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Wednesday, March 18, 2015

The Devil Fish

While working on a bigger post about the timeline of Octopus behavioral research, I came upon this book - "The Octopus; the Devil-Fish of Fiction and of Fact". Read it here on the Internet Archive – it’s available in several formats.

This piece is a colorful account by one Henry Lee of his experience with Octopuses (more properly, about some specific octopuses “with whom [he has] been on friendly terms”.) He has great, livid descriptions of octopus behavior in here, such as his account of feeding an octopus a crab against a pane of glass, so that the process could be observed:

Not a movement, not a struggle was visible or possible : each leg, each
claw, was grasped all over by suckers — enfolded in them — stretched

out to its full extent by them. The back of the carapace was

covered all over with the tenacious vacuum-discs, brought together

by the adaptable contraction of the limb, and ranged in close

order, shoulder to shoulder, touching each other ; whilst, between

those which dragged the abdominal plates towards the mouth, the

black tip of the hard, horny beak was seen for a single instant

protruding from the circular orifice in the centre of the radiation

of the arms, and, the next, had crunched through the shell, and

was buried deep in the flesh of the victim.
All in all, it’s an entertaining and informative (although scientifically questionable) read, and is one of the earliest description of octopus behavior that I have yet found free full text for - Aristotle’s descriptions in “The History of Animals” notwithstanding, a translation of which is available at the link, if you’re interested.

(Photo by Bernd Hofman.)

One of my favorite parts about reading the research on any topic is reading very old research on that topic. Today, I came across this paper on the argonaut, Notes on the Argonaut (1869), by W. H. Dall, published in The American Naturalist, volume 3. The argonauts are a neat genus of pelagic octopods (Argonauta,) the females of which secrete a thin shell from specialized areas on their arms (pictured above in ecological conditions, inside the shell, and drawn below without the shell.)

(Lithograph by Arthur Bartholomew, ~1870)

Almost 150 years ago, this guy put together a pretty good description of argonaut behavior, although it was brief. Reading his work renews my faith in the power of good old observation, as well as flowery phrasing in otherwise dry writing. For example, Dall comments on the argonauts sexual dimorphism, with a healthy dose of Victorian sexism:

The Argonant shell is formed, curiously enough, by the females only;

as among more highly organized beings sometimes, the gentler sex

outshine their brothers in the splendor of their apparel, and the

extent it occupies. Unlike many, however, the Argonaut toils not,

neither does she spin.

The last sentence of that quote is genuinely confusing to me. What exactly does he mean? What evidence is there that argonauts do not "toil"? What does it even mean for an octopod to toil? Without being accustomed to the zoological vernacular that Dall is writing in, its hard to get what he means by this.

Another gem is his description of argonaut mating habits. Unlike todays biological authors (fortunately or unfortunately, its your call,) Dall doesnt shy away from anthropomorphism:

When the tender passion seizes him, as he rocks on some sunny wavelet,

far from female society, he does not go in search of a wife, but with

Spartan courage, detaches one of his eight hands (or arms) and consigns

it to the deep, in the hope that some tender hearted individual of the other

sex will fall in with it and take it under her protection. Thus for a long time

the male Argonaut was unknown, the arm (which does not die when

detached, but lives an independent worm-like life) was, when found in

the gill-chamber of the female, supposed to be a parasite, and was called

Hecto-cotylus.

Interestingly enough, although this name was given to the organ because it was thought to be a parasite, the modified arm that octopus and squid use to mate is still called a heteroctylus.

In closing, Dall acknowledges the unique contributions of one Madame Jeannette Power (a pioneer of the use of aquaria) to the study of the argonaut with a quaint tone of amazement:

It is pleasant to add that our first detailed account of the Argonaut and its

development, was published by a lady, Madame Power, who made her

observations in the Mediterranean, having a sort of marine enclosure

made, where she kept these animals and observed their habits from life.

I know this was a short one. I couldnt help it - I cant resist dusting off a few of the old chestnuts in the scientific literature and reveling in my own fantasies of some lost scientific world, where its considered adequately professional to use the term "tender passions" when describing the behavior of a mollusc in a leading biology journal.

Thanks for reading!

The Definition Of Bacteria

HUMAN BODY SYSTEM DIAGRAM :
Lately I keep hearing so many things about bacteria. Patients getting sick or dying in hospitals, children becoming ill at school and even your vacation can be ruined if youre in the wrong hotel or cruise at the wrong time. Youve more than likely heard the recent news that potentially deadly, drug-resistant staph infections are on the rise, according to a study published in JAMA (The Journal of the American Medical Association). The study reports that methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections are more common both in and out of hospitals than experts once thought. Schools nationwide are reporting outbreaks of Staphylococcus aureus skin infections. Some of them are MRSA infections, which has recently caused two student deaths.

The Definition Of Bacteria

A lot of us are so consumed by fear that weve become bacteriophobic (fear of bacteria)? Modern day pollution has greatly increased the presence of bacteria in the air we breathe. This bacterium is the cause of many diseases and with this, there are many people who today find it rather uncomfortable to touch things or go to places for fear of getting contaminated.

The definition of bacteria are tiny, micro organisms that get nutrients from their environments in order to live. In some cases that environment is a human body. Bacteria can reproduce outside of the body or within as they cause infections. Some of the infections they cause include sore throats (tonsillitis or strep throat), ear or urinary tract infections, cavities, and pneumonia. But not all bacteria are bad. Some bacteria are good for our bodies - they help keep things in balance. Good bacteria live in our intestines and help us use the nutrients in the food we eat and make waste from whats left over. We couldnt make the most of a healthy meal without these important helper germs! Some bacteria are also used by scientists in labs to produce medicines and vaccines.

Theyre all around us. Theyre in the air we breath, the water we drink and on everything we touch. So basically you cant avoid it. But you can limit your exposure to the bad bacteria. Starting with rigorous hygiene and cleanliness. Its impossible to sanitize the great outdoors but we could make a safe haven out of our own home. Properly wash your hands. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) say that proper washing of hands is one of the best ways to prevent the spread of infectious diseases such as colds, diarrhea, and hepatitis.

First off you want to wash your hands after using the bathroom, picking up after a pet, changing a baby, taking out the garbage, coughing and sneezing, and handling raw foods. Wash your hands before cooking, eating, and tending to infants, elders, or the sick whose immune systems are compromised. Wash your hands before putting on contact lenses or applying any type of medication.

Use soap and warm water and scrub your hands (especially under the fingernails) up to the wrists, for no less than 15 seconds. Then rinse thoroughly and dry well with warm air or clean towels

The kitchen is considered a danger zone and haven of harmful bacteria primarily because this is where we handle raw foods and stow leftovers and food scraps. Aside from the germs that thrive on decaying foodstuff, disease-carrying bacteria can spread in the kitchen from raw meats and fresh produce that come from contaminated facilities and processing.

There is an estimated 76 million cases of food-borne disease occur each year in the United States, passed around through cross-contamination of infected meats, produce, and food processing handlers.

The following are ways to keep your kitchen safe from disease-spreading bacteria, viruses, and parasites. Refrigerate or freeze foods immediately, microbes multiply rapidly in warm and moist conditions. Dont let your produce thaw out on the counter over night. Thaw them out in their own container in the refrigerator so they cant cross contaminate any other foods. Refrigerate leftovers that will not be consumed within the next four hours. Prevent cross-contamination -- designate cutting boards, knives, and utensils for use with raw foods, and be sure to wash them thoroughly with a disinfectant after use. Remember to wash your hands, too. Disinfect kitchen sponges, dishcloths, and hand towels. Include sponges in the dishwasher; bleach dishcloths and kitchen towels with the laundry. Use paper towels to help wipe off germ-infested surfaces. Follow up with a disinfectant detergent or cleaner. If you use these tips you should be able to limit your exposure to harmful bacteria.

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My sister was staying with me last weekend and she asked what was that strange picture book in my office. Displayed on my shelves are The Long Journey of Mister Poop, Pat the Beastie, and The Festival of Bones, among others, so I needed a bit more than that to answer her. Turns out she was referring to Duck, Death and the Tulip, a book I intended to review but hadnt gotten around to yet.

The reason is that its not your usual picture book, and I wanted to do it justice. The story is simple. Death, wearing a fashionably long plaid coat and bearing a black tulip, comes to stay with Duck. Understandably nervous, Duck asks, "Are you going to make something happen?" But no. "Life takes care of that," Death tells her. The two pal around, going to the pond, perching high in a tree. Duck wonders about dying and Death listens to her speculate. Winter comes, and one night Duck lies down. She does not get up. Death gently places her body in the river, the tulip resting on her chest.

The last lines are:

For a long time he watched her.
When she was lost to sight, he was almost a little moved.
"But thats life," thought Death.

Written and illustrated by Wolf Erlbruch, a German author, (and beautifully translated by Catherine Chidgey), the books simple text and sparse, elegant illustrations combine to create a moving yet unsentimental treatise on death. It also has a sly, deadpan humor throughout, as when Duck first notices Deaths presence. "Duck was scared stiff, and who could blame her?"

The book is not for every child, but I so wish it was around when my daughter was six or so. She went through a stage when the thought of death panicked her, just looking at her reflection in the mirror could set her off. This book, with its calm, unblinking look at death, might have eased her fears and helped our discussions. Who knows? She may still get a copy.

Duck, Death and the Tulip
by Wolf Erlbruch
Gecko Press, 38 pages
Published: 2008

Australia Unit Learning the States and Territories

During our unit on Australia, my son (7yrs old), learnt about Australian geography including the states, their capital cities, the flags for each state as well as the flora emblem, the different animal and bird emblem of each state as well as significant landmarks (built and natural) for each state.

I started with a book called Flags and Emblems of Australia by Jill Bruce to learn about the emblems of each state. I went searching and found some printable Australian state flags, printable floral emblems for each state and territory and printable colouring pictures of animal and bird emblems of Australia. I also got some Australian travel brochures from our local travel agency to use the pictures for cutouts.

I made up two printable facts sheet, one for Australian State Facts (like the one below) and another for Australia Territories Facts so we could record the information we had researched. These facts sheets can be used for writing an information report on a selected Australian state or territory.

Below is an example of how my son recorded his researched information about the Northern Territory using the printables as well as pictures from the travel brochures.

Some other great printables I found are from Our Worldwide Classroom. Below is an example of the Australian States Printable 3-part cards that are available from Our Worldwide Classroom so hope over and check them out! While you are there you might want to download their printable Australia Day Mini Unit as well as their Australian Flags that are also 3-part cards.

Following these activities, we made our own Australia map which helped us as we learnt about each state and territories. You can download a copy of our FREE printable Australia map from here.

If you would like to see more learning ideas and resources about Australia, you can find these on my Australia Unit pinterest board.

Looking for the Perfect Dentist in Harrisonburg VA

Dentistry has met the twenty first century with the professionals at the practice of Dr. Scott A. Dunaway, Dr. Marion Messmer and Dr. Beulah Warf at Valley Smile Care. With state of the art equipment and expert trained professionals who not only provide the best in service, but truly appreciate the needs of their patients, you are able to think "Dentist Harrisonburg VA" and your first thought will be of the smiles at Valley Smile Care.

Your experience will begin when you are greeted by the brightest smiles when you walk in the door. The front office staff, dental technicians, dental hygienists and dentists all work together in a perfect symbiosis to create the dental experience which will have you looking forward to your next appointment.

In the business of creating the perfect, most healthy smiles, the professionals at Valley Smile Care truly love what they do. Comprehensive dental care is offered, from consultations to cleanings, from complex dental problems to affordable, efficient solutions, the office is dedicated to making your dental experience positive.

Offering total dentistry services, Valley Smile Care professionals offer general and restorative dentistry, and also offer periodontal and cosmetic dentistry. For those who have had unpleasant experiences with dentistry in the past, cutting edge technology is offered that can put a patients mind at ease. You will be able to spend less time in the dentists office, and all of your issues can be dealt with in one office, resulting in less dental visits.

One of the most revolutionary technologies offered is CEREC. CEREC Imaging Technology, Chairside Economical Restoration of Esthetic Ceramics, allows for faster and more efficient production of crowns, veneers, and other ceramic dental implants. The detailed CEREC software takes a 3-D photograph of your tooth, allowing for restorations to be made instantly from the impressions. The restored tooth is ready in about fifteen minutes. Installation is performed in the office as well, allowing you to continue living without the worry of numerous appointments and professionals.

Most of the time, what may seem like a complex dental problem can be repaired with one dental visit. CEREC technology allows for imaging, production and installation of the tooth within a comfortable, reasonable amount of time. Patients walk out with a smile, which is the priority of the expert professionals at Valley Smile Care.

Olive Oil can prevent the risk of stroke

Elderly people who consume olive oil have a lower risk of stroke than those who did not drink, researchers said in a study released on Wednesday (15/6) in the United States.

Some scientists at the National Institute of Health and Medical Research in Bordeaux, France, following the development of the 7625 French people aged 65 years and above, of the three major cities - Bordeaux, Dijon and Montpellier - for five years.

During the study, there were 148 people who had a stroke. Research object is divided into several groups according to their actions using olive oil, from people who do not use them at all until they are used in serving food, cooking and baking.

When the researchers adjusted for factors such as body weight, physical activity and food overall, they found they were called olive oil users "intensive" had a 41 percent lower risk of having a stroke than those who never consume olive oil.

"Our research shows a new series of food advice should be issued to prevent stroke in people aged 65 years and above," said the studys lead author, Cecilia Samieri, as reported by AFP.

Meanwhile, Dr. Nikolaos Scarmeas, a neurologist at Columbia University Medical Center in New York who wrote an editorial published with the study, said: "We need to remember this is an observational study."

The study found an association between the use of olive oil by humans and they face the risk of stroke, says Scarmeas told Reuters Health, which monitored ANTARA here on Thursday. But, he said, it does not necessarily translate into causality.

"People who consume olive oil may be very different from people who do not use it," said Scarmeas. Users olive oil, for example, may have higher incomes, eat better overall or more exercise than those who never consume olive oil.

The researchers in the new study, led by Cecilia Samieri, tried to account for that difference. And once they did, it proved oil zaitu linked to lower risk of stroke.

But Scarmeas said that was unlikely to fully account for all the variables. What is needed, he says, is a clinical trial, the object of study were randomly assigned to use olive oil or not, then followed its development from time to time to see who suffered a stroke.

Such clinical trials are seen as the "gold standard" of medical evidence.

"Stroke is common among older people and olive oil would be an easy and inexpensive way to help prevent it," said Cecilia Samieri.

The findings are published in the journal Media American Academy of Neurology, "Neurology".

The Real Cause of Infertility

Infertility can be defined in two ways: as inability to conceive after a year of regular sexual intercourse without contraception, or as repeated ectopic pregnancies, miscarriages or perinatal loss. Male and female specific factors account for about 30% of the infertility causes (individually);the combination of male and female causation leads to an additional 20% and the remaining 20% are caused by uncertain origins.

When one is dealing with infertility, as much as it is important to strictly follow the rules of the treatment, it is equally important to make sure that you have the correct diagnosis of the root cause of your condition. In this article you will find a broad outline, enumerating the various probable causes of infertility.

Why it is important to determine the causes.

Infertility may be caused due to a multitude of factors at a time, or it may be the result of perhaps the deviation of a certain single factor from its premeditated path. Since misdiagnosis can often lead to further fertility complications, the very first step of treating and curing infertility depends largely on indentifying the root cause right in the beginning of treatment.

The broad causes of infertility in females may be listed as follows:

. Anovulation: In females, ovulatory problems are the most common causes of infertility. The failure to ovulate may be due to a number of factors:

o Hormonal imbalance is the most frequent cause of anovulation; when the ovaries produce immature eggs, pregnancy becomes impossible.

o Women with polycystic ovaries suffer from a decreased secretion of FSH and increased secretion of LH and testosterone; therefore polycystic ovarian syndrome may lead to anovulation in women.

o Approximately 20% of the cases of infertility occur due to the malfunctioning of the hypothalamus, the gland which controls hormonal stimuli, resulting in immature eggs. The pituitary gland is responsible for the regulation of LH and FSH, and its malfunctioning produces immature eggs.

o Damage to the ovaries caused by previous surgeries, ovarian cysts, tumors and infections may lead to production of immature eggs as well.

o Premature menopause and follicular problems are also responsible for anovulation.

. Improper functioning of fallopian tubes: Viral and bacterial infections of the fallopian tubes are the primary cause of their malfunction.

Appendicitis and colitis are abdominal problems which lead to blockage of the fallopian tubes. Tubal damages may also be caused by previous surgeries, which render the tubes incapable of passing eggs. Ectopic pregnancy, which occurs within the tube, is a potential threat to life that also causes tubal damage. Congenital tubal defects are rare, but not impossible to come across as causes of infertility.

. Use of drugs: Smoking, drinking and using other drugs have been known to decrease the chances of getting pregnant.

. Problems in the Immune system: This problem includes autoimmune reactions in the body and the creation of antisperm antibodies which exterminate sperms. Natural killer cells, which when present in excess, can damage the embryo in the uterus. The antinuclear antibodies cause inflammation of the uterus when present in excess. The presence of antisperm antibodies in the females body kills off the sperms before they can fertilize the egg.

Although the causes of infertility are many, they are fairly easy to overcome, especially when diagnosed in the early stages. Using a holistic approach, comprising of the prescribed medicines, following a healthy diet, regular exercise, abstinence from alcohol, nicotine and other drugs, stress management, acupuncture etc. guarantees positive results. Due to the complex and multifactoral nature of infertility, the problem can be solved permanently only by dealing with it in the holistic way, which tackles all the root causes of this condition rather than focusing on specific triggering elements.

This article is based on the book, "Pregnancy Miracle" by Lisa Olson. Lisa is an author, researcher, nutritionist and health consultant who dedicated her life to creating the ultimate pregnancy solution guaranteed to permanently reverse the root of infertility, help you get pregnant quickly and naturally and dramatically improve the overall quality of your life, without the use prescription medication and without any surgical procedures. Learn more by visiting her website:Click Here!

10 Brightly Colored Ducks For a Pet or for The Pot The Real Owner

10 Brightly Colored Ducks: For a Pet or for The Pot? | The Real Owner

Native American Legends of the Woolly Mammoth

Native American Legends of the Woolly Mammothy

In the carving, we have the most interesting mammoth picture in existence; not a mere drawing of the animal itself, but a picture of primitive life, in which the mammoth takes a conspicuous part in the actions and thoughts of man, --a carving made with a bone or flint instrument upon a tablet of slate at least four hundred years ago,--the hairy elephant, drawn in unmistakable outline, and attacked by human beings,--a battle-scene which thrills our imagination, and the importance of which the ancient draughtsman magnifies by the introduction of the symbols of his religion, the sun, moon, and stars, and the lightning alone powerful to overthrow the great enemy.

IN the spring of 1872, eight years after the discovery of the famous mammoth carving in the cave of La Madeleine, Perigord, France, Barnard Hansell, a young farmer, while ploughing on his fathers farm, four miles and a half east of Doylestown, Bucks County, Pennsylvania, saw, to use his own words, a "queer stone" lying on the surface of the ground, and close to the edge of the new furrow. The plough had just missed turning it under. He stopped and picked it up; it was the larger piece of the fractured "gorget stone," in fig. 1, (frontispiece). By wetting his thumb and rubbing it he could see strange lines and a carving representing an animal like an elephant, but without troubling his boyish head much about it, he carried it several days in his pocket, and finally locked it up in his chest, where, along with his other relics, arrowheads, spear-points, axes, and broken banner stones, thrown in from time to time as he found them on the farm, it remained until the spring of 1881.

That the mammoth had survived into the time of the Indian can hardly be doubted. Early travelers had frequently seen its bones at the "Big-Bone Licks" in Kentucky, whether the huge animals had come, like the deer and buffalo of modern times, to lick the salt. The great bones often seemed hardly older than those of the modern animals with which they were mingled, and, judging from their position along the modern buffalo-trails through the forest, it seems that the latter animals had followed the ancient tracks of the mammoth to and from the licks.
Not a few of these early travelers thought it worth their while to question the Indians about the huge bones and note down their answers. Jefferson, in his "Notes on Virginia," devotes several pages to the subject. He even believes the mammoth to be still in existence in his time in some remote part of the American continent. He tells the story of a Mr. Stanley, who, "taken prisoner by the Indians near the mouth of the Tanissee," relates that "after being transferred through several tribes from one to another, he was at length carried over the mountains west of the Missouri to a river which runs west-wardly; that these bones abounded there, and that the natives described to him the animal to which they belonged as still existing in the northern parts of their country, from which description he judged it to be an elephant."
Further, in support of his theory, he gives an Indian tradition of a great monster known as the Big Buffalo, and obtained, he says, from, a Delaware chief by one of the governors of Virginia during the American Revolution. Nothing has seemed more interesting in a study of the carvings on the Lenape Stone than the remarkable similarity between this tradition of the Lenni Lenape or Delawares and the carvings on this relic, discovered in the middle of their ancient territory. The chief, as the account runs, being asked as to the bones at the Big-Bone Licks in Kentucky, says that it was a tradition handed down from his fathers that "in ancient times a herd of these tremendous animals came to the Big-Bone Licks and began a universal destruction of the bear, deer, elks, buffaloes, and other animals which had been created for the use of the Indians. That the Great Man above, looking down and seeing this, was so enraged that he seized his lightning, descended on the earth, seated himself on a neighboring mountain, on a rock on which his seat and the print of his feet are still to be seen, and hurled his bolts among them till the whole were slaughtered except the big bull, who, presenting his forehead to the shafts, shook them off as they fell; but missing one at length, it wounded him in the side, where-on, springing around, he bounded over the Ohio, over the Wabache, the Illinois, and finally over the great lakes, where he is still living at this day."
David Cusic, the Tuscarora Indian, in his history of the Iroquois, among other instances, speaks of the Big Quisquis, [A word meaning " hog " in modern Iroquois.] a terrible monster who invaded at an early time the Indian settlements by Lake Ontario, and was at length driven back by the warriors from several villages after a severe engagement; and of the Big Elk, another great beast, who invaded the towns with fury and was at length killed in a great fight; and Elias Johnson, the Tuscarora chief, in his "History of the Six Nations," speaks of another monster that appeared at an early period in the history of his people, which they called Oyahguaharb, supposed to be some great mammoth who was furious against men, and destroyed the lives of many Indian hunters, but who was at length killed after a long and severe contest."
Another instance of a terrible monster desolating the country of a certain tribe "with thunder and fire" appears in a collection of Wyandot traditions published by one William Walker, an Indian agent, in 1823; and again the great beast appears in the song tradition of the "Father of Oxen," from Canada, and in a monster tradition from Louisiana, both spoken of by Fabri, a French officer, in a letter to Buffon from America in 1748.
"The Reliqux Aquitanicae," published by Lartet and Christy, page 60, quotes a letter from British America of Robert Brown to Professor Rupert Jones, which speaks of a tradition common to several widely separated tribes in the Northwest, of lacustrine habitations built by their ancestors; to protect themselves against an animal who ravaged the country a long time ago.
Hardly less remarkable in its description of the animal than any of the others is, perhaps, the Great Elk tradition as mentioned by Charlevoix in his "History of New France."
"There is current among these barbarians," says the author, "a pleasant-enough tradition of a Great Elk, beside whom all others seem like ants. He has, they say, legs so high that eight feet of snow does not embarrass him, his skin is proof against all sorts of weapons, and he has a sort of arm which comes out of his shoulder and which he uses as we do ours."
Whatever we may have previously thought of these legends, their evidence now combined with that of the carving is irresistible. Nothing but the mammoth itself, surviving into comparatively recent times and encountered by the Indians, could suffice to account for the carving, and we can no longer suppose that the size and unusual appearance of the mammoth bones seen by the Indians in Kentucky could alone have originated the traditions.

Written by Greg Swanson on 15/5/2011

ePub stands for e-Publishing. It has been adopted as the international standard for publishing e-books. The ease of ePub is that any PDF text file can be uploaded into an ePub document. This means that many existing documents can be easily converted into an ePub full featured publication. Once you have published your e-book you can then give your student access to the document or you can publish it via your itunes. If it is something that others may use or enjoy you can even distribute or sell it via ibooks.

Benefits of ePub:

The open source and free format allows for reflowable text facilities. This means that it allows word wrapping, resizable text and in-line and vector images.

ePub also means that the files have metadata embedded in them which allows for the features that we have become used to with ibooks

definitions of words when clicked
can locate all verbs, adverbs etc in the whole document
embedded video and movies
live links to resources and websites
landscape or portrait capabilities
single or side-by-side page displays
it also has the support of many of the major publishing houses

Limitations of ePub:

the ePub format code does not allow for design features
therefore significant styling and presentation limitations
all graphics have to be anchored into the text, other features have to be reflowed into body text
therefore not great for textbooks - any design intensive layouts like sidebars or image callouts that look great in a printed textbook necessitate major redesign to meet epub standards
strange behaviour on different devices
ePub format targeted at limited content types - great for fiction

What I can do with ePub

What I want to do with ePub

Conclusion:

ePub books will allow many people to publish their own e-books that will be able to be accessed using either itunes or ibooks on iOS devices. This provides the ability of drastically reducing the costs of texts for schools and the ability for teachers to differentiate texts for specific groups. Many of these will be excellent publications that serve the purpose they will be designed for.

The use of ePubs for textbooks is itself limited due to the restrictions of the design features of the present format. The whole nature of presenting information on the iPad is about the features. These are only good if the overall design of the publication is engaging and captures the students attention. The fact that many of the design features we can already do in design applications, Illustrator or Pages can not be incorporated into the ePub format let this down as an educational tool. It also means that many of the big publishing houses will simply produce PDFs of existing textbooks.

When this aspect of the ePub protocol is rectified than this will become a tool that really democratises textbook publication. Until then it can still be an excellent way to get documents or e-books on to your studentss iPads.

If you are interested in locating or publishing ibooks in the ePub format try these sites:

http://dotepub.com

http://www.ePubbud.com

Related articles:
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printing-press-to-ipad-infographic.html
inklings-ipad-textbooks.html

40 Interesting and Scientific Facts About The Planet Uranus Scienceray

40 Interesting and Scientific Facts About The Planet Uranus | Scienceray

Uranus is one of the largest planets in the Solar System.

Here’s a list of interesting and educational tidbits about the planet Uranus.

1.) The planet Uranus is named after the god of the heavens in Greek and Roman mythology – Uranus, the father of Saturn and the grandfather of Jupiter.
2.) Uranus is the 7th planet in distance from the Sun and the 3rd largest planet in diameter, and 4th largest in mass in the solar system.
3.) Uranus is peculiar among other major planets because it is tipped sideways on its axis of rotation.
4.) This planet experiences extreme seasons.
5.) Uranus has 13 rings and 27 known moons.

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The Most Beautiful and Significant Meadows in the World

Definition, type of meadows and remarkable examples of meadows

What is a meadow? Well, a meadow is a field vegetated primarily by grass and other non-woody plants. It may be naturally occurring or artificially cleared. It may be cut for hay or grazed by livestock such as cattle, goat and sheep. There are different types of meadows such as coastal meadow, flood meadow, mottey meadow and wet meadow.

Some meadows from around the world can offer scenic views and can be popular attractions too. Here are some examples of the most captivating meadows in the world.

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The meadow on the above photo is located near Grindelwald in the Swiss Alps

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Grindelwald is a town in Bern, Switzerland. It is located at 1,034 meters above sea level in the Bernese Alps.

Coastal Meadow

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A type of meadow is coastal meadow. The coastal meadow on the above photo is located in the Atlantic Ocean in the East Coast of Brazil. It is specifically located in Genipabu in Rio Grande do Norte.

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This coastal meadow is located in the Indian Ocean in the coasts of the Andaman Islands in the Bay of Bengal, India.

Flood Meadow

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The flood meadow on the above photo is located near Hohenau an der March in Austria. A flood-meadow is an area of grassland or pasture beside a river, subject to seasonal flooding.

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The flood meadow on the above picture is the Christ Church Meadow. This famous flood meadow is a popular walking and picnic spot in Oxford, England, UK It is bounded by the River Thames, the River Cherwell and Christ Church. The lower sections of the meadow are grazed by cattle, while the upper sections have sports fields.

Mottey Meadow

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Another type of meadow is mottey meadow. The above photo is the Mottey Meadows National Reserve. It consists of a series of alluvial flood meadows near the village of Wheaton Aston in Staffordshire. The meadows have been managed for hay making for many centuries. They support over 240 species of flowering plants, including the rare Snake’s-head Fritillary.

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Prairies can be considered meadows too or at least portion of it. The beautiful prairie on the above photo is in Effigy Mounds National Monument in Iowa, United States

Wet Meadow

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A wet meadow is a semi-wetland meadow which is saturated with water throughout much of the year. A wet meadow does not have standing water present except for brief to moderate periods during the growing season unlike swamp or marsh. Instead, the ground in a wet meadow is typically damp and squishy, like a well-soaked sponge.

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The 10 Fastest Animals in The World Scienceray

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Tiger Beetles – World’s Fastest Animals in Terms of Body Size

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Tiger Beetles are among the most amazing animals in the world. They can sprint at 13 km/h. If human beings are like Tiger Beetles, we can run as fast as 494 km/h. They are the fastest animal in the world in equivalent to body size. Tiger Beetles run extremely fast they go blind. Their speed is about 22times the speed of the fastest human sprinter.

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First in the World Picture Detail Childbirth Process

For the sake of scientific progress, a mother from Berlin, Germany, the process of childbirth in the MRI scanner (magnetic resonance imaging). The results for the first time in the world resulting MRI image of a baby birth process.

The team of doctors consisting of gynecologists, radiologists and engineers collaborated over two years to create an open MRI machine that can accommodate pregnant women in childbirth. As is known a conventional MRI machine is shaped like a long, narrow hallway.

With this special MRI machine experts hope will produce a more detailed description of how a baby through the birth canal to help understanding whether or not a woman to undergo delivery by cesarean section.

"For the first time we can see a picture with a clear mechanism in normal vaginal deliveries. Already the obstetrician decades trying to understand the complications that cause the baby not be born normally, such as the pelvis is narrow or there are no openings," said Alvarez Dr.Manny , expert content from obgin and reproductive sciences department at Hackensack University Medical Center, USA.

He said, various tools such as ultrasound or x-rays to measure bone in the pelvis that is used is very minimal.

"Now the doctor can get an explanation of why a woman could give birth to babies with substantial weight while others do not. The doctor also can determine the cause of abnormalities of shoulder dystocia that occurred due to the babys shoulder hit the hip bone," he said.

A spokesman for the Charite hospital, the meeting place of birth in the MRI, said the delivery process went smoothly and now the mother and baby in good health.

MRI machines work by using magnetic fields and radio waves to produce detailed images of organs and tissues. Doctors usually use this tool to help diagnose disorders such as nerve, spinal cord injury, or tumor.

Common Seasonal Allergies that Causes Dark Circles Under the Eyes

Under eye skin area is extremely sensitive and will get infected quickly because of insufficient sleep, growing older as well as water retention. The most typical problems are dark circles, eye bags along with lines and wrinkles around the eyes. Some individuals generally inherit this from their family members. In certain men and women its not so severe and can be eliminated by using a few organic remedies. Everyone is also not aware which seasonal allergy symptoms do hold an adverse role in causing dark circles. They make the eyes swollen as well as watery and frequently result in dark circles.

Following are a few allergic reasons for dark circles surrounding the eyes:

1. Periodic

Periodic allergic reactions for example food allergies, hay fever, cosmetic allergies and things that trigger allergies from the work environment or even your home, trigger dark circles. Allergic reactions lead to irritation which swells the tiny blood vessels below eyes. Consequently these types of inflamed blood vessels rub against the very thin skin area of the eyes and dark shade shows up. Clogged sinus passages also trigger dark circles. The blood vessels of the eyes towards the nasal area turn out to be dark and dilated. Flowers from certain trees create allergic reactions, especially in winter weather. Whenever you walk out in the garden, pollen from the flowers of trees as well as plants flies in the air and trigger allergic reactions caused by that you simply get dark circles.

2. Environmental

Environmental allergic reactions are among the primary reasons for dark circles surrounding the eyes. The allergic causes nasal blockage which enhances the blood circulation to the nasal area. As the skin area beneath the eyes is fragile, it creates a purple shade. Additionally, it enlarges the blood vessels all-around your eyes and produces a dark shade. Persons getting allergic reactions using the mold, dust, pet pollen coming from dogs and cats do not sleep appropriately and have problems with adrenal exhaustion. Due to all these factors they end up getting dark circles under eyes.

3. Food

There are particular food items that may trigger allergic reactions and makes a contribution to dark circles. These types of allergic reaction differ from person to person. Many of the most allergenic foodstuffs consist of yeast, peas, chocolate, citrus fruits, mustard, sugar, peanuts, shellfish, egg whites, soy and wheat or grain. You need to choose foods which are much less allergenic for example grapes, lettuce, apples, rice, honey and broccoli. These types of sensitive foods lead to inflammation along with dark circles. Salt content and potassium rich foods even lead to dark circles. As sodium contains salt, that contributes to water retention in your body, as well as your eyes. By eating simply reasonable amounts of salt you possibly can reduce swelling of your eyes.

It is possible to reduce dark circles through attempting following useful home remedies:

1. Cold compress:

Cool water compresses will help decrease dark circles. Use a cold compress on both the eyes. It will help to lessen swelling. Put them for 10-15 minutes and sit down comfortably to relax. You will see that the dark circles are becoming lighter.

2. Cucumber slices:

Cucumbers are very well famous for its medicinal qualities of natural skin care. The pulp is undoubtedly an anti - edematous remedy which decreases inflammation of the skin and helps in restoring the skin texture. Place cold slices of cucumbers on the eyes and let it be for quite a while. After that wash the eyes using cold water. It is really an effortless solution to minimize dark circles.

3. Allergy medication:

Deal with hay fever which is accountable for dark circles. You can find allergy medications which are not sedating and it aids. Seasonal allergic reaction issues can be efficiently handled if you take over-the-counter medications. People who have allergic reactions will also be a lacking in folic acid, B6, folic acid and B12. A multivitamin pill can also help in these cases. You can even make use of a retinoic acid that is a vitamin A cream which is recognized by the common name tretinoin. Apply it every day around your dark circles.

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