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Take a Hike: Train Your Robot Dog to Walk with a Virtual Leash
|Areas of Science
|Time Required
|Average (6-10 days)
|Experience building with LEGO pieces and programming with LEGO Mindstorms is required for this project.
|Material Availability
|This project requires a LEGO Mindstorms kit and compatible programming software. See the Materials and Equipment list for details.
|Very High (over $150)
|No issues.
AbstractHave you ever walked a dog on a leash? Depending on how well-behaved the dog is, it can be very easy or very difficult. It would be great if you could tell your dog exactly how to behave, right? With that in mind, in this project you will build a robotic dog using a LEGO® Mindstorms® kit that you can teach to "walk" using the beam from a flashlight as a virtual leash. But your robot dog will not know how to walk on a leash on its own — you will have to "train" it, just as you would with a real dog. Can you test your programming skills to find out if you can get your robot dog to behave nicely on a leash?
ObjectiveUse a LEGO Mindstorms kit to build a robotic dog that you train to "walk" using a flashlight as a virtual leash.
Share your story with Science Buddies!Yes, I Did This Project! Please log in (or create a free account) to let us know how things went.
Ben Finio, Ph.D., Science Buddies
Science Buddies would like to thank the Tufts University Center for Engineering Education and Outreach at ceeo.tufts.edu for providing the LEGO Mindstorms kit and NXT-G software used to develop this project.
- LEGO is a registered trademark of The LEGO Group.
- Mindstorms is a registered trademark of The LEGO Group.
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Last edit date: 2018-04-02
Have you ever walked a dog on a leash? A well-trained dog will not tug on the leash or try to run off in a different direction — it will follow you around and behave well. If your dog is not well behaved on a leash, you can spend a good deal of time trying to train it to behave the way you want. In this project, you will build your own robot dog and "train" it to walk on a leash by writing a program to control its behavior. But you will not use a real leash — instead, you will use a flashlight beam as a "virtual" leash! Figure 1 shows our robot dog and our real dog.
Figure 1. A real dog and a robotic dog (can you guess which is which?). What aspects of training each dog are the same, and which are different? For example, do you think you can use dog treats to train the robotic dog?
But how, you may ask, could you possibly get a robot to follow a flashlight beam? The key is using the LEGO Mindstorm NXT's light sensor. Light sensors can act like a robot's "eyes," though they are much less complicated than your own eyes. Unlike your eyes or the optics of a camera, they do not take an entire image — they simply detect an amount of light, and output a number ranging from 0 (complete darkness) to 100 (very bright). If you build a robot that can steer itself using two motors, then you can write a program that uses the input from two different light sensors to control the robot's steering. This will enable you to "train" your robot dog to follow a flashlight properly. Figure 2 shows an example diagram of a robot with two motors and two light sensors.
Figure 2. This graphic illustrates the concept for a robot that can follow a flashlight beam. The robot has two motors and two forward-facing light sensors. When the flashlight moves from side to side, the left and right light sensors detect different amounts of light. When a robot needs to turn toward the light, the wheel that is farther from the light spins faster, and the wheel that is closer to the light spins slower (shown by the pink arrows), and the robot turns toward the light. When both sensors receive the same amount of light, the wheels spin at the same speed, so the robot advances in a straight line.
Training a robot dog to follow a flashlight beam might seem like a cool idea, but how exactly will you get it to work? You will have to write a program and download it to your NXT. LEGO's NXT software, NXT-G, is a graphical programming language based on icons that we refer to as "blocks." We will give you a quick overview of some of the important blocks in the NXT software that you will need for this project. If you are already familiar with NXT programming, you can skip the rest of the Introduction and move on.
Light Sensor
The Light Sensor block can be found in the "Complete palette" tab under "Sensor" (Figure 3A). Once the block is inserted into your diagram (Figure 3B), it has an output for the intensity of the light sensor reading, which will be a number from 0 to 100 (there are other inputs and outputs that you will not use for this project). The options for the light sensor (Figure 3C) lets you select the correct sensor port: 1, 2, 3, or 4.
Note: The directions for this project assume that you will be using Light Sensors. The NXT Color Sensor is also compatible, because it can function in "Light Sensor" mode and measure light intensity. The Color Sensor block can also be found in the "Complete palette" under "Sensor," and it has a drop-down option to select "Light Sensor" mode in its options panel.
Figure 3. (A) Where to find the Light Sensor block in the menu. (B) What the Light Sensor block will look like in your diagram. (C) The options panel for the Light Sensor.
The Motor block can be found in the "Complete palette" tab under "Action" (Figure 4A). It lets you control a single motor at a time. It has many options for inputs and outputs — in this project you will only use the "power" input (Figure 4B). The options panel enables you to set the correct port for the motor (A, B, or C) and the amount of time the motor runs. You will not need to use the other options for this project.
Figure 4. (A) Where to find the Motor block in the menu. (B) What the Motor block will look like in your diagram. (C) The options panel for the Motor block.
The Move block can be found under "Common" on the "Complete palette" tab (Figure 5A). Unlike the Motor block, which only controls one motor at a time, the Move block lets you control two motors at once, with separate power and steering inputs (Figure 5B). As with the Motor and Light Sensor blocks, the Move block has other options that you will not need for this project.
Figure 5. (A) Where to find the Move block in the menu. (B) What the Move block will look like in your diagram. (C) The options panel for the Move block.
The Math block can be found under "Data" on the "Complete palette" tab (Figure 6A). It takes two numbers as inputs, does a basic calculation, and outputs the answer (Figure 6B). The options panel for the Math block lets you select addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, absolute value, and square root (Figure 6C).
Figure 6. (A) Where to find the Math block in the menu. (B) What the Math block will look like in your diagram. (C) The options panel for the Math block.
You use a loop to make a program run more than once. A loop tells the program to "start over" once it reaches the end. This concept is used all the time in many different programming languages, and not just for the NXT. In NXT-G, the Loop can be found under "Flow" on the "Complete palette" tab (Figure 7A). The Loop can wrap around other blocks in your program to make them repeat. Figure 7B shows an empty Loop. The options panel for the Loop lets you set whether the Loop will run forever or for a certain amount of time, or tell it to stop based on a sensor reading or something else in your program (Figure 7C).
Figure 7. (A) Where to find the Loop in the menu. (B) What an empty Loop looks like in your diagram. (C) The options panel for the Loop.
Terms and Concepts
- Robot
- Motor
- Power
- Light sensor
- Light intensity
- Program
- Graphical programming language
- Icons
- NXT blocks
- Light sensor
- Motor
- Move
- Math
- Loop
- Can you find examples of real-life robot dogs? (Hint: For starters, check out this video on YouTube)
- What other types of sensors are included with the NXT kit? What other kinds of sensors do robots use in real life?
- Can you find examples of other programming languages? What are programming languages used for besides robotics? (Hint: Have you ever played video games or used the Internet?)
- Can you think of how you would use the NXT blocks listed in the Introduction to program a robot to follow the beam from a flashlight?
Here are some useful introductions to programming LEGO's official NXT software. Remember that you can also consult the NXT User Guide CD that came with your NXT kit.
- Yocum, D. (n.d.). NXT tutorial. Retrieved January 24, 2013, from http://www.stemcentric.com/nxt-tutorial/
- LEGO Engineering (n.d.). NXT quick guide. Retrieved January 24, 2013, from http://www.legoengineering.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=124
- Valk, Laurens. The LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT 2.0 Discovery Book: A Beginner's Guide to Building and Programming Robots. San Francisco: No Starch Press, 2010 available at Amazon.com.
- Griffin, Terry. The Art of LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT-G Programming. San Francisco: No Starch Press, 2010 available at Amazon.com.
Of course, you are free to design and build your own LEGO vehicle for your robot dog. If you need help building a robot, the LEGO Tribot design is a good place to start. Your NXT kit may have included some building instructions, but they are also available online if you search for them.
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Materials and Equipment
The instructions for this project were written for the LEGO Mindstorms NXT 2.0 kit. You can do this project with an EV3 kit, but the programming software is different. Follow LEGO's online resources to learn how to program your EV3 robot. For more information on compatibility between the two systems (both hardware and software), see this FAQ and this support page.
- LEGO Mindstorms EV3 kit, available at toy stores or online from
Amazon.com, or a LEGO Mindstorms NXT kit
- Note: the Procedure section gives example code in NXT-G, but not the new EV3 software.
- Depending on which sensors you already have (typically, NXT and EV3 kits only come with one color sensor), you have several options for this project. The project requires two sensors total (so you may need to order an extra one), and will work with
any of these combinations:
- Two NXT light sensors
- Two NXT color sensors, operating in "Light Sensor" mode
- One NXT light sensor and one NXT color sensor operating in "Light Sensor" mode
- Note: there is also a new color sensor (which can act as a regular light sensor) for the EV3 kit, available from Amazon.com. The EV3 brick will work with the old NXT sensors, but the new EV3 sensors will not work on the old NXT brick.
- Flashlight
- Crafts materials to make a robot dog costume (optional)
https://www.sciencebuddies.org/science-fair-projects/project-ideas/Robotics_p011/robotics/lego-robot-dogPDF date: 2019-12-08
Experimental Procedure
The instructions for this project were written for the LEGO Mindstorms NXT 2.0 kit. You can do this project with an EV3 kit, but the programming software is different. Follow LEGO's online resources to learn how to program your EV3 robot. For more information on compatibility between the two systems (both hardware and software), see this FAQ and this support page.
Building Your Robot
Before you start programming, you will need to build your robot. If you are an experienced LEGO builder, feel free to create your own design. If you need help, the LEGO Tribot design is a good place to start. Regardless of your exact design, remember that you will need two motors (one for the left and another for the right) for steering, and two forward-facing light sensors (left and right — not above and below each other). Our robot design (along with our robot dog costume) is shown in Figure 8.
Figure 8. Our NXT robot design, with two motors and two forward-facing light sensors (left), and our dog costume (right). Make sure your costume has "eye holes" for the light sensors!
Note: To avoid confusion, we recommend plugging your "left" and "right" sensors and motors into the left and right ports on the robot, respectively. So, (from the robot's point of view), the right-hand motor and sensor should be plugged into ports A and 1, respectively, and the left-hand motors and sensor should be plugged into ports C and 4, respectively.
Once you have finished building your robot, you are ready to start training your robot dog! You will do this in three steps — with beginner, intermediate, and advanced programs.
Beginner Training
The first program you write will be very simple. It takes the output of each light sensor (a number between 0 and 100) and connects it directly to the power input on a motor (which accepts numbers between -100 and +100). The trick is that these connections are criss-crossed — the left light sensor controls the right motor, and vice versa. This is what enables the robot to turn toward light instead of away from it. (If this does not make sense, refer back to Figure 2 in the Introduction section). Figure 9 shows a screenshot of the program you need to write. It uses two Light Sensor blocks and two Motor blocks inside a Loop. The intensity of Light Sensor 1 controls the power of Motor C, and the intensity of Light Sensor 4 controls the power of Motor A. You can also write these rules in equation form:
Equation 1:
Equation 2:
Figure 9. The Beginner Training program. Using two Light Sensor blocks and two Motor blocks, connect the inputs and outputs as shown (it is OK to leave the inputs and outputs that you are not using disconnected), all inside a Loop. Pay close attention to the ports you set for your sensors and motors. Notice that the Loop is set to run "forever" (the infinity symbol, ∞). Be sure to uncheck the "Generate light" box for each Light Sensor.
Note: Remember to replace the Light Sensor block with a Color Sensor block if you are using a color sensor, and set it to "Light Sensor" mode in the drop-down menu at the bottom of the screen. Everything else in the program should remain the same.
After you have written this program and downloaded it to your NXT robot, get your flashlight — it is time to test it out! Can you get your robot to follow you by pointing the flashlight's beam at it? If you aim the beam more toward one side of the robot, does it turn toward that side? How well does it turn? Remember to aim your beam at the light sensors and not at the floor in front of the robot.Troubleshooting: Depending on how you built your robot and how you wired your motors and sensors, as well as where you are testing your robot, you could run into three potential problems at this point:
- My robot is going backward! Change the "direction" from "forward" to "backward" in the Options panel for each one of your Motor blocks. This will reverse the direction in which the motors spin. Re-download your program and make sure your robot moves forward.
- My robot is turning away from the light instead of toward it! Switch the connections between your sensors and motors in your program (connect Light Sensor 1 to Motor A, and Light Sensor 4 to Motor C). Re-download your program and make sure your robot turns in the right direction.
- My robot is moving and turning, but not responding to my flashlight! Make sure you are not near another very bright light source, like an open window on a sunny day. Other bright lights could overwhelm your flashlight beam. If need be, try moving to a darker room if possible.
Did it work? If so, congratulations! Your robot dog has graduated from beginner obedience class. You are ready to move on to the next level.
Intermediate Training
In the Beginner Training program, you connected the Light Sensor's intensity values directly to the motor's power inputs. This works, but it has some limitations. The light intensity is always greater than or equal to zero (it has a range of 0-100). This means that your motors will both always spin forward. But remember that the motor power has an input range of -100 to +100, meaning it can accept negative numbers to make the motor spin backward. If one motor spins backward and the other spins forward, your robot can turn much faster. So, you will modify your program to use a single Move block instead of two Motor blocks. The Move block has one input for steering and one input for power.
To make the robot respond to two Light Sensors, you can use the difference between the light sensor intensity values as an input to the Move block's steering value. You can use the average of the two readings as the input to the power value. This can be expressed in equations:
Equation 3:
Equation 4:
Take a minute to think about what these equations mean. What happens if both Light Sensors have the exact same value? The steering value will be zero — so the robot will go straight. If the values are different, the steering value will not be zero — and the robot will turn. Can you figure out what the "power" equation does? What happens if both Light Sensors read zero, or both read 100?
The program is shown in Figure 10:
Figure 10. The Intermediate Training program, which follows Equations 3 and 4. Notice how you must use Math blocks (including a "Constant" block, found under the "Data" menu) to calculate the difference and average of the two Light Sensor values. Pay close attention to assigning the proper ports to your motors and sensors in the options panel for each block, and selecting the correct mathematical operations (addition, subtraction, and division in this case). The value of the "Constant" block (the suitcase icon with a lock in the middle) should be set to 2. Be sure to uncheck the "Generate light" box for each Light Sensor.
Note: Remember to replace the Light Sensor block with a Color Sensor block if you are using a Color Sensor, and set it to "Light Sensor" mode in the drop-down menu at the bottom of the screen. Everything else in the program should remain the same.
After you have written your program, download it to your robot, get your flashlight, and test it out!
Troubleshooting: The troubleshooting steps you will follow in this case are slightly different from those in the "Beginner Training" program.
Note: If your robot is turning the wrong way: Rather than switching around the wires connecting inputs and outputs (there are a lot of them!), it is easier to just switch the ports on your two Light Sensor blocks. You can do this in the options panel for each block.
If your robot is going backward: Switch the "direction" to "backward" in the Options panel for the Move block.
Does it work? If so, how does it compare to the Beginner Training program? Are you (and your robot) ready to move on to Advanced Training?
Advanced Training
The Intermediate Training program enabled your robot's wheels to spin forward and backward, which should also have enabled it to make tighter turns. However, there is no way to adjust how fast the robot turns or moves forward in response to light. This Advanced Training program will do a little more math to let you adjust the speed at which your robot turns and moves forward — giving you exactly the behavior you want! This program will follow two new equations, which are slightly modified versions of Equations 3 and 4:
Equation 5:
Equation 6:
The introduction of Constant A and Constant B gives you control over the forward speed and turning. For example, if you make Constant A larger, the robot will turn faster. If you make it smaller, the robot will turn slower. The same effect applies to Constant B and forward speed. Note that if you make Constant A and Constant B both equal to one, then Equations 5 and 6 are the same as Equations 3 and 4. Figure 11 shows the example program that uses these equations.
Figure 11. The Advanced Training program, which follows Equations 5 and 6. Two new constants have been introduced that are multiplied by the difference and average of the Light Sensor readings, respectively. As always, pay attention to the port assignments for your motors and sensors. The values of the Constant A and Constant B are up to you! Be sure to uncheck the "Generate light" box for each Light Sensor.
Write the program in Figure 11, remembering to pick your own values for Constant A and Constant B. Download the program to your robot, and try it out.
Note: Remember to replace the Light Sensor block with a Color Sensor block if you are using a Color Sensor, and set it to "Light Sensor" mode in the drop-down menu at the bottom of the screen. Everything else in the program should remain the same.
How does your robot behave? Is the behavior different from the previous training programs? Now, try different values for Constant A and Constant B. What happens to the turning and forward speed? Can you pick values that give you the behavior you like best? If so, congratulations — you have successfully trained your robot dog!
Troubleshooting: To troubleshoot the Advanced Training program, follow the same troubleshooting steps that were presented for the Intermediate program.
Compare Your Programs
How different was your robot's behavior with each program? Which one did you like best? Can you think of a good way to describe the results of each different program?
Congratulations, you are now a real robot dog trainer!
Keep the fun going! Find local opportunities related to this project.Register on ActivityHero
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- What happens if you change the physical location of the light sensors on your robot (how far apart they are from each other, and/or the direction they are facing)? Does this affect the robot's steering and behavior?
- The directions in this project train the robot to follow the beam from a flashlight. Can you modify the program so you can push the robot with a flashlight beam? Can you still steer it in the right direction?
- Can you devise an experiment to measure how fast the robot turns and moves forward using the Advanced Training program, for different values of the constants in Equations 5 and 6?
- What about programming other behaviors into your robot dog? Can you use the touch or sound sensors to make it respond to touch or voice commands? For example, could you tap the robot to tell it to hold still (regardless of whether it sees the flashlight beam), and then use a voice command to tell it to start again?
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By Nikki Carrington
Winter has arrived and so has the ice! Synonymous with ice is falls. Falls occur regardless of age, but the risks do increase as we age. Statistically speaking, after the age of 65 the odds of falling are one in three. Fortunately, most of these falls arent seriousKbut then there are those that are. In addition, falls are shown to be the leading cause of injury and injury-related deaths among older adults. Falls become more prevalent with age due to physical changes, medical conditions and medications taken for those conditions. Fear of falling is very real, and in the absence of action can come to rule your life. In an effort not to allow falls rule your life, understand that many falls and fall-related injuries are preventable. The following fall prevention tips, adapted from Maine Health and Mayo Clinic, will help you to avoid falls:
1)Get an annual check-up. Begin your mission for fall prevention by seeing your doctor at least once-a-year, allowing him or her to look at your health and medications. Medications can interact with one another so using one pharmacy is also important. Other topics to be discussed in an effort to devise a fall prevention plan for you may include an assessment of your environment and your fall history. Recommendations can then be made, likely to made to begin specific exercises that will empower you to improve your strength and flexibility, thereby improving your physical balance.
2)Be physically active. Your mission must include efforts to be physically active. If you arent participating in a formal exercise class, ask your doctor what exercises would be best for you. After getting your doctors OK, as mentioned above, your ensuing efforts to be physically active will serve to empower you to not only improve your strength and flexibility but to enhance your balance and coordination. Various activities to consider may include walking, tai chi, yoga, dancing, or water-type activities. If the thought of exercising frightens you (e.g. afraid you may fall), then you may want to get a referral from your doctor to see a specialist who can work with you one-on-one.
3)Choose footwear that is safe. Your fall prevention mission should pay special attention to safe footwear, which includes being properly fitted and wearing shoes that are enclosed and have a rubber-type sole. It includes avoiding high heels, narrow heels and/or extra-thick soles. If bending over to put shoes on makes you feel like youre losing your balance, consider using a long shoe horn that allows you to put your shoes on without bending over, or opt for slip-ons.
4)Be aware of in-home hazards, A fall prevention mission cannot be effective without awareness of your environment and action taken to make it safer. Begin by taking a look around your kitchen, living room, bathroom, bedroom, hallways and stairways for clutter and decorative accents that may impede you when least expected. Safeguard your environment by moving cords as well as other items in the walking path (e.g. coffee tables, magazines, newspapers, plant stands, etc). Secure loose rugs, ensuring they all have rubber backs. Repair loose pieces of wood and carpets on floors and/or steps. Store necessities within easy reach, avoiding use of step stools and/or ladders. Escape possibly slipping by cleaning up floor spills as soon as they happen, using non-skid floor wax and using no-slip mats in the bathtub/shower.
5) Keep your living space well-lit. Take lighting into account as you move forward with your fall prevention mission. As you know, your eyes change with age and it is helpful to use high-watt bulbs (e.g. 100 or more), while not exceeding the wattage rating on the lamp or fixture. Other lighting tips include night lights in bedrooms, halls and bathrooms and having a bedside lamp within reach for night-time arousal. Also, keep a flashlight in an easy-to-find place in case of a power outage. 6)Use an assistive device when needed. If your doctor recommends an assistive device, understand that heeding his or her advice is critical with regard to your fall prevention mission. This would likely include a cane or walker. Many other assistive-type devices have been developed over the years, and using them simply = safety. Items to consider include a raised toilet seat, grab bars and/or a sturdy seat for shower/tub areas, non-slip treads for bare steps and handrails on both sides of all stairways. In closing, be aware of an excellent community resource for balance improvement. A research-based program called A Matter of Balance (MoB) is piloting now at the Cedar Falls Community Center. This research-based 8-week class is being referred to by the National Council on Aging as a model health program for communities. The following bullets provide information related to the classes: MoB classes help participants learn to: -view falls and fear of falling as controllable. -set realistic goals for increasing levels of activity. -change their physical environment to reduce fall risk factors. -promote physical activity with a goal to increase strength, flexibility and balance. MoB classes are designed to benefit community-dwelling older adults who: -are concerned about falling -have sustained a fall in the past. -restrict their activities because of concerns about falling. -are interested in improving flexibility, balance and strength.are age 60 or older, ambulatory and able to problem-solve..

subset: commoncrawl


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Setting up a business requires a lot of resources to tap into. Money, time, effort, location, and advertising means are just a few things which any businessman should consider. In addition, risks are always present to keep your overly optimistic, albeit hopeful ideas at bay.
For those who are still learning the tricks and trade of handling business, it is a wise decision to hone your skills first with small business marketing online. Here are the reasons why.
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There are tons of websites which offer tutorials for added tips, forums for other user input, as well as ready made templates and programs to be added to your website. Depending on the web host, features of user friendly actions and mini programs are made available to customize your website into a more attractive and more efficient portal for small business marketing and profitability.
Because the cost for setting up a virtual store is already negligible, thanks to free web hosting services, you have already saved a wad of cash. Furthermore, you do not have to pay a monthly rent for your place, though you still have a little expense for the internet service. More or less, the risks you may only lose would be the time and effort you spent online. Even if that might be the case, you still learned small business marketing proficiency through experience and also gained new technological knowledge in website management. It is still a win-win situation.
You do not need to open your virtual store 8 hours a day, nor conform to the usual business hour schedule. You also do not need immediate store attendants or promoters for your products. Online small business marketing tools are available either in the internet, or with the web server, giving you access to promote your products online with a click of a button.
With all these reasons that still guarantees you of something gained both in small business marketing and computer proficiency, there is no reason why anyone wouldn't try doing business online.


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Well, as some of you may remember, we've sold my daughter's first pony Jazz and have bought her a bigger second pony called Mara.
My husband told me he would find the next pony as he had initially found Jazz.
He isn't horsey. He's been forced into the equestrian world really by me and our daughter but, true to his word, he sent me a link to the National Pony Club classifieds with a super sounding pony for sale in Essex who had only been advertised for just a few hours. So a road trip it was!
We watched Mara being caught in the field (to check she didn't run away and was easy to catch), groomed, tacked up and then ridden by Phoebe, the 12-year-old girl who owned her.
She looked well and we watched her jump before Alyssia rode her and had a mini lesson with our riding instructor, Ellen, who came with us.
We both rode her too to get a feel for her and decided there and then to buy her, subject to a five stage vetting.
We knew Mara had lots of other buyers lined up and we were grateful Roberta waited for us to travel up.
So, two weeks later, Mara was home with us, feeling the nippy air up north and being thrown into the end-of-season Pony Club Rally exams, having only been with us six days and ridden twice after settling in.
Although Alyssia had a little fall off her, they did really well together and jumped clear in showjumping, second in gymkhana, and we've yet to hear if they passed their exams. We will know at the Wentworth and District Pony Club presentation night in December.
Mara is settling in really well and we have many exciting times to come for the future.
Given her age of 14 she will retire with us so, thankfully, there will never be any more pony changes to cry over again!
The next pony for Alyssia is my horse April but that will be many years away. I just need to stop her growing so tall.


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SAMJ: South African Medical Journal
On-line version ISSN 2078-5135
Print version ISSN 0256-9574
SAMJ, S. Afr. med. j. vol.101 n.2 Cape Town Feb. 2011
Vascular cause for stridor in infants
Yusuf Seedat; Savvas Andronikou; Mala Modi; Mohammed Lorgat
The double aortic arch is a form of vascular ring that constitutes a class of congenital anomalies in which the trachea and oesophagus are encircled by connected segments of the aortic arch and its branches. Although it takes various forms, the common defining feature is that both the left and right aortic arches are present.1
Case presentation
A 6-month-old infant presented with a longstanding persistent cough, episodic spells of shortness of breath, gasping-like efforts after feeding, and an unusual noise while breathing, and was reported to have turned blue on two occasions after feeding. A chest X-ray showed significant narrowing of the trachea 2 cm above the carina. An upper gastro-intestinal study (Fig. 1) showed anterior bowing and extrinsic compression of the posterior wall of the oesophagus at the mid-thoracic level, and the trachea was narrowed and showed anterior bowing. The differential diagnosis included an aberrant right subclavian artery, and a double aortic arch was suspected. A thoracic computed tomography (CT) angiogram (Fig. 2) confirmed the presence of a vascular ring created by a double-sided aortic arch with compression of the trachea and oesophagus.
Oesophagography has a high sensitivity in detecting vascular compression of the trachea and oesophagus, and is the investigation of choice in some centres to screen for suspected vascular compression.2 In patients with a double aortic arch, bilateral indentation of the oesophagus is observed on the anteroposterior view, with the right-sided indentation superior to the left, and posterior indentation is observed on the lateral view. For a more thorough diagnostic study, CT or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) should be performed.3 Multi-slice CT with 3-D reconstruction allows precise evaluation of any airway compromise and a detailed assessment of the anatomy of the vascular anomalies.4 MRI is also well suited for imaging vascular structures in the mediastinum without involving ionising radiation or the need for intravenously administered contrast material,5 which is a consideration in young patients, where radiation exposure should be avoided as much as possible.6
1. Chun K, Colombani PM, Dudgeon DL, Haller JA Jr. Diagnosis and management of congenital vascular rings: a 22-year experience. Ann Thorac Surg 1992;53:597-603. [ Links ]
2. Burch M, Balaji S, Deanfield JE, Sullivan ID. Investigation of vascular compression of the trachea: the complementary roles of barium swallow and echo. Arch Dis Child 1993;68:171-176. [ Links ]
3. Gürbüz A, Yetkin U, Lafçi B, Bayrak S, Göktoğan T, Özcem B. Diagnostic evaluation of incomplete double aortic arch (right dominance), VSD and PFO comorbidities with cardiac MRI. Internet Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery 2008;12(2). [ Links ]
4. Cerillo AG, Amoretti F, Moschetti R, Murzi B, Chiappino D. Sixteen-row multislice computed tomography in infants with double aortic arch. Int J Cardiol 2005;99(2):191-194. [ Links ]
5. Matsunaga N, Hayashi K, Okada M, Sakamoto I. Magnetic resonance imaging features of aortic diseases. Top Magn Reson Imaging 2003;14(3):253-266. [ Links ]
6. Harry MP, Kramer SS, Fellows KE. Current concepts on imaging of thoracic vascular abnormalities. Curr Opin Pediatr 2000;12(3):194-202. [ Links ]
Dr Seedat is a registrar in the Department of Radiology, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg. Professor Andronikou is affiliated to the Department of Radiology, University of the Witwatersrand, and is President of the College of Radiologists of South Africa. Professor Modi was Head of the Department of Radiology, Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital, Johannesburg, at the time of writing and is affiliated to the Department of Radiology, University of the Witwatersrand. Dr Lorgat is a paediatrician in private practice at Lenmed Clinic, Johannesburg.
Corresponding author: Y Seedat (email@example.com)


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We Picked 'Em-They Raced, Drove, And Showed 'Em
It was a relatively new concept for us-a chance to mingle with the readers of Mopar Muscle by getting them involved with their cars. We decided to pick 10 cars that were entered in the Mopars at the Strip show in Las Vegas, Nevada, in March of this year and see just how far some people would go with them. At the registration deadline, we had received 47 entries for the first (hopefully annual) Mopar Muscle True Street Challenge.
What we didn't want in this competition were gussied up, quote-unquote street cars that run mid-eight-second quarter-mile times. Let's face it, how many guys with blown, alcohol-ingesting 600ci engines actually use their cars to get groceries? We were looking for nice-looking, comfortable cars that could drive into town and run a respectable e.t.-an 11-second car would be fast. The drivers weren't competing against each other, but against the challenge we put before them. We were going to allow each car to stand on its own merits and let the points fall where they may.
A small miscommunication in directions made the driving portion about 45 miles long. We covered the gritty pavement and traffic of downtown Las Vegas, and our True Street crew was up to the task. They all handled it well, proving their rides to be true street cars, and we eventually got to the newly-paved open road. So, here they are-the 10 charter members of the Mopar Muscle True Street Challenge.
E-Ticket Ride
A resident of Albuquerque, New Mexico, Steve Alderete brought his '70 440-powered Six Pack 'Cuda to throw down with the rest. The factory-installed 440 in Steve's fish is filled with goodies like a .030 overbore, stock rods and replacement pistons, and a solid lifter MP camshaft. Edelbrock heads support the factory Six Pack induction, and the rebuilt 727 sends power to the Dana 60 with 4.10 gears.
When cornering, Steve was disappointed with the stiffness of his shocks in the rebuilt frontend. But the 'Cuda liked the high altitude, and in a straight line, the ride was smooth and quiet. The take-off from stop was quick but not extremely hard, which was good.
Steve had ET Street tires, so when it came time to test his 'Cuda, it was considered legal for the racing portion. With the drop of the green light, Steve's best time was a 12.82 e.t at 107.71 mph. Not bad at all!
In the looks department, Steve's 'Cuda was nicely-detailed, the fit and finish creating a good example of what a driver should look like. Mostly garage-kept before Steve got it, the 'Cuda had a lot of original pieces, including the headliner, dash gauges, glass, and door panels.
Truckin' With Style
Bob Gobble did the truckin' crowd proud with his '65 A-100 truck. The A-hauler sports a Mopar Performance 380-horse 360 crate engine with an 850 Holley carb on top. From there, a 727 with a reverse-shift valvebody and 10-inch torque converter sends the power to the 831/44 rear with 4.30 gears on a Sure Grip center.
The ride was enjoyable, but for a truck with a straight-axle frontend and front wheels almost behind the passengers, it was a little stiff. For a short jaunt to the store, it would be a cool ride. But anything over a 100-mile drive would surely be tough to handle.
Bob was one of our True Street challengers who opted to enter his truck in the Racing class instead of the Show class. Since he is not completely finished restoring the truck, there were a few small details that would cause some grief on a show field. However, all in all, it's a cool truck that Bob can finish and enjoy.
Like we said, Bob was hashing it out on the track all weekend. During the driving portion of our challenge, he ran his Hoosier Quick Time tires and made them legal for the racing portion. Bob's best time over the weekend was a 13.56 e.t. traveling at 95.86 mph.
First Big Fish
From the land where everything is done big-Beaumont, Texas-hails Jesse Fillingame and his 440-powered '69 Cuda. When these cars were new, they weren't marketed well, and as such not many were produced. That's a good thing for guys like Jesse. The original block was opened up .040 inch and filled with everything required to make it a stock rebuild. The 727 sends all that juice to an 831/44 Sure Grip with 3.55 gears.
As one of the shortest wheelbase cars in our challenge, Jesse's 'Cuda actually had a nice feel for the road. The 440 is more than enough power, but that can also be a problem if some punk kid in a Mustang were to pull alongside and laugh as your tires go up in smoke. The car has no rattles, and the resto is top-notch. It even won Best Appearing A-Body at the show!
When it came to the track, Jesse was a first-timer, so inexperience worked against him. Still, while short-shifting the car and trying to get it to launch, Jesse managed to run a 14.95 at 92.47 mph.
Killer Bee
Quite possibly one of the nicest cars in our challenge was Jim Spetzman's '6911/42 Bee. Hailing from Marine on St. Croix, Minnesota, Jim participates in the Pure Stock races, which means the Bee's engine is bone stock. The tech sheet reads like a broken record-rods, crank, cam, heads, and so on-all stock. The only change is to TRW flat-top pistons. From there, the 727 sends the power to the Dana 60 with a Sure Grip and 4.10 gears.
You would never know by riding in Jim's car that these Bees were built for racing. The soft, comfortable ride with a full interior makes one think this is a loaded-for-comfort GTX. It is also evident this is a wolf in sheep's clothing. Underneath the plush ride, you could tell there was a beast growling. Since Jim has been racing the car in Pure Stock he knows how to make it work.
When it came time for the Bee to prove its heritage at the track, it was right at home. When the smoke cleared (what are we saying? This thing hooked like a banshee) the Bee mustered an impressive 12.95 e.t. at 106.59 mph.
The Rookie and Son
Henderson, Nevada, locals Ken Westcott and his 14-year-old son, Allen, brought Ken's '70 Barracuda out for their first-ever participation in a car show. Ken and Allen built this car themselves in their home garage. The 'Cuda is motivated by a .060-over 340 filled with flat-top pistons, a "super stock" cam, and topped with a pair of X heads supporting an Edelbrock RPM intake and a 750-cfm carb.
When introduced, E-Body Mopars were to compete with the lesser two of the Big Three in the pony wars. Ken's car rode smoothly, and the exhaust note coming from the stock mufflers was not overwhelming in the cockpit. Ken's car is representative of the majority of nice drivers that fill our hobby. It may not be the recipient of a concours resto, but we wouldn't be ashamed to own it.
This was Ken's first trip to the track as well. Although not experienced, his enthusiasm more than made up for that. He made quite a few trips down the quarter-mile, and the first 60 feet of them were hazing the tires. Still, he managed a best of 13.65 e.t. at 99.88 mph.
His and Hers
John Galambos of Orange, California, and Jennifer Sheley of Anaheim brought his '66 Charger and her '68 Charger to take on the challenge-as well as each other. John's ride boasts a 360 with TRW dished pistons on the stock rods and crank and a Crane "blower spec" camshaft. The heads are cast pieces with some port work, topped off by a small B&M blower supporting the Holley 800 carb. Jen's motorvational duties are handled by a '74 440 with forged pistons (sporting a bump on them) on the stock rods and crank. The cam is by Isky, and the heads are ported stock units. A Performer RPM intake and 750 carb feed the need.
The first thing you notice when you ride in either car is the exhaust note, or should we say bass drum! Both cars feature side-exit exhausts, and on John's car, a flick of a switch opens the headers via electric cutouts. If you have something to say (like "Cop!"), be sure to say it before he hits the switch. Jen hides her contemporary audio in the glovebox to keep the dash stock appearing. Overall, both cars rode nicely, and we'll give Jen until next year to get her gauges working correctly.
On Saturday, John came back to the event with Third gear broken in his tranny from a Friday-night time shot. That didn't stop him from racing, though. It just so happened he lined up against Jen, and when the dust settled, John ran a 13.61 e.t. at 101.5 mph, and Jen was a blink quicker at 13.60, traveling at 102.46 mph. Sorry John, but a win is a win-the lady has the lead.
A Challenging T/A
Camper repairman Jeff Delzer brought his '70 T/A Challenger out and spent the weekend showin' and racin'. Jeff's T/A was also restored to stock specs, with the 340 receiving everything needed-including correct date-coded plug wires, battery cables, and so on. Trust us, this thing is bone stock. Power goes through the factory four-speed, back to the 831/44 rear with a Sure Grip and 3.91 gears.
These cars were built to handle, and because of that, the ride can be a little stiff. You can feel the bumps in the road-not enough to be annoying, but enough to notice the feel of a sport suspension. Again, this car has side-exit exhaust, but they're tolerable due to its stock nature.
Although these cars were never meant to be quarter-pounders, Jeff gently took his down the track to the tune of 15.25 at 89.98 mph. He says he's looking to move on to something else, but we don't know if he received any offers during the show.
One of None
We know, they never made a Six Pack-inducted small-block with A/C. Firefighter Dennis Lowder of Albuquerque, New Mexico, also knows that, but he made it work. The short-block started life as a 360, but with the help of the aftermarket, it now displaces 408 ci. Even with added cubic inches and the help of Keith Black pistons, a .484 Mopar cam, and Edelbrock aluminum heads, the stock exhaust manifolds were definitely holding it back. The 727 is filled with a B&M shift kit and a Hughes torque converter. It all ends at the Sure Grip-filled 831/44 with 4.30 gears.
During our ride, we noticed a few small things Dennis plans to get fixed. First of all, the A/C needs charging. When he takes care of that and some detailing on the inside, this will be one nice A-Body. The noise level was barely noticeable, probably because of the stock manifolds, and the ride was comfortable. However, with the gearing, engine rpm was a little high, but hey, some guys like that.
Dennis was not afraid to put the wood to her on the track. He made several passes and even did some tuning between rounds. Still, with the constrictions of the manifolds, his best time was a 13.60 at 99.88 mph.
Go Green
Bill and Mary Sue Pharr drove their Limelight '70 'Cuda from Rocklin, California, to our patch of asphalt in the Nevada desert called the Las Vegas Strip to be involved in our challenge. Not one of our original finalists chosen to compete, Bill stepped up and filled the void left by a no-show. The Pharr 'Cuda is powered by a .060-over 440 filled with mostly stock components. A TCI tranny with a Gear Vendors unit lets the 'Cuda stretch its legs on the open roads, especially when coupled with a 3.23-filled 831/44 rear (wonder what top speed would be in this thing).
The extensive modifications in and on the 'Cuda make it a pleasure to ride in, with minimal engine noise and one kickin' sound system. We have to admire a guy willing to put this kind of time and money in a car and then subject it to the road and track.
Although the overall combination lends itself to high-speed driving, Bill was willing to make a few passes down the track-with a best time for the weekend of 14.84 at 92 mph. Bill says the car has run better, but after he saw what happened to our next guy, he took it easy.
Wounded Pachyderm
The "You Gotta Be Kidding Me" Hard Luck award goes to John Huff. During John's first timeshot on Saturday, something let loose in his 528 Hemi, and as you can see by the spark plug, it wasn't good. The Casper, Wyoming, entry still managed to keep a sense of humor about it, as John simply said, "It ain't the first time I broke something." John did, however, manage to travel the approximately 50 miles for the driving portion to prove its road-worthiness before the implosion. Behind the big ol' Hemi is an 833 four-speed spinning a 4.56 and a locker-filled 931/44 rear.
On the street cruise, before John's big break, he took the liberty of permanently pasting your green-horned associate editor into the racing bucket seats. He then astutely inquired, "First time in a Hemi?" Do the racing seats and rollcage take some of the "street" out of it? Yeah, probably-but wow! It may be the wrong choice for taking the mother-in-law to the hairdresser, but man is it a fun ride!
John did tell us that during his racing portion, he did a dry hop, and his first thought was, "That hooked good; something's gonna break." Halfway down the track-kaboom, he was right. He still mustered a 13.84 e.t. while coasting through the lights.


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How Can I Upgrade Cisco PIX 501 Firmware?
Some of the information in this article is advanced material we make available as a courtesy. Customer Support cannot assist with these topics.
We monitor Cisco PIX 501 firmware and performs upgrades when necessary. You will not have to perform this operation yourself.


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April 22, 2006
NORTHRIDGE, Calif. - The UC Santa Barbara softball team was held to just one run and dropped both ends of a Big West twin bill at Cal State Northridge in mercy rule fashion Saturday. Sophomore third baseman Danielle Meyers continued her tremendous play against league competition, hitting .500 and driving in the Gauchos' only run of the day.
In the first game, Northridge (14-18, 3-8 Big West) got off to a 1-0 lead with a run in the third. With one out, Jackie Duree singled and then stole second. After Heather Martin moved Duree to third on a groundout, Micah Putnam laid down a perfect bunt single on the first-base line to give the Matadors the advantage.
CSUN broke the game open with an eight-run fourth. With one away, Jan Moshier knocked her sixth homer of the season to left field to make it 2-0. Kelly Zakosek followed with a double to left-center and Jamie Pederson drove her in with a single to left-center. With Pederson moving to second on the throw home, Duree would then double to the same spot to make it a 4-0 Matador lead. Martin then reached on an error at second and stole second base to put runners at third and second. Putnam followed with a scoring fly ball to center to plate Duree for a 5-0 lead. The Matadors' third double of the inning, this time by Amanda Peek, would score Martin to make it a 6-0 game, and following a walk to Janine Grund, Smith belted her third homer of the season off the scoreboard in the back of left field to put Northridge up 9-0.
Freshman pitcher Selena Salazar held the Gauchos hitless for 4 1/3 innings before Meyers singled to left to break up the no-hitter. Salazar allowed just the one hit and two walks in five innings with three strikeouts. Duree and Peek each had two-hit games for the Matadors.
Jennifer Davis went the distance in the circle for the Gauchos and allowed nine runs (four earned), nine hits and three walks with two strikeouts in four innings.
In game two, the Gauchos (18-16, 2-6 Big West) took an early 1-0 lead with their lone run in the second inning. Freshman first baseman Tiffany Wright led off with a single to right and moved to third on a single to right by junior left fielder Jessica Hejna. The Matadors would get the next two outs, but Meyers then blooped a single just in front of second base to score Wright and give UCSB the advantage.
But from there it was all Matadors, who thanks to 11 walks and three hit batters, scored nine unanswered on only four hits. Martin started a six-run third inning with a walk and advanced to second on a groundout by Putnam. Peek then drew another free pass and Grund reached on an error by the shortstop to load the bases. The Matadors would even the game when freshman pitcher Tami Weston uncorked a wild pitch to score Martin. Northridge would reload the bases on a walk to Smith and Moshier drove in Peek with a single to center to make it 2-1. With the bases again loaded, Zakosek was hit by a pitch to force in Grund and Pederson drew a walk to score Smith to make it 4-1. A single down the left-field line by Duree would round out the scoring in the inning, plating Moshier and Zakosek to make it 6-1.
In the fourth, Peek hit the first pitch of the inning over the left-field fence for her Big West-leading 11th homer of the season to make it 7-1.
The Matadors invoked the mercy rule with a pair in the bottom of the fifth. With one out and the bases loaded, Putnam drew a walk to score Pederson to make it 8-1. One out later, a walk to Grund would score Duree to give the Matadors a 9-1 lead and end the game.
Salazar went all five innings, allowing a run, five hits and two walks with two strikeouts. Four different Matadors had the four hits.
For the Gauchos, Weston allowed nine runs (eight earned) in 4 2/3 innings, striking out two.
The Gauchos and Matadors wrap up their three game series Sunday at 12:00 p.m. at Matador Diamond.


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Kyocera Solar is citing weak demand for made-in-the-U.S.A. panels as it prepares for workforce reductions at the company's San Diego manufacturing facilities, the company confirmed Tuesday.
The reductions would affect 23 Kyocera workers and another 85 temporary positions filled by an external staffing agency, according to Cecilia Aguillon, director of government relations for Kyocera Solar, a subsidiary of the Japanese electronics and ceramics conglomerate.
The total San Diego County workforce for various Kyocera subsidiaries after the cuts will be 625. The company declined to disclose more specifics, citing competitive reasons.
"We are working very hard to secure new large-scale orders for our U.S.-made product," Aguillon said in a statement. "If we experience an absence of demand for U.S.-made modules, we will shift resources to our operations in Tijuana."
Sales and engineering operations in San Diego remain unaffected, the company said. Nor do the troubles apply to manufacturing operations in Japan, China, the Czech Republic or Mexico.
Kyocera opened its Tijuana solar manufacturing plant in 2008, anticipating the ongoing boom in rooftop and utility-scale solar arrays.
One reason cited for the downturn in orders for U.S.-made panels is the conclusion of stimulus funding through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
Provisions of the act held back all funding from public works and building projects that used any foreign produced iron, steel or manufactured goods without a waiver based on scarcity, unreasonable costs or the public interest.
Meanwhile, a glut of ever-lower priced panels has chipped away at the profits of many U.S. manufacturers, with some struggling to stay afloat.
Kyocera, a $15 billion worldwide enterprise, has four decades of history in San Diego, where it has manufactured microelectronic packaging products in since 1971. Kyocera Solar is headquartered in Scottsdale, Ariz.


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|Working Group II: Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability
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19.6. Extreme and Irreversible Effects
19.6.1. The Irregular Face of Climate Change
Natura non facit saltusnature does not take jumps. Modern science has thoroughly shattered this tenet of the Aristotelian school of thought. Long-term observations and experimental insights have demonstrated convincingly that smooth, or regular, behavior is an exception rather than a rule. Available records of climate variability, for example, reveal sudden fluctuations of key variables at all time scales. Large, abrupt climate changes evident in Greenland ice-core records (known as Dansgaard-Oeschger oscillationsDansgaard et al., 1993) and episodic, massive discharges of icebergs into the North Atlantic (known as Heinrich eventsBond et al., 1992) are obvious examples of irregular behavior as a result of weak external forcing. Ecosystems also display discontinuous responses to changing ambient conditions, such as changes in disturbance regimes (Holling, 1992a; Peterson et al., 1998) and species extinctions (Pounds et al., 1999). Irreversible changes in ecosystems are triggered by disturbances (e.g., Gill, 1998), pests (e.g., Holling, 1992b), and shifts in species distributions (Huntley et al., 1997). Irregular behavior is accepted as a major aspect of the dynamics of complex systems (Berry, 1978; Schuster, 1988; Wiggins, 1996; Badii and Politi, 1997).
A quantitative entity behaves "irregularly" when its dynamics are discontinuous, nondifferentiable, unbounded, wildly varying, or otherwise ill-defined. Such behavior often is termed singular, particularly in catastrophe theory (Saunders, 1982), and illustrates how smooth variations of driving forces can cause abrupt and drastic system responses. The occurrence, magnitude, and timing of singularities are relatively difficult to predict, which is why they often are called "surprises" in the literature.
It is important to emphasize that singular behavior is not restricted to natural systems. There has been speculation, for example, about possible destabilization of food markets, public health systems, and multilateral political agreements on resource use, but solid evidence rarely has been provided (e.g., Döös, 1994; Hsu, 1998). Rigorous scientific analysis of certain classes of singular socioeconomic phenomena is emerging (Bunde and Schellnhuber, 2000), but huge cognitive gaps remain in this field.
Singularities have large consequences for climate change vulnerability assessments. Unfortunately, most of the vulnerability assessment literature still is focusing on a smooth transition from what is assumed to be an equilibrium climate toward another equilibrium climate (often 1xCO2 to 2xCO2). This means that most impact assessments still implicitly assume that climate change basically is a "well-behaved" process. Until recently, only a few authors have emphasized the importance of discontinuous, irreversible, and extreme events to the climate problem (e.g., Lempert et al., 1994; Nordhaus, 1994a; Schellnhuber, 1997); concerns about the impacts of these events and their consequences for society now are becoming much more common. Singularities could lead to rapid, large, and unexpected impacts on local, regional, and global scales. Anticipating and adapting to such events and their impacts would be much more difficult than responding to smooth change, even if these responses must be made in the face of uncertainty. Furthermore, singularities considerably complicate the search for optimal emissions reduction strategies that are based on, for example, benefit-cost analysis or tolerable emissions strategies that are based on, as another example, the precautionary principle.
This section reviews and synthesizes relevant available information on the impacts of singular behavior of (components of) the climate system or singular impacts of climate change and draws conclusions about the consequences for vulnerability assessments. Because no generally accepted framework to assess singularities of climate change exists, an illustrative typology of singularities is discussed first. The different characteristics of each class in this typology justify why insights from this section contribute to two separate reasons for concern: extreme weather events and large-scale singularities.19.6.2. Characteristics of Singularities
The causes of singularities are diverse, but most can be grouped in the categories of nonlinearity, complexity, and stochasticity. Choices about how to assess singular climate impacts depend strongly on the factors generating such behavior. The first two categories arise in a largely deterministic context, so their incidence can be assessed with proper models. The latter is probabilistic, however, rendering its incidence basically unpredictable. Only statistical properties can be analyzed. Predictability (and consequently adaptability) is directly related to the stochastic nature of the underlying dynamics.
The first, and most obvious, class of singularities is caused by strongly nonlinear or discontinuous functional relationships. A conspicuous case is the critical threshold, where responses to a continuous change in a driving variable bring about sudden and severe impacts, such as extinction events. Changes in mean climate can increase the likelihood of crossing these thresholds. Even one of the simplest physical thresholds in the climate systemthe melting point of icecould induce singular impacts. For example, thawing of permafrost regions would be induced by only a few degrees of warming (Pavlov, 1997) and would severely affect soil and slope stability, with disastrous effects on Arctic infrastructure such as oil pipelines (see Section 16.2.5 and SAR WGII Section 11.5.3). Section 19.3 extensively illustrates the occurrence of critical thresholds that are relevant for bleaching of coral reefs (a temperature threshold) and coastal mangroves (a sea-level rise threshold).
Complexity itself is a second potential cause for singular behavior in many systems. Complex systems, of course, are composed of many elements that interact in many different ways. Anomalies in driving forces of these systems generally distort interactions between constituents of the system. Positive feedback loops then can easily push the systems into a singular response. (Note that complexity is by no means synonymous with nonlinearity!)
Complex interactions and feedbacks gradually have become a focal point of global and climate change investigations: Several illustrative studies, for example, deal with the interplay between atmosphere, oceans, cryosphere, and vegetation cover that brought about the rapid transition in the mid-Holocene from a "green" Sahara to a desert (Brovkin et al., 1998; Ganopolski et al., 1998; Claussen et al., 1999), with the mutual amplification of regional climate modification and unsustainable use of tropical forests as mediated by fire (Cochrane, 1999; Goldammer, 1999; Nepstad et al., 1999) and with the dramatic disruptions possibly inflicted on Southern Ocean food webs and ecological services by krill depletion resulting from dwindling sea-ice cover (see Brierly and Reid, 1999; see also Section 16.2.3).
The third category, stochasticity, captures a class of singularities that are triggered by exceptional events. In the climate context, these are, by definition, extreme weather events such as cyclones and heavy rains (see Table 3-10). Their occurrence is governed by a generally well-behaved statistical distribution. The irregular character of extreme events stems mainly from the fact that, although they reside in the far tails of this distribution, they nonetheless occur from time to time. Therefore, they could affect downstream systems by surprise and trigger effects that are vastly disproportional to their strength. Climate change also could lead, however, to changes in probability distributions for extreme events. Such changes actually could cause serious problems because the risk and consequences of these transitions are difficult to quantify and identify in advance. The impacts caused by these events have not yet been explored, although they should constitute an essential aspect of any impact and adaptation assessment.
The impacts of extreme event consequences of stochastic climate variability, however, have begun to attract researchers' attention in a related context. As noted in Chapter 18, changes in mean climate can increase the likelihood that distributed weather will cross thresholds where the consequences and impacts are severe and extreme. This variant of stochastic singularity therefore can change in frequency even if the probability of extreme weather events, measured against the mean, is unaffected by long-term trends.
There also is a fourth type that generally arises from a combination of all other singularity categories. This typesometimes referred to as "imaginable surprises" (Schneider et al., 1998; see also Chapter 1)represents conceivable global or regional disruptions of the operational mode of the Earth system. Such macro-discontinuities may cause damages to natural and human systems that exceed the negative impacts of "ordinary" disasters by several orders of magnitudes.
Responses to climate change can alter their character from singular to regularand vice versaas they cascade down the causal chain: geophysical perturbations, environmental impacts, sectoral and socioeconomic impacts, and societal responses. Only the last three are climate change effects in the proper sense, but the first is important because it translates highly averaged indicators of climate change into the actual trigger acting at the relevant scale. Most singular geophysical perturbations create singular impactswhich may, in turn, activate singular responses. One therefore might assume that singularities tend to be preserved down such a cascade. Singular events also can arise further down the causal chain. Purely regular geophysical forcing, for example, can cause singular impacts, and singular socioeconomic responses may result from regular impacts.
Harmful impacts of climate change generally can be alleviated by adaptation or exacerbated by mismanagement (see, e.g., West and Dowlatabadi, 1999; Schneider et al., 2000a; see also Chapter 18). Climate-triggered singular phenomena can generate substantial impacts because their predictability and manageability are low. Such impacts would be considerably reduced if they could be "regularized" by appropriate measures. For example, an ingenious array of seawalls and dikes could transform an extreme storm surge into a mundane inundation that could be controlled by routine contingency procedures. So too could a long-term policy of retreat from the sea. However, inappropriate flood control structures could wreak havoc, particularly because they foster a false sense of security and actually inspire further coastal development.
In summary, singularities tend to produce singularities, as a rule; regularities may turn into singularities under specific conditions, and singularities can be regularized by autonomous ecological processes or judicious societal measures. Defining the propagation of singular events in the causal cascade or opportunities to convert them into regular events remains a major research challenge.
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When it comes to firefighting, five feet can make a big difference. Just ask Jim Callahan, assistant chief of Black Rock Volunteer Fire Company of Upper Providence Township.
'Our previous tower, a 1987 Mack Aerialscope that we had for years, was 95 feet and it did a good job for us,' said Callahan. 'But in recent years more commercial establishments have sprouted up.'
For example, the Hilton Garden Inn off of 422 Oaks exit and Providence Town Center off Route 29.
'It was the height of these buildings that dictated to us the purchase of a longer ladder,' which, he explained, is why the company acquired a brand new 2012 Pierce 100-foot tower ladder.
The tower ladder, which cost $980,000, was purchased with funds from the fire company's relief association, Upper Providence Township, grants and fundraisers.
One of the features of the new ladder is the ability to clamp a hand-held ladder to the front of the tower bucket.
A perfect place to use the ladder is at Providence Town Center, Callahansaid.
'Something interesting about the center are the roofs. When you look at the buildings, those are not the actual roofs. Those are parapet walls...a false front. The actual roof is six to 10 feet below the top of the parapet. The added five feet, coupled with the clamping feature, allows us to extend the ladder above the parapet top, affix the hand-held ladder, and then descend to the actual roof.'
Housing developments in the township are still another reason to acquire this particular length of firefighting apparatus.
'There are housing developments that sit far back from the road,'said Callahan. 'We need the extra push from the ladder to get from the road to the roof of the house.'
Callahan said that this piece of firefighting apparatus is Black Rock's first combination truck which is also equipped with a pump capable of extinguishing fires.
'This truck is capable of handling any type of emergency we get dispatched for,' he said 'We can take care of high angle, confined space and vehicle rescues as well as residential and commercial fires.'


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Camp 6 Miles beyond Chattanooga in the Mountains
Thursday evening, August 28th 1862
My ever Dearest Sallie, I am glad to tell that I have just reed' and gladly perused the contents of your very affectionate letter of the 15th past. I am very glad to hear that you and that sweet little Alice are both doing so well, hope you will continue to do so. You must be getting along remarkably well to be able to write me a long letter and the babe only one week old. OH! Dear how glad I would be to get home and spend a few weeks with you and those sweet little girls, but I must be denied that pleasure for a while yet. I do hope it will not be a very great while. I do hope we will force the Yanks to make peace before many more months. We reed news in camp today that Curly Smith, [Maj. Gen. E. Kirby Smith, CSA] our general about the Cumberland Gap had telegraphed to our quarter master at Chattanooga not to buy any more wagons and teams, that he had captured 600 and still thought he would get more and he thought that Buell's [Maj. Gen. Don Carlos Buell, US] whole army would be captured before long. If we succeed in that, the enemy will certainly begin to do something towards making peace before are a great while, if they don't we will drive the last one of them across Mason and Dixon's line and then we will have all our territory back again and if they don't give it up, then we will invade their country awhile.


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text: Recently someone posted a picture and description of a self made sewing table, it consisted of 2 end tables, a top with a cut out for the machine and a support underneath for the machine to rest on. The cost was around $100. If someone could direct me to that link, I need to build a table for my machine for quilting, I am currently using a computer desk.


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Wonderful paper collection from Graphic 45. I am looking forward to using this collection to make a Christmas present for my friend,who is a first time Grandma to a gorgeous baby girl.
Used in this layout: Little Darling page 2
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Don't Let Your Career Get Stale: 6 Ways to Refresh and Recharge
Every career could use a good decluttering now and then. Here are some of the major areas to focus on when clearing out the cobwebs.
Spring cleaning has come and gone, and your home may (or may not) be a bit tidier because of it. But what about your career? What business dust bunnies and everything drawers have you been neglecting?
Every career could use a good decluttering now and then. Here are some of the major areas to focus on when clearing out the cobwebs:
1. Clean up your social media profiles
You're all smart cookies, so I (hopefully) don't need to remind you to keep your Twitter and Facebook profiles squeaky clean (or set on private) to avoid potential professional embarrassments. But keeping your social media presence tidy is about more than just removing those happy hour pics from your public feed; it's also about making sure your information is current and relevant.
- Review your LinkedIn profile to make sure you haven't acquired any new positions or skills that should be added—and that there isn't any outdated information that needs to be removed.
- Have you made any new business acquaintances lately? Make sure you've hooked up with them via LinkedIn, Google+, Twitter, etc. Social media is a great networking tool, so make sure your network isn't missing anyone important.
- Make sure your profile pics are professional—and consistent. A big part of personal branding is being easily recognizable across all social platforms. Pick a photo that's classy but also shows your personality, then use it for all of your profiles. Attaching it to your main email via Gravatar will allow that pic to show up whenever you comment on sites or forums as well.
2. Refresh your resume
Even if you're not actively looking for a job right now, you could be in the future, and it's a pain to go through a five-year-old resume and revamp everything in one sitting. So, periodically review your resume to make sure the information is up-to-date. If your dream job suddenly asks you to apply, would you be ready for it?
- If you have a strong online presence (a website, blog, portfolio, etc.), consider adding hyperlinks to your resume so employers can check out more on you without your having to include a ton of information on the resume itself. (Short and sweet is best.)
- Clean up the organizational scheme to make it easier to read. That font explosion you thought was a nifty way to organize isn't. Bullets, white space and simplicity are in.
- Make sure your references are up-to-date. A quick check-in email to touch base with them (and remind them who you are) doesn't hurt.
3. Streamline your systems
Making your days easier and more productive will make you a more valuable employee—and give you more energy and time to focus on your overarching career goals.
- Keep on top of the latest in to-do apps, sites and other technological tools that can make everything from project management to scheduling infinitely easier.
- Remember the 80/20 rule: 80 percent of your key results come from only 20 percent of your regular tasks. So focus on that 20 percent and weed out some of the rest.
- Learn when your most productive times of day are, and try to structure your projects accordingly. Energy management works wonders by tapping into your natural rhythms and using them to the fullest.
- For the love of everything, get an email system in place. Email overload is one of the biggest causes of workday overwhelm, and it doesn't have to be. Tame the beast by instituting a system that gets you as close to inbox zero on a regular basis as possible—and then stick with it.
4. Spiff up your workspace
Whether you work from home or from a cube, your physical space plays an important role in how efficient you are and what kind of mood you're in. If you have a workspace that's organized, open and inviting, you'll start off each day on a better foot.
- Catch up on that filing pile—then make a note on your calendar to tackle it every week from this point forward. I know, it's ridiculously un-fun, but hunting through a towering pile of receipts for that one disbursement you need from two months ago is even un-funner.
- Invest in comfortable furniture and accessories. Aches, pains and repetitive stress injuries never helped anyone work better. Make sure your chair and desk height promote healthy posture, and if they don't, invest in either a new chair or accessories like a footrest or backrest. Spring for a nice ergonomic keyboard and mouse. Make sure that lighting is bright enough to keep you focused, but not so bright it induces migraines.
- Make it yours. Whether it's pictures of loved ones, quirky accessories or a miniature Zen rock garden to keep stress at bay, make sure the place where you spend most of your waking hours is a reflection of the things that make you happy and keep you sane.
5. Touch base with your network
Your network is only as valuable as the time you put into it. Just as your Facebook account needs a good "un-friending" sweep every year or so, go through your network and make sure you're regularly keeping in touch with the people you hope will someday assist your career. If you only reach out to your network when you need something, they're not likely to be horribly receptive.
- Send out a quick email with some updates on what you've been up to, and ask about what's been going on at their end. Keep it friendly, breezy and non-salesy.
- Arrange for a coffee chat to catch up. (Coffee's on you, of course.)
- Make a note on your calendar to re-connect after a set amount of time to keep the relationship fresh.
6. Review and reevaluate your goals
In the grand scheme of your career game plan, how are you doing? Are you where you thought you'd be five years ago? Are you taking the steps you need to get to where you want to be five years from now? What steps are those?
It's easy to get caught up in the daily minutiae of just getting your job done, but don't forget to tend to your long-term goals, too.
If you're not where you want to be, figure out some action steps you can take to change that, and mark them down on your to-do list along with your regular daily projects. If you are, brainstorm ways to keep that momentum going, and set deadlines for those steps. In the end, the most organized career in the world won't do much for you if you're not heading in the right direction.
Kelly Gurnett is Assistant Editor of Brazen Life and runs the blog Cordelia Calls It Quits, where she documents her attempts to rid her life of the things that don't matter and focus more on the things that do. You can follow her on Twitter and Facebook and hire her services as a blogger extraordinaire here.
3 Comments
hamza says:
Hello Kelly
We need really boost our careers this day HaHa
Best Regards.
Guest says:
Great article, Kelly! It's not just cleaning your house, but cleaning out your career and asking yourself what you can throw away, what you can keep, and what you can fresh about what you're doing. You have to look at what you're doing…what makes you happy. Directly in line with your fifth point, one key thing to consider is rebuilding
relationships. When you remove yourself from office activities, you disengage yourself.
Interacting with coworkers allows you to feel more fulfilled and ultimately more
engaged with your job.
I talk more on the topic of ways to refresh your career on
my blog here: http://pastfive.typepad.com/pastfive/2011/10/how-to-revive-a-dead-career-on-halloween.html
I enjoyed this piece- great reminders of all those maintenance type tasks that can get neglected!
Comments are closed.


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These are some of the views and reports relevant to our readers that caught our attention this week.
Three reasons investors are beginning to take sustainability seriously
The Guardian
Most of the ingredients for a healthy, secure, and fulfilling existence come to us from nature. Food, clean water, pollination, and natural hazard protection are all essential goods and services that underpin our economy and secure our wellbeing. But business models that exploit these benefits unsustainably are intensifying pressure on our planet's natural resources, putting their future – and ours – in jeopardy. How can we relieve this pressure before it is too late? As a first step, we need to recognise that rapidly declining natural systems are bad news for business. There is a two-way street between the economy and the environment: businesses damage the environment, and the damaged environment then creates risks to the bottom lines of businesses. But why should members of the investment community care?
Does transparency improve governance? Reviewing evidence from 16 experimental evaluations
Journalist's Resource- Harvard Kennedy School
The idea that transparency can make institutions more effective and provide greater accountability and better results for the public seems uncontroversial on the surface. But scholars and bureaucrats who have been involved in the wave of transparency initiatives over the past decade continue to debate the particular merits of various approaches. Some commentators have been troubled that as a reaction to scrutiny, malfeasance and inefficiency could increasingly be kept hidden and transparency could erode public trust in institutions and personal privacy. The many types of transparency initiatives around the globe are often confused, making sharp distinctions all the more essential.
U.N.'s Ambitious New Development Goals Could Fall Flat
Al Jazeera America
United Nations bureaucrats work hard to ease the woes of the world. Apart from war, they also tackle poverty, climate change, inequality, joblessness, weak governance, discrimination, shabby schools and crumbling hospitals. Ambitious U.N. targets for addressing these woes are being drafted and are expected to be called the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) when they are signed by world leaders in New York in September 2015. The SDGs will succeed the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), the poverty-reduction targets that reach their deadline next year after 15 years in place. Like all examples of U.N. idealism, the initiative looks good on paper. The problem is not that the new goals are too ambitious but that the world cannot handle watching another round of important multilateral negotiations do a belly flop.
World Hunger Day: can Twitter end world hunger?
The Guardian
One eighth of the world's population - 842 million people - are currently living on less than 80p a day. Wednesday is World Hunger Day, and to raise awareness of the scale of the issue, once again the Global Poverty Project have challenged fundraisers to live on £1 a day for five days in their #BelowTheLine campaign. Many charities have promoted the initiative by tweeting and posting images of their meals on instagram. However, with social media increasingly becoming an integral part of campaigns, how useful is it as a tool for change? Can tweets and facebook "likes" help end world hunger?
Interactive Map: Africa's mixed progress on water and sanitation access
If all goes according to plan, every person in the world will have access to clean water and sanitation by 2030. Only 30% of people living in sub-Saharan Africa have access to sanitation. Water is doing slightly better with 66% access in the region. They both have the fact that they are off track for universal access. If current trends hold, nearly 78% of people will have access to clean water and nearly 34% of people will have access to sanitation in 2030. That short of the 100% goal. A new map from the NGO WaterAid shows just how countries have been progressing on water and sanitation since 1990. They then go on to predict what will happen if the trend from the past twenty years continues for each country.
MIT News
Unlike most people, MIT's Fox Harrell knew what he wanted to do in life from a young age. According to Harrell, an associate professor of digital media who studies self-expression in online media and creates tools to help developers add depth to their work, the impetus for his career came from an epiphany he had one day while doing computer programming as a kid in San Diego. "You heard a lot about TV turning people into couch potatoes, so I thought, 'Whatever comes next, I would like to be a voice for the social and ethical dimension of that form,'" Harrell says. "I couldn't have predicted the exact form it would take, but that [moment] sparked the direction I would go in." Or directions, since Harrell occupies an unusual spot in academic research, with an appointment in MIT's Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory as well as in its program in Comparative Media Studies/Writing. In his research group, the Imagination, Computation, and Expression Laboratory (ICE), Harrell and his students take formal analyses of thought — developed in cognitive science, psychology, sociology, and other fields — and develop computational programs that can be applied to computer games, social media, and other forms of emergent media.
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Photo credit: Flickr user fdecomite


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Items where Author is "Ampong Mensah, G."
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Manu-Aduening, J.A., Lamboll, Richard, Ampong Mensah, G. and Gibson, Richard W. (2007) Farmers' perceptions and knowledge of cassava pests and diseases and their approach to germplasm selection for resistance in Ghana. Annals of Applied Biology, 151 (2). pp. 189-198. ISSN 0003-4746 (doi:https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1744-7348.2007.00182.x)


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Hello to all members of Tollesbury Sailing Club who frequent YBW forae, this is your Cruiser Captain speaking.
I am just testing to see if this might be a useful medium for TSC members to spread the word about short notice, non-club organised cruises in company?
If you are a member of TSC and think it might work for you, please email me via the address of the club website.
Rum Run


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Product Description
Surf water slide
Delivery Details
We delivery anywhere in San Diego County – from San Ysidro to North County. We deliver every day of the week including holidays after 8 a.m. & pick time can be before 6 p.m. That's ten hours of pure interruption free bouncing fun! View Party Rental Equipment and Jumper Delivery Policy.


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News Release 12-215
Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Education: A Nation Advancing?
NSF-funded report by National Research Council shifts focus from high-stakes assessments to measuring continuing progress
November 15, 2012
This material is available primarily for archival purposes. Telephone numbers or other contact information may be out of date; please see current contact information at media contacts.
Today the National Research Council (NRC) released a report, "Monitoring Progress Toward Successful K-12 STEM Education." The report builds on previous work in this area, and establishes key indicators for measuring improvements to the K-12 science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education system.
The report recognizes the important foundation laid in elementary school and sets out three goals for U.S. K-12 STEM education:
- Expand the number of students who ultimately pursue advanced degrees and careers in STEM fields, and broaden the participation of women and minorities,
- Expand the STEM-capable workforce and broaden the participation of women and minorities, and
- Increase science literacy for all students
The report emphasizes that making informed decisions about improvements to education in STEM requires research and data about the content and quality of the curriculum, teachers' content knowledge, and the use of instructional practices that have been shown to improve outcomes. However, large-scale data are not available in a readily accessible form, largely because state and federal data systems provide information about schools (personnel, organization and enrollment) rather than schooling (key elements of the learning process).
A major emphasis of this report is to determine what relevant data already exist and identify additional research and data needs. For example, tallying minutes per week spent on science in elementary schools would provide an important picture about the extent to which students are being engaged in science content and practices prior to their arrival at middle school. In addition, gathering data about schools that call themselves "STEM Schools" would give educators and parents more information about student learning and progress in those environments.
The authors note that this moment is ripe for addressing some of the challenges associated with STEM teaching and learning, particularly for groups that are underrepresented in the STEM fields. The authors point out that the Common Core State Standards in mathematics have been adopted by 45 states and three U.S. Territories. At the same point in time, A Framework for K-12 Science Education, which the NRC published earlier this year, lays the foundation for new science standards that emphasize conceptual understanding of key ideas in each discipline, greater coherence across grade levels and the practices of science and mathematics. Along with educational reforms around the country, these changes have the potential, per the report, to engage students in ways that better prepare them for postsecondary study and STEM careers, and eventually, to address current and future societal challenges and participate in an increasingly global and technologically driven society.
"This report is a tremendous resource for advancing STEM education in K-12 schools," said Joan Ferrini-Mundy, NSF's assistant director for Education and Human Resources. "We look forward to working with our colleagues within and beyond NSF towards the goals laid out in the report."
Media Contacts
Maria C. Zacharias, NSF, (703) 292-8454, email: email@example.com
The National Science Foundation (NSF) is an independent federal agency that supports fundamental research and education across all fields of science and engineering. In fiscal year (FY) 2019, its budget is $8.1 billion. NSF funds reach all 50 states through grants to nearly 2,000 colleges, universities and other institutions. Each year, NSF receives more than 50,000 competitive proposals for funding and makes about 12,000 new funding awards.
Useful NSF Web Sites:
NSF Home Page: https://www.nsf.gov
NSF News: https://www.nsf.gov/news/
For the News Media: https://www.nsf.gov/news/newsroom.jsp
Science and Engineering Statistics: https://www.nsf.gov/statistics/
Awards Searches: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/


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