k (a constant). The trigonometric functions are periodic. Seealso density function; exponential function; hyperbolic function; inverse function; transcendental function.
Learn more about function with a free trial on Britannica.com.
In mathematics, a function in which a constant base is raised to a variable power. Exponential functions are used to model changes in population size, in the spread of diseases, and in the growth of investments. They can also accurately predict types of decline typified by radioactive decay (see half-life). The essence of exponential growth, and a characteristic of all exponential growth functions, is that they double in size over regular intervals. The most important exponential function is math.emath.x, the inverse of the natural logarithmic function (see logarithm).
Learn more about exponential function with a free trial on Britannica.com.
Function may refer to:


text:
Inference Based on Many Conditional Moment Inequalities
CFDP Revision Date
In this paper, we construct conﬁdence sets for models deﬁned by many conditional moment inequalities/equalities. The conditional moment restrictions in the models can be ﬁnite, countably in ﬁnite, or uncountably in ﬁnite. To deal with the complication brought about by the vast number of moment restrictions, we exploit the manageability (Pollard (1990)) of the class of moment functions. We verify the manageability condition in ﬁve examples from the recent partial identiﬁcation literature. The proposed conﬁdence sets are shown to have correct asymptotic size in a uniform sense and to exclude parameter values outside the identiﬁed set with probability approaching one. Monte Carlo experiments for a conditional stochastic dominance example and a random-coeﬀicients binary-outcome example support the theoretical results.
Andrews, Donald W.K. and Shi, Xiaoxia, "Inference Based on Many Conditional Moment Inequalities" (2015). Cowles Foundation Discussion Papers. 2447.


Raptor Research Center Publications and Presentations Copyright (c) 2015 Boise State University All rights reserved. _URL_ Recent documents in Raptor Research Center Publications and Presentations en-us Sun, 06 Sep 2015 12:31:43 PDT 3600 Preening Behavior of Adult Gyrfalcons Tagged with Backpack Transmitters _URL_ _URL_ Tue, 27 Sep 2011 12:47:38 PDT Radio transmitters provide data that enhance understanding of raptor biology (Walls and Kenward 2007) and are now used to answer a multitude of research questions (Meyburg and Fuller 2007). However, transmitters affect the birds that carry them (Barron et al. 2010), and it is important to document and evaluate such effects (Casper 2009). For example, decreased survival has been documented in Prairie Falcons (Falco mexicanus; Steenhof et al. 2006), Northern Goshawks (Accipiter gentilis; Reynolds et al. 2004), and Spotted Owls (Strix occidentalis; Paton et al. 1991) tagged with radio transmitters. However, no such effects were reported for Peregrine Falcons (Falco peregrinus; Fuller et al. 1998, McGrady et al. 2002) and a number of other species (Kenward 2001). White and Garrott (1990) noted that in general, animals tagged with radio transmitters often altered their behaviors for 1–14 d after release during an adjustment period that included increased preening and grooming frequencies.
Although more than 90 Gyrfalcons (Falco rusticolus) have been tagged with radio transmitters (e.g., Burnham 2007, McIntyre et al. 2009, T. Booms unpubl. data), the effects of transmitters on this species are not well documented. Anecdotal information suggests some Gyrfalcons might be negatively affected by radio-tagging (Booms et al. 2008). As part of a study investigating Gyrfalcon breeding biology, we conducted opportunistic, focused observations on two radio-tagged adult female Gyrfalcons and their unmarked mates. We here describe and quantify preening behavior of Gyrfalcons shortly after radio-tagging.
]]>
Travis L. Booms et al.
A Comparison of Methods for Estimating Prey Biomass of Barn Owls _URL_ _URL_ Wed, 22 Jun 2011 13:05:22 PDT Examiné diferentes métodos utilizados para estimar la masa de las presas capturadas por la lechuza Tyto alba en el norte de Utah. La masa promedio de las presas cazadas por las lechuzas fue obtenida a partir de tres fuentes: (1) literatura publicada, (2) presas cazadas y almacenadas por las lechuzas, y (3) animales capturados con trampas en las cercanías del área de estudio. Utilizando las presas capturadas y almacenadas por las lechuzas para estimar la masa promedio estándar, el estimado basado en la masa de las presas capturadas en el área de estudio no difirió significativamente de la masa de las presas almacenadas. Sin embargo, los datos de masa obtenidos de la literatura resultaron en un estimado que fue significativamente menor que el de las presas almacenadas. La masa promedio de los roedores (Microtus spp.) capturados por T. alba fue significativamente menor que la masa promedio de los roedores capturados en el área de estudio, pero las masas promedio de Peromyscus maniculatus y de Mus musculus no difirieron significativamente entre las presas capturadas por las lechuzas y las capturadas en el sitio de estudio. En conclusión, el uso de las presas capturadas por las lechuzas como el método estándar sugirió que la captura con trampas de las presas en el área de estudio fue la mejor fuente de datos para estimar la masa de las presas de T. alba.
]]>
Carl D. Marti
Seasonal Change in Habitat Use in Steller's Sea Eagles _URL_ _URL_ Mon, 20 Jun 2011 15:36:01 PDT Habitat-use by Steller's sea eagle Haliaeetus pelagicus, categorized as Vulnerable on the 2002 IUCN Red List, was studied using satellite-tracking. This migratory species breeds in eastern Russia and mostly overwinters in Hokkaido, Japan, and the southern Kuzíl islands. Locations of eagles were classified as being river, sea, lake, or other habitat. In autumn, eagles mainly used river habitats, probably because of the availability of abundant post-spawn dead salmon. In winter about one third of eagles continued to be located on rivers, with others on sea coasts and lake sides. During the spring migration and breeding season habitat use by adult eagles probably reflected the variety of habitats in which breeding occurs. At that time, sub-adult eagles were located mainly on the sea coast, probably in places where food supply was sufficient and there were few territorial eagles. In Hokkaido 35% of overwintering eagles used mountain areas for at least some time. It is known that eagles using mountain areas in Japan in winter scavenge upon the carcasses of sika deer Cervus nippon killed by hunters, and are thus exposed to possible lead poisoning. The satellite tracking highlights the importance of several habitats within the range of this species, changes in which could affect its conservation status.
]]>
Mutsuyuki Ueta et al.
Dramatic Declines of DDE and Other Organochlorines in Spring Migrant Peregrine Falcons from Padre Island, Texas, _PHONE_ _URL_ _URL_ Wed, 01 Jun 2011 12:31:19 PDT Peregrine Falcons (Falco peregrinus) captured in the spring at Padre Island, Texas, nest across the arctic and subarctic from Alaska to Greenland and winter throughout Latin America. Padre Island, located immediately north of the Mexican border, is the peregrines' first landfall in the U.S.A. after spending about 6 mo in Latin America. Blood plasma was collected from spring migrants at Padre Island between 1978 and 2004 to monitor trends in organochlorine (OC) pesticides and their metabolites. Geometric mean concentrations of p,p9-DDE (μg/g, ww) decreased throughout the study: 1978–1979 (0.879), 1980 (0.617), 1984 (0.551), 1994 (0.406) and 2004 (0.013). Most other OC pesticides, with detection limits used during the earlier portion of this study, were no longer detected during the last two sampling periods. The reduced concentrations of OC pesticides suggest that other pesticides (including carbamates, organophosphates and pyrethroids) are likely being used as replacements. These replacement compounds are not as persistent and cannot be readily evaluated at migration sites like Padre Island.However, concentrations of flame retardants (polybrominated diphenyl ethers; PBDEs) have recently increased in bird eggs in many regions and have been reported in blood plasma. Concentrations of PBDEs in peregrine plasma could be evaluated at Padre Island for assessment of trends in the Americas.
]]>
Charles J. Henny et al.
Global Positioning System and Associated Technologies in Animal Behaviour and Ecological Research _URL_ _URL_ Thu, 17 Mar 2011 16:15:45 PDT
Biologists can equip animals with global positioning system (GPS) technology to obtain accurate (less than or equal to 30 m) locations that can be combined with sensor data to study animal behaviour and ecology. We provide the background of GPS techniques that have been used to gather data for wildlife studies. We review how GPS has been integrated into functional systems with data storage, data transfer, power supplies, packaging and sensor technologies to collect temperature, activity, proximity and mortality data from terrestrial species and birds. GPS 'rapid fixing' technologies combined with sensors provide location, dive frequency and duration profiles, and underwater acoustic information for the study of marine species. We examine how these rapid fixing technologies may be applied to terrestrial and avian applications. We discuss positional data quality and the capability for high-frequency sampling associated with GPS locations. We present alternatives for storing and retrieving data by using dataloggers (biologging), radio-frequency download systems (e.g. very high frequency, spread spectrum), integration of GPS with other satellite systems (e.g. Argos, Globalstar) and potential new data recovery technologies (e.g. network nodes). GPS is one component among many rapidly evolving technologies. Therefore, we recommend that users and suppliers interact to ensure the availability of appropriate equipment to meet animal research objectives.
]]>
Stanley M. Tomkiewicz et al.
Population Structure, Diversity, and Phylogeography in the Near-Threatened Eurasian Black Vultures Aegypius monachus (Falconiformes


Configuring Individual File Encoding
There are two modes of dealing with file encoding:
PyCharm suggests the following major ways to change encoding:
PyCharm also supports configuring encoding for properties files.
To configure encoding for a directory or file without embedded encoding information
 1. In Settings, select File Encodings.
 2. The File/Directory column shows the tree view of your project. The Default Encoding column shows encoding for directories or files. Click the Default encoding column for a directory or file you want to define encoding for, and then choose the desired encoding from the drop-down list:
 encoding.png
To change encoding of a file that contains explicit encoding
 1. Open the desired file in the editor.
 2. Change explicit encoding information. Use error highlighting to recognize wrong encoding and press Ctrl+Space to have a list of available encodings displayed:
 encoding3.png
To change encoding of a single file that doesnt contain explicit encoding
 1. Open the desired file for editing.
 2. Do one of the following:
 - On the main menu, point to File | File encoding .
 - Click file encoding on the Status bar.
 3. Select the desired encoding from the pop-up window.
 encoding2.png
 4. If the selected encoding will change the file contents, PyCharm shows a dialog box, where you can choose to Reload file from disk, or Convert it to a different encoding.
See Also
Last modified: 27 December 2014


vegan protest Bolsanaro
Vegan protesters block off major Toronto intersection for Amazon rainforest
Animal rights activists and environmentalists gathered together on New Year's day in more than a dozen cities around the world to speak out against newly-inaugurated Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro and his plans to, essentially, privatize parts of the Amazon rainforest.
In downtown Toronto, protesters blocked off the intersection of Bay and Bloor, near the Brazillian Consulate, to stage a "die-in" and perform a play called "If the Amazon rainforests dies, we all die!"
"Stop Bolsonaro!" they chanted. "End Animal Agriculture in the Amazon, Go Vegan!"
Bolsonaro, who's been nicknamed "Trump of the Tropics" has drawn widespread international criticism in recent months for supporting such ideas as scrapping environmental protections for the Amazon, building massive highways running through the Amazon, turning control of its Indigenous lands over to the government and constructing nuclear power plants in the world's largest rainforest.
"If President Bolsonaro signed up for Veganuary and committed to going vegan, he would reverse his intentions to destroy the Amazon rainforest and instead preserve the precious rainforest and restore degraded areas," said Anita Krajnc of Climate Save, whose Toronto chapter co-hosted yesterday's protest at Bay and Bloor.
"The Amazon is a vital home to indigenous peoples and 10 million species. The Amazon is the lungs of the Earth. It acts as a carbon sink, absorbing carbon out of the atmosphere while supplying 20% of the global oxygen supply."
So, to illustrate their message, protesters handed out cards asking members of the public to go vegan for the month of January.
"We also ask that President Bolsonaro and members of his government sign up for Veganuary," reads a press release from The Save Movement.
"Go vegan or we die."
Lead photo by
Jenny Henry
Join the conversation Load comments
Latest in City
Here's the official list of everything reopening in Toronto for Step 2
Ontario will officially move into Step 2 of reopening next week


Levitron
picture of levitron
The Levitron is commonly referred to as an anti-gravity device. Although this is not actually the case it is still an amazing toy. The operating principle of the Levitron is based upon what is known as spin stabilized magnetic levitation. The spinning top of a Levitron is a disk which is made up of strong permanent magnet material, in addition to plastic and brass. In the base of the Levitron there is a strong neodymium magnet. The top spins above this base. The magnets of the top and the base are oriented so that they repel each other when the top is in its upright spinning position.
Check out a video of a Levitron:
When the top spins inside the magnetic field of the base magnet, a gyroscopic effect creates stability, and as a result the top spins in a stationary position, as shown in the video. The gyroscopic effect is related to the angular momentum of the spinning top. As the top spins in the presence of the strong magnetic field (from the base magnet), stability is created due to a gyroscopic effect. This effect prevents the spinning top from turning over, and what happens instead is that the top spins and precesses about the vertical axis.
Eventually, after enough time passes, the spinning top slows down enough, due to air friction, such that it turns over and stops levitating. In other words, it falls.
Return to Science Toys page
Return to Real World Physics Problems home page
If you need one-on-one help with physics, get help from a Chegg Tutor! 30 minutes free for new users.


text:
You are looking at historical revision 24304 of this page. It may differ significantly from its current revision.
- Version History
Design by Contract
"Design by contract" is a metaphor coined by Bertrand Meyer for his purely object oriented language Eiffel. The idea behind it is to separate the concerns of suppliers and clients of software modules: The client of a routine is responsible for calling it with correct arguments. The supplier can rely on it, she/he mustn't check it again. The supplier in turn is responsible for delivering correct results, provided the routine's arguments are valid. If not, the supplier needn't do any work at all.
In this metaphor a module is something like a contract between the supplier and the client of that module. But like a contract in social life, it's useless if not properly documented. Hence the "small print" of our module should be documented automatically, so that each party knows about each others duties....
Another metaphor of Meyer's is "command-query-separation", where in Eiffel a command is working by side effect (it changes the object's state) and a query is a pure function (it reports the object's state without changing it). His advice is, never to do both in one routine, write two instead.
Implementation and use
This module is an attempt to bring Design by Contract to Chicken Scheme. In effect, it replaces define and define-syntax by new macros define-with-contract and define-syntax-with-contract respectively, where - in the long form - the lambda or syntax-rules expression is preceeded by a contract expression. A short form is available as well, where the call pattern of the procedure is followed by the contract clauses and the procedure's body.
To achieve automatic documentation, these two macros have to be wrapped by a call of the parameter
initializing documentation and the definition
(define module-name (doclist->dispatcher (doclist)))
saving it in a dispatcher routine.
The case of procedures
For procedures a contract expression starts with the symbol contract and contains a list of clauses, where each clause is either
- the pattern of a typical procedure's call, the only required clause,
- a documentation string,
- a list starting with the keyword domain: and containing checks of the assumptions,
- a list starting with the keyword results: containing variable names which are bound to the results of the procedure; if this list is not supplied (results: result) is assumed,
- a list starting with the keyword range: containing checks of the propositions on the results,
- a list starting with the keyword effect: which contains triples of the form (state query change [equ?]) where state is bound to the query expression before the command call and the change expression is compared with equal? [or equ?, if supplied] to another call of query after the command call.
Note, that command-query-separation demands, that only one of a range: and an effect: clause are allowed.
The case of macros
For syntax-rules macros (and the [ir-]macro-rules or er-macro-rules macros of the (ir-|er-)macros eggs) the contract expression is simply a docstring. After all, those macro-transformers have domain checks already built-in in form of the pattern matching process, it needs only be automatically documented.
For raw low-level macros based on (er-|ir-)macro-transformer, it's a list starting with the keyword forms: which contains the admissible patterns of the macro's call and a mandatory documentation string.
contract[syntax] (contract (name. args) clause...)
where each clause is one of
- a documentation string
- (domain: assumption...)
- (results: result0 result1...)
If this clause is not supplied (results: result) is assumed.
- (range: proposition...)
- (effect: (state query change [equ?])...)
 (define-with-contract name (contract (name. args) clause...) (lambda args. body)) | (define-with-contract name
(let ((var val)...) (contract (name. args) clause...) (lambda args. body)))
 | (define-with-contract (name. args)
clause.... body)
where the admissible clauses are described above and instead of let another binding construct can be used as well.
define-syntax-with-contract[syntax] (define-syntax-with-contract name docstring rules)
or[syntax] (define-syntax-with-contract name (forms: form0 form1... docstring) transformer)
where docstring is a documentation string, rules is either a syntax-rules expression or one of er-macro-rules, [ir-]macro-rules from the (ir-|er-)macros package, each form is the pattern of an admissible call of name and transformer is a raw low-level macro-transformer.
doclist[parameter] (doclist '())
should be called before the first define[-syntax]-with-contract expression to initialize automatic documentation.
doclist->dispatcher[procedure] (doclist->dispatcher (doclist))
saves (doclist) in a dispatcher. A typical use is
(define module-name (doclist->dispatcher (doclist)))
which should be called after the last define[-syntax]-with-contract expression to save the automatic documentation in module-name. This procedure can than be called by the module's client with or without a symbol argument.
Without argument the call returns the list of exported symbols, with argument the call returns the textual representaion of the contract of the module's exported symbol sym.
prints the documentation of the whole module in readable form.
contracts[procedure] (contracts [sym])
prints the contract of the exported symbol sym of the contracts module or the list of exported symbols when called as a thunk.
see the Design by Contracts tutorial in /design-by-contract
data-structures, extras, srfi-13
Copyright (c) 2011, Juergen Lorenz All rights reserved.
Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without modification, are permitted provided that the following conditions are met:
Redistributions of source code must retain the above copyright notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer.
Redistributions in binary form must reproduce the above copyright notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer in the documentation and/or other materials provided with the distribution. Neither the name of the author nor the names of its contributors may be used to endorse or promote products derived from this software without specific prior written permission.
THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS AND CONTRIBUTORS "AS IS" AND ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE ARE DISCLAIMED. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS OR CONTRIBUTORS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES; LOSS OF USE, DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER CAUSED AND ON ANY THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, STRICT LIABILITY, OR TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
- changed (effect:...), removed (state:...) (invariant:...)
- some enhancements
- added print-doclist, fixed typo in setup script reported by mario
- initial import

source: HuggingFaceFW/fineweb-edu


Product Details
- Contain:
1. 168 cards with different colours and characters. Each card consists of 2 HappiPlayground characters. There is a total of 8 characters namely Panda, Yani, Pucci, Pengi, Tiger, Bunni, Pinki and Elita.
2. An English and Chinese language guide
- Material: Paper
- Made with: Soybean Oil (an edible oil that can be fully integrated with the natural environment after decomposition; safe for children's use)
- Suitable for: 3 years old and above
- Diameter of each card: 7.4cm
- Made in Taiwan


text: The US Patent and Trademarks Office recently awarded TalentSphere its first patent. This award relates to its "reciprocal publishing system" and related methodologies, that were originally conceptualized in the late 1980s and developed during the 1990s in TalentSphere's incubator, Digital Discoveries. This invention remains at the core of many of TalentSphere's present WRYM systems. This approach enables a more informed workplace through the effective and balanced exchange of information between workers and management as well as between candidates and recruiters. Various other patents related to the WRYM solutions are pending.


text:
Published by Peter Boler on November 10, 2020
In part one of this series, I pointed out that in times of economic downturns, like we are seeing with COVID-19, the natural tendency is to reduce if not eliminate the level of investment in new technologies and methodologies – an obvious approach to dealing with economic uncertainty. However, while this is viable over the short term, the reality is that all businesses have to re-evaluate their operational priorities to ensure they emerge from the crisis in a better position to deal with new economic realities. For many laboratory-dependent organizations, this means looking for ways to become more efficient, perhaps even increasing throughput while spending less, but still generating accurate results.
I want to dig a little deeper into the advantages of the VUV Analyzer™ Platform for Fuels as it relates to improvements in operational efficiency and long-term cost reduction.
Let's start by looking at the platform itself. The VUV Analyzer Platform for Fuels is designed to analyze different fuel types (Figure 1), with no changes in hardware or setup. This is significant because it means you can easily switch between gasoline (ASTM D8071), jet fuel (ASTM D8267) and diesel/biodiesel (ASTM # Pending).
Table 1 highlights the traditional analytical techniques and methods used for the analysis of these different fuels. Depending on what you are trying to achieve, you will need to run multiple samples on different analytical techniques. From an efficiency standpoint, this requires a lot of time and depending on the techniques, significant expertise. Since the VUV Analyzer Platform is automated and uses a single column, there is minimal impact to productivity when switching between analysis types. This allows you to consolidate fuels analysis to a single platform while increasing the efficiency of the analyst. Ultimately you can increase analytical throughput with fewer analytical techniques. But what about cost?
Logically, it would make sense that reducing the number of analytical techniques would have a dramatic impact on cost. In part 1, I showed that when using the VUV Analyzer Platform for Fuels running ASTM D8071, you could reduce the cost-per-analysis from approximately $64.63 USD per sample to $5.21 USD. For jet fuel (Figure 2), cost-per-analysis can be reduced to $3.07 USD per sample compared to FIA (ASTM D1319) at $51.49 USD, and HPLC (ASTM D6379) at $8.98 USD per sample. How is this possible?
The answer is not all that complicated and takes into account three different variables: cost-of-acquisition, cost-of-maintenance and consumables, and cost-of-labor. Let's consider each:
Usually the cost to acquire the hardware gets the most attention as it is the upfront cost needed. Depending on the instrumentation required, it can be inexpensive like FIA or more expensive like GC-MS. To be fair implementing the VUV Analyzer Platform does require more capital investment compared to other techniques, which is reflected in Figure 2 with a higher cost-per-sample on the capital line. It is important to note that the number is greatly influenced by whether or not the VUV Analyzer hardware is being added-on to an existing GC (which reduces the capital requirement) or a new GC. However, the capital investment is only a small part of the story.
Cost-of-Maintenance and Consumables
Consolidating from multiple analytical techniques reduces the number of instruments in the lab. This means less maintenance and consumables cost over time. Simply put, using the VUV Analyzer Platform reduces the number of GCs and gas consumption, eliminates expensive consumables like platinum reactors used in GC-OFID, eliminates the need for ion source cleanings and expensive deuterated standards. Additionally, there are no expensive dyes (FIA) or hazardous solvents like those used in HPLC. The VUV Analyzer Platform has one consumable – a lamp that only needs to be replaced every 2000 hours. To put this in perspective, one user of the VUV Analyzer Platform running ASTM D8071 and D8267 has calculated that they will save approximately $125,000 USD per year (excluding labor) by replacing the other techniques with the VUV Analyzer Platform.
The last variable is labor. Any discussion of labor cost almost always revolves around reduction. However, when I refer to reducing the cost-of-labor, I am actually referring to better utilization of existing resources as opposed to the elimination of that cost. Simply put, since the VUV Analyzer Platform eliminates the need for multiple analytical techniques, is automated and calibration free, and does not require any changes in hardware or setup when changing between fuels types, laboratory resources can be utilized on other high priority projects – which means more productivity.
As discussed in part 1, in times of economic uncertainty, it is usually capital expenditures which get delayed or eliminated first. Laboratories that look to eliminate long-term recurring costs first are often better positioned to emerge from economic uncertainties. Strategic capital investments that have a positive impact on reducing operating costs and generating operational efficiencies over the long term are critical to future success.


text:
Report by James Franklin, Reporter
Thursday, August 9, 2012
WESTON Museum has been transformed into an archaeological dig pit in a bid to inspire youngsters about our past.
The Burlington Street museum will hold its Big Dig event every week day until August 21, with an exhibition teaching children about archaeology and history.
The event, the brainchild of Bournemouth University student and museum volunteer Shauni Brocklesby, features a large sand pit containing treasures for children to dig up.
They are also being taught how to write their names using Viking runes and Egyptian hieroglyphics.
Museum supervisor Adam Brown said: "We are really hoping that this will plant seeds of interest into children and advance their understanding about this amazing subject."


text:
So the question at hand is can cats eat watermelon? Majority of the cats are considered picky eaters. However, a lot of cats do enjoy watermelon.
Most of the time cats are happy with what their owners provide for them at least food wise. Most owners are strict about what they feed their cats, typically it is only cat foo. But there are always cats that want to taste new and different types of foods. They yearn to taste everything which their owners have.
It is well known that cats are carnivorous animals by nature, meaning that they eat meat mostly. If they are living outdoors a cat may never eat anything but meat. Surprisingly there are cats which love to eat fruits like watermelon. There are even dogs and other pets which love to eat fruit.
Is Watermelon Safe for Cats
We should know how many benefits there are from eating watermelon. Hydration is one of the many great benefits you can get from watermelons and a reason why so many people eat them. Next time you are dehydrated you should try eating watermelon, it will surely leave you feeling refreshed. Watermelons are very rich in water content. So, the good news is that our little mystery regarding cats and watermelon is solved; Cats can eat watermelon.
Many cat experts have revealed that watermelon is in fact very safe for cats. Not only is watermelon safe for cats but it is also very safe for dogs. By eating watermelon, your cat can fulfill its bodies daily need for water. This is very much like human and how we can benefit from eating watermelon. All the melons like honeydew, cantaloupe, and watermelon are safe for cats to consume. If your cat loves watermelon, you can rest well knowing that it is a safe and healthy treat for your feline.
Benefits of Watermelon for Cats
As a cat owners you may have already noticed one thing, your cats rarely drinks water. Cats do not need much water unlike human beings who need to at least consume 80 ounces of water everyday. This is because cats are an animal which have evolved from desert animals surprisingly. Cats bodies over the years have retained their characteristic of needing little to no water intake throughout the day.
But the in-taking less water has the potential to lead to many health issues and risks for our furry friends. It has been noted that some indoor cats do not even drink the amount of water daily that their little bodies require, this can be for many reason. In this case, pets may suffer from dehydration like human beings do. This can result in health problems like lower urinary tract infection and other kidney related issues. However unlike humans these conditions can be life threatening to a house cat as their frames are so much smaller than ours.
Can Cats Have Watermelon?
Watermelon is delicious fruit. Along with its amazing taste it also provides an immense amount hydration and some necessary vitamins. Watermelon as with many other fruits is made up largely of water and fructose which is also known as natural fruit sugar. Something that is very little known about watermelon, is that it is very rich in Lycopene. Lycopene is an antioxidant that can positively affect bone health. It has also been known to have heart, blood pressure, prostate, osteoporosis, skin and other benefits in both natural and synthetic forms. Here is a list of nutrients found in watermelon fruit and juice alike.
- Vitamin B1
- Vitamin A.
- Vitamin C
- Vitamin B6
- Pantothenic acid
- Phenolic antioxidants
- Carotenoid Lycopene
But it is important remember that this fruit is low in minerals like magnesium and potassium. However it is rich in vitamins like Vitamin C and Vitamin A. When watermelon fruit is ripe and it turns a bright red color on the inside, as it becomes more nutritious. You can always tell if a watermelon is ripe by the way it smells at the top or bottom. A watermelon that is ripe will smell sweet while a watermelon that isn't ripe will not have any smell.
Watermelon is Very Nutritionist for Cats
So, we all understand by now that watermelon is very nutritious and healthy for not only humans but cats and dogs alike. Now the real question is how good is it actually for cats. One must understand that watermelon comes out in summer season. It is watery as well as sweet. This is most suitable for summer season. It can really save an overheat summer day.
This is the reason; once in a while it is better to give cats watermelon if they like to eat it. This will take care of water demands from their body. Along with this, one must be happy that watermelon is great source of Vitamin C and Vitamin A. It is also a good source of dietary fiber. This will improve cat's health though improving its digestive system.
Can Cats Eat Watermelon Juice?
As everybody knows cats are natural born hunters. They survive by hunting and killing their prey which ends up being their food. Meat is a very rich source of protein, and protein is made up of amino acids. Amino Acids play a major role in growth as well as maintenance of a cats body which can be said to be true for all living things that consume meat. Watermelon comes packed with fructose which we know to be natural sugars. However a fun fact that not may cat owner are aware of is that cats cannot taste anything sweet. This is why cats are known as crab blind. Watermelon can be helpful for cats in many regards.
Along with being a healthy fruit, watermelon is great source of water. When it comes to water content, there is no other fruit which can be compared to this. Water is very important to keep the bodily functions in order. Functions like sweating, breathing, and even digestion demand lot of water.
Along with this, the dietary fiber present in the fruit helps in reducing the blood cholesterol levels. There are many other nutrients as well like magnesium, potassium, and vitamin C. Consuming these can result in reduced risk for heart issues, if one includes this fruit in their regular diet.
Can Cats Eat Whole Watermelon?
So, we understand that watermelon is undoubtedly safe for cats. But there are few things to keep in mind before giving watermelon to cats. Before you serve watermelon to your pet, do not forget to remove seeds and rind of the fruit.
- Watermelon is made up of about 90 percent water. If your cat consumes watermelon it is sure to have reduced its needed water for that day. Watermelon good for cat's digestive system as well since watermelon comes with dietary fiber
- This can also fulfill the demand of keeping well balanced diet. This is because watermelon contains Vitamin A and Vitamin C
Always remember that there is no need to give your cat watermelon if you have a planned diet for cat. This is due to the fact that they are carnivorous animals by nature. Their bodies really only require meat for your feline to be happy and healthy. A well balanced diet with recommended cat food will take care of everything. There is no need to include fruits or vegetables in a cats diet.
If your cat had diabetic symptoms, then you should never try to feed it watermelon because along with water they are also very rich in sugar. Since they are carnivorous, they may not need the vitamins and mineral from fruit base.If your cat really likes watermelon you can feed it to him once in a while.


text:
Studies demonstrate the impact of effective architecture in schools
Recent research suggests that subtle changes to a learning environment can significantly alter a child's academic performance. The study, compiled by the Girls' Day School Trust (England and Wales) indicates that girls and boys will respond differently to certain spaces, conditions and temperatures, and emphasises the importance of utilising these factors in a positive way.
While girls seem to learn most effectively at a temperature of 24°C, boys prefer a cooler 21°C. Further scientific studies suggest that large atriums may produce a negative impact on girls, who learn better in small, intimate spaces, while soft surfaces produce a positive effect. Longer, hour-long classes suit girls better than boys, who perform better in short bursts of 30 minutes. These findings highlight the responsibility of the architect to design with these outcomes in mind, reiterating the power of effective architecture to change society for the better.


Moving Teachings: Crowdsourced Learning from Fellow Commuters
PARK AND RIDE... AND LEARN: Here's an interesting alternative to reading the Kindle or plugging into your smartphone on that next bus ride. Moving Teachings is a web app that allows bus riders to offer or register for "mini-classes" around whatever collective knowledge exists among riders on a given route. It strikes us as a web 2.0 tool for scheduling intelligent conversations with fellow commuters but you get a little more say over who's talking about what. So far the offerings -- limited to Portland, OR riders -- include conversational Portuguese from a Brazilian expat and breathing techniques from a yogi. There's even prerequisite suggested reading. The alpha site isn't quite ready to accommodate a group of 7th grade urbanites, but offering learning opportunities in everyday public spaces is a major step towards meaningful learning in and outside of the classroom.
Who we are


English to French: more detail...
 1. melt down:
Detailed Translations for melt down from English to French
melt down:
to melt down verb (melts down, melted down, melting down)
 1. to melt down (smelt; melt away; dissolve)
 fondre; dissoudre; se fondre; se liquéfier; dégeler
 - fondre verb (fonds, fond, fondons, fondez, )
 - dissoudre verb (dissous, dissout, dissolvons, dissolvez, )
 - se fondre verb
 - dégeler verb (dégèle, dégèles, dégelons, dégelez, )
Conjugations for melt down:
 1. melt down
 2. melt down
 3. melts down
 4. melt down
 5. melt down
 6. melt down
simple past
 1. melted down
 2. melted down
 3. melted down
 4. melted down
 5. melted down
 6. melted down
present perfect
 1. have melted down
 2. have melted down
 3. has melted down
 4. have melted down
 5. have melted down
 6. have melted down
past continuous
 1. was melting down
 2. were melting down
 3. was melting down
 4. were melting down
 5. were melting down
 6. were melting down
 1. shall melt down
 2. will melt down
 3. will melt down
 4. shall melt down
 5. will melt down
 6. will melt down
continuous present
 1. am melting down
 2. are melting down
 3. is melting down
 4. are melting down
 5. are melting down
 6. are melting down
 1. be melted down
 2. be melted down
 3. be melted down
 4. be melted down
 5. be melted down
 6. be melted down
 1. melt down!
 2. let's melt down!
 3. melted down
 4. melting down
Translation Matrix for melt down:
VerbRelated TranslationsOther Translations
dissoudre dissolve; melt away; melt down; smelt break down; break up; collapse; crumble; demolish; depart; destroy; disintegrate; dissolve; drag down; fall apart; fall to bits; fall to pieces; get down; go; go away; leave; melt away; pull down; take down; tear down; tear loose; wreck
dégeler dissolve; melt away; melt down; smelt become less stiff; defrost; fuse; fuze; melt; stop freezing; thaw
fondre dissolve; melt away; melt down; smelt become less stiff; burn out; decrease; defrost; diminish; drop; dwindle; fuse; fuze; go down; lessen; melt; melt together; merge; reduce; shrink; shrink away; shrink back; shrivel; shrivel up; stop freezing; thaw
se fondre dissolve; melt away; melt down; smelt fuse; fuze; melt together; merge
se liquéfier dissolve; melt away; melt down; smelt become less stiff; liquidify
- melt; run
Synonyms for "melt down":
Related Definitions for "melt down":
 1. reduce or cause to be reduced from a solid to a liquid state, usually by heating1
 - melt down gold1
Related Translations for melt down
comments powered by Disqus


Four Central European states urge EU to support nuclear energy
BUDAPEST Mon Oct 14, 2013 7:32am EDT
Related Topics
The former communist countries in the eastern corner of the European Union are reliant on gas imports, mostly from Russia, and want to diversify their energy sources.
"We expect the European Union to help rather than hinder the increase of nuclear capacity in central Europe," Orban told a news conference after the meeting.
"This area must not be over-regulated and the issue of state aid for energy investments should also be reviewed, because we think that nuclear energy is being discriminated against here."
While Orban did not expand on this, European Commissioners decided last week to exclude a specific reference to nuclear power in an update to their guidelines on state aid for the energy sector, expected to be published next month.
This does not necessarily mean that using taxpayers' money to help finance nuclear power would be illegal under EU law, but that each case will have to be examined on its own merits.
The issue of whether the public should subsidise nuclear as well as other forms of energy has divided the European Commission, the EU executive, as well as national governments.
While countries such as Germany and Austria oppose nuclear power, others such as Britain and the Visegrad four are in favour.
Opponents including environmental groups say government funding for atomic power would breach EU legal principles and mark a major shift in policy. Meanwhile, pro-nuclear countries have found developers unwilling to build plants without state guarantees on prices for the power they will generate.
Hungary plans to expand its existing nuclear plant, though it has not issued a tender yet.
The Czech utility CEZ is running a tender to build two big new units of about 1,200 MW each at its Temelin plant.
In Slovakia, two new reactors with a combined capacity of 880 megawatts are expected to start up in 2014 and 2015.
Poland, which relies on highly polluting coal for most of its electricity, this year cleared the initial legal and regulatory hurdles needed to complete its first nuclear reactor by 2023. (Reporting by Krisztina Than; Editing by Kevin Liffey)


text:
Soda And Beverages Industry
Using in fruits and carbonated beverages, flavored milks and any other soft drinks offers several advantages that help reduce costs in the following areas:
- It is a flavor enhancer in juices and beverages, making it easier for producers to reduce up to 15% the application of flavorings in their formulations. This is a great advantage, since fruits and flavors concentrates represent a high percentage of the product's cost.
- The solid content in NESUGAR ™ has a higher sweetening power than sucrose, allowing a reduction between 15% -25% of solid content of carbohydrates in their formulation. This benefits those who are watching their calorie intake.
- Excellent for producers of energy drinks because it provides instant energy and is much easier to digest and assimilate
- NESUGAR ™ helps to reduce in between 45% to 55% storage space, handling costs, and inventory control
- Using NESUGAR ™ can help to reduce from 60% to 80% of energy costs associated with the dissolution of the solids in the liquid mixture (Reduction of temperature and stirring time)
- The mixing time is also reduced in the range 60% to 80% without leaving solid deposition in the bottom of the trough
- All or almost all filtration steps can be eliminated, because NESUGAR ™ is free of impurities


text:
Sensor-Based Movement and Sleep Analysis in Parkinson's Disease
In D04, innovative, non-contact EmpkinS sensor technology using machine learning algorithms and multimodal reference diagnostics is evaluated using the example of Parkinson's-associated sleep disorder patterns. For this purpose, body function parameters of sleep are technically validated with wearable sensor technology and non-contact EmpkinS sensor technology in comparison to classical polysomnography and correlated to clinical scales. In an algorithmic approach, multiparametric sleep parameters and sleep patterns are then evaluated in correlation to movement, respiratory, cardiovascular, and sleep phase regulation disorders. Thereby, using the combination of intelligent Machine Learning algorithms and contactless EmpkinS Sensor Technology facilitates unobtrusive sleep analysis. This opens up new possibilities, such as continuing long-term monitoring of sleep-related Parkinson's symptoms improving diagnosis and treatment.
Nothing added here yet


text:
Chemical Soup spreads through North West communities and encourages parents to Take 7 Steps Out
Arsenic, toilet cleaner and nail varnish remover aren't the usual ingredients you would give your children this autumn – but parents who smoke in the North West are being reminded that this could be the case unless they take '7 steps' out of the house when smoking.
The advice follows a series of sessions which took place in the North West over the last year as part of the 'Chemical Soup' initiative which educated parents, volunteers and health workers about the dangers of second hand cigarette smoke.
Developed by Tobacco Free Futures and children's charity Barnardo's working in partnership with Manchester Stop Smoking Service, the 'chemical soup kit' complete with cooking pot and fake hazardous liquids, was presented to attendees in a fun and visual way and highlighted some of the harmful chemicals in cigarette smoke. Of more than 4,000 chemicals in cigarette smoke, 60 are known to cause cancer as well as avoidable childhood illnesses.
A new survey of more than 1000 participants who completed the training revealed that almost three quarters (71%) who indicated their homes were not smoke free before the session pledged to make their homes smoke free following it.
Elaine Samson a Carer from Blackburn with Darwen said: "I used to be a smoker for thirty years and I never realised that there are more than 4,000 chemicals in a cigarette.
"My husband and daughter are smokers and I'm going to share what I've learnt with them both so that they know how to protect others from the harms of secondhand smoke."
This community activity was the next stage of the successful Take 7 Steps Out campaign – which encourages smokers to smoke outside of their home, especially when children are in the house – and delivered jointly by Tobacco Free Futures and Barnardo's.


is made by appending .sra to the
 source file name.
 sink
 Dump each function after performing code sinking. The file
 name is made by appending .sink to the source file name.
 dom Dump each function after applying dominator tree optimizations.
 The file name is made by appending .dom to the source file
 name.
 dse Dump each function after applying dead store elimination. The
 file name is made by appending .dse to the source file name.
 phiopt
 Dump each function after optimizing PHI nodes into straightline
 code. The file name is made by appending .phiopt to the source
 file name.
 forwprop
 Dump each function after forward propagating single use
 variables. The file name is made by appending .forwprop to the
 source file name.
 copyrename
 Dump each function after applying the copy rename optimization.
 The file name is made by appending .copyrename to the source
 file name.
 nrv Dump each function after applying the named return value
 optimization on generic trees. The file name is made by
 appending .nrv to the source file name.
 vect
 Dump each function after applying vectorization of loops. The
 file name is made by appending .vect to the source file name.
 slp Dump each function after applying vectorization of basic
 blocks. The file name is made by appending .slp to the source
 file name.
 vrp Dump each function after Value Range Propagation (VRP). The
 file name is made by appending .vrp to the source file name.
 all Enable all the available tree dumps with the flags provided in
 this option.
 -ftree-vectorizer-verbose=n
 This option controls the amount of debugging output the vectorizer
 prints. This information is written to standard error, unless
 -fdump-tree-all or -fdump-tree-vect is specified, in which case it
 is output to the usual dump listing file, .vect. For n=0 no
 diagnostic information is reported. If n=1 the vectorizer reports
 each loop that got vectorized, and the total number of loops that
 got vectorized. If n=2 the vectorizer also reports non-vectorized
 loops that passed the first analysis phase (vect_analyze_loop_form)
 - i.e. countable, inner-most, single-bb, single-entry/exit loops.
 This is the same verbosity level that -fdump-tree-vect-stats uses.
 Higher verbosity levels mean either more information dumped for
 each reported loop, or same amount of information reported for more
 loops: if n=3, vectorizer cost model information is reported. If
 n=4, alignment related information is added to the reports. If
 n=5, data-references related information (e.g. memory dependences,
 memory access-patterns) is added to the reports. If n=6, the
 vectorizer reports also non-vectorized inner-most loops that did
 not pass the first analysis phase (i.e., may not be countable, or
 may have complicated control-flow). If n=7, the vectorizer reports
 also non-vectorized nested loops. If n=8, SLP related information
 is added to the reports. For n=9, all the information the
 vectorizer generates during its analysis and transformation is
 reported. This is the same verbosity level that
 -fdump-tree-vect-details uses.
 -frandom-seed=string
 This option provides a seed that GCC uses when it would otherwise
 use random numbers. It is used to generate certain symbol names
 that have to be different in every compiled file. It is also used
 to place unique stamps in coverage data files and the object files
 that produce them. You can use the -frandom-seed option to produce
 reproducibly identical object files.
 The string should be different for every file you compile.
 -fsched-verbose=n
 On targets that use instruction scheduling, this option controls
 the amount of debugging output the scheduler prints. This
 information is written to standard error, unless -fdump-rtl-sched1
 or -fdump-rtl-sched2 is specified, in which case it is output to
 the usual dump listing file, .sched1 or .sched2 respectively.
 However for n greater than nine, the output is always printed to
 standard error.
 For n greater than zero, -fsched-verbose outputs the same
 information as -fdump-rtl-sched1 and -fdump-rtl-sched2. For n
 greater than one, it also output basic block probabilities,
 detailed ready list information and unit/insn info. For n greater
 than two, it includes RTL at abort point, control-flow and regions
 info. And for n over four, -fsched-verbose also includes
 dependence info.
 -save-temps
 -save-temps=cwd
 Store the usual "temporary" intermediate files permanently; place
 them in the current directory and name them based on the source
 file. Thus, compiling foo.c with -c -save-temps would produce
 files foo.i and foo.s, as well as foo.o. This creates a
 preprocessed foo.i output file even though the compiler now
 normally uses an integrated preprocessor.
 When used in combination with the -x command line option,
 -save-temps is sensible enough to avoid over writing an input
 source file with the same extension as an intermediate file. The
 corresponding intermediate file may be obtained by renaming the
 source file before using -save-temps.
 If you invoke GCC in parallel, compiling several different source
 files that share a common base name in different subdirectories or
 the same source file compiled for multiple output destinations, it
 is likely that the different parallel compilers will interfere with
 each other, and overwrite the temporary files. For instance:
 gcc -save-temps -o outdir1/foo.o indir1/foo.c&
 gcc -save-temps -o outdir2/foo.o indir2/foo.c&
 may result in foo.i and foo.o being written to simultaneously by
 both compilers.
 -save-temps=obj
 Store the usual "temporary" intermediate files permanently. If the
 -o option is used, the temporary files are based on the object
 file. If the -o option is not used, the -save-temps=obj switch
 behaves like -save-temps.
 For example:
 gcc -save-temps=obj -c foo.c
 gcc -save-temps=obj -c bar.c -o dir/xbar.o
 gcc -save-temps=obj foobar.c -o dir2/yfoobar
 would create foo.i, foo.s, dir/xbar.i, dir/xbar.s, dir2/yfoobar.i,
 dir2/yfoobar.s, and dir2/yfoobar.o.
 -time[=file]
 Report the CPU time taken by each subprocess in the compilation
 sequence. For C source files, this is the compiler proper and
 assembler (plus the linker if linking is done).
 Without the specification of an output file, the output looks like
 this:
 # cc1 0.12 0.01
 # as 0.00 0.01
 The first number on each line is the "user time", that is time
 spent executing the program itself. The second number is "system
 time", time spent executing operating system routines on behalf of
 the program. Both numbers are in seconds.
 With the specification of an output file, the output is appended to
 the named file, and it looks like this:
 0.12 0.01 cc1 <options>
 0.00 0.01 as <options>
 The "user time" and the "system time" are moved before the program
 name, and the options passed to the program are displayed, so that
 one can later tell what file was being compiled, and with which
 options.
 -fvar-tracking
 Run variable tracking pass. It computes where variables are stored
 at each position in code. Better debugging information is then
 generated (if the debugging information format supports this
 information).
 It is enabled by default when compiling with optimization (-Os, -O,
 -O2, ...), debugging information (-g) and the debug info format
 supports it.
 -fvar-tracking-assignments
 Annotate assignments to user variables early in the compilation and
 attempt to carry the annotations over throughout the compilation
 all the way to the end, in an attempt to improve debug information
 while optimizing. Use of -gdwarf-4 is recommended along with it.
 It can be enabled even if var-tracking is disabled, in which case
 annotations will be created and maintained, but discarded at the
 end.
 -fvar-tracking-assignments-toggle
 Toggle -fvar-tracking-assignments, in the same way that -gtoggle
 toggles -g.
 -print-file-name=library
 Print the full absolute name of the library file library that would
 be used when linking---and don't do anything else. With this
 option, GCC does not compile or link anything; it just prints the
 file name.
 -print-multi-directory
 Print the directory name corresponding to the multilib selected by
 any other switches present in the command line.


text:
Detailed drawings for the construction of vertical shafts, pit-bottom workings, surface technical complex of the main and auxiliary shafts at Mao Khe mine, Socialist Republic of Vietnam, were made.
Geological exploration department with proper base and complete equipment fleet was built.
The design documentation of mining and transportation systems modification in Stepnoy open-pit mine, the Republic of Khakassia, was developed. Pervomayskiy open-pit mine in Prokopyevskiy district of Kemerovo region was commissioned as per the Institute's project.
A new secondary general education school, built as per the Institute's project, opened in a new housing estate in Kemerovo. The project represents a new building system with a Belorussian technology used, translucent constructions, corner windows and atrium space. There are interactive whiteboards and projection devices in 48 classrooms. The school is equipped with all the facilities (classrooms, halls, sites) necessary for children's creative and physical development.
The Institute elaborated "The strategy of coal mining industry development in Kuzbass until 2025" in cooperation with the Regional Administration by the Governor's order and within the framework of "Programme of long-term development of Russian coal industry until 2030".
Baikaimskaya mine (within the boarders of the mining allotment belonging to Mokhovskiy open-pit mine branch) and Yuzhnaya mine, which is 10 km away from the town of Beryozovskiy, were commissioned as per the design projects made by OJSC KuzbassGhiproShakht.
A great amount of project design work was completed in the 12th and 14th housing estates in Kemerovo under the national project "Affordable and comfortable housing for Russian citizens"
A programme of closing down highly dangerous and unprofitable coal mines in Kemerovo region was designed and implemented. The Institute completed 36 out of 43 tasks on closing down coal mines and open pit mines under the programme by that time. Considerable attention was paid to the employees' social security, including resettling people from dilapidated housing. Reconstruction and facilities construction plans for Kemerovo and Anzhero-Sudzhensk were elaborated in connection with the balance disposal from the mines to the towns.
Zadubrovskiy open-pit mine was commissioned as per the project completed by Kuzbass GhiproShakht.
The general development plan of a coal basin in Mozambique was elaborated and an open pit mine design was completed.
The first international contract for open-pit mine design (Socialist Republic of Vietnam) was signed.
Original technical solutions concerning the usage of environmentally friendly resources saving technologies of overburden disposal with the help of hydraulic transport were developed and implemented .
The first project in complex services related to geological exploration at Maghistralniy site of OJSC SUEK-Kuzbass was started.
This was the 55-th anniversary of OJSC KuzbassGhiproShakht which accounted for 450 employees. 14 mines and open-pit mines were commissioned , 17 mines and open-pit mines were reconstructed, tens of substations, hundreds of kilometers of motorways, railways and electric power lines were built since 2000.
Butovskaya mine in the city of Kemerovo was commissioned as per the Institute's project. The design documentation for constructing LLC Mezhegeiugol Mining complex in Republic of Tyva as well as detailed documentation of constructing an overhead line of 110 kv and substation of 110/6/6 kv were developed.
The planning project of Kuzbasskiy technopark, which is in Rudnichny district of Kemerovo city, and the design documentation on establishing external lines for the construction of Kuzbasskiy technopark group of buildings were developed by the order of the Regional Administration.
Karakanskiy-Zapadny open-pit mine, which is 35 km away from the city of Belovo, was commissioned as per the design project implemented by OJSC KuzbassGhiproShakht.
The Institute developed Technical- Economic Proposals for mineral resources development at Western and Eastern sites at the Western part of Ulug-Hemskiy coal basin in Republic of Tyva with more than 2 billion tons of coal reserves.
The Institute developed a feasibility study for construction of Sheregesh Tourist Complex which is a tourist recreational special economic zone in Kemerovo region.
A surface mining site belonging to OJSC Kuznetskinveststroy (Korchakolskiy open-pit coal mine) was commissioned as per the design made by OJSC KuzbassGhiproShakht.
A fundamental research "Analysis and assessment of the mineral resources base in Russian coal industry (Western Siberia)" was conducted under the Head of the Institute's supervision.
Railway station Uba was designed under the Institute's project and then commissioned.
Osinnikovskaya mine was commissioned under the Institute's project. The mine was constructed on the basis of a site belonging to Kapitalnaya mine, which was closed down, to finish the development of the remaining reserves of high grade coking coals.
KuzbassGhiproShakht celebrated its 25-th anniversary. The following mines and open-pit mines were reconstructed under the Institute's design projects: Yagunovskaya mine, Shushtalepskaya mine, Severny Maganak mine, S.M. Kirova mine, Komsomolets mine, E. Yaroslavskogo mine, and also Kedrovskiy, Baidaevskiy, Listvyanskiy and Mokhovskiy open-pit mines. Pervomaiskaya and Tayozhnaya mines as well as Chernigovskiy and Novokolbinskiy open-pit mines were built as per the Institute's projects. 25 employees were awarded with the governmental awards. 21 employees got departmental awards. 3 workers became Full Cavaliers of the Sign of Mining Glory. 81 members of the staff were awarded the title of The Veteran of Labor of OJSC KuzbassGhiproShakht for working in the Institute for more than 20 years.
Design and construction management over a processing plant in Kerman, Iran was made.
The first civil facilities were commissioned as per our design projects, in particular, Central Municipal Clinical Hospital of Kemerovo City, KuzbassTISIz, etc.
Reconstruction of Kedrovskiy and Chernigovskiy open-pit mines was done under the Institute's projects.
The Institute moved into a new 4-storey building in Pushkin Square, Kemerovo.
Mines in Anzhero-Sudzhensk and Beryozovskiy in Kemerovo Region were built according to the technical specifications prepared by the Institute.
The Institute was founded. The staff consisted of 108 people.
Reconstruction of Nalayha-Kapitalnaya mine, Mongolian People's Republic, according to our technical specifications, was the first step outside Kuzbass borders. Some employees got the awards from the Mongolian Government.
The first infrastructure facilities were commissioned on the basis of our design projects. They included: engine house, gas-drainage units, boiler houses, electrical substations, main lines, motorways, access roads to railways.
The Institute's experts started to design open-pit mines in Kuzbass.


text:
Study tracks repercussions from reduced pre-op testingJan. 17, 2019, 10:50 AM
by Paul Govern
When clinical teams at Vanderbilt University Medical Center dramatically reduced several types of preoperative testing for elective surgery patients, there were no repercussions for these patients in terms of case cancellation rates, average length of stay in the hospital or rates of readmission to VUMC.
That's the finding of a retrospective observational study by Jonathan Wanderer, MD, MPhil, and Gen Li, MS, MS, appearing in the Journal of Clinical Anesthesia.
"We're very encouraged by these results. Where the rooting out of unnecessary testing is concerned, many health care institutions have been slow to adopt established preoperative testing guidelines, and we think this might be due in part to fear that OR operations might become disrupted, whether by increases in case cancellations or by last-minute testing.
"But our study shows that more refined, targeted protocols can be successful in reducing unnecessary testing without disrupting the OR and without increasing adverse patient outcomes as measured by length of hospital stay or hospital readmission," said Wanderer, associate professor of Anesthesiology and Biomedical Informatics and medical director of the Vanderbilt Preoperative Evaluation Center (VPEC).
From 2012 to 2015, VPEC refined its protocols based on national guidelines and consensus among VUMC experts, in part to reduce unnecessary patient tests through more discriminating use of chest X-rays, electrocardiograms and lab studies. Concurrently, the preoperative chest X-ray protocol used by surgical teams across VUMC was refined, and surgeons completed brief training modules about the protocol.
When the researchers analyzed 56,425 cases that had been evaluated preoperatively by VPEC before and after the various protocol changes, they found that the rate of preoperative electrocardiogram orders decreased from 62 to 32 percent; preop basic metabolic panels and blood cell counts both decreased from 71 to 51 percent; and preop blood coagulation testing decreased from 38 to 30 percent. To examine preop ordering of chest X-rays, the researchers analyzed 72,605 cases, finding a decrease from 11.8 to 3.1 percent.
After the protocol changes, rates of testing on the day of surgery were unchanged for these tests, except in the case of basic metabolic panels, which increased from 0.28 to 0.66 percent. Among patients evaluated preoperatively, length of hospital stay was found to have decreased by one day and there were no significant increases in case cancellations or readmissions to VUMC within 30 days.
Wanderer and Li were joined in the study by Sarah Nelson, MPH, Hanyuan Shi, MD, Maxim Terekhov, MS, and Jesse Ehrenfeld, MD, MPH.


Boxer (dog)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to: navigation, search
For other meanings of these words, see Boxer (disambiguation).
Male fawn Boxer undocked.jpg
Plain fawn Boxer, uncropped and undocked
Other names
 - German Boxer
 - Deutscher Boxer
Country of origin Germany
Weight Male 66–70 lb (30–32 kg)[1]
Female 55–60 lb (25–27 kg)
Height Male 22-25 ins. (57–63 cms.)[2]
Female 21.5-24 ins. (53–60 cms.)
Coat short, shiny, smooth, close-lying
Color fawn or brindle, black mask, with or without white markings, and white
Litter size average 6–8
Life span average 9–10 years[3]
Dog (Canis lupus familiaris)
The Boxer is a breed of medium-sized, short-haired dogs developed in Germany. Their coat is smooth and tight-fitting; colors are fawn or brindled, with or without white markings, which may cover the entire body, and white. Boxers are brachycephalic (they have broad, short skulls), have a square muzzle, mandibular prognathism (an underbite), very strong jaws, and a powerful bite ideal for hanging on to large prey. The Boxer was bred from the Old English Bulldog and the now extinct Bullenbeisser, and is part of the Molosser group. The Boxer is a member of the Working Group.[4]
Boxers were first exhibited in a dog show for St. Bernards in Munich in 1895, the first Boxer club being founded the next year. Based on 2013 American Kennel Club statistics, Boxers held steady as the seventh most popular breed of dog in the United States for the fourth consecutive year.[5]
Head and body proportions.
A brindle boxer
Two fawn boxer dogs
Boxers were originally a docked and cropped breed, and this is still done in some countries. However, due to pressure from veterinary associations, animal rights groups, and the general public, both cropping of the ears and docking of the tail have been prohibited in many countries around the world. A line of naturally short-tailed (bobtail) Boxers was developed in the United Kingdom in anticipation of a tail docking ban there;[8] after several generations of controlled breeding, these dogs were accepted in the Kennel Club (UK) registry in 1998, and today representatives of the bobtail line can be found in many countries around the world. However, in 2008, the FCI added a "naturally stumpy tail" as a disqualifying fault in their breed standard, meaning those Boxers born with a bobtail can no longer be shown in FCI member countries. In the United States and Canada as of 2012, cropped ears are still more common in show dogs, even though the practice of cosmetic cropping is currently opposed by the American Veterinary Medical Association.[9] In March 2005 the AKC breed standard was changed to include a description of the uncropped ear, but to severely penalize an undocked tail. The tail of a boxer is typically docked before the cartilage is fully formed, between 3-5 days old. This procedure does not require any anesthesia or sutures when performed at this young age.
Coat and colors[edit]
The Boxer is a short-haired breed, with a shiny, smooth coat that lies tight to the body. The recognized colors are fawn and brindle,[4] frequently with a white underbelly and white on the feet. These white markings, called flash, often extend onto the neck or face, and dogs that have these markings are known as "flashy". "Fawn" denotes a range of color, the tones of which may be described variously as light tan or yellow, reddish tan, mahogany or stag/deer red, and dark honey-blonde. In the UK and Europe, fawn Boxers are typically rich in color and are often called "red". "Brindle" refers to a dog with black stripes on a fawn background. Some brindle Boxers are so heavily striped that they give the appearance of "reverse brindling", fawn stripes on a black body; these dogs are conventionally called "reverse brindles", but that is actually a misnomer—they are still fawn dogs with black stripes. In addition, the breed standards state that the fawn background must clearly contrast with or show through the brindling, so a dog that is too heavily brindled may be disqualified by the breed standard. Boxers that resemble flashy traits are referred to as "flashy" plus the other color that they have such as brindle (ex: flashy-brindle).
The Boxer does not carry the gene for a solid black coat color and therefore purebred black Boxers do not exist.[10]
White Boxers[edit]
White boxer.
Boxers with white markings covering more than one-third of their coat – conventionally called "white" Boxers – are neither albino nor rare; approximately 20–25% of all Boxers born are white.[11] Genetically, these dogs are either fawn or brindle, with excessive white markings overlying the base coat color. Like fair-skinned humans, white Boxers have a higher risk of sunburn and associated skin cancers than colored Boxers. The extreme piebald gene, which is responsible for white markings in Boxers, is linked to congenital sensorineural deafness in dogs. It is estimated that about 18% of white Boxers are deaf in one or both ears,[12] though Boxer rescue organizations see about double that number.[13][14]
In the past, breeders often euthanized white puppies at birth. A 1998 study of Boxers in the Netherlands showed that 17% of Boxer pups were euthanized because they were white.[15] Previously, the American Boxer Club "unofficially recommended euthanasia for these animals."[16] Reasons for euthanizing white pups includes the view that it is unethical to sell a dog with "faults" and the perception that white Boxers are at higher risk of ending up abandoned in rescues.[17] Today, breeders are increasingly reluctant to euthanize healthy pups[16] and may choose to neuter and place them in pet homes instead.
The character of the Boxer is of the greatest importance and demands the most solicitous attention. He is renowned from olden times for his great love and faithfulness to his master and household. He is harmless in the family, but can be distrustful of strangers, bright and friendly of temperament at play, but brave and determined when aroused. His intelligence and willing tractability, his modesty and cleanliness make him a highly desirable family dog and cheerful companion. He is the soul of honesty and loyalty, and is never false or treacherous even in his old age.
— 1938 AKC Boxer breed standard[18]
Boxers are a bright, energetic and playful breed and tend to be very good with children.[4] They are patient and spirited with children but also protective, making them a popular choice for families.[4] They are active, strong dogs and require adequate exercise to prevent boredom-associated behaviors such as chewing, digging, or licking. Boxers have earned a slight reputation of being "headstrong," which can be related to inappropriate obedience training. Owing to their intelligence and working breed characteristics, training based on corrections often has limited usefulness. Boxers, like other animals, typically respond better to positive reinforcement techniques such as clicker training, an approach based on operant conditioning and behaviorism, which offers the dog an opportunity to think independently and to problem-solve.[19][20] Stanley Coren's survey of obedience trainers, summarized in his book The Intelligence of Dogs, ranked Boxers at #48 – average working/obedience intelligence. Many who have worked with Boxers disagree quite strongly with Coren's survey results, and maintain that a skilled trainer who uses reward-based methods will find Boxers have far above-average intelligence and working ability.[19][20][21]
The Boxer by nature is not an aggressive or vicious breed. It is an instinctive guardian and can become very attached to its family. Like all dogs, it requires proper socialization.[22] Boxers are generally patient with smaller dogs and puppies, but difficulties with larger adult dogs, especially those of the same sex, may occur. Boxers are generally more comfortable with companionship, in either human or canine form.
For more details on this topic, see Bullenbeisser.
Boxers on the first Boxer exhibition, Munich 1895
Flocky, the first boxer
The Boxer is part of the Molosser dog group, developed in Germany in the late 19th century from the now extinct Bullenbeisser, a dog of Mastiff descent, and Bulldogs brought in from Great Britain.[4] The Bullenbeisser had been working as a hunting dog for centuries, employed in the pursuit of bear, wild boar, and deer. Its task was to seize the prey and hold it until the hunters arrived. In later years, faster dogs were favored and a smaller Bullenbeisser was bred in Brabant, in northern Belgium. It is generally accepted that the Brabanter Bullenbeisser was a direct ancestor of today's Boxer.[23] In 1894, three Germans by the names