text:
The Sumida Satellite Campus was established for Chiba University's Faculty of Engineering, celebrating its 100th anniversary, with the aim of advancing design education and research. The Kashiwanoha Clinic, previously located at the Kashiwanoha Campus, was also relocated and renamed the 'Sumida Kampo Clinic, East Asian Medicine Center, Chiba University Hospital' in January 2023. The grand concept behind this transformation is to create a 'Kampo Clinic that Simulates the Five Senses.'
Associate Professor Hiroko Imaizumi of the Environmental Design Lab, the designer behind this research institute, recreated the atmospheric alleyways of Sumida within an indoor setting. This initiative reflects the deep connection between oriental medicine and the mind-body relationship.
Perspectives from two cities, Chiba and Sumida
―How did the Sumida Kampo Clinic project start?
First, I began my research with a field survey to find out more about the land and climate of Sumida Ward. Situated in the heart of the metropolis, Sumida Ward is known as the downtown area. It holds great appeal for both the younger generation and older residents who have developed a strong attachment to this community. It is common to find families spanning three generations who have chosen to make Sumida their home.
What's particularly striking is the number of individuals who operate factories or businesses near their residences. Their proactive involvement in community development and sense of responsibility for the neighborhood left me with a profound impression. The 'charm of downtown' was not created naturally, but rather a product meticulously nurtured by those who have called this place home.
On the other hand, in my hometown of Chiba City, a significant number of people commute to Tokyo. Consequently, the percentage of individuals who are aware of their local surroundings during weekdays is inevitably lower than in Sumida. The awareness and attitude toward community development appear to differ from those in Sumida.
For instance, my research team once organized an event in Chiba City, and the residents exhibited limited interest. We began to question the effectiveness of our approach. However, when we attempted the same event in Sumida, we received a much more positive response. This experience taught me that fostering community engagement and hosting events that contribute to town development is not as straightforward as it may seem. Rather, it requires a thorough investigation into the area's origins, history, and the lifestyles of its residents before selecting the most suitable method.
What is a 'Kampo Clinic that Simulates the Five Senses?'
―What aspects were given particular emphasis in the Sumida Kampo Clinic project?
The Sumida Satellite Campus, where the Sumida Kampo Clinic was established, originally served as an industrial support facility known as the 'Sumida Small and Medium Enterprise Center.' Its primary purpose was to enhance the management and technical capabilities of small and medium-sized enterprises in the manufacturing-centric Sumida town. It also housed a library and held importance for the residents, ranging from business owners to children. As this building was set to succeed the previous facility, our vision was to transform it into a place even more cherished by the local community.
The design theme of the Sumida Kampo Clinic is centered on 'Preserving Sumida's alley spaces for future generations.' We based our design on the concept of creating an environment reminiscent of a narrow, meandering alleyway, where people's presence is subtly felt. This design incorporates a soft and traditional Japanese ambiance, evoking the spirit of Edo culture.
In oriental medicine, there is a belief in the profound interconnectedness of people, the environment, and the mind-body relationship. I anticipated that by recreating a space that seamlessly integrates with daily life, blurring the boundaries between the building's interior and exterior, it would facilitate the detection of changes in patient's physical condition during consultations.
―The design of the Sumida Kampo Clinic seamlessly blends the town's heritage with the principles of Oriental Medicine, creating a unique and welcoming atmosphere rarely seen in medical facilities.
For the interior of the Sumida Satellite Campus, a finishing technique called 'Kutai Arawashi (Exposed Structures*)' was chosen to maintain an open ambiance, omitting ceiling panels. However, in counseling areas, sound privacy is essential to ensure patients can communicate with peace of mind. In the Medication Guidance Office of the Sumida Kampo Clinic, a solution was devised that combines 'sound masking*' with 'acoustic furniture*' and 'soundproofing curtains*.' This addresses soundproofing concerns without compromising the sense of openness in the space.
*Kutai Arawashi: A construction or design technique that emphasizes the visibility of structural elements, such as columns and beams, rather than concealing them behind wall coverings or ceiling panels. This technique often highlights ventilation ducts and electrical wiring, enhancing the aesthetics of the space while creating an open, spacious feel, particularly with the use of a high ceiling.
*Sound Masking: Utilizing products from Yamaha Corporation, engaged in collaborative research within the Sumida Satellite Campus.
*Acoustic Furniture: Furniture designed to improve the quality of sound reflected from walls. They not only reduce unnecessary sound reflection, but also disperse sound naturally, creating an environment that makes it easier to hear and speak. These were developed through joint research with Nihon Onkyo Engineering Co., Ltd., located in Sumida Ward.
*Soundproof Curtains: Curtains block out sound by sealing gaps in the fabric and reducing the passage of air.
Sound masking is a technology that artificially introduces ambient noises already present in a room, such as air conditioning or people's conversations, creating an environment where those outside the conversation can hear the voices but cannot discern the content. The key aspect is the installation of acoustic furniture to minimize the impact of masking noise on individuals engaged in conversation. Even after the construction is complete, I continue to conduct acoustic experiments in the Administration Guidance Room on non-clinic days. I plan to conduct further research to determine the optimal arrangement of acoustic furniture, facilitating easier conversations.
―The absence of corners and the graceful curves are remarkable.
At Sumida Kampo Clinic, we hold our patients' five senses in high regard. To ensure that even those feeling unwell can find solace, we have transformed the clinical environment, replacing its clinical sterility with soft, warm lighting and the use of curved furniture. At the entrance, we have introduced an element of excitement by exhibiting herbal medicines used in Chinese medicine. The aroma of these Chinese herbs stimulates the sense of smell, often considered our most primitive sensory experience.
In the future, I aspire to open a Chinese herbal medicine cafe on the ground floor's public area, creating a welcoming space for all. In collaboration with doctors at the Sumida Kampo Clinic, we are actively exploring ideas such as developing recipes for Chinese herbal teas. This cafe will serve as a platform for students interested in cafe design and management to freely experiment with their ideas. Additionally, I am eager to showcase herbs grown indoors at the Sumida Satellite Campus using plant factory technology and honey harvested from our rooftop hives.
Designing to Enhance the Quality of Life for Diverse Individuals
―Why did you choose to pursue a path in "environmental design" rather than a designer of objects and buildings?
The flower-shaped 'Community Planter*'that I created in 2013 is not just a planter; it also serves as a tangible example of how it can encourage people to engage in gardening activities that prioritize communication among individuals. I aimed to create a design that goes beyond merely 'making it and being done with it' and instead focused on improving the daily lives of those who use it by shaping the living environment itself.
*Community planter: Developed and produced through joint research with Nakamura MFG corporation, in partnership with Tadao Shimizu, Professor Emeritus of Chiba University, and others. It received the IAUD International Design Award 2013 (Product Design Category).
While conversing with members of the community, I encountered a recurring sentiment among the elderly. Many of them expressed, 'I cherish gardening because it allows me to interact with friends, but as I get older, I find it harder to do the work due to lower back pain and decreased physical strength." Recognizing the necessity for a planter that offers a comfortable working height, eliminating the need for bending over, I felt inspired to take action. This led me to organize and implement a recreational program at a senior citizen facility, encompassing activities from sowing to harvest. Through these activities, I gained valuable insights for a well-designed solution that fosters inclusivity in gardening activities. Such a solution accommodates individuals of all ages and abilities, addressing not only the working height but also considerations such as ensuring eye contact and tool accessibility.
―You designed this planter with careful consideration for the ease of living for a variety of people.
When designing, I meticulously observe the subject and come up with solutions to make it even better. If I stay confined to the lab, I may overlook the issues. In that sense, I find the creation of the dri*, a place for research and practice, very encouraging. Here, I can directly listen to feedback from people who actually use the product. The dri can also serve as a hub for joint research with companies.
*dri: Design Research Institute, a research center specializing in practical design research based at Chiba University Sumida Satellite Campus
Designing is a job where you can envision your dreams, but I believe that it is crucial for it to seamlessly integrate with users' daily lives and encourage continued use. The dri is a unique place where you can learn about practical design that goes beyond mere dreaming because all the instructors are actually involved in the designing and manufacturing.
Would you like to turn your dreams into reality and play a part in building a better society?
'Synergistic Campus Evolution with the Community' Chiba

source: openbmb/Ultra-FineWeb


text:
derived smooth geometry
There are two important classes of algebraic groups whose intersection is trivial (the identity group): Linear algebraic groups and abelian varieties.
Any algebraic group contains a unique normal linear algebraic subgroup such that their quotient is an abelian variety.
An algebraic group is linear iff it is affine.
An algebraic group scheme is affine if the underlying scheme is affine.
Another important class are commutative algebraic -groups whose underlying variety is projective, namely the abelian varieties; in dimension these are precisely the elliptic curves. If is a perfect field and an algebraic -group, the theorem of Chevalley says that there is a unique linear subgroup such that is an abelian variety.
An abelian variety of dimension is called an elliptic curve.
Some of the definitions of the following classes exist more generally for group schemes.
(See also more generally unipotent group scheme.)
An element of an affine algebraic group is called unipotent if its associated right translation operator on the affine coordinate ring? of is locally unipotent as an element of the ring of linear endomorphism of where "locally unipotent" means that its restriction to any finite dimensional stable subspace of is unipotent as a ring object.
Among group schemes are 'the infinite-dimensional algebraic groups' of Shafarevich.
The affine line without its origin, comes canonically with the structure of a group under multiplication: the multiplicative group.
The standard references are
M. Demazure, P. Gabriel, Groupes algebriques, tome 1 (later volumes never appeared), Mason and Cie, Paris 1970
M. Artin, J. E. Bertin, M. Demazure, P. Gabriel, A. Grothendieck, M. Raynaud, J.-P. Serre, Schemas en groupes, i.e. SGA III-1, III-2, III-3
A. Borel, Linear algebraic groups, Springer (2nd edition much expanded)
W. Waterhouse, Introduction to affine group schemes, GTM 66, Springer 1979.
S. Lang, Abelian varieties, Springer 1983.
D. Mumford, Abelian varieties, 1970, 1985.
J. C. Jantzen, Representations of algebraic groups, Acad. Press 1987 (Pure and Appl. Math. vol 131); 2nd edition AMS Math. Surveys and Monog. 107 (2003; reprinted 2007)
T. Springer, Linear algebraic groups, Progress in Mathematics 9, Birkhäuser Boston (2nd ed. 1998, reprinted 2008)

source: HuggingFaceFW/fineweb-edu


text:
By reading the book "A New Coat for Anna" students will learn about resources, scarcity, costs, trade/bartering, and decision making through a young girl, Anna, whose mother wanted to buy her a coat but did not have the money.
- Define bartering and apply the concept to the worksheet activity provided in the process.
- Make the connection between bartering/trading and resources by answering questions during class discussion.
- List all of the resources in the story and classify those into groups of capital, natural, and human resources.
In the book "A New Coat for Anna" Anna's mother does not have the money to buy Anna a new coat, and even if she did, the shops did not have anything to sell due to post World War II shortages. Students will learn that they can sometimes get the things they want without money by trading/bartering things they have so that both sides benefit. They will also learn that sometimes we can't get what we want as soon as we want it. Sometimes we have to plan ahead to reach our goals and when we do reach them, they are even sweeter. By reading the book "A New Coat for Anna" students learn about resources, scarcity, costs, trade/bartering, and decision making through the experiences of Anna.
"A New Coat for Anna" by Harriet Ziefert. This is a link to purchase the book online. You may want to go to your school or local library to check out the book instead of purchasing the book from this website.
Teacher Guide: "A New Coat for Anna": This page provides activities related to the Harriet Ziefert book.
BankSITE's Kids' Korner: This site gives an overview of the history of money, discussing bartering, currency, metal money, and paper money.
Drawing Worksheet: This worksheet can be used for the assessment activity.
The Salvation Army: This is the international site for The Salvation Army.
Read the book, "A New Coat for Anna". Use this website for additional, supplemental activities and ways to make this book applicable for multiple subject areas. If you are just introducing these concepts, this History of Money may be beneficial for your students to have read to them.
Begin a discussion about the story by asking the students why Anna's mother could not go to the store to buy her a new coat. [She had no money, the shops did not have anything to sell after the war.]
What could Anna and her mother do? [They could find other ways to get a coat. They could trade their services for the coat or materials needed to make it.] Ask students to think about the many ways that Anna and her mother could get a coat. Lead them to discuss trade with money and trade without money. Explain that trading without the use of money is known as bartering, and that scarcity can result in parties bartering. In this case, the scarcity of resources and money led Anna's mother to trade/barter items/services in order to make Anna a coat.
Once the students understand the concept of scarcity, ask them what the mother did instead of buying a coat. "What did she do to get the things she needed to have the coat made?" [Traded, bartered.]
Explain, instead of giving up Anna's mother decided to trade some things she had for the things needed to make the coat...she "bartered." Further, bartering occurs when two people find themselves with something that someone else values even more and they exchange the item/service of lesser value (to themselves) for the item of greater or equal value. This barter/trade takes place when both parties are better off than they were. "What things did she have to barter/trade?" [Gold watch to the farmer for wool; a lamp to the old woman to spin wool into yarn; garnet necklace to the weaver to weave yarn into cloth; teapot to the tailor for sewing cloth into a coat.] "What things did she still need to get?" [buttons, zipper, elastic?] Discuss these possibilities as a class. Each of the things she bartered/traded, each of the things she wanted and each of the people who made the things she wanted are called "resources".
Resources are the things we USE to get or make the things we want. There are natural resources, capital resources, and human resources. Natural resources are the things we can use from nature, examples being water or land. Human resources are the skills people have that we can use, such as a welder which has the ability to join materials together. Capitoa resources are the things that we use over and over to get or make the things that we want, for example: a factory, it's vehicles and machines would be a few. Ask, "What resources were needed to produce the coat and what kind of resources were needed?" [Natural: Wool from the sheep, lingonberries. Human: farmer, old woman, weaver, tailor, girl and mother. Capital: shearing scissors, spinning wheel, loom, basket (for berries), measuring tape, pins, and sewing machine.]
This connection between bartering/trading and resources is inevitable. In order to barter/trade in any way both parties involved are going to have to have a resource. Whether these resources are natural, human, or capital resources, the exchange of them for another item or service reflects that both parties are better off by bartering/trading for something else other than what they already have.
Most of the time, when we want something, there is a cost involved in getting it. Sometimes we use money, and sometimes we trade or barter. The things we use to barter/trade or buy are called natural, capital, or human resources. Remember, bartering occurs when two people find themselves with something that someone else values even more and they exchange the item/service of lesser value (to themselves) for the item of greater or equal value. Bartering/trading takes place when both parties are better off than they were before the exchange.
This activity is designed to be sure that the students understand the differences among the different types of resources. You may want to display a short definition for each resource for the student's reference. These definitions are found in the process section.
Ask the students to fold a piece of paper into fourths, number sections 1-4 and in each corner draw, from the story:
1. A picture of two things that were bartered/traded for each other.
2. A picture of a natural resource.
3. A picture of a capital resource.
4. A picture of a human resource.
If preferred, students may draw their examples on the worksheet.
1. For this activity, ask students to bring a stuffed animal or a book from home to trade with a classmate for a different one. Explain that this item should be something that they are willing to barter/trade with others. This activity will show students how they can exchange items with their classmates in order to represent the concept of bartering/trading. Encourage the students to ask questions about how they might make a trade to get to the stuffed animal or book they want if they cannot get it on the first trade.
(NOTE: Send home a note to parents explaining why the kids need to bring the item to school.)
For older students you could allow up to three (or more) trades for them to try and end up with the stuffed animal or book they want.
2. As a class, graph the number of natural resources, capitol resources, and human resources used in the book. Which type of resource is most plentiful? Which is least plentiful? Why do you think that is? Why do you think there is a difference?
3. Ask students to identify the seasons when the events in the book took place to show that they had to plan and wait for their goal.
4. Consider having a coat drive for your class/school to bring in new or gently used coats. The Salvation Army does a drive every year to collect coats for those in need. Just call 1-800-95truck for easy pickup.
"This lesson really gives a hands on approach for students to learn about bartering, scarcity and decision making."


Cart 0
NOVA Pentagon
NOVA Pentagon
 - $840.00 AUD
The five-sided parachute with oscillation damping
Safety through innovation: the PENTAGON parachute distinguishes itself through innovative design, combined with high-quality materials. After deployment, the PENTAGON offers a rapid opening, immediate oscillation damping and a low sink rate. The result is a rescue system you can fully trust in any situation.
NOVA Pentagon Packing Instructions Video
Five sides for high pendular stability. The five-sided shape is self-stabilising: if the PENTAGON experiences a pendular impulse towards a corner, the restoring force will automatically act in the opposite direction. Opposite a corner is an edge, where the airflow is significantly different and this counteracts unwelcome oscillations. The resulting pendular stability is excellent.
Quick to open, slow to descend. The sink rate is extraordinarily low: during certification, with maximum load, the Pentagon 120 had a sink rate of 5.2 m/s.
Five corner vents for fast opening. Five corner vents assist inflation during the opening. The opening is faster and more reliable than with conventional parachutes. This is not only critical when close to the ground, but it also reduces the risk of the parachute getting tangled in the paraglider's lines before opening.
Equal suspension line length for uncomplicated packing. A prerequisite for quick opening is that the parachute is packed regularly. The PENTAGON is quick and easy to pack. The base and centre lines are all the same length and equal distance from each other. They are also colour-coded. This means that the risk of errors during packing is minimal.
Intensive testing
 - The PENTAGON was designed in collaboration with Urs Haari of High Adventure. Urs drew on his experience of over 300 deployments with various parachutes.
 - He extensively tested the PENTAGON during the different design phases. The focus was on tests with the paraglider attached. In practice, this is much more common than the certification test scenario where the paraglider is jettisoned. The practical tests were supplemented by flow simulations of various designs. In the end, the Pentagon was the best of all solutions.
Technical Data
NOVA PENTAGON Technical Data
We Also Recommend


Skip to main content
New techniques for linear arithmetic: cubes and equalities
Abstract
We present several new techniques for linear arithmetic constraint solving. They are all based on the linear cube transformation, a method presented here, which allows us to efficiently determine whether a system of linear arithmetic constraints contains a hypercube of a given edge length. Our first findings based on this transformation are two sound tests that find integer solutions for linear arithmetic constraints. While many complete methods search along the problem surface for a solution, these tests use cubes to explore the interior of the problems. The tests are especially efficient for constraints with a large number of integer solutions, e.g., those with infinite lattice width. Inside the SMT-LIB benchmarks, we have found almost one thousand problem instances with infinite lattice width. Experimental results confirm that our tests are superior on these instances compared to several state-of-the-art SMT solvers. We also discovered that the linear cube transformation can be used to investigate the equalities implied by a system of linear arithmetic constraints. For this purpose, we developed a method that computes a basis for all implied equalities, i.e., a finite representation of all equalities implied by the linear arithmetic constraints. The equality basis has several applications. For instance, it allows us to verify whether a system of linear arithmetic constraints implies a given equality. This is valuable in the context of Nelson–Oppen style combinations of theories.
Introduction
Polyhedra and the systems of linear arithmetic constraints \(A x \le b\) defining them have a vast number of theoretical and real-world applications [5, 19]. It is, therefore, no surprise that the theory of linear arithmetic is one of the most popular and best investigated theories for satisfiability modulo theories (SMT) solving [14,15,16].
This paper serves as a collection of our results based on the linear cube transformation. On its own, the linear cube transformation allows us to efficiently determine whether a system of linear arithmetic constraints contains a hypercube of a given edge length. We were able to develop several techniques based on this transformation that allow us to investigate linear arithmetic constraints in various ways. Here, we present our previous results [7, 8] on the linear cube transformation in more detail as well as some new applications (e.g., quantifier elimination).
Finding an integer solution for a polyhedron that is defined by a system of linear inequalities \(A x \le b\) is a well-known NP-complete problem [25]. This problem has been investigated in different research areas, e.g., in optimization via (mixed) integer linear programming (MILP) [19] and in constraint solving via satisfiability modulo theories (SMT) [4, 6, 11, 16]. For commercial MILP implementations, it is standard to integrate preprocessing techniques, heuristics, and specialized tests [19]. Although these techniques are not complete, they are much more efficient on their designated target systems of linear inequalities than a complete algorithm alone.
The SMT community is still in the process of developing a variety of specialized tests. A big challenge is to adopt the tests from the MILP community so that they still fit the requirements of SMT solving. SMT theory solvers have to solve a large number of incrementally connected, small systems of linear inequalities. Exploiting this incremental connection is key for making SMT theory solvers efficient [15]. In contrast, MILP solvers typically target one large system. The same holds for their specialized tests, which are not well suited to exploit incremental connections.
Based on the linear cube transformation, we present two tests tailored for SMT solvers: the largest cube test and the unit cube test [8]. The largest cube test finds a hypercube with maximum edge length contained in the input polyhedron, determines its rational valued center, and rounds it to a potential integer solution. The unit cube test determines if a polyhedron contains a hypercube with edge length one, which is the minimal edge length that guarantees an integer solution. Due to computational complexity, we restrict ourselves to those hypercubes that are parallel to the coordinate axes.
Most SMT linear integer arithmetic theory solvers are based on a branch-and-bound algorithm on top of the simplex algorithm. They search for a solution at the surface of a polyhedron. In contrast, our tests search in the interior of the polyhedron. This gives them an advantage on polyhedra with a large number of integer solutions, e.g., polyhedra with infinite lattice width [20].
SMT theory solvers are designed to efficiently exchange bounds [14]. This efficient exchange is the main reason why SMT theory solvers exploit the incremental connection between the different polyhedra so well. Our unit cube test also requires only an exchange of bounds. After applying the test, we can easily recover the original polyhedron by reverting to the original bounds. In doing so, the unit cube test conserves the incremental connection between the different original polyhedra. We make a similar observation about the largest cube test.
Equalities are a special instance of linear arithmetic constraints. They are useful in simplifying systems of arithmetic constraints [16], and they are essential for the Nelson–Oppen style combinations of theories [9]. However, they are also an obstacle for our fast cube tests. If a system of linear arithmetic constraints implies an equality, then it has only a surface and no interior; so our cube tests cannot explore an interior and will certainly fail. In order to expand the applicability of our cube tests, we have to develop methods that find, isolate, and eliminate implied equalities from systems of linear arithmetic constraints [7].
We can detect the existence of an implied equality by searching for a hypercube in our polyhedron. If the maximal edge length of such a hypercube is zero, there exists an implied equality. This test can be further simplified. By turning all inequalities into strict ones, the interior of the original polyhedron remains while the surface disappears. If the strict system is unsatisfiable, the original system has no interior and implies an equality. Based on an explanation of unsatisfiability for the strict system, the method generates an implied equality as an explanation.
We are also able to extend the above method into an algorithm that computes an equality basis, i.e., a finite representation of all equalities implied by a satisfiable system of linear arithmetic constraints. For this purpose, the algorithm repeatedly applies the above method to find, collect, and eliminate equalities from our system of constraints. When the system contains no more equalities, then the collected equalities represent an equality basis, i.e., any implied equality can be obtained by a linear combination of the equalities in the basis. The equality basis has many applications. If transformed into a substitution, it eliminates all equalities implied by our system of constraints, which results in a system of constraints with an interior and, therefore, improves the applicability of our cube tests. The equality basis also allows us to test whether a system of linear arithmetic constraints implies a given equality. We even extend this test into an efficient method that computes all pairs of equivalent variables inside a system of constraints. These pairs are necessary for the Nelson–Oppen style combination of theories.
While Hillier [17] was aware of the unit cube test, he applied it only to cones (a special class of polyhedra) as a subroutine in a new heuristic. His work never mentioned applications beyond cones, nor did he prove any structural properties connected to hypercubes. Hillier's heuristic tailored for MILP optimization lost popularity as soon as interior point methods [21] became efficient in practice. Nonetheless, our cube tests remain relevant for SMT theory solvers because there are no competitive incremental interior point methods known.
Also, Bobot et al. [4] discuss relations between hypercubes and polyhedra including infinite lattice width and positive linear combinations between inequalities. Our largest cube test can also detect these relations because it is, with some minor changes, the dual of the linear optimization problem of Bobot et al. In contrast to the linear optimization problem of Bobot et al., our tests are closer to the original polyhedron and, therefore, easier to construct. Our cube tests also produce sample points and find solutions for polyhedra with finite lattice width.
Another method that provides a sufficient condition for the existence of an integer solution is the dark shadow of the omega test [26]. The dark shadow is based on Fourier–Motzkin elimination and its worst case runtime is double exponential. Although not practically advantageous, formulating the unit cube test through Fourier–Motzkin elimination allows us to put the sufficient conditions of the two methods in relation. Fourier–Motzkin elimination eliminates the variable x from a problem by combining each pair of inequalities \(a x \le p\) and \(q \le b x\) (with \(a, b > 0\)) into a new inequality \(a q - b p \le 0\). The dark shadow creates a stronger version (\(a q - b p \le a + b -a b\)) of the combined inequality to guarantee the existence of an integer solution for x. Formulating the unit cube test through Fourier–Motzkin elimination makes the combined inequality even stronger (\(a q - b p


text:
In my previous post, I said that the wooden structure was complete, but I forgot to mention that we still needed to install the nose and tail blocks. In a paddleboard, the bow and stern are called the "nose" and "tail". We finished the nose by installing a nose block laminated from pieces of red cedar. We cut across the bottom at the nose to expose the central longitudinal spar and then cut off the end of the spar to expose the underside of the deck at the nose. We took six 1/2 inch pieces of red cedar and laminated them at the nose with thickened epoxy. You could use a single large solid block if you wanted to -- it just happened to be those pieces are what we had on hand. After the epoxy cured we rough cut it to shape with a handsaw then planed it to match the curve of the nose. There are no rules on how to do this. We wanted to keep it simple. You can get creative here with laminating different colors and species of wood.
The process at the tail is similar, but this time we cut across the deck to expose the inside of the bottom and glued a single block across the end.
After the blocks were shaped, we chose to extend the outer layer of the rails around the edges of the blocks. We thought it would be more aesthetically pleasing to have the pattern of vertical rails continuous around the entire board.


Katrina Denise (1).png
Children's books are a fascinating blend of simplicity and life lessons. They're like security blankets — all warm and fuzzy on the outside, but deeply symbolic on the inside. They can be funny, touching, deep, dark, poignant, or charming, but in the end, they're just the books we love. That's why they so often stay with us well into adulthood. My name is Katrina Denise and I have a wonderful book store that provides diverse books which help children learn to believe in the power Inside.
Untitled design (81).png
Untitled design (82).png


text:
|Course Code :
|Course Title :
|Foundation Course In English -2
|Assignment Number :
|Maximum Marks :
|BA, BCOM, BCA, BSC, BDP
|Solution Type :
|Softcopy (PDF File)
All Questions are compulsory.
1. Read the following passage and make notes in an appropriate format:
Belgravia is an affluent district in Central London, shared within the authorities of both the City of Westminster and the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. Belgravia is noted for its very expensive residential properties: it is one of the wealthiest districts in the world.
Belgravia was known as Five Fields during the Middle Ages, and became a dangerous place for highwaymen and robberies. It was developed in the early 19th century by Richard Grosvenor, 2nd Marquess of Westminster under the direction of Thomas Cubitt, focusing on numerous grand terraces centred on Belgrave Square and Eaton Square. Much of Belgravia, known as the Grosvenor Estate, is still owned by a family property company, the Duke of Westminster's Grosvenor Group. Owing to the Leasehold Reform Act 1967, the estate has been forced to sell many freeholds to its former tenants.
Belgravia takes its name from one of the Duke of Westminster's subsidiary titles, Viscount Belgrave, which is in turn derived from Belgrave, Cheshire, a village on land belonging to the Duke.
Belgravia is near the former course of the River Westbourne, a tributary of the River Thames. The area is mostly in the City of Westminster, with a small part of the western section in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. The district lies mostly to the south-west of Buckingham Palace, and is bounded notionally by Knightsbridge (the road) to the north, Grosvenor Place and Buckingham Palace Road to the east, Pimlico Road to the south, and Sloane Street to the west. To the north is Hyde Park, to the northeast is Mayfair and Green Park and to the east is Westminster.
The area is mostly residential, the particular exceptions being Belgrave Square in the centre, Eaton Square to the south, and Buckingham Palace Gardens to the east.
The nearest London Underground stations are Hyde Park Corner, Knightsbridge and Sloane Square. Victoria station, a major National Rail, tube and coach interchange, is to the east of the district. Frequent bus services run to all areas of Central London from Grosvenor Place. The A4, a major road through West London, and the London Inner Ring Road run along the boundaries of Belgravia.
During the Middle Ages, the area was known as the Five Fields and was a series of fields used for grazing, intersected by footpaths. The Westbourne was crossed by Bloody Bridge, so called because it was frequented by robbers and highwaymen, and it was unsafe to cross the fields at night. Despite its reputation for crime and violence, Five Fields was a pleasant area during the daytime, and various market gardens were established. The area began to be built up after George III moved to Buckingham House and constructed a row of houses on what is now Grosvenor Place.
Source: adapted from _URL_
2. Write a summary of the passage and suggest a suitable title.
3. Write a paragraph of 100-150 words on any one of the following topics:
- Travel broadens the mind.
- Learning a new language.
- Choosing a career
- Virtual friends
4. Write a composition of 250-300 words based on any one of the pictures given below:
5. You are the Academic Secretary of your institution. Write a report in 250 words of a meeting held to discuss the forthcoming inter-University Debate competition.
6. A survey was recently conducted in your residential area regarding the creation and maintenance of pedestrian and bicycle friendly sections which would be strictly out of bounds for vehicular traffic. Write a report of the survey outlining both the need and difficulties in implementation.

source: m-a-p/FineFineWeb


text: To reduce the exhaust emission of diesel engine, new water-in-oil type emulsion technology was devised. Emulsion fuel was made by only ultrasonic wave (40kHz, 200W), and injected immediately to engine combustion chamber using specially designed apparatus. Surfactant was never used. The experiment results of emulsion fuel are very positive. Experimental engine is 4 cycle, single cylinder compression ignition diesel engine, and its output is 6.5kW. In the case of 30% of water content, specific fuel consumption was reduced by max. 28%, smoke by max. 60%, and CO emission by max. 79%. However, HC emission was getting more serious on the contrary. Micro explosion phenomenom of water-in-oil emulsified fuel was attributed to a primary factor for the above mentioned positive effects.(author). Refs. and figs.


text:
M. Van Der Plaat and G. Barrett
Community Development Journal, vol.41, 2006, p.25-36
Civil society is generally understood as the realm within which people can participate collectively and work towards a common interest. This article examines mechanisms for involving marginalised groups in this process, focusing on parents' experiences with two of Canada's largest community-based health promotion programmes for children.
Community Development Journal, vol.41, 2006, p.89-103
Large health care organisations can strengthen the communities that they serve by engaging in community development work. They can also gain a number of business benefits by participating. Beyond this, uniquely, health service organisations can fulfil their central health-enhancing purposes through their community development work. The health of a population can be expected to improve as the quality of community life is enhanced through community development work by healthcare organisations


text:
What is casing on a window?
What is casing? Quite simply, it's a moulding profile which frames (or trims) a door or window. Casing is functional as well as decorative. The main purpose of casing is to surround all doors and windows, covering any space or gap left between the drywall and frame.
What is the difference between window frame and window casing?
Window frame is what is fixed to the surrounding structure, this is usually what your blind needs to be fixed to. The casing is the 'pretty' stuff that will make your window opening look nice, cover up insulation on the sides etc.
What is the casing around the window called?
A window frame is the framework that surrounds and supports the entire window system. It is comprised of the head, jamb and sill. Head. The head is the main horizontal part forming the top of the window frame. Jambs.
Is window casing necessary?
No, windows do not need casing. Homes often forgo casing windows as a means to save money or even as a style choice. Windows without casing can leave more room for art or can focus the eye on the view outside of the window.
How wide should window casing be?
The standard 2-¼-inch width works well in most newer constructions where doors are located near the edges of the room and carpenters won't have enough room to install anything wider.
What is window jamb and casing?
Vocabulary: Extension jamb: Lengths of wood that build out a window frame flush with the interior wall surface. Casing: Material that finishes the joint between the extension jambs and the interior walls.
What are the parts around a window called?
The frame is the outermost area, or casing of the window, and inside it are the sash and the glass. The sash is the area inside the frame, the part that holds the glass. For example, on a single-hung window, the piece you slide to open the window is the sash.
How do I choose window casing?
Try to match the feel of each room and scale your window trim to size. Choose colors based on wall color: If you want your window to blend seamlessly with the wall, then choose the same color for your trim as your walls. Some homeowners prefer a contrasting look to show off their trim and make their windows stand out.
What material is used for window casing?
Wood casings require more maintenance than other types. Clad-wood: A clad-wood window is made with uncovered wood on the inside and wood covered with aluminum or vinyl on the outside. Aluminum and vinyl are both easy to paint, which means you can match this type to your home's exterior.
How do I choose window casings?
What size is standard casing?
The most widely used door casing is 2 1/4 inches in width, but can range up to 3 inches. The thickness is typically 1/2 inch but can range up to 3/4 inch thick for a more substantial casing or more detailed profile. Door casing and window trim are typically the same width and are interchangeable.
What are the names of the parts of a window frame?
Parts of a window frame
- Head Jamb. The head jamb is the top component of the frame.
- Side Jamb. Side jambs are the vertical components of the frame.
- Sill. The sill is the bottom component of the frame.
- Jamb Liner.
- Jamb Extension.
- Operating Handle.
- Operating Arm.
- Locking Handle.
What are parts of window frame?
The frame has three main parts: the sill, or horizontal strip along the bottom of the frame; the jamb, the vertical sides of the frame; and the head, the top horizontal strip on the frame. The sash also has several components. Stiles are the vertical sections of the sash. Rails are the horizontal sections.
What is the window sash and frame?
A window sash is the part of a window that moves and holds the glass panes together. The sash fits inside the window frame, which is attached to the house. The sash will vary slightly depending on the type of window.
What size window casing should I use?
Generally, vertical trim elements such as door and window casings should be smaller and have less heft than baseboards. So I've found that a good rule of thumb for sizing window and door casings (or door trim sizes) is to keep them at about 50 percent of the height of the baseboard.
How to install casing around a window?
Using a miter saw,make a 45-degree cut on one end of a piece of trim that its longer than the window is wide.
How to make window casing?
– The best curtains – A drill – Pencil – Level – Tape measure – Step ladder – Curtain pole – Hardware (if not already included with your curtain pole) – Wall anchors if your curtains are very heavy
What are the different types of window casing?
Complete Casing. This type covers all sides of your window.
How to install exterior casings around new windows?
Pre-drill nail holes in the trim. Drill the holes through the outside surface of the trim.


text:
Organization of Tropical Convection: Self-aggregation and Spontaneous Tropical Cyclogenesis
Tropical clouds and relative humidity play a key role in both the planetary energy balance and the sensitivity of global climate to radiative forcing. Both clouds and relative humidity are also strongly modulated by the organization of tropical convection, which results in a large fraction of tropical cloudiness and rainfall. Here, we investigate the organization of tropical convection in the context of self-aggregation, a spontaneous transition in idealized numerical simulations from randomly distributed to organized convection despite homogeneous boundary conditions. Specifically, the System for Atmospheric Modeling is used to perform 3-d simulations of radiative-convective equilibrium in a non-rotating framework, with interactive radiation and surface fluxes and fixed sea surface temperatures. The results of simulations employing a highly elongated 3-d channel domain, in which self-aggregation takes the form of multiple moist and dry bands, are compared to that of a square domain, in which self-aggregation takes the form of a single moist cluster. We characterize the fundamental physical mechanisms that lead to self-aggregation. Cloud-radiative feedbacks and surface flux feedbacks are found to be important in the initial instability, but advection only contributes to aggregation in the square geometry.
Self-aggregation has primarily been studied in a non-rotating framework, but it has been hypothesized to be important to tropical cyclogenesis. In numerical simulations of tropical cyclones, a broad vortex or moist bubble is often used to initialize the circulation. Here, we instead allow a circulation to develop spontaneously from a homogeneous environment in 3-d cloud-resolving simulations of radiative-convective equilibrium (RCE) in a rotating framework, and compare the resulting tropical cyclogenesis to non-rotating self-aggregation. We find that in the initial development of a broad circulation, the feedback processes leading to cyclogenesis are similar to the initial phase of non-rotating aggregation. Sensitivity tests in which the degree of interactive radiation is modified are also performed to determine the extent to which the radiative feedbacks that are essential to non-rotating self-aggregation are important for tropical cyclogenesis.


标题：Data-driven human motion synthesis based on angular momentum analysis
作者：Hu, Ping ;Sun, Qi ;Meng, Xiangxu ;Peng, Jingliang
作者机构：[Hu, Ping ;Sun, Qi ;Meng, Xiangxu ;Peng, Jingliang ] School of Computer Science and Technology, Shandong University, China
会议名称：2013 IEEE International Symposium on Circuits and Systems, ISCAS 2013
会议日期：19 May 2013 through 23 May 2013
来源：Proceedings - IEEE International Symposium on Circuits and Systems
出版年：2013
页码：929-932
DOI：10.1109/ISCAS.2013._PHONE_
摘要：In this paper, we present a novel method for realtime synthesis of human motion under external perturbations. The proposed method is data-driven and based on angular momentum analysis. When an external force is applied on the virtual human body, we analyze the change in the joints' angular momentums in a short period of time, predict the human body response, find an appropriate motion sequence from the pre-built motion capture (MoCap) database, and make a smooth transition between the current and the retrieved motion sequences to obtain the synthesized motion. The most important contributions of our method include that we propose a complete momentum analysis solution for the human body and that we make effective MoCap data organization based on the major characteristics of the body motion and the external force. As a result, realistic and real-time human motion synthesis is achieved, as experimentally demonstrated with the walking, the running and the jumping sequences. © 2013 IEEE.
收录类别：EI;SCOPUS
资源类型：会议论文;期刊论文
原文链接：_URL_
TOP


text:
In music, the introduction is a passage or section which opens a movement or a separate piece. In popular music this is often called an intro. The introduction establishes melodic, harmonic, and/or rhythmic material related to the main body of a piece.
Introductions may be an ostinato that is used in the following music, an important chord or progression that establishes the tonality and groove for the following music, important but disguised or out of context motivic or thematic material. As such the introduction may be the first statement of primary or other important material, may be related to but different from the primary or other important material, or may bear little relation to any other material. (Courtesy of Wikipedia)
Introductions or Intros, which occur at the beginning of a song, are short (usually only several bars) and are used to establish a songs mood, tempo, and key. If a song's initial chord progression starts with the "I" chord (as most songs do), you can use any Turnaround to create an Introduction.


text:
Water supply responsibility
Queensland's water supply systems (including dams, weirs, desalination plants, and other water treatment plants and infrastructure) are owned and managed by:
- government owned entities (Sunwater, Seqwater, Mount Isa Water Board and Gladstone Area Water Board)
- private entities (e.g. mining companies, port authorities, estate managers)
- local councils (for the majority of Queensland outside South East Queensland).
The ownership and management of water supply systems varies across the state.
In South East Queensland (SEQ), Seqwater owns the bulk water supply infrastructure (i.e. dams and weirs) and is responsible for long-term water supply planning for the region. Water utilities and councils provide water to homes and businesses within SEQ.
Read more about the framework for water security in SEQ, and read about Seqwater's Water for life: South East Queensland's water security program.
Outside SEQ, SunWater owns most of the state's bulk water infrastructure. Councils can also own dams and weirs, and bores to access underground water. Councils generally operate as service providers, owning most of the water treatment facilities and distribution networks, and providing retail services to homes and businesses.
Responsibility for urban water security
Responsibility for urban water supply security and continuity of supply lies with service providers. Listed below are key planning activities that should be undertaken by service providers to reduce risks to water supply security and continuity of services, and links to relevant guidelines:
- asset management planning (PDF, 908KB): to understand key capacity constraints and optimise existing assets
- drought response planning (2.1MB): to be proactive, and to help reduce costs and the risk of supply shortfalls
- water supply planning (1.1MB): including demand forecasting, and
- reviewing timing for future supply augmentation: to ensure adequate water supply to meet future demands.
Read our guide to managing water supply risk for more information and water security planning guidelines.
- Read about planning guidelines for water supply and sewerage (PDF, 1.5MB)
- Find out about managing water demand.


text:
Abstract: Does JDataStore support Transactions?
Yes, Transactions are supported by JDataStore.
Robust applications require some level of transaction isolation. Not only do transactions ensure that you are not reading dirty or phantom data, but you can also undo changes made during a transaction. Transaction support also enables automatic crash recovery, and is required for JDBC access.
A transaction's life cycle begins with any read or write operation through a connection. The DataStore uses stream locks to control access to resources. To read a stream or make a change to any part of a stream (a byte in a file, a row in a table), you must be able to acquire a lock on that stream. Once a connection acquires a lock, it will hold on to it until the transaction is committed or rolled back.


text:
In this example, you vary model parameters and linearize a model at its nominal operating conditions using the
You can batch linearize a model for parameter variations at a single operating point to study:
Plant dynamics for varying component tolerances.
Controller robustness to variations in plant parameters.
Transient responses for varying controller gains.
scdcascade model contains two cascaded feedback control loops. Each loop includes a PI controller. The plant models,
G2, are LTI models.
For this model, the model operating point represents the nominal operating conditions of the system. Therefore, you do not have to trim the model before linearization. If your application includes parameter variations that affect the operating point of the model, you must first batch trim the model for the parameter variations. Then, you can linearize the model at the trimmed operating points. For more information, see Batch Linearize Model at Multiple Operating Points Derived from Parameter Variations.
To examine the effects of varying the outer-loop controller gains, linearize the model at the nominal operating point for each combination of gain values.
Open the model.
sys ='scdcascade'; open_system(sys)
Define linearization input and output points for computing the closed-loop input/output response of the system.
io(1) = linio('scdcascade/setpoint',1,'input'); io(2) = linio('scdcascade/Sum',1,'output');
io(1), the signal originating at the outport of the
setpoint block, is the reference input.
io(2), the signal originating at the outport of the
Sum block, is the system output.
To extract multiple open-loop and closed-loop transfer functions from the same model, batch linearize the system using an
slLinearizer interface. For more information, see Vary Parameter Values and Obtain Multiple Transfer Functions.
Vary the outer-loop controller gains,
Ki1, within 20% of their nominal values.
Kp1_range = linspace(Kp1*0.8,Kp1*1.2,6); Ki1_range = linspace(Ki1*0.8,Ki1*1.2,4); [Kp1_grid,Ki1_grid] = ndgrid(Kp1_range,Ki1_range);
Create a parameter structure with fields
Name indicates which the variable to vary in the model workspace, the MATLAB® workspace, or a data dictionary.
params(1).Name = 'Kp1'; params(1).Value = Kp1_grid; params(2).Name = 'Ki1'; params(2).Value = Ki1_grid;
params is a 6-by-4 parameter value grid, where each grid point corresponds to a unique combination of
Obtain the closed-loop transfer function from the reference input to the plant output for the specified parameter values. If you do not specify an operating point,
linearize uses the current model operating point.
G = linearize(sys,io,params);
G is a 6-by-4 array of linearized models. Each entry in the array contains a linearization for the corresponding parameter combination in
params. For example,
G(:,:,2,3) corresponds to the linearization obtained by setting the values of the
Ki1 parameters to
Ki1_grid(2,3), respectively. The set of parameter values corresponding to each entry in the model array
G is stored in the
SamplingGrid property of
G. For example, examine the corresponding parameter values for linearization
ans = struct with fields: Kp1: 0.1386 Ki1: 0.0448
To study the effects of the varying gain values, analyze the linearized models in
G. For example, examine the step responses for all
Kp2 values and the third


Femtocell Components and Building Blocks
femtocell componentsWhat are the main components of a femtocell and who makes them? When building femtocell access points, there are several vendors and product types in the foodchain. Here we look at each building block and consider the main players in each area.
Femtocell Hardware Components
Several chips are needed to build a femtocell.
 - An RF Front-End connects to the antenna and converts the digital signals to and from radio transmissions
 - Baseband processing which analyse and decode the complex transmissions into meaningful data
 - Control processing which runs the software to communicate with handsets and the femtocell gateway.
These chips would be supported by separate memory chips, typically a read/write chip for transient data (called RAM) and a read only chip which holds the program (called ROM). These are standard components used in many electronic devices.
A critical component is the crystal frequency oscillator which provides a very accurate clock, important for synchronising the timing of signals to handsets. Rakon are leading the supply of low cost oscillators for femtocells.
There is a tradeoff for femtocell designers between availability and flexibility of the hardware chips used and their cost. Some femtocells have been developed using standard DSP chips which are immediately available in quantity, but at a price. Other manufacturers have developed femtocell specific "System on a Chip" devices which are much cheaper when bought in large volumes, and also use much lower power in operation.
The main suppliers of these chipsets include:
 - picoChip where their PC2xx range was used for many early HSPA, LTE or TD-SCDMA designs. Their more recent PC3xx range has been optimised for HSPA femtocells. They have dominated the initial market for femtocell designs.
 - Texas Instruments (TI) who have supplied their DSP solution without any modification. This leads to a higher power design than those with dedicated chips. These are targetted at enterprise and outdoor systems.
 - Percello (now Broadcom) who have developed high performance chipsets only for the femtocell market, capable of up to 21 Mbit/s data or 16 voice calls.
 - Qualcomm who offer both CDMA and UMTS chipset variants, and are newer to the market.
The RF front end is also integrated into a single chip. The main suppliers being:
Middleware
Femtocells must comply with the 3GPP standards, including communicating with handsets and femtocell gateways using pre-defined protocol messages. This common set of software programs is closely linked to the hardware used. Femtocell vendors either develop this themselves, or buy it in from a software house. Continuous Computing, Aricent and Node-H (who specialise in the femtocell stack) are well known names in the supply of this type of software, and would also supply services (and experienced people) to adapt and tailor it to match the specific needs of the femtocell vendor. Middleware must be designed to match the industry standards and enable interoperability with other devices including femtocell gateways, management servers and handoff to external cells.
Application Software
This is one area where the individual femtocell vendors differentiate themselves significantly. The so-called "secret sauce" or expert knowledge is added into how the femtocell operates by incorporating specific smart algorithms into the software which controls the overall operation of the femtocell. This would include:
 - what the femtocell does on startup and how quickly it is ready to make/receive a call
 - how it searches out and determines the correct frequency/scrambling codes to transmit on
 - how quickly it responds to a changing environment (e.g. someone opening a window)
 - What handover options are available when entering/leaving the home
 - what features are provided specifically for enterprise/business users
 - what self-service management features are included, such as setting up a list of barred/enabled phones
 - what diagnostic features are incorporated to reduce the cost of remote diagnostic/maintenance and customer care
To a large extent, this application software creates the USPs (Unique Selling Points) of the individual femtocell solution and so is very much proprietary to individual femtocell vendors.
Read on to find out about the Five Femtocell Ecosystems
Hits : 26289
Comments
#1 Ajay said:
Among the chipset vendors, you missed Freescale and Mindspeed
0 Quote 2014-01-16 06:22

 - 4
 more
 Residential
 Residential
 A significant number of users continue to report poor mobile coverage in their homes. There will always be areas which are uneconomic for mobile operator to reach. They range from rural areas
 ...
 - 4
 more
 Enterprise
 Enterprise
 The term Enterprise addresses any non-residential in-building including hotels, convention centres, transport hubs, offices, hospitals and retail outlets. It's not just intended for businesses to
 ...
 - 4
 more
 Urban
 Urban
 Urban small cells (sometimes also named metrocells) are compact and discrete mobile phone basestations, unobstrusively located in urban areas. They can be mounted on lampposts, positioned on the
 ...
 - 4
 more
 Rural
 Rural
 A rural small cell is a low power mobile phone base station designed to bring mobile phone service to small pockets of population in remote rural areas. These could be hamlets, small villages or
 ...
Categories
Backhaul Timing and Sync Chipsets Wi-Fi LTE TDD Regional
Popular Categories
Follow us on...
footer-logo
Search


text:
Porosity is the ability of the hair to absorb water and other matter (like chemicals).
In the post 'Balancing Moisture & Protein', i gave a brief summery of what hair is. The outer layer of the hair, the Cuticle, is made up of several layers of interlocking scales and is responsible for how porous the hair is.
Different Degrees of Porosity
Low or poor porosity is characterised by very tightly closed cuticles and is generally considered healthy as all or most of the cuticle layer is intact. It doesn't easily absorb water and resists the penetration of chemical treatments.
Normal Porosity is hair that is able to absorb water well but resists permitting too much water to penetrate. This is considered the best porosity to have. Again, all or most of the cuticle layer is in tact and lies down flatly. Hair with normal porosity can hold styles well and receives chemical processing well. Although chemical processes can change the porosity of the hair from average to high.
Highly porous hair is hair that has sustained cuticle damage with lifted, missing, cracked or chipped cuticles. It absorbs significantly higher amounts of water then normal or low porosity hair (up to 55%, in contrast with 31.1% for healthy hair) and is not capable of holding onto that water as the damaged cuticles allow water out just as fast. This type of hair never feels properly moisturised even with constant moisturising. When hair is fully soaked in water, the weight of the excessively absorbed water can lead to significant breakage due to loss of elasticity. Highly porous hair easily accepts chemical treatments such as dyes, but wont hold onto the colour for very long and is easily over processed as it takes significantly less time than low or average porosity types to receive the chemicals. Highly porous hair doesn't hold onto styles as well as normal or low porosity types.
Uneven porosity is a combination of low or average porosity and high porosity and is common in long hair. The longer your hair is, the older it is and the more it has been exposed to mechanical, chemical, environmental and heat damage. Uneven porosity has spotty issues where some parts of your hair hold onto moisture well and some parts (such as the ends) do not.
What Causes Highly Porous Hair?
Genetics does have a part to play with how porous the hair is. Naturally curly hair is more porous than straight hair by nature. Every kink and bend along the shaft where the hair naturally curls or kinks stops the cuticles from lying down flatly and so the cuticles remain slightly raised along these points. The curlier or kinkier your hair is the more porous it is. Other determining factors are mechanical damage caused by rough handling, dry combing/brushing, friction caused by towel drying, scarfs, hair bands and hats, chemicals such as permanent dyes, relaxers, texturisers and perms, heat damage from tools such as blow-dryers, flat irons and curling tongs as well as over exposure to environmental factors such as UV rays and harsh winds. Strong sulfate shampoos, such as sodium lauryl sulfate, are capable of dissolving the fatty acid layer beneath the cuticle (called the Cell Membrane Complex or CMC, the 'cement' that keeps the cuticles in place), which can lead to irreparable gaps in the cuticle layer. Natural soaps, being very alkaline in nature, causes the hair to swell and the cuticle to lift up away from the surface of the hair shaft, penetrating through the cuticle and into the CMC where it can bind with the fatty acid layer and rinse it away, again causing gaps within the cuticles. All these different factors can permanently alter, raise and/or damage the cuticle layer causing highly porous hair.
It is best test for porosity on freshly cleaned and dried hair.
Test One – The Finger Touch Test
Gently hold a few strands of hair with one hand. With the other, run your fingers up the length of your hair, from tip to root. If your hair feels rough with lots of little ridges or bumps (excluding the bumps that are naturally created by the bends in the shaft where the hair curls) then your cuticles are not lying flatly and your hair is porous.
There are some who argue that the first test is not at all effective at determining porosity as the cuticle layers are so microscopically tiny that you can't possibly feel whether they are raised or not unless the hair has sustained significant damage.
Test Two – The Water Test
Take some shed hair (or pull out a strand of freshly washed and dried hair), a stop watch and a tall glass of water. Drop the hair into the glass and wait for one minute. After the minute has passed check to see whether your hair is floating or has sunk. If your hair is floating ON TOP of the water, than you have low/poor porosity. If your hair is floating JUST UNDER the water, your hair has average porosity. If your hair has SUNK to the bottom of the cup then your hair is highly porous. If part of your hair is FLOATING and part of it is SINKING, you have spotty porosity issues.
Healthy hair should not sink at all or only sink slightly (in one minute that is). The rate that the hair sinks is an indication of how quickly it absorbs (and will lose) moisture. The faster the moisture is absorbed into the hair, the more porous it is. Hair should naturally absorb moisture at a slow pace and should be capable of holding it for long periods of time. If hair absorbs enough moisture within one minute to cause it to sink in water, it is absorbing too fast and indicates high porosity.
Correcting Porosity Issues
After you have determined whether your hair has low, average or high porosity you may be wandering how to correct any issues. Here are some suggestions
If you find your hair does not absorb water well than you need to focus on moisture rich products more than protein. Deep conditioning WITH HEAT (a hooded dryer) is highly recommended. The heat will cause the cuticles to open and will allow the much needed moisture to enter into the cortex.
Highly porous hair can be treated in two ways depending on the type of damage caused to the cuticle.
Lifted Cuticles – PH
If your hair is highly porous and you don't necessarily use chemicals or heat and are generally quite gentle with your strands then it is possible that the cuticles are raised. Rebalancing your hair's pH may be all that is required to help return your porosity level to normal. Acidic rinses such as Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) rinses are an effective way of bringing the pH of your hair back down to optimal levels, thus closing your cuticles and correcting high porosity. For more on pH and hair click HERE.
Damaged Cuticles – Protein
If your hair is highly porous and you regularly use heat and/or chemicals, brush or comb your hair very roughly and/or without slippery products such as conditioner or you have tried correcting your porosity with pH and it hasn't really helped, then you have sustained cuticle damage. You may have missing, cracked or chipped cuticles. You cannot permanently repair damaged hair but you can patch it up temporarily with protein treatments. Protein helps to reinforce the hairs structure and can help fill in the gaps where the cuticles are chipped or missing. This creates a complete layer over your cortex that can resist moisture loss, keeping the hair moisturised for longer and will help to correct high porosity. Again heat can and should be used to help create stronger bonds between the protein and your hair so that the protein is not simply washed down the drain but actually remains on your hair after rinsing.
Uneven porosity can be corrected by either or both of the suggestion listed above. Using pH and protein will help fill in or flatten the cuticles in those places that are causing the spotty porosity problems. Product layering can also be very effective where the porosity issues are uneven, such as at the ends. If you have dry ends, then layering more moisture and oil/butter on the ends will help to create a thicker barrier where your hair is most susceptible to moisture loss and will help your hair retain moisture evenly.
The Best Treatment of All
I'm sure you know what i'm about to say. Prevention is better then cure! Reducing those things can cause the hair to sustain damage is the best 'treatment' we could possibly administer.
- Treat your hair gently.
- Detangle only when your hair is loaded with conditioner to reduce damage caused by friction
- Avoid chemical treatments as much as possible
- Avoid the overuse of heat styling tools
- Avoid harsh sulfate shampoos and alkaline soaps
This brings us to the end of the 'Getting To Know Your Hair Series'. I hope you've enjoyed learning about the different things that can affect the hair and what it takes to keep it healthy. Knowledge is the best tool in any successful hair journey!
If you have any comments, suggestions or questions regarding anything we've discussed in this series, feel free to leave them in the comment boxes or email me at _EMAIL_.


text:
Money, income and prices under fixed exchange rates: Evidence from causality tests and VARs
This paper investigates the impact of changes in monetary variables on the domestic and foreign sectors, the determinants of central bank policy, and the response to foreign monetary changes in Mexico and India. Multivariate Granger-causality tests, variance decompositions and impulse response functions are utilized to examine propositions regarding causal relationships among key economic variables. The results indicate that domestic monetary policy did not affect output in either country. A substantial balance of payments offset to changes in domestic credit was found in India, but not for Mexico. The Mexican central bank pursued an accommodative monetary policy, but did not sterilize. In India, the central bank sterilized, but did not respond to income or price fluctuations. Output responded in each country to changes in foreign money.
When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:jmacro:v:15:y:1993:i:4:p:747-768. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.
If references are entirely missing, you can add them using this form.


text:
Watch: It's mating season and snakes are wrestling for romance
Share this article:
Love is in the air ‒ with snake mating season as summer temperatures kick in and the slithery reptiles are out and about.
But it may not all be about getting caught out in the act: the stars of Snakes in the City television reality series, Simon Keys and Siouxsie Gillett were recently called out to capture a trio of male spotted bush snakes which were fighting over a female, who had already made a quick escape from their romantic intentions.
Having recently arrived back in Durban to film the next season of the internationally acclaimed National Geographic Wild series, Gillett, who is a qualified herpetologist, said: "This is a time of year that you are likely to see more than one snake together; they are usually solitary creatures.
"Often people see two or more snakes together and think it may be snakes mating, but it is more than likely two males fighting for dominance.
"Intriguing too is that the male snake has spent the winter in hibernation not eating and is hungry, but would rather mate at this point than find food," said Gillett.
"Surprisingly, some species like our famous black mamba will combat in a non-violent way for the female by attempting to dominate the other male by almost entwining around, and laying on top of the other male, often misunderstood as two snakes mating."
She said most snakes lay eggs and leave them, while some snakes such as pythons (rock python) and king cobras will incubate their eggs.
"King cobras even build a nest for them. Some, like adders, even give birth to live young.
"So now's the time to watch out for fighting and mating and soon for the babies to be out and about. And we are happy to come and remove them and place them in a safe natural environment."
Her partner in the series, Simon Keys, said the world of snake mating and reproduction "is quite a fascinating one. For example, female snakes produce a strong scent to attract males, leaving a scent trail so males can find her. And during mating season could attract a whole mass of snakes who have followed her scent, who all end up fighting for her ‒ quite a scary sight for an untrained eye".
Well-known local herpetologist Nick Evans said he had a busy long weekend, which included removing four black mambas in Clare Estate, Reservoir Hills, Mariannhill and Bellair.
"The large gravid (pregnant) black mamba in Clare Estate was removed from the paving that led to the front door," he said, adding that males will wrestle with each other over a female, but generally will not bite one another.
"Although once, there were two Mozambique spitting cobras that were mauling each other, it was hectic," he said.
Evans added that an unusual trend this season was being called out to remove highly poisonous vine (twig) snakes.
"I have had a lot of calls about vine snakes, around 20, which included a pair in Westville North and four snakes together (two males and two females) in Wyebank. There is no anti-venom and they are highly venomous, but vine snakes rarely bite," he said.
The Snakes in the City Hotline for snake removals is _PHONE_ and is free of charge while they film the series in and around Durban, or call Nick Evans on _PHONE_.


text:
Skinner presentation at GEOIDE 2009
The Geoweb Goes Wild: Developing A Participatory Geoweb Site As An Aid In Determining Rare Species Distribution, Randy Skinner, Yolanda Wiersma Erioderma pedicellatum (Ep), or boreal felt lichen, is critically endangered worldwide. Newfoundland currently has 95% of the known world population. The province of Newfoundland and Labrador has developed a five year management plan to assess the spatial distribution of Ep on the island. Surveys in the past have been largely opportunistic and focused on two hyperpopulated regions on the island. The provincial government has restricted use and development in regions where Ep has been found. To facilitate public awareness, as well as foster stewardship practices, our project will tap into the use of participatory Geoweb applications to gauge public awareness of the species in the province. Our project has a two‐fold focus. Web 2.0 widgets and applications will be used to develop a map-based interactive website so that users can pinpoint Ep sightings, add photos, or post forum info online. Web‐based aids will be provided to give the novice lichen hunter information and field tools to find and identify Ep. The ultimate goal is to determine the amount and degree of public input with Ep – a species that is still relatively unknown to the general public (i.e., uncharismatic), with a secondary objective of gathering more information on the spatial distribution of Ep. The second focus of our project will be to expand the Geoweb to allow for citizen‐derived observation about a suite of species, some of which will be more well‐known (charismatic) to the public. Public participation will be measured with each species via web statistics and user-generated input, noting the types of users, and the amount of participation and interest with each species. This project is part of a larger Phase IV Project (Team 41) on the Participatory Geoweb, which is being led by Dr. Renee Sieber of Mc Gill University.


A 100 percent sustainable, self-build, co-housing scheme
I am hoping to solve the climate and housing problems on the Isles of Scilly, including the second home ownership issue which leaves many residents struggling to own homes because of the increased house prices. This led me to develop key 'Zero Waste' principles. Considering the Scilly problems and the three pillars of holistic sustainability (community, economy and ecology) I am proposing an Ikeatype/ wiki-house instruction booklet to self-build a 100 percent sustainable self-build co-housing scheme. This includes improving on existing sustainability standards.
I want to go beyond the Passivhaus certification and address embodied carbon and wellbeing.
I also want to push the co-housing principles to the max. Reconsidering the common house (a key element of a co-housing scheme) and adding the additional element of a zero waste, resident – run recycling centre, with workshop and shop to initiate a circular economywaste to resource system on the island.
Illustrations of the 3 key drivers of the scheme: Materials for their lifespan, Holisitc Sustainability approach and A Cyclical House System.
1. Materials used for their lifespan
2. Holistic sustainability
3. A cyclical house system
The overall site plan displaying the landscaping of wild and more defined allotments acting as a buffer zone between front door and communal paths.
A contrast between the structured "growth gardens" and "free,wild gardens" shows a buffer between public and private. Each residence and the commonhouse/ recycling centre have their own 2 metre buffer perimeter.
Rendered View of the inbetween spaces, that the wild landscape inhabits and the built form shares.
A wild landscape embraces the houses and common house to re-introduce biodiversity and promote a sustainable way of living to the max.
The house model broken down as an exploded axonometric to show how it is ticking the sustainability agenda set out for the scheme.
To achieve 100 percent sustainability the house must be easily built, affordable and achieve (at minimum) a PassivHaus certification.
CONTACT EMAIL: _EMAIL_
LINKEDIN: _URL_
Currently Looking for Part 2 employment.
Curated by Laura Selwood


text:
MU Life Sciences Week features cancer research
A University of Kansas researcher has found certain compounds in native Missouri and Kansas flowers have the ability to inhibit cancerous tumors.
Barbara Timmermann presented her findings yesterday at the Bond Life Sciences Center during the annual Charles W. Gehrke lecture, part of Life Sciences Week at the University of Missouri.
Timmermann first discovered the compound in flowers native to Argentina, but restrictions on using foreign plants made it tough to further those studies. She then purchased similar plant materials from India that already were on the market. Costs prohibited that work, though.
Finally, she received grant funding to prospect plants in the Midwest to see whether any native flowers have similar properties. After collecting some 300 species, her research team narrowed its studies to Physalis longifolia, or long-leaved ground cherries — common in Kansas and Missouri.
Not only did the team find the compound they were seeking, Timmermann said they also discovered entirely new compounds potentially more potent in cancer treatment.
"We've filed a patent; that's why I can talk today," she joked. "Otherwise, I couldn't talk about it."
Discovering the medicinal properties of plants has been a major push in the pharmaceutical industry over the past decade. Between 1998 and 2008, half of all Food and Drug Administration-approved medications were derived from natural products, Timmermann said.
This is the 27th year for Life Sciences Week on campus, which includes not only discussions and lectures but also nearly 300 research projects by students and faculty.
"It's going very well," William Folk, a biochemistry professor and chairman of the event, said this morning. "We have some very important issues being discussed."
Today, environmental and conservation representatives were on hand for a discussion about how Missouri land practices affect local waterways that lead to the Gulf of Mexico and its fisheries. On Tuesday, discussions focused on infectious diseases around the world and their impact on national security.
"These are critical issues that affect people's lives and our livelihoods," Folk said.
Life Sciences Week continues tomorrow with discussions on using new media to explain scientific discoveries. Jeff Toney, dean of the College of Natural, Applied and Health Sciences from Kean University, and Eric Berger, a science writer for the Houston Chronicle, will participate in a panel discussion at 9:30 a.m. in the McQuinn Atrium in the Bond Life Sciences Center. In a brown-bag lunch at noon, Keith Politte and Mike McKean of the Reynolds Journalism Institute will discuss blogging, tweeting and other forms of new media.


text:
Site description (2004 baseline)
A shallow fresh-water lake in bunch-grass steppe, in Korgalgin Natural Reserve ("Kurgal'dginskyi Zapovednik"). The lake is a part of the lake system of the Nura river basin. The landscape is typical for Central Kazakhstan dry steppe.
In the Natural Reserve, 327 bird species have been recorded (including 126 breeding species). 46 species are included in the Red Data Books of Kazakhstan and IUCN. Within the IBA, several tens of water-bird and passerine species breed (including Dalmatian Pelican, White-headed Duck, Black-winged Pratincole etc), and many species migrate and stop here in great number in spring and autumn, as well as for moulting (swans, ducks, gees etc.).
Non-bird biodiversity: In the Nature Reserve, there are 41 species of mammals, 4 reptiles, 2 amphibians, 14 fishes, about 400 plants.
BirdLife International (2023) Important Bird Area factsheet: Isei Lake. Downloaded from _URL_ on 02/10/2023.


The climate is tropical in Panama. The temperatures are relatively high but vary during the year. In the West (Pacific Ocean side) of the country, the temperatures are usually lower than in the East (Atlantic side).
Panama City: Warm climate with an average of 31 ºC (80 to 95 degrees Fahrenheit).
Highlands: The climate ranges in temperature between 18 to 29 C (65 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit).
Beaches: Here, the climate is usually between 29 to 35°C (80 to 95 degrees Fahrenheit).


text:
Photovoltaic (PV) / Solar String Monitors Information
Photovoltaic (PV)/solar string monitors are used to perform in-situ diagnostics of strings or sub arrays in a photovoltaic or solar power system. Solar string monitors may monitor current, voltage, and/or power output of a sub-array or string of a photovoltaic system. By monitoring the device parameters against pre-set performance ranges, alerts or notifications can identify underperforming strings. String-level diagnostics and monitoring extend the capability of solar inverter monitors down to the component level. Solar string monitors are instrumental in boosting efficiency or otherwise troubleshooting PV and solar power systems.
Image credit: Phoenix Contact


text:
Our research withinin bioeconomics is based on a multidisciplinary and multidisciplinary cooperation. Our aim is to develop solutions that take both the ecological, economical and social systems into account.
Our focus is on:
- Building on a strong knowledge cluster that brings together committed parties at different levels: from basic to applied research. We strive to implement our knowledge in societal processes.
- Promoting the democratic decision-making processes within natural resource management that follow Finnish legislation and that has not yet found effective and constructive forms.
- Building solid project knowledge, advanced research and focused applications.
- Working multi-professionally to find long-term solutions and a well-developed information and communication network in order to spread knowledge.


text:
The Safe 2 Race system was developed after we recognised the need for automating manual warnings and marshal systems during race events, to improve safety and response times. Our systems and hardware use wireless connections, artificial intelligence and unique algorithms to automate warnings and safety features to benefit circuits, race organisers, race control, marshals, drivers, teams and spectators. The S2R system updates every second on a range of interfaces and has various user functionality permissions.
Safe 2 Race System Key Functionality
The key functionality of the Safe2Race system for circuit, championships and driver use:
- Real time vehicle status awareness, tracking and timing vehicles for superior circuit and competition safety and compliance.
- Superior safety technology integrates vehicle to Race Control communications with instant notifications and automatic features.
- Instantly gives circuit and championship officials the information they need, whilst providing competitors and spectators real time race information – available on web and mobile interfaces.
- An electronic system with integrated AI designed to pair medical and impact data, offering currently unrivalled safety to competitors in Motorsport.
- Automated marshal flagging system benefits race marshals, race control and competitors.
- Instant in car notifications for drivers to notify of any change in race conditions, notification reaction within 1/10th second.
- Integrated systems for race control, team and spectator race timing information with a range of interface permissions.
- In-built penalty automation systems and post incident analysis.
- Tiers of access and custom permissions.
How It Works
The system tracks all vehicles locations each second, allowing flag conditions to be set within the entire circuit.
Safe2Race has been developed to combat the problems presented by human error and to provide safer racing conditions.
The system allows communication directly between every vehicle in a 'hot zone', pre-defined by race control.


Can the Life Span of a Bubble be Extended in Different Temperatures and Atmospheric Conditions?
based on 27 ratings
Author: Tricia Edgar
Bouncing baby bubbles! In this experiment, create strong bubbles and see how long these airy visitors will stick around.
Problem: What factors help extend bubble life span?
 - 1 tablespoon glycerin
 - 2 cups Dawn dish soap
 - 1 tablespoon vinegar
 - ½ cup white corn syrup
 - Measuring cup
 - Bubble wand
 - Large container of distilled water
 - Rubber gloves
 - 4 clear plastic jars with lids
 - Freezer
 - ½ cup measuring cup
 - 4 cups
 - Masking tape
 - Marker
 - Tablespoon
 - Stopwatch
 - Notepad
 - Pencil
 1. First, create your bubble solutions. Get your dish soap and pour ½ cup slowly into a cup.
 2. Use the masking tape and the marker to label this cup "dish soap".
 3. Next, put 1 tablespoon of vinegar into a second cup. Add dish soap until you reach ½ a cup.
 4. Label this cup "dish soap with vinegar".
 5. Mix together one cup of water, 2 tablespoons of dish soap, and 1 tablespoon of glycerin.
 6. Pour ½ cup of this mixture into a cup and label it "glycerin mix".
 7. Finally, mix together 1 ½ cups water, ½ cup Dawn soap, and ¼ cup white corn syrup.
 8. Pour ½ cup of this mixture into a cup and label it "corn syrup mix".
 9. Line up four plastic jars and label each with one of the four types of bubble solutions you made.
 10. Now, dip your bubble wand into the first mix. Blow some bubbles into the appropriate jar.
 11. Have a friend time how long it takes them to pop. Make a note of the time.
 12. Clean off the wand, and then do the same with each of the other bubble solutions.
 13. Now, blow glycerin bubbles into a jar and place it into an open freezer. Watch the bubbles. How long does it take them to pop?
 14. Compare this time to the time it took them to pop outside the freezer. Is there a difference?
The bubble solutions with added corn syrup and glycerin lasted the longest. Colder bubbles also last longer.
Water exhibits a force that holds its molecules together. If you place something light onto the surface of the water, it may be able to float on top because of this force, known as surface tension. Compared to some other liquids, water has a particularly high surface tension. Maybe now you understand how water is capable of forming bubbles—but why are soap bubbles so much stronger?
First of all, soap molecules are capable of doing something somewhat similar to what water does—they line up side-by-side to make a layer. In addition, soap is a great cleaning agent because each of its molecules has two sides: one side likes to stick to water, and the other side likes to stick to dirt and oil. So why does this matter if we're talking about bubbles? The side of the soap molecule that likes to stick to dirt and oil also likes to stick to air!
When you make a soap bubble using a mixture of soap and water, your bubble actually has three layers: two layers of soap with a layer of water sandwiched in between. The outer soap layer of the bubble has its air-liking ends sticking outward and its water-liking ends sticking inward towards the layer of water. Likewise, the innermost layer of the soap bubble has its water-liking ends sticking out, and its air-liking ends facing the air on the inside of the bubble.
Now, let's talk about how your additives affected bubble strength. Dish soap makes bubbles, but they quickly dehydrate and pop. When you added vinegar to the dish soap, you added an acid that made the dish soap break down even faster. The two secret ingredients that you can add for stronger bubbles are corn syrup and glycerin. When bubbles pop, they often pop because the water in the bubble evaporates into the environment. Glycerin helps bubbles stay strong because it's naturally good at preventing dehydration. How come? It's hydroscopic, which means it adds water from the air to the bubble! It also forms a weak bond with hydrogen, which further delays water evaporation. Corn syrup works by making the bubble solution more viscous, creating a thicker and tougher bubble. Making bubbles cold also helps them last longer because evaporation slows down in colder temperatures. What do you think would happen to your bubbles if you put them in conditions that are colder than your freezer?
Add your own comment
DIY Worksheets
Matching Lists
Quickly create fun match-up worksheets using your own words.
Word Searches
Crossword Puzzles
Make custom crossword puzzles using your own words and clues.
See all Worksheet Generators


text:
How many bytes does a terabyte equal?
Roughly 1 trillion bytes. Webopaedia is a good Web site that lists a variety of computer terms and terminology.
================================== MORE INFORMATION ON THIS TOPIC ==================================For Web definitions and terminology, check out whatis.com's IT-specific encyclopedia.
The Best Web Links: tips, tutorials and more.
Ask your systems management questions--or help out your peers by answering them--in our live discussion forums.
This was first published in September 2001


text:
Even if professors chose to go back to in person classes after Oct. 5, the majority of professors still offer an online option for students who are uncomfortable with attending in-person classes. With online learning, cheating has become a concern and this is where the Canvas Activity Log comes into play.
With the help of Juhong Christie Liu, the head of online learning, and Andrea Adams, the assistant dean for learning innovation & design, the log's main goal to prevent students from cheating was established this past week.
"This feature is intended to help investigate technical problems during the process of quiz taking," Liu said. "For instance, an internet interruption. It may help measure the time focusing on taking the quiz, with the condition of a smooth network and computer capacity."
The Canvas Activity Log will show what a student is doing within each minute of the quiz or exam. For example, if during the fifth minute of the exam a student answers numerous questions, the Canvas Activity log would pick up that information and label it all under the fifth minute of the exam. However, the log can mark students as "inactive" during the exam.
"The 'inactive' or 'stop viewing' status occurs when a student navigates away from the quiz (closes the browser tab, opens a new browser tab, or navigates to a different program)," Liu said.
However, there have been students from all different universities who have run into issues with what the "inactive" marking really means. On a Canvas community forum entitled "Quiz Log Interpretation" there are several people who claim they had issues with the Canvas Activity Log.
"I did some testing in a sandbox course and here's what I found: It seems like there are three times the 'Stopped viewing the Canvas quiz-taking page' message occurs; when you're inactive within Canvas (after 30 seconds), when your mouse is inactive in a window outside of Canvas (after 15 seconds) and when you actually click outside of Canvas. The 'Resumes' message occurs when you move your mouse after being inactive or when you click back within Canvas after being active in another window."
Sophomore Eric Hayes said he believes this is what happened to him during an exam he took during the month of the second week of October. After his professor told him that they would be using the Canvas Activity Log to determine if students were cheating on that particular exam, he had concerns.
"I had heard from my roommate that the Canvas Activity Log was not an accurate way to determine if a student was cheating or not, so I did a bunch of research on it before I took the exam," Hayes said. "I found the Canvas forum about it being inaccurate but I thought I'd just give it a try and see what happened."
After completing his exam, several days later Hayes received an email from his professor claiming that the Canvas Activity Log said he left the exam page 99 times.
"I was really mad because I didn't leave the exam screen once. I got 25 points taken off of my score when I didn't even cheat," Hayes said. "I emailed my professor back and sent them all of the information I found online about the inaccuracy of the Canvas Log, I was told that they were going to look into it, but I haven't heard anything in a week."
Concerns like these beg the question: Is the Canvas Activity Log a reliable way to determine if a student is cheating on an assignment?
"Reviewing the activity log for students may prompt an opportunity to talk more between a professor and a student about the quiz, such as if a student stops viewing the quiz page because of in need of more time to understand the question or because of technical access," Liu said. "However, it's important to note that quiz actions may occur for a number of reasons that are permissible and do not infer cheating," Liu said.
The Canvas Activity Log, by definition, can be used to help students and professors communicate about any issues that may arise during a quiz or exam. Students who are already put under stress about online learning now may also have to deal with the possibility of being falsely accused of cheating.
Contact Mackenzie Munn at _EMAIL_. For more coverage of JMU and Harrisonburg news, follow the news desk on Twitter _USER_.


text:
Saturday, 14 July 2012
insects on the forest floor
Eight year olds work.
The children created colours they would find on a forest floor, using primary colours and white, and covered a page. They blended and smudged the paint colours. Once dry, they cut the page into strips and wove the strips together to make a mat. They traced around an oval shape and cut the floor out.
They made observational drawings of insects, which they coloured with water colour paint. The insects were cut out and placed on the forest floor.


text:
Seasonal Variation in Soil Nutrients Under Six Rocky Mountain Vegetation Types1
- T. Weaver and
- F. Forcella2
Soils under vegetation types dominated by Festuca idahoensis, Artemisia tridentata, Populus tremuloides, Pseudotsuga menziesii, and Abies lasiocarpa were sampled at monthly intervals during 1974 and 1975 to determine the magnitude of seasonal variation in nutrient availability. Results may be summarized by expressing minimal values observed in 1974 as a percentage of maximum values: nitrate 27%, ammonium 30%, phosphorus 45%, potassium 65%, calcium 77%, magnesium 82%, sodium 60%, and organic matter 80%. Nutrients were most available in the early fall (September — October) and least available at midwinter (January — April). Rates of change in nutrient availability were smallest in winter and spring. Seasonal variation in Abies forests was notably less than in other vegetation types.Please view the pdf by using the Full Text (PDF) link under 'View' to the left.
Copyright © .