Traffic lights are an often overlooked part of modern life. They’re there. Most of us obey their colored commands most of the time. Yet very few understand why they’re timed the way they are. One man in Oregon studied the timing, and presented his findings to the State, which promptly fined him $500.

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Just what exactly is Mats Järlström, a Swedish immigrant, guilty of doing that required a $500 fine? Järlström is an electrical engineer who lives with his wife in Beaverton. He suggested to the Oregon State Board of Examiners for Engineering and Land Surveying that the yellow lights on turn lanes needed to be longer, becasue cars were slowing to turn.

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Seems innocent enough. Jalopnik wrote up this curious case and noted that Järlström began looking at the timing of lights when his wife got a ticket for running a red light. He didn’t think it was fair. When he looked into the rational for timing of yellow lights, he found that the formula for timing hadn’t changed since its inception in the 1950s.

“The original formula is limited to only straight through lanes, however today it’s misapplied to turning lanes, where we need to slow down to maneuver safely,” he wrote in his message to the state board.

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Yet the Institute of Transportation Engineers weren’t keen on Järlström’s efforts. He presented them in 2014. Shortly after, he received the fine. It seems Järlström was cited for practicing engineering without a license.

Publicly questioning the timing of a traffic light is hardly practicing engineering without a license. If it were, then the state of Oregon would be awash in cash. Cops could simply stand on street corners and hand tickets to every driver frustrated about the length of time they have to wait at lights.

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The Institute for Justice sees Järlström’s argument in a similar fashion and they’ve stepped in to defend him. They released a statement in support of their client:

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The state received their money. Järlström paid the fine. But he’s suing over the whole incident in civil court.


William is the Chief of Security for the San Francisco Mothership.

Like Catherine, William is a career officer, he is the product of a military upbringing. He believes in the importance of their mission to the survival of their species. However, he does not underestimate the humans, having learnt from the last occupation that it can lead to fatal consequences.

Played by Darrin

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Testing Opt-Out Movement Spurs Examinations, Legislation

Parents across the country are increasingly joining in on the opt-out movement over federal Common Core testing, causing educators and legislators to examine more closely their testing regimes and each state’s implementation of the standards.

According to a national poll performed earlier this year by Fairleigh Dickinson University, only 17% of those polled approved of the standards in comparison with 40% who disapproved. 42% who were unsure.  Women were found to be less likely to support the standards, with only 12% of women offering their approval compared to 22% of men.

In addition, wealthy parents were found to be even less likely to approve of their use and are voicing their opinions through more than merely participating in polls.  Hundreds of thousands of students across the country are participating in an opt-out movement, or boycott of Common Core-aligned state tests.  Current estimates suggest that between 150,000 and 200,000 students opted out of the mandatory English exam administered in New York State last month compared to only 49,000 who did so in 2014, writes Jason Riley for The Wall Street Journal.

New legislation was recently approved in Delaware that would allow parents the right to opt their children out of participating in the standardized tests given in public schools in the state. The bill was approved in a 36-3 vote, highlighting the tension mounting between state education officials, who feel that the testing holds schools accountable and allows for data-driven decisions that improve schools, and a number of educators and parents who feel the state is become obsessed with testing.

The Parent Teacher Association in the state stood in approval of the bill, saying that parents have the right to take their child out of a testing situation if they believe it is causing too much stress, using up too much instructional time, or not resulting in useful information for parents or teachers.

“Our position today is the same as it always has been. We support parents’ right to opt their children out of testing,” said Kristin Dwyer, a lobbyist for the Delaware State Education Association, the largest education union in the state. “However, we are not going to tell a parent whether they should opt their child out or not.  The real issue is how we assess our kids, how often and what other curricular activities it is taking a child away from. What are they missing out on?”

Meanwhile, Governor Jack Markell’s administration opposed the bill, arguing that test scores offer important information for state leaders concerning how students across the state are performing in school.  Without such data, issues such as the academic achievement gap for low-income and minority students cannot be effectively addressed, writes Jonathan Starkey for Delaware Online.

Under a bill introduced last week in Wisconsin, school districts would be required to make it clear that parents have the right to opt-out their child from statewide testing at any point between the third and twelfth grades. Districts would need to make public a list of all tests they administer, including details pertaining to the amount of time spent preparing for each exam and how long it takes to administer the exams.  The list would have to be distributed to all parents.

State law currently allows parents to opt their children out of testing for some grade levels.  It is left up to the school board’s discretion for the remaining grades.  However, an increasing number of parents opted their children out of the new state achievement test this spring, receiving little pushback from principals or school boards.


Toad Hall is an art gallery in Franklin, New Hampshire. It is housed in one of the downtown’s historic buildings and provides a unique gathering space to showcase the arts, music, performance, and culture.

Aside from the art, the venue is also used for weekly events centered around the community. Movie screenings, music lessons, workshops and other entertainment have a place at Toad Hall.


At a time when so much seems out of your control, one area very much within your control is organizing the paper trail and the record-keeping when going through a divorce or separation. Being able to find what you want when you want it, puts you in charge and in full control, which is key.

Businessman showing a document

Get organized by setting up a filing system that makes sense to you and to your life. You will expand and modify the system as needed. Identify one central location for all documents both active and historical records. Centralizing everything immediately reduces stress, saves time hunting, and saves money spent on replacing something you can’t find. Often there is a tendency to lose or misplace things such as wallets and handbags while going through a divorce. Take a few minutes to list everything in your wallet or handbag that will require action if it is lost. If you already have a file cabinet, empty one drawer completely. If you don’t have or want a file cabinet, use a container that will hold letter-size hanging folders. This may be anything from a heavy-duty cardboard carton to a portable plastic filing tub. These products are readily available at most office supply dealers.

We do suggest you color-code your system using either different colored folders or just different colored plastic title tabs. The color is useful when scanning the files later. Assign each major area of your files its own color green for financial files, red for legal files, yellow for files relating to children, and so on. By assigning a color to each major area of your life and starting with broad title headings, the system can expand easily and sensibly as needed. Keep a small inventory of supplies on hand so your system can be accurately and consistently maintained. Remember to always file all papers as quickly as possible so you can retrieve it easily when you need it.

Keeping track of conversations should also be a top priority, that’s why you have to streamline your Rolodex, card file or address book. Tracking who you talked to, what you told them and when you contacted them can add a level of stability to the transitional process. Make a note right on the Rolodex or card file or in your address book using a colored pen so you see it quickly and easily. Keep your notation simple and yet complete: “6/9/93 – divorce & new address, will help pack; “6/10/93 – divorce & new address — has job lead.” Even if you typically have a good memory, there’s no need to tax it unnecessarily especially now. The calendar is a fantastic tool to use and can be your best friend in this process! Beyond entering appointments, it’s to track events and pace any tasks you need to handle. Set appointments with yourself especially for accomplishing any large projects.

It’s also an excellent idea to keep a running list of questions and ideas for your attorney so that both your phone calls and your appointments will be time and money well spent. After speaking with your attorney, make notes of each conversation, including the date, time, and subject matter. You also want to make sure to mark your calendar with the dates and times of future meetings.

If you typically use an organizer or calendar book product, create two lists each day: “phone calls to be made/answered” and “things to do.” As each activity is completed, highlight the item so you can still read it later. Looking at a highlighted list gives you clear evidence that you are accomplishing things at a time when you might not be so sure. Maintaining these lists also provides a record of what you have already accomplished. The calendar or spiral notebook is also a good place to jot down notes of phone conversations while they are happening. The reliability of noting this information can be very useful later in ways often impossible to anticipate.

If there are other ways that would be more useful to you, we always say to experiment with creating your own. The single rule to guide you is this: ask yourself the question “where would I look to find this information or item?” That question will provide the answer for any organizing task you have. It will tell you where to physically store anything and how to title it.

Being organized and being in control comes down to the ability to find what you want when you want it. You can take charge of this part of the transition simply and economically. It’s also time to not feel so rushed; that’s when things can go wrong, so take a breath and take it slow.


Faith vs Fear

Feel SPECIAL everyday

Jarod Kintz, This book is not for sale

In this gloomy, cold morning, sipping coffee at Starbucks a thought came to my mind, why do we need others to make us feel special about ourselves ? Isn’t this about ME? So where does others fit into this equation?

I am guilty of falling into this trap of *needing* affirmation from others that ME matters. Constantly pleasing and helping others by going an extra mile. Don’t get me wrong, I strongly believe in giving and helping, without attaching any expectations, but learning to draw a line is the key to ensure that we are not devaluing ourselves in the process. As I matured, I stopped looking at other people faces, actions or reactions that if they are pleased with my efforts, will they like me or appreciate me. All these feelings are connected to insecurity, low self esteem, lack of confidence (which I will cover in my other posts), past experiences and trying to fit in or belong. We human are very complex and some days I feel that I have overpowered this monster but I will be lying.

I learned with time that there is no one like me because no one thinks like me or possess same unique qualities, flaws, skills and passion like me so why bother with what others think. GOD created me as an unique individual, so I am SPECIAL. So start thinking that there is no one like you and YOU ARE SPECIAL.


AC Tune-Up in Fort Worth TX

When most people think of the air conditioner, they only envision the unit sitting outside of their homes and businesses. However, there are many parts to an AC just as there are many pars to an automobile. Therefore, the AC needs to be tuned up from time to time to prevent it from unexpectedly shutting down. Even the unit consists of many internal parts that work in unison, and the entire unit could malfunction if just one of these parts stops working.

Do I Need an AC Tune Up

If there’s ice forming around your unit then it’s definitely time for a tune up. There are several different components that can malfunction and lead to the build up of ice in or around the unit. If the fan has stopped functioning then ice will eventually build up around the unit. The coolant is extremely cold, but the fan helps to keep the coils above the freezing point. When the fan malfunctions, it won’t take long for the entire unit to shut down. Ice can also be caused by debris inside the evaporator unit. It’s more difficult to detect this problem and only a professional should ever try to deal with the unit’s internal parts. The ice can also be the result of low coolant levels. This may seem odd, but coils with low coolant levels are much colder than with adequate levels of coolant.

Sometimes it’s possible to melt the ice by running the unit in fan mode for a few hours. However, it’s only a matter of time before this issue causes the AC to act up again. This is why it’s best to have an AC tune up at least every six months so a professional can examine the internal parts and make sure the unit performs at its best.


Laura Mirjami

My blogs

About me

Location Cirencester, Gloucestershire, United Kingdom
Introduction I design, make and run our little business Mirjami Design from our studio in the New Brewery Arts Center in Cirencester UK. I love designing, making and writing about my quirky, little animals that vary from little paperweight animals to collectors bears and if I am not making these I am always on the search for that next little critter! A pig, a horse, a cat and a dog are all in the long list of characters that just have to be made one day! My ideas tends to develop with the changing seasons and my inspiration could come from anything I see or hear, but a lot of it comes from my homeland Finland where the forests are still full of roaming Bears and wise Owls and where the creatures from old folklore are still watching the people from their hideaways...


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Listen to the podcast of the 18 November seminar, part of the Michaelmas term 2015 Public Seminar Series

Professor Carlos Vargas-Silva (COMPAS, University of Oxford) reports on a study exploring differences in economic outcomes between return migrant households and non-migrant households using panel data from Burundi, a country which experienced large-scale conflict-led emigration to Tanzania and massive post-war refugee return. Results indicate that returnee households have significantly lower levels of livestock than non-migrant households. Differences in current economic activities and legal restrictions on economic activities while in displacement are likely to explain a portion of the posterior economic gap between returnee and non-migrant households. Returnees are more likely to engage in agricultural activities for subsistence or as employees. These activities are associated with lower income levels. The evidence also suggests that restrictions on economic activities while abroad resulted in high levels of inactivity while in displacement and potential deterioration of skills. There is no statistical evidence of other possible factors explaining the differences in economic outcomes between returnee and non-migrant households (i.e. greater vulnerability to crime or poorer health status). The gap between returnee and non-migrant household decreases with length of time since return. However, differences in length of time spent abroad have no major impact on economic outcomes.

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vendredi 14 juillet 2017

Tardigrades will be the last surviving creatures on earth after the sun dies

In the event that Earth is struck by an asteroid, the sun goes supernova or the planet is struck by gamma ray bursts (an extreme energetic explosion), the last surviving creatures won't be cockroaches, they will be tardigrades. Oxford University researchers recently discovered this after exposing the microscopic water bears to the only astrophysical phenomena likely to eradicate life on Earth. Not only did the team learn that the tardigrade can endure temperature extremes of up to 150°C (302°F),...

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Predictions World Economy in 2017

2016 is over, 2016 became a year filled with surprises in terms of politics and economy. 2016 has been ongoing referendum in the UK and ended up surprising, because the British exit from the EU. This result is known by the Brexit or British Exit, beat Bremain (British Remain) is desired Britain remains a member of the European Union. Another surprise was the election of Donald Trump as President of the United States. Trump was formerly known as a controversial figure.

From the economic side, the world was shocked by the deterioration of the British currency, the pound, following a Brexit. The pound had fallen to the lowest level in 31 years against the US dollar. American capital markets are also a record number of times. Followed by China which continues to devalue their currencies.

When in 2016 the progress is so dramatic and full of surprises, the fair when we all wondered, how in 2017? What color will the world economy? The following surprising predictions in 2017, as quoted by Business Insider:

If you want to know the financial economic predictions Indonesia and more, visit Indonesia stock exchange.

The euro will strengthen

The position of the EU currency, the euro, is now in the lowest level against the US dollar in the last 13 years. EUR / USD up on Tuesday (27/12) in the position of 1.0437. The euro weakened in the face of the US dollar this year can not be separated from Brexit.

On the other hand, in 2017 the US economy is getting hot will prompt the Federal Reserve to tighten the economy, and this will slightly affect the prestige of the US dollar. The euro has a chance to bounce back in the face of the greenback.

World oil prices rise

World oil prices show the movement attractive in 2.5 years. After the price dropped to US $ 100 per barrel, to US $ 25 per barrel during 2015 to 2016, world oil prices have recently climbed back into the range of US $ 50 per barrel. Supply-demand imbalances have been corrected by the fall rig, shale gas production is declining and the absence of new investments in the energy sector.

World oil demand in 2017 will be re-crawl up, especially from the area of developing countries (emerging markets). On the supply side, the decision of the oil-exporting countries (OPEC) to reduce production, will keep oil prices strong.

Fed interest will rise

Uncle Sam’s economy will continue to show improvement next year. As a result, the US central bank is the Federal Reserve will raise the fed funds even up to 6 times a year in the future.

Since the US economy slumped as the financial crisis of 2008, so far only two times the Fed raise rates. Recently Reviewed December 14, 2016 by 25 bps to 0.5% -0.75%.

Inflation American economy will be above 2% year-on-year, next year. Fed interest would not want to go up in order to avoid negative interest rate. Predicted first increase occurred in March and June, and the next hike to take place at the meetings of the Fed’s next.

Bond markets in developing countries achieve the best performance

The economic fundamentals of developing countries had begun to improve after the episode tapering American policy. A stronger US economy to bring a positive impact for the emerging markets. International trade, export and import of stimulating the economy, considering America is one of the largest markets of developing countries.


Industrial Wastewater Treatment

Heartland Technology’s unique water management technologies offer significant advantages when applied to industrial wastewater management by enhancing or supplanting conventional processes for mass and heat transfer, especially where these unit operations are applied to feed streams that contain significant quantities of total solids. Primary examples of these attributes are evaporative concentration of wastewater streams to reduce volume even to the point of zero liquid discharge (ZLD).

Conventional evaporators apply heat exchangers to add thermal energy as required for evaporation and often include mechanical vapor recompression (MVR) to improve thermal efficiency. Because heat exchangers used in such service will become fouled with deposits of solids over time, in-process fluid is traditionally transferred to a second unit operation, a crystallizer, before the saturation point at which solids begin to precipitate from solution is reached.

In stark contrast, without need for heat exchangers as in MVR and other conventional units, while utilizing opportune sources of waste heat as principal energy sources, Heartland’s LM-HT® Wastewater Concentrators operate continuously at equilibrium solids concentrations well beyond the point of saturation and thereby eliminate the need for the second stage crystallizer. ZLD may then be reached by applying simple and reliable conventional solid-liquid separation devices to remove precipitated solids while either or both of saturated supernatant liquid and filtrate is returned to the evaporative section.

Other examples of the utility of Heartland’s technology include processes for managing effluent from fluid scrubbers, such as in flue gas desulfurization (FGD). Indeed, in this case, the wet scrubber and effluent treatment processes may be combined as a single scrubbing/concentration process within an LM-HT® Wastewater Concentrator. While the above example deals with removal of SOX, the concentrators may also be fitted as the heart of a simple and reliable process to manage wastewater containing ammonia that includes concentration of the feed wastewater stream while removing and recovering ammonia for reuse.


Earthquake in Ecuador

Amount ($)

Mission Description

On April 16, 2016, a 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck coastal Ecuador. The epicenter was along the Pacific coast in a sparsely populated region, but many towns in nearby areas were severely affected. Within a few days, the current death toll surpassed 413 people and over 2,500 people injured. These numbers are expected to rise as emergency workers continue rescue efforts, and there are still concerns about multiple aftershocks which have the potential to cause further damage. Initial briefings indicate that government and local agencies are actively engaged in search and rescue, tending to the health of residents (particularly trauma care), and providing emergency shelter.

Immediately following the earthquake, World Relief began reaching out to partners in Ecuador, including local churches in some of the most affected areas. While our local partners continue to assess how they will integrate their efforts into the overall response, World Relief has pledged to provide financial resources to ensure that our partners can meet the immediate and long-term needs of those affected by this tragedy.


Home Entertainment Gists Doyin Okupe Dumps Peoples Democratic Party
Doyin Okupe Dumps Peoples Democratic Party

Doyin Okupe Dumps Peoples Democratic Party

Former Senior Special Assistant on Public Affairs to former President Goodluck Jonathan, Dr. Doyin Okupe has dumped Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Okupe cited the ‘periods of long introspection’ and the current crisis in the opposition party as the reason for his decision. In a statement issued by him on Sunday, July 2, Dr. Okupe said…

“It is with deep regret that I publicly announce my resignation from the People’s Democratic Party. It has to be public because the PDP no longer exists in my ward as a single unified party; it was when I joined it. My resignation is based on periods of long introspection and some of the following reasons:

“1. It is no longer news that the PDP has been embroiled in a fratricidal internal crisis brought upon it by itself. “Its current direction is difficult to discern and I am convinced that even when the much expected judgement from the Supreme Court is given, the future of the party is not likely to be significantly affected whichever way the judgement goes.

“2. There seems to be too much deception, selfishness and gross nepotism in our polity nationally. During the NRC and SDP era, there existed true nationalism and brotherhood. Northern NRC politicians will under no circumstance undermine their party for any parochial reason.

Also neither will a Southern NRC politician, under any circumstance betray their party. “Abiola was a Yoruba man, yet those of us who were Yorubas in the NRC never once thought of voting for him.

“The commitment in the North was even more profound. Even the Northern SDP rejected a distinguished successful Kano born Presidential Candidate, Alhaji Bashir Tofa, and voted for a Southern Yoruba muslim candidate. Worse than that, both Abiola and his running mate, Amb. Baba Gana Kingibe were muslims. Yet, it did not matter.

“Today, political parties have lost their importance and identities. Once the candidate is Northern, his party is immaterial, all norherners irrespective of their professed party affiliations will vote for him. “This is the major reason why there has been a total absence of opposition in the country in the last two years, and may probably be responsible for the polarization and sharp ethnic divisions we are currently witnessing in the country.

“Under these circumstances, political parties have lost their flavor and relevance.Certainly, a party like my former party, PDP has no future in the evolving Nigerian Political Circus.

“3. This political confusion has percolate to the states, Ogun state being one of the worst hit.

“The leadership of the party has been irredeemably fictionalized for nearly a decade. “Presently it is divided broadly into two major factions. One headed by Hon Ladi Adebutu and the other by Senator Buruji Kashamu. “Unfortunately I do not fit into either group. Hence it becomes extremely difficult for me to operate as a politician under the PDP umbrella in the state. Yet, all politics is local.

“4. The situation in the country may in the nearest future require that matured men of goodwill standby to play a unifying role for political stability of the country. My membership of PDP may directly or indirectly preclude me from gratifying such noble and patriotic desire. READ ALSO Ex-Jigawa Governor, Sule Lamido Due In Court Today “Undeniably, I have been one of the major beneficiaries (not financially) of the PDP.

“But for a fact, the PDP and the APC are political platforms that have now expired or in the process of being so. “Therefore, no matter my commitment and passion for this great party, the PDP, it has become menopausal and can no longer bear fruits.

“I have therefore decided to withdraw a bit and study the political situation more critically and thereafter take a decision soonest on my next political move. I will miss my friends, associates and co-travelers on this tortuous political journey and adventure.

“But in spite of my stated pessimism, I sincerely express my best wishes to the more courageous party faithfuls who I am leaving behind,and I also pray for God’s guidance for them.

“For how far I have gone, I remain eternally grateful to Almighty God and Jesus Christ my savior, to whom ALL powers belong. If it is His will that I still play a role in National Politics in future, then most certainly, and by His grace, I WILL BE BACK,” the statement added.


There’s nothing like a good steak, right? When you have a home freeze dryer you can enjoy this indulgence more often because you can take advantage of sales and bulk opportunities. Freeze drying steak is easy, and it allows you to use steak in recipes as a replacement for less flavorful meats.

To freeze dry raw steak, just dice into large pieces, remembering to remove as much fat as possible. Then place the pieces of steak on trays and freeze dry. When the freeze drying process is complete, break one of the largest pieces in half and make sure there are no ice crystals in the middle of the steak. If there are, make sure to add more dry time until you can be sure there is no ice left in the largest piece(s).

Store the steak in airtight containers or Mylar bags with an oxygen absorber. Make sure to label the contents of the container as raw and record the date they were freeze dried. Most meat should be good for 10 to 15 years if it is properly freeze dried and stored in at least a 7 mil mylar bag. When you are ready to rehydrate your steak, place raw meat in a bowl of cold water and place in the fridge overnight, or until rehydrated. Meat will only accept the amount of water it needs; so no need to worry about over-hydrating it. You can remove any excess water with a paper towel and then cook the steak as usual. If you do not plan to rehydrate all of your steak, make sure to reseal your bag/container with a fresh oxygen absorber or store the meat in the fridge. Meat should never be left out in an open bag or jar once it has been opened.

Steak makes an excellent addition to stews and chili, and is delicious as a replacement for hamburger in tacos. You can also use these smaller pieces of steak in steak sandwich sliders.


The Time of Decision (決断の刻 Ketsudan no Toki, localized as Time for Determination) was an event in BlazBlue: Chronophantasma. It means it was the “time” to make a “determination”, in other words determining the timeline. This event solidified the existence of the time between 2100 AD to 2200 AD.

Following the Battle of Ragna the BloodedgeRachel Alucard invited Ragna the BloodedgeCelica Ayatsuki Mercury and Noel Vermillion to the ruins of the 5th Hierarchical City “Ibukido”, specifically the Grave Marker of Bases. Here, Rachel revealed that the Kiln in the area was Noel’s birthplace, explaining her persistent headaches, she further revealed that the caskets inside the area were filled with Dimensional Boundary Contact Prime Fields that were used to create Noel. Afterwards, Rachel revealed that she intended to use the Kiln as a means to send Ragna back to the Great Dark War. The difficulty of the decision lay with the fact that Ragna held the possibility of dying on the journey, meaning that Rachel’s decision was a heavy one. Eventually, she and Ragna agreed for him to be sent back to the past, back to The Beginning “Zero”.

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Composite number
Composite Com*pos"ite (?; 277), a. [L. compositus made up of parts, p. p. of componere. See {Compound}, v. t., and cf. {Compost}.] 1. Made up of distinct parts or elements; compounded; as, a composite language. [1913 Webster]

Happiness, like air and water . . . is composite. --Landor. [1913 Webster]

2. (Arch.) Belonging to a certain order which is composed of the Ionic order grafted upon the Corinthian. It is called also the {Roman} or the {Italic} order, and is one of the five orders recognized by the Italian writers of the sixteenth century. See {Capital}. [1913 Webster]

3. (Bot.) Belonging to the order {Composit[ae]}; bearing involucrate heads of many small florets, as the daisy, thistle, and dandelion. [1913 Webster]

{Composite carriage}, a railroad car having compartments of different classes. [Eng.]

{Composite number} (Math.), one which can be divided exactly by a number exceeding unity, as 6 by 2 or 3..

{Composite photograph} or {Composite portrait}, one made by a combination, or blending, of several distinct photographs. --F. Galton.

{Composite sailing} (Naut.), a combination of parallel and great circle sailing.

{Composite ship}, one with a wooden casing and iron frame. [1913 Webster]

The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

Look at other dictionaries:

  • composite number — n. an integer that can be evenly divided by some whole number other than itself or 1: distinguished from PRIME NUMBER …   English World dictionary

  • Composite number — A composite number is a positive integer which has a positive divisor other than one or itself. In other words a composite number is any positive integer greater than one that is not a prime number. So, if n > 0 is an integer and… …   Wikipedia

  • composite number — noun an integer that is divisible without remainder by at least one positive integer other than itself and one • Hypernyms: ↑number * * * Math. a number that is a multiple of at least two numbers other than itself and 1. [1720 30] * * * composite …   Useful english dictionary

  • composite number — noun A number that is a the product of at least two numbers other than itself and 1. Ant: prime number …   Wiktionary

  • composite number — Math. a number that is a multiple of at least two numbers other than itself and 1. [1720 30] * * * …   Universalium

  • composite number — compos′ite num′ber n. math. a number that is a multiple of at least two numbers other than itself and 1 • Etymology: 1720–30 …   From formal English to slang

  • composite number — /kɒmpəzət ˈnʌmbə/ (say kompuhzuht numbuh) noun Mathematics an integer greater than 1 which is exactly divisible by some integer other than itself and 1 …   Australian English dictionary

  • composite number —   Helu hana ia …   English-Hawaiian dictionary

  • Highly composite number — This article is about numbers having many divisors. For numbers factorized only to powers of 2, 3, 5 and 7 (also named 7 smooth numbers), see Smooth number. A highly composite number (HCN) is a positive integer with more divisors than any… …   Wikipedia

  • Superior highly composite number — In mathematics, a superior highly composite number is a certain kind of natural number. Formally, a natural number n is called superior highly composite iff there is an ε gt; 0 such that for all natural numbers k ≥… …   Wikipedia

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uterine fibroids leiomyoma myomatous uterus
Uterine Fibroids

What are uterine fibroids?

Fibroids, also called leiomyoma, are benign but abnormal tissue growths that can contribute to infertility by causing the inside of the uterus to be misshapen, impeding healthy implantation.  Fibroids can protrude into the uterine cavity (submucosal), can be embedded in the wall of the uterus (intramural) or protrude into the abdominal cavity (subserosal).  They are extremely common and occur in almost 70% of women of reproductive age.

What causes uterine fibroids?

The prevailing theory as to the cause of fibroids is that they are caused by a combination of inflammation causing cell proliferation and hormonal imbalance. Traditionally they have been thought to be the result of too much estrogen, although more current medications that moderate progesterone receptors have also been found to be effective, supporting the notion that estrogen and/or progesterone may promote the growth of fibroids.

What is the conventional treatment for fibroids?

Depending on the individual patient the following medical treatments may be recommended:

  1. Surgery – myomectomy (removal of the fibroid(s)) or hysterectomy (removal of the uterus)
  2. Uterine artery blockage (embolization) – to shut down blood supply to the fibroids
  3. Gonadotropin-releasing hormone analogue (GnRH-a) – for example Lupron, to decrease estrogen-related fibroid growth
  4. Selective progesterone receptor modulators (SPRM) – for example Fibristal, to moderate progesterone-related fibroid growth

These treatments can all be effective for easing the symptoms of fibroids.  However, hysterectomy is obviously not the preferred method of treatment for women who wish to conceive. Embolization is only recommended in specific circumstances and is not a good choice for women who may wish to get pregnant afterwards.  GnRH-a works while taking it but can cause menopause-type symptoms, bone loss (osteopenia) and while sometimes used prior to IVF, while you are taking it it would lower your fertility.  SPRMs have historically been used as emergency contraceptive pills.  They are usually used prior to fibroid surgery.  Studies on long term use of these medications are ongoing.

What is the naturopathic treatment for fibroids?

Address the two main components contributing to fibroids: inflammation and hormone imbalance.

These are significant contributors to inflammation: insulin, hormones, environmental pollutants and food sensitivities.  Correcting these through healthy diet, exercise, vitamins, minerals and herbs can help decrease fibroids.  Berberine has been found to be an effective agent at reducing estrogen and progesterone related cell proliferation in fibroids and also helps lower insulin.

Hormone imbalance:

As a naturopathic doctor, I enhance estrogen clearance through supporting phase I and phase II liver detoxification with the appropriate vitamins, minerals and amino acids in their active forms.  I normalize estrogen production and activity through diet, exercise and stress reduction.  I can enhance progesterone production through supplemental vitamin B6 and herbs like Vitex.

The benefits of this approach are that the underlying imbalances are being addressed for more enduring improvement, xenoestrogens that negatively impact fertility are also eliminated, other hormone related conditions like reproductive cancers are prevented and these methods enhance fertility at the same time. The hormone imbalances that were contributing to the formation of the fibroids are being corrected to optimize fertility.

Park SB, Jee BC, Kim SH, Cho YJ, Han M. Cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitor, celecoxib, inhibits leiomyoma cell proliferation through the nuclear factor κB pathway. Reprod Sci. 2014 Sep;21(9):1187-95. doi: 10.1177/1933719114542010. Epub 2014 Jul 6.

Tsigkou A, Reis FM, Lee MH, Jiang B, Tosti C, Centini G, Shen FR, Chen YG, Petraglia F Increased progesterone receptor expression in uterine leiomyoma: correlation with age, number of leiomyomas, and clinical symptoms. Fertil Steril. 2015 May 22. pii: S0015-0282(15)00297-6. doi: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2015.04.024. [Epub ahead of print]

Vilos GA, Allaire C, Laberge PY, Leyland N; Special Contributors, Vilos AG, Murji A, Chen I. The management of uterine leiomyomas. J Obstet Gynaecol Can. 2015 Feb;37(2):157-81.

Carranza-Mamane B, Havelock J, Hemmings R; Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility Committee, Cheung A, Sierra S, Carranza-Mamane B, Case A, Dwyer C, Graham J, Havelock J, Hemmings R, Liu K, Murdock W, Vause T, Wong B; Special Contributor, Burnett M. The management of uterine fibroids in women with otherwise unexplained infertility. J Obstet Gynaecol Can. 2015 Mar;37(3):277-85.

Wu HL, Chuang TY, Al-Hendy A, Diamond MP, Azziz R, Chen YH. Berberine inhibits the proliferation of human uterine leiomyoma cells. Fertil Steril. 2015 Apr;103(4):1098-106. doi: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2015.01.010. Epub 2015 Feb 14.

Teixeira D, Marques C, Pestana D, Faria A, Norberto S, Calhau C, Monteiro R. Effects of xenoestrogens in human M1 and M2 macrophage migration, cytokine release, and estrogen-related signaling pathways. Environ Toxicol. 2015 May 26. doi: 10.1002/tox.22154. [Epub ahead of print]


The positive side of age-related cognitive change

The brain changes as we age, but it's not all bad! Experience changes our brains in a good way.

A study involving 36 air traffic controllers and 36 age- and education-matched non-controllers, with 18 older (average age 57) and 18 younger adults (average age 24) per group has found that although predictable age-related declines were observed in most of the standard tests of cognitive function, in the simulated air traffic control task, experience helped the older controllers to compensate to a significant degree for age-related declines, especially in their performance of the more complex simulations.

[313] Nunes A, Kramer AF. Experience-based mitigation of age-related performance declines: evidence from air traffic control. Journal of Experimental Psychology. Applied [Internet]. 2009 ;15(1):12 - 24. Available from:

Aging brains allow negative memories to fade

[680] St Jacques PL, Dolcos F, Cabeza R. Effects of aging on functional connectivity of the amygdala for subsequent memory of negative pictures: a network analysis of functional magnetic resonance imaging data. Psychological Science: A Journal of the American Psychological Society / APS [Internet]. 2009 ;20(1):74 - 84. Available from:

'Super-aged' brains reveal secrets of sharp memory in old age

While we take for granted that we’ll lose some cognitive ability as we get older, it’s also true that some very old people have brains just as quick as they always were. Now a post-mortem study of the brains of five of these "super aged" has revealed that these brains do indeed differ from normal elderly brains; specifically, by having much fewer tau tangles. Tau tangles are characteristic of Alzheimer's patients, but they are not restricted to them; until now, it’s been assumed that aging brings about the accumulation of these tangles. However, amyloid plaques, also characteristic of Alzheimer’s and found in smaller quantities in aging brains, were found in “normal” quantities, pointing to the tangles as the critical factor.

The findings were presented November 16, at the Society for Neuroscience annual meeting in Washington, D.C.

Confidence in memory performance helps older adults remember

A study involving 335 adults aged 21 to 83 found that control beliefs were related to memory performance on a word list recall task for middle-aged and older adults, but not for younger adults. This was partly because middle-aged and older adults who perceived greater control over cognitive functioning were more likely to use strategies to help their memory. In other words, the more you believe there are things you can do to remember information, the more likely you are to make an effort to remember.

Lachman, M.E. & Andreoletti, C. 2006. Strategy Use Mediates the Relationship Between Control Beliefs and Memory Performance for Middle-Aged and Older Adults. J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci, 61, P88-P94.

'Sharp' older brains are not the same as younger brains

We know that many older adults still retain the mental sharpness of younger people, but studies comparing brain activity in older and younger adults suggests they perform differently. A rat study has now found the first solid evidence that still "sharp" older brains do indeed store and encode memories differently than younger brains. Comparison of those older rats who had retained their cognitive abilities with those who had not, also revealed that those with impaired cognition had lost the ability to modify the strength of the communications between synapses (synaptic communication is the means by which memories are encoded and stored). But the competent seniors also differed from the younger rats in the mechanism most used to bring about synaptic change.

[1316] Lee H-K, Min SS, Gallagher M, Kirkwood A. NMDA receptor-independent long-term depression correlates with successful aging in rats. Nat Neurosci [Internet]. 2005 ;8(12):1657 - 1659. Available from:

An advantage of age

[1356] Betts LR, Taylor CP, Sekuler AB, Bennett PJ. Aging Reduces Center-Surround Antagonism in Visual Motion Processing. Neuron [Internet]. 2005 ;45(3):361 - 366. Available from:

Effect of expectations on older adults’ memory performance

A study involving 193 participants and two experiments, each with a younger (17 – 35 years old) and older (57 – 82 years old) group of adults, has investigated how negative stereotypes about aging influences older adults' memory. Participants were exposed to stereotype-related words in the context of another task (scrambled sentence, word judgment) in order to prime positive and negative stereotypes of aging. Results show memory performance in older adults was lower when they were primed with negative stereotypes than when they were primed with positive stereotypes. Age differences in memory between young and older adults were significantly reduced following a positive stereotype prime, with young and older adults performing at almost identical levels in some situations.

[1414] Hess TM, Hinson JT, Statham JA. Explicit and implicit stereotype activation effects on memory: do age and awareness moderate the impact of priming?. Psychology and Aging [Internet]. 2004 ;19(3):495 - 505. Available from:

Cognitive abilities are fairly stable and may be correlated with longevity

The Scottish Mental Survey assessed 87,498 eleven-year-olds in 1932, and another 70,805 in 1947. In a fascinating follow-up to this study, over 1000 of these students have been contacted and re-assessed, on the exact same tests. It was found that, first of all, the seniors did rather better than they had at age 11, and that differences in mental ability remained fairly stable with age. Mental ability at 11 was also found to be significantly correlated with survival — those who scored highly were more likely to have survived, with the exception that men with high ability were more likely to die in active service in World War II. People of lower ability had a greater tendency to lung and stomach cancer. More results from this landmark study are expected.

These preliminary findings were presented by Professor Ian Deary from the Department of Psychology, University of Edinburgh at a symposium on aging at the Australian National University.

Compensating strategies for aging memories

PET scans of the prefrontal cortex reveal that older adults who perform better on a simple memory task display more activity on both sides of the brain, compared to both older adults who do less well, and younger adults. Although this seems counter-intuitive – the older adults who perform less well show activity patterns more similar to that of younger adults, this supports recent theory that the brain may change tactics as it ages, and that older people whose brain is more flexible can compensate for some aspects of memory decline. Whether this flexibility is neurological, or something that can be taught, is still unknown.

[449] Cabeza R, Anderson ND, Locantore JK, McIntosh AR. Aging gracefully: compensatory brain activity in high-performing older adults. NeuroImage [Internet]. 2002 ;17(3):1394 - 1402. Available from:

Training can improve age-related memory decline in elderly

Older adults show two kinds of cognitive-processing deficits: under-recruitment, where appropriate areas of the brain are less likely to be utilized without specific instruction, and non-selective recruitment, where non-relevant regions of the brain are more likely to be used. A recent imaging study confirmed that older adults were less likely than younger ones to use the critical frontal regions when performing a memory task, and more likely to use cortical regions that are not as useful. However, when subjects were given specific strategy instructions, the older adults showed increased activity in the frontal regions, and their remembering improved. Even with this support however, older adults still showed a greater tendency to use brain regions that were not useful.

[761] Logan JM, Sanders AL, Snyder AZ, Morris JC, Buckner RL. Under-recruitment and nonselective recruitment: dissociable neural mechanisms associated with aging. Neuron [Internet]. 2002 ;33(5):827 - 840. Available from:

How aging brains compensate for cognitive decline

Evidence from a series of studies using functional positron emission tomography (PET) images suggests that one way older adults may compensate for age-related cognitive decline is by using additional regions of the brain to perform memory and information processing tasks. For example, simple short-term memory tasks involve the same brain regions in both older and younger adults, but older adults also activate a frontal cortex region that young adults use only when performing complex short-term memory tasks. This may explain why performance of older adults on complex memory tasks is usually significantly poorer than that of younger adults - the frontal cortex region that young adults will activate to help with complex short-term memory tasks is already preoccupied in older adults, and is less available to help when the task becomes more complex.

The research was conducted by University of Michigan researchers under the leadership of cognitive neuroscientist Patricia Reuter-Lorenz, and presented at the annual meeting of the American Psychological Association in San Francisco.

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