2Face takes peace campaign to the north

Over the past months, pop star, Tuface has shown astounding dedication of time and resources in the pursuit of peace in Nigeria.

In his most recent campaign on the  4th of October, the singer led an eight-man delegation to Sokoto on a two-day peace campaign.

In a campaign against religious intolerance, especially in northern Nigeria, 2Baba, who is himself a Christian, accompanied by Muslim long standing friend and colleague, Sound Sultan;  manager, Efe Omorogbe; Hypertek team member, Helen Abutu; his wife, Annie Idbia, among others, visited Sokoto State for a peace campaign organised by 2face Idibia Foundation (A Million Voices For Peace), in collaboration with Voices of Peace from the Sahara and the Justice, Development and Peace Commission (JDPC), Catholic Diocese of Sokoto.

This development, interestingly, is coming barely weeks after his announcement as the Peace Ambassador for the Ooni of Ife’s newest peace project.

The music icon was given a boisterous welcome at the airport by friends and members of the Idoma community in Sokoto State.

From the airport, the singer visited Vision FM for a brief chat with the media, also informing them of the purpose of his visit. He expressed his excitement to be back in Sokoto for the second time.

After his brief tete-a-tete with the media, 2baba and his delegation proceeded to visit the Catholic Bishop of Sokoto, Most Rev. Matthew Hassan Kukah. The excited Bishop Kukah, a renowned advocate of peace and religious tolerance, welcomed 2Baba warmly, appreciating his consistency and fight against violence in Nigeria.

The highlight of the events was the meet-and-greet session organised for the artiste to meet with both Christians and Muslims living in Sokoto.

2Baba spoke to the excited crowd that ranged from young people to the middle aged and the elderly, on the many virtues of maintaining peace in the state, especially through coexistence and religious tolerance. Citing his long standing relationship with friend and colleague, Sound Sultan, who is a Muslim and he, a Christian as the perfect example of religious tolerance, 2Baba emphasised that religion should not bring about violence but should be a tool to bind people together. The event came to an end with Bishop Kukah thanking the pop star and his team for bringing their message of peace to Sokoto.

In addition to his peace talks, 2Baba also promised to support the fight against polio in the state after being decorated by polio activist, Onyinye Ralp.

As of the time of filing this report, 2Baba also paid a courtesy visit to the Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, on Wednesday 5th October, 2016, followed concurrently by a meeting with the youth at the town hall and  a gala night.


The Insecurities of the Abortion Rights Movement

Albert Mohler

The Insecurities of the Abortion Rights Movement

"Don't waste time talking to anti-choice people." That is the straightforward instruction provided by NARAL Pro-Choice America in its "Campus Kit for Pro-Choice Organizers." The director of the Pro-Choice Action Network answered a question about why his group does not engage in conversation with pro-life advocates with this statement: "Along with most other pro-choice groups, we do not engage in debates with the anti-choice." In other words, they are scared to death of a genuine argument.

This point is made abundantly clear in a recent article by Jon A. Shields of the Center on Religion and Democracy at the University of Virginia. Shields' article, "Bioethical Politics," is published in the March/April 2006 issue of Society, one of the nation's most influential social science journals.

Shields is a keen observer of the contemporary scene, both in terms of the cultural debate and of the moral significance of the arguments offered by both sides in the abortion controversy. As pro-lifers attempt to assert arguments on behalf of the sanctity of human life in the public square, abortion rights advocates stalwartly refuse to debate or discuss the issue. One technique used by the pro-abortion movement is to label all opposition to abortion or stem cell research as "religious," and therefore beyond legitimate debate or state interest.

"Proponents of abortion rights and embryonic stem cell research correctly recognize that if the moral status of embryos and fetuses is solely a religious question, it is properly quarantined to the private realm of faith. It cannot be a matter of public political debate. Any effort to restrict abortion or stem cell research, therefore, is an unjustified assertion of sectarian metaphysics," he explains. Thus, the pro-abortion movement must, in order to maintain their public argument, assert that any concern about the moral status of an embryo or an unborn human child is simply "a religious question."

Shields demonstrates how this technique plays out in the realm of politics and national debate. The 2004 Democratic presidential nominee, Sen. John Kerry argued that his own personal pro-life view would have no impact on public policy because it was merely an "article of faith." Of course, describing Kerry's personal position as "pro-life" stretches the term more than is useful, but the candidate did argue that he was personally opposed to abortion (at least in some vague sense) but believed that it should be fully legal as a matter of public policy. Why? Because his "personal" beliefs about abortion were merely matters of "faith."

Similarly, NARAL and Planned Parenthood have argued that all decisions related to abortion are inherently religious. As they have famously argued, the abortion decision should be left to a "woman, her doctor, and her God."

Shields also documents the influence of groups such as the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice, "which concludes that abortion decisions are properly left to individuals because 'of the wide range of religious beliefs on this sensitive issue.'"

The argument that opposition to abortion--or the very question of when human life deserves protection--is inherently religious even made its way into the majority opinion in Roe v. Wade. Justice Harry Blackmun argued that philosophy and science were fundamentally unhelpful in determining the morality of abortion, and that the court therefore should not go so far as to "speculate as to the answer."

Meanwhile, in terms of public debate, "the left routinely promotes a pro-choice resolution to bioethical conflicts by framing them as religious in nature," Shields explains. In doing so, the left accuses the right of pushing theologically based arguments. Nevertheless, Shields asserts that the left "actually struggles to find evidence for this claim."

The largest part of Shields' article concerns the intellectual maturation of the pro-life movement and its engagement with philosophers and scientists on the key questions of human life and its protection. In particular, he considers the influence of groups like Stand to Reason, a Christian organization dedicated to promoting credible arguments against abortion in the public square, along with other apologetic interests. Stand to Reason works with the "Justice for All" program that takes pro-life volunteers onto college and university campuses in order to foster philosophical discussions about abortion. Shields provides a fascinating view into the work of Stand to Reason and Justice for All, featuring the arguments offered by Steve Wagner in his "Pro-Life 101" seminar. Wagner shows his students how to argue the case for a pro-life position, demonstrating the inherent weaknesses in the pro-abortion argument.

Wagner, for example, argues that newborn babies are more developed that fetuses. "But then, Wagner added, the adolescent is also far more developed than the newborn and yet society values both lives equally. The burden for pro-choice advocates, therefore, is to demonstrate that the change a human undergoes as she develops from a fetus to a newborn [is] so different from all future developments that it alters her ontological status entirely. They must also show that the value of a human being depends on the characteristics that he or she acquires rather than on the kind of thing that it is," Shields reports.

Significantly, the approach promoted by these organizations points to the importance of raising the right questions. Is it possible that America has allowed the intentional destruction of over forty million human beings since Roe v. Wade in 1973? "Framed this way," Shields explains, "pro-life advocates want to place the philosophical burden of proof on the other side even as they offer their own evidence for the value of fetal life."

The article describes what happened when JFA staff and volunteers showed up on the Auraria campus in downtown Denver--home to the University of Colorado, the Metropolitan State College, and the Community College of Denver. The program set up its characteristically large displays that featured pictures of aborted fetuses throughout the process of gestation.

As expected, many of the students walking by the exhibit, especially women, responded with initial disdain and little interest in conversation. Nevertheless, the JFA volunteers and staff were eventually able to engage many of these students in conversation about abortion and the meaning of human life.

The pro-life advocates "labored to focus their conversation on ontological questions," Shields recalled. This is important, for it indicates the centrality of questions of being to the controversy over abortion, stem cell research, and other urgent biomedical questions. Is this embryo a human life or not? Is the fetus something other than human until at some point it magically becomes a human being? "For most Auraria students," Shields reports, "it appeared that this intellectual exercise was altogether new and that most had never thought about the ontology of the fetus before."

Perhaps the most interesting aspect of Shields' article is his demonstration of the fact that pro-abortion advocates are generally unwilling even to enter a serious debate on the question. As he explains, "pro-choice student groups refuse to debate their opponents despite the persistent efforts of pro-life students." Most of the pro-choice activists "seem either unwilling or unprepared to confront the growing philosophical sophistication of pro-life advocates."

All this points to a most interesting contemporary dilemma. Conservatives are pressing for a revolution on behalf of human life and its sanctity while the left is determined to hold fast to abortion rights and knows that any serious questioning of its positions will put it into big trouble.

Beyond this, Shields demonstrates that pro-abortion activists have alienated themselves from any sustained bioethical debate. "Such unwillingness to engage in public deliberation, moreover, will likely be perpetuated by yet another political irony," he explains. "Whereas many religious conservatives have comfortably embraced distinguished allies in the academy, the left cannot easily do so. First, entering this bioethical debate makes it difficult to argue simultaneously that science and philosophy cannot shed light on human ontology, which has been the principal pillar that undergirds a woman's right to choose and stem cell research. Second, the left actually has a serious intellectual problem."

As Shields explains, that "serious intellectual problem" is, as articulated by Rosamund Rhodes, the pro-choice director of bioethics at Mt. Sinai School of Medicine, the abortion rights movement must explain "how or why the fetus is transformed into a franchised 'person' by moving from inside the womb to outside or by reaching a certain level of development." This important article by John A. Shields deserves careful attention. If nothing else, he reminds the pro-life movement of our responsibility to offer serious arguments and engage in serious debate. The very fact that the other side is increasingly resistant to debate indicates that we are winning--at least in terms of putting the abortion rights movement into a defensive posture. Intellectual defensiveness is a sign of the inherent weakness of the pro-choice movement.

So, the next time you hear a media report on the abortion "debate" in America, remember that the abortion rights movement is increasingly resistant to any debate. They are literally afraid to debate, and for good reason. They are fast running out of arguments.

See also the most recent entries on Dr. Mohler's Blog.


How to perform intravenous cannulation?

April 24, 2016   609

Intravenous (IV) cannulation is technical process to place a cannula, a flexible tube with crotar needle, inside a vein to gain venous access. The technique is commonly used in health institutions to perform various tests by sampling blood or to administer essential fluids, medications, parenteral nutrition and blood components in chemotherapy. It mainly involves puncturing vein at the right place so that an external duct could be inserted into the body fluid supply.
How to perform intravenous cannulation?

Performing Intravenous Cannulation

Health workers use different methods of cannulation depending on their individual preferences. But to find a method with which you are most comfortable with is the real thing.

Before touching the cannula, make sure that you follow certain steps to ensure complete hygiene. Do wash and sterilize your hands. Also, it would be better if the patient is politely informed that cannulation process is required.  You are supposed to explain entire process to the subject, but just saying, “It’ll be a little uncomfortable, but don’t worry, there’ll be hardly any pain”, will do fine too. Also, you should ensure taking consent from the subject before proceeding with cannulation.

Ready Equipments

You need to ensure all required equipments are in place and readily accessible.  Gather non sterile globes, apron, cannula, cannula dressing, saline and syringe (10ml), gauze, alcohol swab, and tourniquet.

Find Right Vein, Right Spot

Before puncturing, you need to make sure that you have selected most appropriate vein and spot. Apply a tourniquet, but avoid nipping the patient’s skin and palpate a vein. You should be able to feel a vein. A suitable vein would feel springy and would be ideally straight. Then, tap the vein and make the subject pump his/her fist. It’ll help in making veins clearly visible. Keep in mind that you never go for areas where two or more veins are joining.

Inserting Cannula

Make sure your gloves are on. Take an alcohol swab and clean the area with it for at least 30 seconds. You should swab it in outward circular motion. Before inserting cannula try to observe whether subject is mentally ready for it. If prepared, open winds of cannula and check whether top cap is working or not. Then withdraw needle very slightly to make it easier to glide. Take out cannual cap and place it upright in tray.

Now, remove the cannula sheath and use your non-dominant hand from below and let patient know about upcoming sharp scratch.

A cannula should be inserted at an angle of between 20-40 degree and the bevel should be facing upward direction.

Observe the subject and then advance the needle a further 1-2mm. Make sure that the cannula is in the veins lumen before you withdraw the needle slightly to insert the sharp point inside the plastic tubing. Now, advance cannula fully into the vein and release the tourniquet to reduce bleeding. Some gauze should be placed directly underneath the cannula and pressure should be applied over the vein from above.Now, you can remove the needle and dispose it into a bin.

Secure the cannula by putting some tape onto its wings before flushing. To flush the cannula, first set up flush. Open a 5-10ml syringe, get a 10ml bottle of saline 0.9%, withdraw fluid from the saline bottle into syringe, and make sure to remove every bubble within the syringe. Now, remove the top cap and insert syringe and inject the saline into cannula.

You should not experience much resistance if it’s being done right. Do look for signs of swelling around the site and stop immediately if you spot any. Confirm from the patient if he is feeling pain and stop if the answer is affirmative.

If everything is positive, you can close the cannula port and apply dressing to the site. Don’t forget to thank the subject for co-operating.

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Fruit and Nut

Sweet Chestnuts

The edible chestnut - Castanea sativa - usually referred to as the Spanish or Sweet Chestnut, is a native of mountainous regions of Western Asia, North Africa and Southern Europe. The earliest record of chestnut cultivation is in Theophrastus' Enquiry into Plants, written in the 3rd century BC. However, pollen analysis from  Insubria, the lakes area on the modern day Swiss-Italian border, shows Castanea sativa to be present from 10,000 ago onwards. During Roman times, chestnut cultivation  took place in Insubria. The Romans are thought to have introduced the chestnut to Northern Europe, including Britain.

Chestnut cultivation became common in many European countries during late Roman times and the Middle Ages. For a while, part of the Italian-Swiss Alps became known as the chestnut civilisation. Across Europe, many individual cultivars were developed, some specific to one or two small valleys. In mountainous areas unsuited to tillage, chestnuts provided a viable alternative to grain and became a staple part of the diet. Chestnut cultivation in Northern Europe was often carried out by religious communities and monastic orders.

Globally, a number of close relatives of Castanea sativa are cultivated for nut production. These include, C. crenata (Japanese chestnut),  and C. mollissima (Chinese chestnut). The main  European producers of the chestnut are Italy, Spain, Portugal and France. However, the chestnut is also grown in many other European countries including Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Poland.  Reported yields are 1-5 tonnes per hectare. A good individual tree may yield up to 25 kg per year. Chestnuts are more tolerant of high rainfall than walnuts and can be found thriving in many parts of the Alps and northwest Spain, where annual precipitation often exceeds 1000mm.

Chestnuts are a major food crop in regions where they are grown. The nuts are normally not eaten raw but used baked, boiled, roasted or in confectionary.  Chestnuts have also been used to make flour and for animal feed. Compared to other nuts chestnuts are low in protein and especially low in fat.  Carbohydrate content is relatively high at 32 percent. Water comprises 40 percent.

Chestnuts contain a wide range of vitamins and minerals. Average content per 100g is as follows:

Vitamin C 26 mg (considerably more than in most apples)
Vitamin K 7.8 µg
Thiamin 0.2 mg
Riboflavin 0.2mg
Niacin 1.3 mg
Vitamin B6 0.5mg
Folate 70 µg
Pantothenic Acid 0.6 mg
Calcium 29 mg
Potassium 592 mg
Phosphorus 107 mg
Iron 0.9 mg
Manganese 1.2 mg

Named varieties of the Spanish Chestnut (Castanea sativa) are suitable for growing in the south, midlands and east of Ireland, and in favourable locations elsewhere. Viable nuts recently found under mature trees growing near Westport, Co. Mayo, confirms that Spanish chestnuts have the potential to do well in the west of Ireland, as well as in the drier south and east.

The named varieties - the products of hundreds of years of careful selection by growers - perform significantly better than either Castanea sativa grown from chestnuts or unnamed varieties of Castanea sativa obtained through conventional tree nurseries, and will begin cropping at a young age. Although Castanea sativa grown from seed will grow into a fine tree in Ireland, flowering does not usually commence for 15-20 years. Trees grown from randomly selected seed are unlikely to set fruit in Ireland on a regular basis.

All the varieties offered here  begin cropping at a young age and have been chosen for their earliness of ripening and good performance in the west of France (the chestnut-growing region most similar to Ireland). Two or more varieties are normally essential for good pollination.

Chestnuts prefer a deep, well drained, loamy but slightly acid soil. They are intolerant of poor drainage, heavy clay and alkaline soils. Cold or wet weather at flowering time (mid June to mid July) can lead to very poor pollination. However, the presence of plentiful bees and other insects will improve the outcome. For this reason, it is recommended that chestnuts are underplanted with flowering plants - clovers or other legumes for example - known to attract bees.

Mycorrhizal Fungi

Mycorrhizal fungi are special fungi that have a symbiotic relationship with the roots of a plant. The very large surface area and specialised cell membrane chemistry of the fungi mycelium allow the colonised plant to access water and soil nutrients much more efficiently, leading to stronger growth and greater resistance to disease. Mycorrhizal fungi are found on the roots of trees in almost any mature woodland , but are usually absent on the roots of young trees raised in nursery conditions. Chestnut trees innoculated with mycorrhizal fungi have been shown to have much greater resistance to Ink Disease (Phytophthora cinnamomi and P.cambivora), a debilitating fungal infection responsible for the demise of some chestnut orchards. Proprietary root-dipping gels containing mycorrhizal fungi can be purchased from specialist horticultural suppliers. Alternatively, a small amount of leaf litter can be collected from broadleaved woodlands where wild mushrooms - Gyroporus castaneus and Boletus edulis for example - are known to be common, and sprinked around the bare tree roots during planting. For more information on mycorrhizas, refer to the Agroforestry Research Trust booklet on chestnuts.

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Agroforestry Research Trust


Latest Articles

Ivory Coast

The Ivory Coast is an independent republic, with a democratic government, which lies on the Gulf of Guinea and forms part of the West African region.

During Medieval times, the region that is now Côte d'Ivoire was at the centre of several major African trade routes, linking the empires which then existed in Ghana and Mali. These were initially dominated by the Dioula people. With a mainly flat landscape with a handful of mountain ranges, the Ivory Coast has an amazing climate during the winter time.

Ivory Coast is known for its cocoa production

There are an estimated 65 different languages that are spoken in the country, however, French is the official language.

Abidjan is the former capital of Cote d'Ivorie until 1983, and sometimes is referred to as the “Paris”, of Africa.

'While the political situation in the Ivory Coast has been settled, the rule of law has not fully been re-established in some areas. Travellers to the Ivory Coast should exercise extreme caution. "

Due to the state of health, the immunisation status, location and the local disease situation; cholera, dengue fever, hepatitis A,B and C, malaria, schistosomiasis, tuberculosis, typhoid fever, yellow fever and AIDS can occur in the Ivory Coast. Water needs to be boiled before consumption. Meat, fish and vegetables need to be cooked and fruit peeled.

Abidjan is the biggest city in the Ivory Coast ,it has the Parc du Banco on the outskirts of the city, where visitors can experience the rainforest's flaura and fauna. Just near the entrance to the park is Africa's largest open-air laundrette.

The Basilica of Our Lady of Peace -Yamoussoukro

The Basilica of Our Lady of Peace (French: Basilique de Notre Dame de la Paix de Yamoussoukro) in Yamoussoukro is the largest church in the world. The great basilica was the project of the Catholic former president of the Ivory Coast, who wished it to be a monument to himself.

Man is a small town situated to the west of the central region of Ivory Coast. The town is known as the best area to buy the famous Yacouba masks, as well as beautiful traditional fabrics. Mount Tonikoui towers over the town..

The coastal towns of Assouinde, Assinie and Bassam are famous beach resorts in the Ivory Coast. Assouinde and Assinie are small villages to the east of Abidjan that are home to unspoiled, palm-dotted beaches.

Nationsl Parks in Ivory Coast

Some hiking, usually with local guide, is possible in the rainforests of Tai National Park, in the southwest of the country, and in Maraoue National Park in the west. Other national parks are Comoe in the northeast, and Azagny on the coast down south. Camping is possible in some places, but you must bring your own gear and supplies.


Rocky Mountain Institute

San Francisco braces for the Big One with microgrids

Golden Gate Bridge San Francisco earthquake resilience
ShutterstockSC Photography
San Francisco is counting on microgrids to help bolster the city's resilience.

Just last year, a 6.0 magnitude earthquake knocked out power to more than 40,000 people in the San Francisco Bay area. This was the fourth earthquake of magnitude 6 or greater to hit the Bay Area since 1979, including the 6.9 magnitude earthquake that disrupted the 1989 World Series and knocked out power to 1.4 million people.

So the city of San Francisco is not taking any chances — it's preparing for the (next) big one with microgrids.

"The whole western side of the city is built on sand," said Cal Broomhead, energy and climate program manager for San Francisco’s Department of the Environment (SF Environment). "If we have a massive earthquake, the gas infrastructure will be shot, and we could face an extended power outage."

If the gas pipeline infrastructure is destroyed, it knocks out the natural gas-fired central thermal plants and prevents the use of distributed natural gas generators. The city wanted to find a distributed solution to provide backup emergency power, one that didn't rely on diesel.

"What they were proposing was consistent with what we thought made sense," David Rubin, director of service analysis at PG&E, told RMI. "Relying on clean energy and storage, and providing power to critical care facilities in case of an outage."

So Broomhead, along with Rubin of PG&E, Russell Carr of Arup and Chris Lotspeich of Celtic Energy joined Accelerator to help San Francisco create a roadmap for deploying solar with storage for resilience both locally and nationally.

Real-life scenario

At the Rocky Mountain Instutute's eLab Accelerator, the team looked at 12 cases scattered throughout the city. It picked one to go into in detail to help set the stage for designing a microgrid.

After identifying key questions and criteria needed, the team created a decision tree for the technical design process, then tested the design process on a fire station as well. The decision tree asks certain questions about the load and if it can be met with solar plus energy storage on-site or off-site, then determines whether a microgrid or a facility-scale system, with or without a diesel generator, would be the best solution.

The team also developed schematic design options for three microgrid configurations that vary in who owns which aspects of the microgrid (customers, PG&E or the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission), and is developing a list of options for integrating existing private PV systems into post-disaster service. However, some of the most important lessons learned in Accelerator were not the technical details, but the bigger surrounding issues.

The big picture

"It’s not always the technical details that come first, but the surrounding issues such as community needs, finance, regulatory, ownership, that really drive system design," said Calhoun.

"One of the best things to come out of Accelerator was meeting people from Ketchum and Hoboken," said Broomhead. "Our technical team learned a lot by leveraging the knowledge and experience of the other teams."

Now that some non-technical issues have been conquered, next steps include site visits, selecting the microgrid zone sites and figuring out the more technical details with PG&E and the other partners.

Shifting the paradigm

Everyone agreed that one of the best parts of eLab Accelerator was having all the players at the same table working toward a similar goal.

"We appreciate the city coming to us and looking at us as a partner,” said PG&E’s Rubin. "This project brings together two things PG&E greatly values, clean energy and resiliency. In case of a natural disaster, we want to be there for our community, our customers."

"The goal goes beyond San Francisco,” said Calhoun. "The city wants to create a model that other neighborhoods in San Francisco can follow, and a planning document that other cities around the country can use to do something similar."

Looking ahead, the goal is to cement a link between renewable energy and resilience.

"Our proposed project is not just key for emergency preparedness, but also for the grid and future energy system," said SF Environment’s Broomhead. "We start by creating a renewable energy system for the purpose of emergency back up power, and when people see we never have to run the diesel, the paradigm starts to shift. It shows that powering buildings with renewables is not only the environmental thing to do, but also the prudent thing to do."

This story first appeared on:


Vineyard management

Vineyard management encompasses all practices conducted in the vineyard associated with growing grapes and maintaining the vineyard resource. Managing an efficient vineyard in a sustainable way is essential to ensure that it remains viable in the longer term.

 Resources in this section will include information on efficient use of resources to maintain or improve Australian vineyards.

Vineyards are variable in both space and time

The recent availability of Precision Viticulture tools (remote sensing, the global positioning system, geographical information systems, yield monitoring and mapping, and high resolution soil survey) now make it possible to better understand and manage this variability, whether the objective is to try to reduce it through the targeting of management inputs, or taking advantage of it through strategies such as selective harvesting and product streaming.

Wine Australia has been an active partner in research into spatial variability in vineyards and is currently supporting projects which seek to better enable growers and their advisers to measure, map and understand their variability, and understand the interaction between grape yield and quality. We also invest in research aimed at other aspects of vineyard management such as the use of cover crops and management of spray application.

Cover crops

Cover crops are grown for many reasons: to protect the soil, prevent erosion, suppress weeds and provide nutrition. They also support integrated pest management increasing soil biodiversity, and supporting pest predators providing a natural nutrient cycling to enhance soil and vine health.

Spray application

Spray application is a critical activity for grape and wine businesses – spanning the issues of food safety, environmental stewardship community welfare and profitability.

Current research projects addressing vineyard management can be found under Strategy 5: Improving vineyard performance.

Cover crops

Using cover crops to control vigorous vine growth (2013)

Managing spatial variation in grapevine water requirements

Irrigation distribution uniformity

Optimising water resources under water-limiting conditions


Happy Turtle's Pub - Online Turtle Forum

To visit the forum click here.

Discussions related to aquatic turtles, land turtles, turtles in general, care sheets, general care, housing, turtle habitats, turtle sale and adoption, photo gallery and much, much more...

Ask questions, share stories, pictures, talk with lots of Turtle Lovers.

Natural History

Red-Eared Sliders are found through the United States east of the Rockies.

Red-Eared Sliders are Texas’s most common aquatic turtles. This is the most common species of turtle sold in the pet trade. These turtles get their name from a broad red stripe behind their ear area and their habit of sliding off rocks and logs when startled.The name "slider" refers to the quick retreat from their basking site into the water when they feel even the slightest bit threatened. Older turtles are often covered with a thick coat of algae. The young turtles are eaten by a variety of predators (organism that feeds on other animals) including birds, raccoons, alligators and large fish.

Red-Eared Slider is a medium sized turtle with a dark green oval shell, marked with yellow in younger turtles, green legs with thin yellow stripes and a green head with a red stripe behind the ear area.

Red-Eared Slider are cool-blooded turtles (animals whose body temperature is the same as, or nearly the same as the animal’s surroundings) and spend much of the day sunning on rocks and logs. They are found in most permanent slow- moving water sources with mud bottoms. When population numbers get high these turtles move across the land to other bodies of water in search of food and space. They prefer slow moving bodies of water with plenty of vegetation. While they are strong underwater swimmers, these sliders spend much of the warmer hours of the day on logs or rocks basking in the sun( or, when very small, on marsh weed sand other aquatic plants). Sometimes you will see sliders stacked on top of each other up to five high! Sliders will sleep at night underwater, usually resting on the bottom or floating near the surface, using their inflated throat as flotation aid. Sliders become inactive at temperatures below 10°C. They will often hibernate underwater or under banks and hollow stumps. Emergence occurs in early March to late April. Sliders bury themselves in loose soil or mud during the winter to escape the cold. All the sliders are omnivores, eating both animal protein and vegetable or plant matter. Younger turtles need up to 40% of their food from protein sources. Adult turtles feed more heavily on vegetation. In the wild they eat tiny fish, amphibian larva, water snails and a varsity of plants growing in the water and on the land.

If male it will be somewhere between 2-4 years old and already sexually mature. Wild females reach maturity later, between 5-7 years, and will then be over 13cm(5 inches) in length. In captivity, females may reach maturity at about 3 1/2 years. During the breeding season between March and July, the female may find herself swept away by a persistent suitor. Red-Eared Sliders may produce up to three clutches of 4 to 23 eggs in a single year. With each nest, the female will go on shore and dig a shallow hole that is 3-10 inches wide. She deposits her eggs in these excavations and subsequently covers them up with soil and materials to seal in the eggs for protection from predators and the elements. The young turtles hatch 60-75 days later, although they may spend the winter in the nest .Number of young: 4-23 from oval, white eggs with leathery shells. Female turtles lay their eggs in holes that they dig in the ground and leave. Young turtles are born having to take care of themselves.

The Red-Eared Slider has a History in the pet trade starting in 1960’. They were very abundant, easy to breed and attractive turtles. Sliders, especially Red-Eared have been heavily collected for the pet trade and are sold by the millions in pet shops across the world. Because of lack of knowledge, few survive for long in captivity. U.S. government now require turtles to be at least 4 inches in length before they can be sold as pets in the USA. This is problematic for those species whose full adult size is 10 cm(4 inches) or less. The ones sold legally will be at least 10 cm(4 inches) long from the neck end of the carpace (top shell) to the tail end of the carpace. In Europe, Mexico and Japan they are very popular as pets. In recent years, number of adult sliders and related turtle species have been trapped for the food trade, many have been exported to Asia. They have been found in California, France, Africa, Japan and so on. The biggest threat to sliders is Man. They are exploited for the food and pet trade, slider eggs are used as a fish bait. Sliders are often killed on roads by automobiles and are sometimes persecuted by fishermen who mistakenly consider the turtles to be fish eaters.

As with all wild-caught reptiles, animals founded in pet stores have been under stress for some time. As a result they, they are most likely suffering from protozoan and bacterial infections, including Salmonella which is easily transmitted to young children. Many of these turtles will not eat when they are stressed or frightened, and cannot eat when they are too cold. Take your turtle to a vet. If maintained at the proper temperatures, fed a healthy varied diet and kept in stress-free active environment, your turtle may outlive you: some individuals have lived more than 100 years!

Site Created: 1/8/2002, Last modified: 12/7/2003 by Petra Grujic


This directory contains alignments of the following assemblies:

  - query: Zebrafish (danRer3, May 2005, Sanger Centre, Danio rerio Sequencing
    Project Zv5)

Files included in this directory:

  - md5sum.txt: md5sum checksums for the files in this directory

  - hg18.danRer3.all.chain.gz: chained blastz alignments. The chain format is
    described in .

  - "net" file that describes rearrangements between
    the species and the best Zebrafish match to any part of the
    Human genome.  The net format is described in .

  - axtNet/* chained and netted alignments,
    described in .

The hg18 and danRer3 assemblies were aligned by the blastz alignment
program, which is available from Webb Miller's lab at Penn State
University (  Any hg18 sequences larger
than 10,010,000 bases were split into chunks of 10,010,000 bases overlapping
by 10,000 bases for alignment.  A similar process was followed for danRer3,
with chunks of 10,000,000 overlapping by 0.  Following alignment, the
coordinates of the chunk alignments were corrected by the
blastz-normalizeLav script written by Scott Schwartz of Penn State.

Because the danRer3 chrNA and chrUn chromosomes and the tetNig1 random
chromosomes are comprised of unordered scaffolds separated by 500 Ns
and 1000 Ns respectively, the blastz alignments and subsequent
chaining were first performed on the scaffolds, and the coordinates were then
lifted up to the chromosome level. This avoided false alignments across the
Ns. Random unordered chromosomes from human were treated in a
similar manner so that alignments were performed using the contigs whcih are
separated by 50000 Ns. For alignments involving zebrafish chrNA and chrUn
scaffolds,  lineage-specific repeats were not used, but the M parameter was
set to 50 in order to utilize the Blastz dynamic masking functionality. Each
chunk of human sequence was aligned with all of the zebrafish sequence in
order for dynamic masking to occur.

The blastz scoring matrix (Q parameter) used was:

             A    C    G    T
      A     91  -90  -25 -100
      C    -90  100 -100  -25
      G    -25 -100  100  -90
      T   -100  -25  -90  91

and L=6000 for the second pass, which restricted the search space to the
regions between two alignments found in the first pass.  The minimum
parameters specifically set for this species pair:

lavToPsl, then chained by the axtChain program.

tablesize   11
smallSize   111
position  1   2   3   11  111 2111  12111 32111 72111 152111  252111
qGap    325 360 400  450  600 1100   3600  7600 15600  31600   56600
tGap    325 360 400  450  600 1100   3600  7600 15600  31600   56600
bothGap 625 660 700  750  900 1400   4000  8000 16000  32000   57000

Chained alignments were processed into nets by the chainNet, netSyntenic,
and netClass programs.

    user name: anonymous
    password: <your email address>
    go to the directory goldenPath/hg18/vsDanRer3

    mget <filename1> <filename2> ...
    - or -
to be prompted for each file that you download.

All files in this directory are freely available for public use.

Evolution's cauldron: Duplication, deletion, and rearrangement in the

[ICO]NameLast modifiedSizeDescription

[DIR]Parent Directory  -
[TXT]README.txt02-Jul-2007 13:10 5.0K
[DIR]axtNet/25-Sep-2008 09:32 -
[   ]hg18.danRer3.all.chain.gz23-Dec-2005 11:18 24M
[   ] 12:02 12M
[TXT]md5sum.txt23-Dec-2005 12:03 3.6K

Apache/2.2.15 (CentOS) Server at Port 80


Productive Offers

Agriculture is the production of food and goods through farming. Agriculture was the key development that led to the rise of human civilization, with the husbandry of domesticated animals and plants (i.e. crops) creating food surpluses that enabled the development of more densely populated and stratified societies. The study of agriculture is known as agricultural science. Central to human society, agriculture is also observed in certain species of ant and termite.[1][2]
Agriculture encompasses a wide variety of specialties and techniques, including ways to expand the lands suitable for plant raising, by digging water-channels and other forms of irrigation. Cultivation of crops on arable land and the pastoral herding of livestock on rangeland remain at the foundation of agriculture. In the past century there has been increasing concern to identify and quantify various forms of agriculture. In the developed world the range usually extends between sustainable agriculture (e.g. permaculture or organic agriculture) and intensive farming (e.g. industrial agriculture).
Modern agronomy, plant breeding, pesticides and fertilizers, and technological improvements have sharply increased yields from cultivation, and at the same time have caused widespread ecological damage and negative human health effects.[3] Selective breeding and modern practices in animal husbandry such as intensive pig farming (and similar practices applied to the chicken) have similarly increased the output of meat, but have raised concerns about animal cruelty and the health effects of the antibiotics, growth hormones, and other chemicals commonly used in industrial meat production.[4]
The major agricultural products can be broadly grouped into foods, fibers, fuels, and raw materials. In the 2000s, plants have been used to grow biofuels, biopharmaceuticals, bioplastics,[5] and pharmaceuticals.[6] Specific foods include cereals, vegetables, fruits, and meat. Fibers include cotton, wool, hemp, silk and flax. Raw materials include lumber and bamboo. Other useful materials are produced by plants, such as resins. Biofuels include methane from biomass, ethanol, and biodiesel. Cut flowers, nursery plants, tropical fish and birds for the pet trade are some of the ornamental products.
In 2007, about one third of the world's workers were employed in agriculture. The services sector has overtaken agriculture as the economic sector employing the most people worldwide.[7] Despite the size of its workforce, agricultural production accounts for less than five percent of the gross world product (an aggregate of all gross domestic products).

A farm is an area of land, including various structures, devoted primarily to the practice of producing and managing food (produce, grains, or livestock), fibres and, increasingly, fuel. It is the basic production facility in food production.[1] Farms may be owned and operated by a single individual, family, community, corporation or a company. A farm can be a holding of any size from a fraction of a hectare to several thousand hectares.

The Topic:

Easier - Farming was once the chief way of life in nearly every country. People cannot live without food, and nearly all their food comes from crops and animals raised on farms. Many other materials such as cotton and wool also come from plants and animals raised on farms. Not many people farm for a living any more, but farming remains the most important occupation in the world.
Harder - Prior to the twentieth century, the typical American family lived on a small farm. They raised hogs, cattle, sheep, chickens, and planted corn, fruits, garden vegetables, hay, and wheat. Everyone worked long and hard, but the results were often meager. Families barely harvested enough food for themselves. This situation began to change during the last half of the 1800's and it changed remarkably in the next century.
Scientific methods and labor-saving machinery have made farming increasingly productive. The development of improved plant varieties and fertilizers has helped double and even triple the yields of some major crops. Scientific livestock care and breeding have helped increase the amount of meat and products that animals produce. At the same time, the use of tractors and other modern farm equipment has sharply reduced the need for farm labor.


Luiz Zerbini
B. 1959

Luiz Zerbini, born 1959 in São Paulo, Brazil, graduated with a Fine Arts degree from Fundação Armando Alvares Penteado, São Paulo, in 1982. One of the leading contemporary artists in Latin America, Zerbini produces paintings, sculptures, and installations layered with images and references to art history and pop culture alongside or in combination with lush, textured landscapes, cityscapes and domestic interiors.
Zerbini has exhibited across the world and has represented Brazil at São Paulo Biennial (1987 and 2010), Bienal do Mercosul (2001), Bienal de La Habana (2000), and the Bienal Internacional de Cuenca (1996). The artist has had solo exhibitions at galleries and institutions in Brazil, Spain, Bolivia, France, Portugal, and the UK. Additionally, he has been a part of numerous group exhibitions across the world. In 1995 Zerbini won the grand prize of criticism in the Visual Arts category of Art Critics of São Paulo Association (APCA). His work is included in several notable collections such as Inhotim Contemporary Art Center, Brumadinho, Brazil, Itau Cultural Institute, São Paulo, Brazil, Modern Art Museum of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and Modern Art Museum of São Paulo, Brazil.
In 2015, the artist had a solo exhibition at Galpão Fortes Vilaça, São Paulo. He has also recently been the subject of mid-career surveys at Casa Daros, Rio de Janeiro (2014), Instituto Inhotim, Minas Gerais (2013), and Museu de Arte Moderna do Rio de Janeiro (2012). Zerbini currently lives and works in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Luiz Zerbini
April 28 - June 4, 2016


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Triangular Brilliant cut is often called a Trillion was first designed in Amsterdam by Leon Finker in 1978 and is cut into the shape of a wedge. The corners of this shape may be pointed or rounded and the body will vary depending on the stone’s characteristics and the cutter’s preference.

Triangular Brilliant and Triangular Modified Brilliant are generic terms referring to non-branded triangular brilliant cut diamonds. There are several other branded names for similar shapes including the following:

Trillian is an unregistered triangular cut.

Trilliant is another triangular cut, developed by H Meyer Diamond Co., whose patent has lapsed.

Trielle, or contemporary Trilliant, is a new name for Trilliant whose trademark has lapsed. The Trielle’s patent has expired by the name is still trademarked by Trillion Diamond Company

Trillion is yet another triangular cut and is one of the oldest terms.

Asscher’s Trilliant is a name used since the 1970’s by the Asscher Diamond Co of Amsterdam. They produced a triangular diamond with curved sides instead of straight ones and were an early version of what is now the Trielle.

Troidia is another unpatented triangular cut.

Trillium is a name for another unpatented triangular cut.

Tri-star is a newly patented cut and trademarked name for a triangular cut by Karp Impex

triangular-diamond-ringWith some exceptions, the finished diamond will generally contain 44 facets. Triangular Brilliants have straight sides while the Triangular Modified Brilliants have sides bowed outwards. An equilateral triangle (side millimeter measurements equal) is optimum; however, the non-branded Triangular Brilliant is more likely to display variation in measurement. At approximately 29 percent depth and less, the stone begins to lose brilliance.

trillion-necklaceThe Triangular Brilliant, whether branded or not, is most often sold as matched side stones for rings. Next in terms of volume are diamond stud earrings, followed by solitaire pendant necklaces and rings.

trillion-looseIn addition to traditional characteristics of good polish and symmetry, look for “windowing,” which are weak areas through the table where brilliancy is severely lacking. Avoid diamonds that display this brilliancy-defeating weakness.

sides-triangularWhile fluorescence is not necessarily more common in triangles than in other makes, it becomes a more important issue when matching pairs are desired. If the diamonds should display fluorescence, look for matching degrees of fluorescence in pairs. If fluorescence levels are not evenly matched, even diamonds that are theoretically matched because their color grades are the same will appear as obvious mismatches for color. The degree of apparent mismatch will depend upon the light source and the level of fluorescence.

Measurements provided on certifications are for the length, width and depth of the triangular brilliant, not the tip to tip measurements. In order to have an equilateral triangle, the length to width ratio needs to be about 1.12. The length measurement is the longest side and the width is the height of the diamond (distance from the length side to the opposite point).


Commission for Visit California

Redwood National and State Parks

The Redwood National and State Parks (RNSP) are old-growth temperate rainforests located in the United States, along the coast of northern California. Comprising Redwood National Park (established 1968) and California's Del Norte Coast, Jedediah Smith, and Prairie Creek Redwoods State Parks (dating from the 1920s), the combined RNSP contain 133,000 acres (540 km2).[3] Located entirely within Del Norte and Humboldt Counties, the four parks, together, protect 45% of all remaining coast redwood (Sequoia sempervirens) old-growth forests, totaling at least 38,982 acres (157.75 km2). These trees are the tallest and one of the most massive tree species on Earth. In addition to the redwood forests, the parks preserve other indigenous flora, fauna, grassland prairie, cultural resources, portions of rivers and other streams, and 37 miles (60 km) of pristine coastline.

On reaching the coast

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Sed quis augue a urna aliquam pellentesque. Mauris quis imperdiet sapien.

Mendocino County and our journey's end

Mendocino County is a county located on the north coast of the U.S. state of California. As of the 2010 census, the population was 87,841.[4] The county seat is Ukiah. Mendocino County comprises the Ukiah, CA Micropolitan Statistical Area. It is located north of the San Francisco Bay Area and west of the Central Valley.

The county is noted for its distinctive Pacific Ocean coastline, Redwood forests, wine production, microbrews, and liberal views about the use of cannabis and support for its legalization. It is estimated that roughly one-third of the economy is based on the cultivation of marijuana. The notable historic and recreational attraction of the "Skunk Train" connects Fort Bragg with Willits in Mendocino County via a steam-locomotive engine, along with other vehicles.


Something smells good! Framed Art Print

Framed Art Print

Something smells good!

by Carlos Rocafort

"Lopadotemachoselachogaleokranioleipsanodrimhypotrimmato..." is a fictional dish mentioned in Aristophanes’ comedy Assemblywomen. It is the longest word coined by a major author, and the longest word ever to appear in literature.

The word has 183 characters and as a dish was a fricassée, with at least 16 sweet and sour ingredients.

illustration typography humor


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Tile Patterns

In this tile patterns worksheet, students identify and complete 2 different problems that include interpreting figures of various tile patterns. First, they use the given patterns at the top to draw their own figure in the blank grid. Then, students explain their figure using words. They also describe the steps they took to draw their figure on the grid and why.

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Can the Harvard Foundation help in hosting a guest or organizing an event?

If individual students or members of student organizations have an idea for an event or guest they would like to bring to campus they are welcome to drop by the Harvard Foundation office or schedule an appointment to meet with full time or intern staff to discuss ideas. E-mail the office or a staff member directly, or simply call the office: 617-495-1527.

How can I contact the Harvard Foundation?

Our office is in the basement of Thayer Hall, Room B-02. Our exact location is detailed here. Our regular office hours are 9:30AM to 5:30PM from Monday to Friday. Feel free to drop by, or make an appointment by either e-mailing harvfoun@fas.harvard.edu or calling at (617) 495-1527.

When is Cultural Rhythms this year? How can I get tickets?

Cultural Rhythms is typically on the third Saturday of February. This year, that is 2/21/15. Tickets can be purchased from the Harvard Box Office at the Smith Campus Center (formerly the Holyoke Center). They are first sold only to undergraduates with Harvard College IDs. Subsequently, they are made available to Harvard University's graduate students, faculty, and staff. Any remaining tickets are then offered to the general public. Tickets typically cost $10 for the matinee show and $5 for the evening show.

There are lots of ways to become involved with The Harvard Foundation! First, make sure to subscribe to our media accounts so that you're aware of all our great events! If you're looking to be more involved in the creation and planning of events on campus you can volunteer as an associate or apply to be an intern.

Read moreAs a Harvard College undergraduate, how can I get involved with the Harvard Foundation?

What are the roles of interns and associates and how do they differ?

Essentially, interns are part-time employees of the Harvard Foundation, and associates are volunteers. As an intern, you are expected to commit to at least 3 hours of work a week for all 4 years of your college career. The role of interns includes typical office work such as maintaing the website and social media accounts, in addition to creating and implementing ideas for programming such as film screenings and discussions. Attendance at weekly meetings is also required. While interns are paid, associates enjoy more flexibility.

Read moreWhat are the roles of interns and associates and how do they differ?

What benefits are there to being a Student Advisory Committee (SAC) member organization?

SAC organizations are eligible to apply for financial support in the form of SAC grants. More information about this process can be found here. Additionally, being a SAC member organization facilitates inter-group collaboration via the expansive cultural network that the SAC is. Monthly SAC/FAC meetings allow SAC organizations to interact with faculty and voice their opinions for effecting change.


Famine or Feast: Climate Change and the Future of Food Production

A dry riverbed in California. California's drought has already taken a serious toll on its agricultural production. "California Drought" by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. PD US NOAA, accessed via Wikimedia Commons.

A dry riverbed in California. California’s drought has already taken a serious toll on its agricultural production.
“California Drought” by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. PD US NOAA, accessed via Wikimedia Commons.

It is the year 2080. As climate change continues, unhindered by weak regulations and international disagreement, temperatures have risen several degrees Fahrenheit. In tropical and arid areas, water is in short supply. In other parts of the world, heavy rainfall causes devastating floods. The rate of extreme weather events has increased — catastrophic natural disasters seem to be almost a normal part of life. Food insecurity has soared; advances against hunger in developing countries have been all but erased. Yet the United States and Europe are growing richer: an increase in temperature has spurred crop growth in their temperate regions, and yields are rising. Developing countries in Africa, Asia, and Latin America are forced to rely on developed countries, which have little incentive to reduce their own emissions, for aid. As international inequity grows, so do political tensions.

Consider another case. It is the year 2080. Concerned about the effects of climate change, governments of developing countries, assisted by international committees, have incorporated climate considerations into national policy. Food producers, from major corporations to family farms, have adapted to changing conditions with improved packaging, diversification, and transportation. Trade has kept food prices relatively stable, and Aid for Trade programs have helped boost economies while regulating carbon emissions. Developed countries, recognizing both the benefits of these policies and their own vulnerability to climate change, have made a commitment to cooperation. While 2080 does not look like 2016, international trade, foreign aid, and bilateral and multilateral partnerships have helped the world escape the most devastating effects of climate change.

Neither of these scenarios is likely to occur exactly as described; the future may fall somewhere between them. However, climate change will almost certainly have significant effects on global food production. The most detrimental impacts will occur in developing countries, as a result of their economic reliance on climate-sensitive sectors, limited capacity to respond to changes, and geographic conditions, which will worsen inequality. Meanwhile, in temperate areas of developed countries, food yields could actually increase in the short term. However, climate effects will reduce the quality and safety of food in these areas. Adaptive measures will be difficult and costly, requiring significant international financing and a cohesive global plan. Ultimately, though, if nations recognize the possible consequences and their own stakes in changing them, these measures have the potential to successfully mitigate the effects of climate change.

The Effects of Climate Change on Food Production

According to the International Food and Agricultural Trade Policy Council (IPC), climate change has five major consequences that universally alter food production. The magnitude of these consequences can vary with location; some negatively impact the availability of food, while others can actually increase crop yields, despite their detrimental effects on other aspects of life. First, climate change causes changes in temperature, which in turn affects plants, animals, pests, and the water supply in a variety of ways. Second, changes in precipitation patterns also affect the water supply, which then alters plant growth. Third, increases in atmospheric carbon dioxide directly affect crop yields as well; carbon dioxide acts as fertilizer, increasing the productivity of some plants, but also allowing weeds to grow more quickly. Fourth, climate change leads to extreme weather, which can have catastrophic consequences for agriculture and transportation systems. Finally, a rising sea level can lead to flooding and reduce the availability of arable land.

As a result, according to the 2014 National Climate Assessment, climate change will likely have a major impact on international markets and food prices. Climate change increases variability in crop and livestock yields because it leads to extreme weather and alters precipitation patterns. In turn, this causes uncertainty in production totals, which can affect domestic and international markets. Global food prices decreased steadily throughout the second half of the twentieth century, but they have been increasing since 2000, according to the 2015 Food Security Assessment of the US Department of Agriculture (USDA). This increase can be partially attributed to the detrimental effects of and the uncertainty caused by climate change.

Climate change has a serious impact on all aspects of food production and security, from agriculture to transportation to economic markets. However, these effects are not equally distributed across nations. In developing countries, climate change puts food security at risk; in developed countries, concerns focus more on food safety and health. According to the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), this divide — essentially quantity versus quality — stems from a number of vulnerabilities within developing countries, including inherent geographic conditions, the importance of climate-sensitive sectors to the economy, and a more limited capacity to anticipate and respond to climate change effects. The temperate climate and diverse economy of most developed countries will allow them to avoid food shortages; however, in the long run, citizens’ health will be seriously harmed if action is not taken.

Quantity: Climate Effects in Developing Countries

An increase in temperature can have significant repercussions for food production in arid and tropical areas, many of which house developing countries. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), almost all of the countries with “alarming” food insecurity levels are located in Sub-Saharan Africa or South Asia, meaning that those countries that are already the most vulnerable will be hit the hardest by climate change. Plants growing in these areas are already near their temperature thresholds for healthy growth, and a change of even a few degrees can prevent crops from developing. Climate change will also reduce the availability of water in subtropical areas and cause droughts and flooding in Africa, Asia, and Latin America.

The problem of temperature change and water shortages will be compounded by developing countries’ heavy reliance on agriculture. In Liberia, for example, the value added by agriculture accounts for 66 percent of the GDP, according to the Institute for Global Policy (IGP). Other African countries are similarly reliant, with the value added by agriculture representing 30 to 60 percent of their GDPs. In Asia, the value added by agriculture is also considerable, ranging from 20 to 35 percent of GDP. Moreover, agriculture exports account for a large percentage of GDP in many developing countries, and countries such as Malawi and Kenya are expected to experience a 10 to 25 percent decrease in exports by 2080 as a result of climate change. Since agriculture accounts for such a large portion of these countries’ economies, declining yields will create major burdens. This will contribute to rising food insecurity, as food becomes scarce and as citizens who rely on agriculture for a living experience a decrease in purchasing power.

This map shows the percentage of the population suffering from undernourishment, according to the UN FAO report. Climate change will likely exacerbate food insecurity in already-struggling areas. "Percentage population undernourished world map 2012" by Shibo. CC-BY-SA-3.0, accessed via Wikimedia commons.

“Percentage population undernourished world map 2012” by Shibo. CC-BY-SA-3.0, accessed via Wikimedia commons.

Finally, developing countries generally have a smaller capacity than their developed counterparts to respond to the impacts of climate change. For instance, climate change has been linked to extreme weather. In developing countries, these extreme events tend to cause far greater damage and death than in developed countries, according to the OECD. Smaller, more agrarian economies will be less resilient in response to environmental catastrophes, and under-resourced governments will be less able to implement adaptations to climate change. Thus, the countries that will likely be most affected by climate change will also be least able to adapt.

The predicted effects of climate change on developing countries are grim. However, if the international community devotes enough resources, environmental adaptations and economic programs could be quite effective in softening the blow. And the effects of climate change on developed countries ought to motivate the governments of the world’s richest nations to take action.

Quality: Climate Effects in Developed Countries

The economies of developed countries, their locations in temperate regions, and their relative economic and political strength will likely prevent drastic impacts on food security. However, these nations still have reason to worry if climate change continues at its current pace; it could adversely affect food quality and safety and, by extension, citizens’ basic health.

Climate change increases variability and uncertainty in food markets, which can increase prices. As food prices rise, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), people tend to choose foods with less nutritional value — processed snacks and meals over fresh fruits and vegetables, and fatty, cheap meats rather than healthier, leaner cuts. This both lowers overall dietary nutrition and exacerbates obesity, already a major issue in the United States and other developed countries. Since lower-income people within developed countries will be forced to make a greater dietary change in response to higher prices, health disparities could increase.

Production methods will also adjust to the effects of climate change. For example, livestock production cycles and diets are likely to change. While these changes could potentially reduce carbon emissions, different production methods coupled with climate-altered ecosystems give new bacteria and diseases the chance to emerge, according to the NIH. The use of irrigation water in agriculture — meant to help avoid freshwater shortages — would also increase the risk of pathogen transmission. Therefore, climate change and corresponding adaptations will detract from food safety.

An irrigation canal at a ranch near Page, Arizona. The increased use of irrigation water as a result of climate change could lead to greater pathogen transmission. "Lonely Dell Ranch Irrigation System" by National Park Service Inventory. PD-US-NPS, accessed via Wikimedia Commons.

An irrigation canal at a ranch near Page, Arizona. The increased use of irrigation water as a result of climate change could lead to greater pathogen transmission. “Lonely Dell Ranch Irrigation System” by National Park Service Inventory. PD-US-NPS, accessed via Wikimedia Commons.

Finally, diets may change in an effort to decrease carbon emissions. For example, governments might encourage citizens to eat less red meat and fewer fresh fruits and vegetables in the winter to reduce the need for transportation. While eating less red meat could have positive health effects, it could also lead to iron and zinc deficiency, and eating less fresh produce would reduce the nutritional quality of the average diet. Overall, climate change is likely to reduce the quality of diets in developed countries and to damage the overall safety of the food supply.

While consequences in developed countries are less severe than the food shortages and economic crises that are possible in developing countries, their effects on the health of average citizens and on health equity are causes for significant concern. With the state of cooperation and climate efforts today, 2080 seems like it could be a bleak year for food security and safety. But if governments of developed nations give adequate weight to the effects of climate change in their countries, momentum might finally shift in the direction of meaningful global adaptations to climate change, prevention efforts, and international trade — which would greatly aid developing countries as well. Ultimately, if governments agree to cooperate on and invest in new policies and programs, adapting to and preventing climate change could prove successful and beneficial to all states.

Trade and Stability

Unstable food prices pose a threat to food security and quality. According to the USDA, price volatility has risen in the past decade as a result of extreme weather and competition for a shrinking amount of fertile land, both results of climate change. However, international trade can stabilize prices. Currently, one-sixth of global agriculture production is internationally traded, demonstrating that the infrastructure and support is present for large volumes of trade. A further increase in trade that is targeted and cohesive would help alleviate some of the most serious problems caused by climate change worldwide.

Trade’s ability to stabilize prices is the clearest benefit. In developing countries, consistent, relatively low food prices will allow a greater percentage of the population to be food secure and to avoid price shocks. In developed countries, stable prices will help avoid a switch to a less nutritionally rich diet. In the short term especially, an increase in international trade would help citizens of developing countries afford food, and would allow citizens of developed countries to maintain the quality of their diets. In an ideal world, of course, citizens of all nations should be able to purchase a high-quality supply of food. While the international trade is not a cure-all, it will help reduce some of the most pressing burdens of climate change.

More fundamentally, the quantity of fresh water, usable land, and cultivatable crops are rapidly shrinking in tropical and arid nations. This means that developed countries such as the United States will need to serve as a source of “virtual water” by exporting food to these countries. If imports of crops damaged by higher temperatures in warm countries increase, developing countries will be better able to avoid dangerous food shortages. Meanwhile, more temperate countries will be able to capitalize on their increased crop yields, thus improving their economies. Trade that is guaranteed to provide the most needed staples to developing countries will need to be planned through cooperative efforts, but the benefits it will bring to all nations and the catastrophes it will prevent should be motivation enough for international mobilization.

Finally, trade can be used as a mechanism to reduce climate change while helping prevent food shortages, which would simultaneously provide short-term and longterm solutions. Currently, the Aid for Trade program provides financial assistance to developing countries to strengthen trade infrastructure. This type of program could be specifically targeted to climate change prevention, by providing aid-based incentives for greenhouse gas reduction, or funds to help developing countries implement climate change adaptations such as more efficient transportation. Furthermore, Aid for Trade can be used to influence trade policy that could help spur a broad movement to prevent climate change. For instance, countries could place greater border taxes on countries that do not tax or cap carbon usage, thereby pushing those countries to create their own carbon-reduction policies. In turn, carbon emissions would be reduced and climate change would slow, benefiting developed as well as developing countries.

Internal Adaptations and Prevention

Trade is a valuable method of preventing some of the most pressing issues caused by climate change, but for permanent, long-term progress, countries will need to adopt internal adaptation strategies as well. A study in Ethiopia found that adaptation strategies for individual farming families, such as changing crop varieties and soil and water conservation, led to significant differences in food productivity. Community education and incentives would be required to spread these adaptations and similar ones, like strategies for diversification and greener transportation, throughout a country. As the case study demonstrates, though, the adaptations would potentially be very successful in increasing crop yields and slowing the effects of climate change.

These initiatives would require significant financial investment that would need to come at least in part from international funds. There are currently two dedicated funds for climate change adaptation under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), and more dollars could come from private investment, other international funds, or private philanthropy. An initial investment from other nations seems a small price to pay for the ability of families to sustainably support themselves and the invaluable prevention of the environmental consequences of climate change. Adaptations within developing countries are more sustainable than a reliance on developed countries for food assistance, so in the long run, these programs would benefit both developed and developing countries.

The most effective actions against climate change require cooperation and investment from all nations, something that can seem almost impossible to achieve. However, a lack of action will lead to a future characterized by hungry citizens and food shortages in developing countries, undernourished populations and reduced food safety in developed countries, and environmental catastrophes and rampant inequality. To avoid this bleak future, governments of disparate states must act to create targeted trade policies and provide funds for adaptations in developing countries. While agreements at the recent Paris conference are not strong enough to fully mitigate the effects of climate change on food production, they provide hope that nations can come together to protect a fundamental necessity of human life. It is the responsibility of all countries to put aside conflict and nearsighted self-interest, develop a cohesive global plan and source of funding, and achieve a 2080 as free of hunger and tragedy as possible.

About Author

Laura Kanji

Laura Kanji is a staff writer for the Harvard International Review. She contributes to both the Features and the Global Notebook/World in Review sections of the magazine.


Weather forecasting science used in fight against cancer
Weather forecasting science is being used in the fight against cancer (Picture: PA)

Weather forecasting science is being used to predict the most effective ways to fight cancer, experts have revealed.

Met Office techniques have been incorporated into an ‘artificial intelligence’ database containing 1.7billion experimental results.

Just as forecasters make their predictions by running information from myriad sources through computers, scientists tapping into the CanSAR database will be guided to the most effective drugs and treatments.

British-developed CanSAR brings together vast amounts of data from patients, clinical trials, and genetic and pharmacological research.

Dr Bissan Al-Lazikani, from the Institute of Cancer Research in London, said: ‘The CanSAR database is capable of extraordinarily complex virtual experiments.

‘It can spot opportunities for future cancer treatments that no human eye could be expected to see.’ Research that had previously taken months would now take minutes, he added.

Nell Barrie, Cancer Research UK’s senior science information manager, said: ‘The clues we need to tackle cancer are hidden in data like this and by making it freely available we can make breakthroughs sooner.’

CanSAR contains 8million measurements and information on nearly a million active chemical compounds.


What is ORCID, Inc.?

ORCID is an international, interdisciplinary, open, and not-for-profit organization created in 2010 for the benefit of all stakeholders, including research organizations, research funders, organizations, publishers, and researchers.

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Responsiveness - customer satisfaction and service quality, Operation Management

Responsiveness - Customer Satisfaction and Service Quality

Concerns the willingness or readiness of employees to provide service. It involves timeliness of service: mailing a transaction slip immediately, calling the customer back quickly and giving prompt service (eg setting up appointments quickly).

Posted Date: 3/18/2013 3:22:14 AM | Location : United States

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George Pericles
Design and Research Think-Tank - Paris & Kigali

Rusizi, an heritage to preserve.

Rwanda does have an heritage to preserve, the result of its ancient history. From the trees marking the former royal compounds to the more recent ones like the Karambo Centre. There's a urgent need of a national policy listing buildings and trees to protect. It's not because these heritage There's a need to find solution to bring this heritage back to life, before it's too late.

George PericlesComment


National Zucchini Bread Day Date in the current year: April 25, 2017

National Zucchini Bread Day Zucchini bread is a great morning starter. You can eat it instead of breakfast muffins and even use it as a tea bread. Celebrate National Zucchini Bread Day on April 25.

The word zucchini comes from Italian “zucca” that means squash. However zucchini has its ancestry in the Americas. Different varieties of squash were brought to Italy where they were developed into modern zucchini. Later zucchinis were brought to the USA by Italian immigrants.

Zucchini bread appeared only in the 1960s, when the hippie movement was in full swing. Hippies were looking for a healthier foods that is why they used fruits and vegetables additions as an alternative to the sugary frosted layered cakes and sheet cakes. Their first invention was banana bread, soon after zucchini and carrot breads also appeared.

Zucchini bread is easy to make, that is why it's recommended for beginners. Grated zucchinis, chopped nuts and other optional ingredients like raisins, apple and even chocolate chips are added. Due to its strong and delicious flavor zucchini bread will become your favorite.

Its impossible to find zucchini in your garden in April, but you can buy it in a grocery store. Look for small and medium-sized zucchinis, because they are the most flavorful!

Remind me with Google Calendar

Unofficial Holidays

national zucchini bread day, food day holiday, food holiday, zucchini bread


      "I told her if you ever compete in a powerlifting meet again -- a full meet -- I'll come out of retirement and come lift with you. So that's why I'm here today," said her coach, Kevin Stewart.

      McWeeny was in Fife on Saturday for a meet, but simply attending the event wasn't enough -- she wanted to test her limits.

      Balancing on one leg, McWeeny lifted 121 pounds. The lift was her best since the accident -- a full 17 pounds more than her previous record.

      The event was proof that even gravity can't keep the human spirit down.

      "The only person that holds you back in life is yourself, and there's no limits to life," McWeeny said. "Life is limitless and that's your choice to limit yourself or not."

      In addition to her work in the gym, McWeeny is also reaching out to help others. She recently helped create the Ali McWeeny Award to honor others lifters who have overcome challenges in life.


Stop using Task Manager to check SQL’s memory usage!

Let’s start by looking at an example.

Or is it?

Of clustered indexes and ordering

It doesn’t help that official documentation states this ‘fact’.

No, absolutely not.

SomeNumber INT,
Filler CHAR(500) DEFAULT ' '
) ;

CREATE UNIQUE CLUSTERED INDEX idx_SomeNumber ON OddandEven (SomeNumber);

INSERT INTO OddandEven (SomeNumber)

INSERT INTO OddandEven (SomeNumber)

000000000EB6AE40:   20202020 20202020 20202020 20202002 †               .
000000000EB6AE50:   00001000 fb013735 20202020 20202020 †….û.75
000000000EB6AE60:   20202020 20202020 20202020 20202020 †
000000000EB6B040:   20202020 20202020 20202020 20020000 †             …
000000000EB6B050:   1000fb01 36342020 20202020 20202020 †..û.64
000000000EB6B060:   20202020 20202020 20202020 20202020 †
000000000EB6B240:   20202020 20202020 20202002 00001000 †           …..
000000000EB6B250:   fb013636 20202020 20202020 20202020 †û.66
000000000EB6B260:   20202020 20202020 20202020 20202020 †

Row - Offset
 14 (0xe) - 7236 (0x1c44)
 13 (0xd) - 3666 (0xe52)
 12 (0xc) - 6726 (0x1a46)
 11 (0xb) - 3156 (0xc54)
 10 (0xa) - 6216 (0x1848)
 9 (0x9) - 2646 (0xa56)
 8 (0x8) - 5706 (0x164a)
 7 (0x7) - 2136 (0x858)
 6 (0x6) - 1626 (0x65a)
 5 (0x5) - 5196 (0x144c)
 4 (0x4) - 1116 (0x45c)
 3 (0x3) - 4686 (0x124e)
 2 (0x2) - 606 (0x25e)
 1 (0x1) - 4176 (0x1050)
 0 (0x0) - 96 (0x60)

CREATE TABLE PagePhysicalOrder (
  SomeNumber INT,
  Filler CHAR(800) DEFAULT ' '

CREATE UNIQUE CLUSTERED INDEX idx_TestingPhysicalOrder ON PagePhysicalOrder (SomeNumber)

WHILE @i >= 0
    INSERT INTO dbo.PagePhysicalOrder (SomeNumber, Filler)
    SELECT TOP (10)
      ROW_NUMBER() OVER (ORDER BY (SELECT 1)) +@i*10,''
      FROM sys.objects;

    SET @i = @i - 1;

SELECT SomeNumber,
sys.fn_PhysLocFormatter(%%physloc%%) AS RowLocation
FROM dbo.PagePhysicalOrder

Are all updates split into delete-insert?

This should be another quick one.

Earlier I saw a forum post where someone asserted that SQL always executes an update as a delete of the row and then an insert of the row with the new values. Now I need another excuse to play with undocumented features, so let’s see if that’s true (or at least true for all the common cases I try)

First up, a heap, no indexes at all, an update that does not change the size of the row.

CREATE TABLE TestingUpdate1 (
SomeString CHAR(50)

INSERT INTO TestingUpdate1 (SomeString)

CHECKPOINT -- truncate the log, DB is in simple recovery.

UPDATE TestingUpdate1
SET SomeString = 'NotFour'
WHERE ID = 4 -- one row

SELECT Operation, Context, AllocUnitName, [Transaction Name], Description FROM fn_dblog(NULL, NULL) AS TranLog

DROP TABLE TestingUpdate1

The log operation here is Modify Row. so in this case, the update was done as an in-place update.

Second test, a heap, no indexes at all, and an update that changes the row size (however plenty free space on the page, so no issues with forwarding pointers here)

On the exorcism of Ghost Records

There was a question earlier on one of the SQL forums as to whether or not Ghost Cleanup overwrote the deleted rows when it ran so as to ensure no one could read that data again.

Now I could just reference Paul Randal‘s blog post where he described Ghost Cleanup in depth and leave it there, but where would the fun be in that? Smile

So, now that everyone’s read Paul’s blog post, time for some fun with undocumented commands to prove (again) what we already know (and what Paul’s already shown).

Setup code:

CREATE TABLE TestingCleanup (
Description VARCHAR(20),
Filler CHAR(50) DEFAULT ''

INSERT INTO TestingCleanup (Description)
VALUES ('One'), ('Two'), ('Three'), ('Four'), ('Five'), ('Six'), ('Seven'), ('Eight'), ('Nine'), ('Ten')

-- Find the page number that the table is on

SELECT OBJECT_ID('TestingCleanup') -- 1399012065
DBCC IND(11,1399012065,1)
-- The IAM is 1:309 and the data page is 1:308

Now I’m going to delete half the table and then go and look at the page. The ghost cleanup can’t run until the transaction commits, so running this within a transaction gives a chance to go and look at how things work.

DELETE FROM TestingCleanup WHERE ID%2 = 0 -- delete the even rows
SELECT ID, Description FROM TestingCleanup -- 5 rows
DBCC PAGE(11,1,310,1)

The delete removes all the rows with even identity values and the select returns only 5 rows, as expected

Dump type 1 for DBCC Page gives the header and then each row separately in binary. I’m editing out uninteresting parts of the output to keep things manageable.


Christmas Moon

My live wallpaper support HD screens.

In this version you can configure:
- type and quantity of snowflakes;
- rate of fall of snowflakes;
- activate the smoke from the chimney;
- adjust the density of the smoke;
- activate the animation garlands;
- adjust the animation garlands;
- sparkling snowflakes;
- enable wind;
- bengal light;
- cat

If you have any difficulty please write

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CFD Online Discussion Forums

CFD Online Discussion Forums (
-   CD-adapco (
-   -   referenece data (

k.l.huang July 2, 2000 03:04

referenece data
in Star-cd there are some reference data i am a little confused.

while we input reference date , for example:

reference pressure :1e5 cell number of ref. pressure :1 reference temperence :273 reference density:1.205

does it means ? In cell no.1 pressure = 1e5 temperence = 273 density = 1.205

if not, what's the meaning of ref. density and ref. temperature. Will these two number effect the calculation?

Klaus Debatin July 3, 2000 02:01

Re: referenece data
With your reference values you set the relative level. When you load your post data you can specify absolute or relative. This relative is related to your reference value. In the inkompressible case where you just calculate dp/dx it is not so important but in the kommpressible case it is important to choose the correct numbers cause you calculate your thermodynamic numbers based on the local values. The boundary conditions you specify are also related to your refference values, so take care what numbers you use and have a closer look to the manual cause there is everytihing written what you have to know about it.


Public Release:  Most babies slow to grow catch up by early teens

University of Bristol

New parents are pleased when their baby gains weight as expected, but if the rate of weight gain is slow parents can become worried and concerned about their child's future size.

New research from the Children of the 90s study at the University of Bristol shows that most babies who are slow to put on weight in the first nine months of life have caught up to within the normal range by the age of 13, but remain lighter and shorter than many of their peers. There are significant differences in the pattern of 'catchup', depending on the infant's age when the slow weight gain occurs.

The new findings, published today [Monday 25 February] in the journal Pediatrics, are based on data from 11,499 participants in Children of the 90s, and provide the most conclusive and reassuring evidence for parents to date that, with the right care, many infants who fail to put on weight quickly in the first nine months of life will catch up over time.

The study found that, of the 11,499 infants born at term, 507 were slow to put on weight before the age of eight weeks ('early group') and 480 were slow to gain weight between eight weeks and nine months ('late group'). Thirty children were common to both groups.

The infants in the early group recovered quickly and had almost caught up in weight by the age of two, whereas those in the later group gained weight slowly until the age of 7, then had a 'spurt' between 7 and 10 years, but remained considerably shorter and lighter than their peers and those in the early group at the age of 13. At that age, children in the later group were on average 5.5k lighter and almost 4cm shorter than their peers; those in the early group were on average 2.5k lighter and 3.25cm shorter than their peers.

Slow weight gain is often seen by parents and some healthcare professionals as a sign of underlying ill health and clinicians face a dilemma between taking steps to increase a child's energy intake and putting them at risk of obesity later in life by encouraging too rapid weight gain.

The study shows that there were very different patterns of recovery between the early and late groups, even when other factors like the mother's education, background, and her weight and height were taken into account, but that there was little difference between boys and girls.

Professor Alan Emond, the paper's main author explains:

The findings highlight the importance of monitoring a baby's weight and height gain during the first few weeks and months, but not creating anxiety with parents of slow-growing babies who are well, as most of these babies will catch up to within the national average over time.

The message to health professionals is that, unless children require intervention due to ill health, their calorie intake should not be increased as this may predispose them to obesity later in life. Feeding habits in the second six months of life determine a child's future weight gain, so consuming too many calories in infancy can lead to weight problems later in life.

Notes to editors

1. Based at the University of Bristol (UK), Children of the 90s, also known as the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC), is a long-term health-research project that enrolled more than 14,000 pregnant women in 1991 and 1992. It has been following the health and development of the parents and their children in detail ever since and is currently recruiting the next generation into the study. It is funded by the University of Bristol, the Wellcome Trust and the UK Medical Research Council. Find out more at

2. The paper: Alan Emond et al, 'Growth Outcomes of Weight Faltering in Infancy in ALSPAC' is published online in the journal Pediatrics today [Monday 25 February 2013].

3. The study did not include babies with a major congenital abnormality that could affect growth (e.g. cerebral palsy or Down syndrome), those who were part of a multiple birth, those born before 37 or after 42 weeks, or those for whom weight data were missing.

4. Professor Alan Emond is available for interview. For a copy of the paper and all interview requests, contact Dara O'Hare, communications manager at Children of the 90s, on +44(0)117 331 0077, +44(0)7891 549144 or email


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Calculating Acceleration
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Acceleration is the rate that a velocity is increasing over time.

Velocity can be descried as both the speed of an object and the direction it is traveling.

Acceleration represents an increase in speed while deceleration represents a decrease in speed.

Calculating Acceleration:

Acceleration = final speed (m/s) - initial speed (m/s) / time (s)

If a car starts at rest with a speed of 0 m/s and 10 seconds later is traveling at a rate of 100 m/s, what is the acceleration of the car?

Acceleration = 100m/s - 0m/s / 10s

Acceleration = 10 m/s2


A Collection of Articles

Making an Old Brain Young

Scientists are developing new ways to manipulate the brain’s normal plasticity.

New ways to manipulate neural plasticity–the brain’s ability to rewire itself–could make adult brains as facile as young ones, at least in part. Drugs that target these mechanisms might eventually help treat neurological disorders as diverse as Alzheimer’s, stroke, schizophrenia, and autism. But first scientists will need to figure out how to harness this rewiring capacity without damaging vital neural circuitry.

“Once we understand the mechanisms behind plasticity, we can design therapies to tap into it more specifically,” says Joshua Sanes, a neuroscientist at Harvard Medical School.

The brain experiences a “critical period” of heightened malleability during development, when outside experiences–such as sights and sounds–are necessary for different brain systems to develop normally. Infants and toddlers between the ages of one and three need regular visual stimuli, for example, in order for their visual systems to form the appropriate neural circuits. If one eye is impaired during this time, such as with lazy eye (also called amblyopia), vision may be permanently faulty.

Studying the equivalent of lazy eye in rodents, Takao Hensch and his colleagues at Children’s Hospital Boston discovered two mechanisms that control this critical period. While some drugs were already known to accelerate the onset of this critical period–for example, valium, an anxiety drug that targets the brain’s inhibitory signaling system–Hensch’s work helps explain why and provides specific targets for new treatments.

Like children, rodents with one eye covered during their critical period never recover normal sight. Scientists use this fact to measure treatments that affect the timing of developmental neural plasticity. Treatments that extend the critical period, for example, allow adult animals reared with only one functioning eye to regain normal sight. Hensch’s group has previously shown that a specific cell type, called a large basket cell, triggers the onset of neural plasticity. These cells are surrounded by molecular nets. “The critical period ends when the net wraps around [the cells] very tightly,” says Hensch. So molecularly severing the nets with an enzyme called chondroitinase can restore plasticity in adults.

A second mechanism for manipulating neural plasticity in adults is blocking inhibitory molecules that the nervous system produces to stop neural growth. “The nervous system is hostile to growing new axons [the long neural projections that connect cells], which is why recovery after spinal-cord injury is so challenging,” says Hensch.

Given the usefulness of recapturing the neural facility of youth–the ability to quickly learn a new language, for example–it may seem odd that the brain would have evolved multiple mechanisms for preventing major rewiring in adults. But the capacity to easily overhaul neural circuits could have a downside, perhaps erasing memories. “You might lose the identity you’ve built,” says Hensch. “We want you to be able to keep what you know.”

To successfully co-opt the plasticity of youth, scientists will likely need to target treatments very precisely. “Maybe we can do a careful release of the critical period,” says Alison Doupe, a neuroscientist at the University of California, San Francisco, who was not involved in Hensch’s research. For example, “maybe you could turn on [plasticity] only when learning Russian.”

Scientists have recently discovered that several strains of mice genetically engineered to mimic rare inherited forms of autism have an imbalance in levels of excitatory and inhibitory neural signals. Hensch’s previous research suggests that this kind of imbalance can throw the critical period out of whack. “Maybe different brain regions become plastic too early or too late [in autism],” says Hensch. That might also explain why disruptions to such different molecules can trigger similar symptoms, he says. “Maybe they have a common wiring problem.”

The researchers are now studying these imbalances in greater detail. For example, they found that mice from one of the strains, genetically engineered to show symptoms of autism, have too many neural connections in a specific part of the brain, although each connection is individually weak. “That could lead to too much variability,” says Hensch. “Maybe we can use that property to repair the circuit.”

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