What to Consider When Choosing A Plate Compactor

By Leo Eigenberg

A plate compactor is an essential tool to make sure the ground is solid, sturdy and flat before laying concrete, asphalt or paving stones. Preparing the ground will minimize issues with shifting, cracking and crumbling in the future and ensure the new ground surface lasts for the long-term. Let's take a look at a few of the most important things to consider in the process of choosing the right plate compactor for your project:

Single or reversible

The plate compactor can be split into several types with the single and reversible model the most popular option. The single plate compactor is the preferred choice for smaller scale jobs that involve working on asphalt or similar materials. It is designed to move in a single direction only.

The reversible plate compactor is the more heavy-duty and versatile tool with the ability to operate in both directions. It is a practical option for working on large commercial projects that involve sub base compaction or working at deeper depths. Also, this type of compactor is the preferred choice when working in tight areas. The ability to move in a forwards and backwards direction means there is no need to turn the machine around.

Plates

A further point to consider is the size and shape of the actual plate. The most common types are made in materials like ductile iron and steel. Also, the shape of the plate can have an impact on how well the ground is compacted. One of the easiest to use options is the curved plate because it is a lot more straightforward to turn and easier to maneuver around obstacles.

Also, the area you are compacting will have an influence on the size of plate. The large plate will cover more ground on each pass, but it is still important to consider the travel speed of the tool. The travel speed is measured in feet per minute. Make sure the chosen tool can complete the project in the shortest time possible.

Vibration

The plate compactor will vibrate while in use, but the amount of vibration per minute (VPM) can vary significantly between the different models. The amount of vibration directly relates to the force of impact generated by the tool. The harder the ground surface, the amount of force and vibration necessary will increase. It is important that the operator in charge of the plate compactor chooses a model that is user-friendly and easy to handle.

Discover more about the different choices with the    plate compactor.

Periodontal Disease: A Risk for Some Other Diseases

By Dr. Pran Rangan

Periodontal diseases are the infections of the structures around the teeth, which include the gums, the cementum that covers the root, the periodontal ligament and the alveolar bone. In the earliest stage of periodontal disease, the infection affects only the gums, which is called gingivitis. In more severe forms of the disease, all of the supporting tissues are involved. Bacteria in dental plaque are the major culprits. Overall, periodontal disease affects about 20-50% of the population around the globe.

In recent years, gum disease has been linked to some health problems. But many questions remain to be answered. Studies have produced varying findings about how much of a connection exists between gum disease and other medical problems. More research is needed to substantiate the findings.

Periodontal disease is linked to some other diseases as their risk factor. They have been enumerated below:

Cardiovascular disease - People with periodontal disease are at higher risk of having heart disease. Oral bacteria such as streptococcus gordonii and streptococcus sanguinis are common infecting agents. The researchers found that bacteria from the mouth are able to enter the bloodstream and stick to platelets, which can then form blood clots, interrupting the flow of blood to the heart.

Heart conditions such as high blood pressure, coronary artery disease or high cholesterol may result from chronic inflammation caused by periodontal infections.

Stroke - Periodontal disease results from a complex interplay between chronic bacterial infection and the inflammatory response. Some studies have investigated the association between stroke and periodontal disease and found that there exists significant association between them though evidence on the role of periodontal disease in stroke is still limited.

Alzheimer's disease - New York University dental researchers have found the first long-term evidence that periodontal disease may increase the risk of cognitive dysfunction associated with Alzheimer's disease in healthy individuals as well as in those, who already are cognitively impaired. The research suggests that cognitively normal subjects with periodontal inflammation are at an increased risk of lower cognitive function compared to cognitively normal subjects with little or no periodontal inflammation.

Pancreatic cancer - A research team from Harvard School of Public Health in Boston, MA, were the first to report strong evidence on a link between gum disease and pancreatic cancer back in 2007. The researchers suggest that there may be a link between high levels of carcinogenic compounds found in the mouths of people with gum disease and pancreatic cancer risk. They argue that these compounds - called nitrosamines - may react to the digestive chemicals in the gut in a way that creates an environment favorable to the development of pancreatic cancer.

After making adjustments for age, smoking history, diabetes, obesity, diet and other potentially confounding variables, the researchers could conclude that men with a history of periodontal disease has a 63 percent increased risk of pancreatic cancer compared to men without a history of periodontal disease.

Pre-term delivery of low-weight baby - According to American Academy of Periodontology, periodontal bacteria increase a woman's risk of delivering a pre-term low-birth weight baby.

Basics of oral hygiene -

Brushing -

Brush teeth twice a day. Take time to do a thorough job.

Use proper brush. Keep it clean and store in a proper place.

Practice good technique while brushing.

Replace the toothbrush every three to four months or sooner if the bristles become irregular or frayed.

Flossing -

Don't skim on flossing.

Be gentle.

Take one tooth at a time.

If you find it hard to handle floss, use an interdental cleaner such as a dental pick, pre-threaded flosser, tiny brushes that reach between teeth, a water flosser or wooden or silicone plaque remover.

The bottom line -

Since mouth is the gateway to the body, a number of negative health conditions and systemic diseases are now being linked to periodontal disease. It is worth mentioning that periodontal disease is a preventable one and if proper measures are taken one can reduce the risk for a number of very serious health concerns.

Commercializing Stem Cell Therapy

By Richa Verma

So far, we have got to know about the positive applications of these therapies, which are transplanted into the body with living cells to treat, or eliminate the disease from the patient's body. The most common type of cell therapy is the hematopoietic therapy. Harvested from the donor's body for the host to develop bone marrow, it is a well-known cell based therapy, with its self-renewal and differentiation capabilities into many cell types.

Stem cell based therapies have the potential to treat numerous disorders, especially blood and immune related disorders. A wide range of these therapies including allogenic cell therapies, autologous therapies, and mesenchymal these therapies has shown a major breakthrough for curing many medical conditions such as sclerosis, spinal cord injury, diabetes and strokes in the clinical trials. More recently, we have the boon of induced pluripotent stem cells, having the same characteristic as adult embryonic stem cells that can be cultured to produce embryonic stem cells. These cells are important for another key reason- tissue engineering.

Over the last few decades, cell therapies have received medical and commercial successes for emerging as a novel therapeutic option for many cellular dysfunctional diseases. If data are to be believed, the global market of stem cell therapy had touched an average of $410 million revenues by 2009, and the market was expected to grow double and reached a total of 100 million people in the US.

And due to its numerous medical benefits, medical companies and research institutes want to bring its clinical applications from bench to bedside.

Although open to many controversies and debate, we have enough evidence to prove that therapy is indeed an effective therapeutic application to address a range of diseases, including cosmetic procedures like hair regrowth, skin redefining and etc.

In addition to this, the growing number of cell based clinical trails hold true to the potential for stem cell efficacies and its applications. A recent study as of June 2010 highlighted the capabilities of cell therapies through 2000 (approx.) clinical studies on biomedical research.

While the manipulation of embryonic cells is limited and controversial, a greater chance to develop engineered tissues from iPSC is viable for the medical interventions in serious conditions. And this is the underlying reason, why public and society demand for more clinical trials of stem cell based therapies and their applications in the medical fields.

Hence, it is important to commercialize the use of stem cells for rapid development of biomedical research, and improve public health through awareness. Some important aspects of the commercialization of stem cell therapy are as follows as below.

Commercialization aids the development of novel technologies and intellectual property for certain stem cell research, augmenting their value in the therapeutic market.

It aims at stimulating economic growth as well as improving the public health.

It advocates for grants or funds to be used in the clinical research to generate more commercially viable services and products in the market.

It is indeed important for the translation of public knowledge.

Despite these growth factors of commercialization of stem cell therapies, it faces many challenges from specific governing bodies, which hinders its positive endeavors from creating effective and curative treatments for many incurable diseases.

In order to take advantage of scientific, economic and medical potential of these cell research; commercialization is indeed a basic requirement, and of course in a compliance with regulators of certain authorities. And when this happens, we would expect to get sustainable and constructive medical benefits through commercialization in the field of this therapy, while respecting the public trusts.

For more read at   https://www.cordlifeindia.com/blog/stories-hope-cured-blindness-stem-cell-therapy-story/

Teaching Methods in Humanities

By Martin Hahn

The teaching methods in humanities, as well as social sciences, emphasize the idea of education being a kind of conversation between generations, and so frequently turns to great works and big ideas for teaching -content in humanities. As far as teaching methods in humanities are concerned, we are going to look at: Perennialism programs approach: these approaches to teaching methods in humanities deals past works on their own terms as if they might actually help students understand today better.

Past works are not viewed as mere historical artifacts, but as gateways to a deeper understanding of the human condition. History (and, by extension, the humanities in general) therefore plays a large role in perennialist curriculums, through social sciences like economics, psychology, and sociology can still be taught. There is a strong liberal Arts bent to perennialist programs. The key goals are to develop critical thinking, a strong foundation of core knowledge (or cultural literacy), and persuasion skill through informed debate and extensive practice in essay writing.

PRAGMATISM: Pragmatism, on the other hand, emphasizes making learning relevant to students' present-day experience. Assignments tend to center around projects and tasks rather than argumentative essays; these projects will often have a real-world application or relevance. There might be more of a social justice component to a pragmatic program, though that is not always the case. Subjects like history and philosophy, etc, meanwhile, might play a more prominent role in pragmatic programs. The key goals are to make learning progressive and relevant while teaching students real-life skills and critical thinking.

EQUAL BALANCE BETWEEN PERENNIALIST & PRAGMATIC APPROACH IN TEACHING METHODS IN HUMANITIES
Perennialists believe that the focus of education should be the ideas that have lasted for centuries. They believe the ideas are as relevant and meaningful today as when they were written. They recommend that students learn from reading and analyzing the works by history finest thinkers and writers. Pragmatic believe that when students study these works and ideas, they will appreciate learning. It also aims to develop students intellectual and moral qualities.

Perennialists classrooms are also centered on teachers in order to accomplish these goals. The teachers are not concerned about the student's interests or experiences. They use tried and true teaching methods and techniques that are believed to be the most beneficial to disciplining student's minds. The perennialists curriculum is universal and is based on their view that all human being possess the same essential nature. They also think it is more important that individuals think deeply, analytically, flexibly, and imaginatively. They emphasize that students should not be taught information that may soon be outdated or found to be incorrect.

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Who Are the Prophets of Jerusalem?

By Norma Holt

The city of Jerusalem is the home of the three major religions, Christianity, Judaism, and Muslim. It is the place where the prophets Jesus Christ and Mohammed supposedly rose upwards to heaven. It's also where the Temple of the Mount was built and then destroyed. It's also the home of the Great Mosque which sits over the dome of the rock. So, are these three men the prophets of Jerusalem?

From their influence people around the world are now locked into systems that derive from the teachings they are purported to have given to the world. That makes them 'gods' in the eyes of their followers. They are, however, nothing but make-believe puppets of the rulers of their day. Each one, without exception, was born of a lust for power and control.

Those who follow the teachings in books that are mistakenly called the 'Word of God' are fooled by things that do not add up. Heaven and hell, for instance, have no presence and can't be located. That is because they are form the minds of those who used fear and reward as their weapons of persuasion.

Insurance Companies do the same thing. By promoting fear, they grab the attention of their audience. To constantly blast the same message of hopelessness to those who debate with the premise set down hundreds of years ago is their power.

People sit in temples, mosques, and churches listening to professional preachers who have undertaken university courses to get their stories straight. That is because without that type of support they cannot answer the hard questions, like "who is God".

The bible calls them out in many places and condemns them as spreaders of lies.

Norma Holt was drawn to the research that went back to Babylon to unearth the roots of religion and identity of 666. She proves conclusively that heaven and hell are tricks designed to manipulate people into believing in his Islamic religion.

Striking in Its Simplicity

By Gerjo Ben Van Der Merwe

It upsets me when men of God mess up. They say and do what they want and it seems as if people follow them blindly. But what they preach is so completely untrue.

Like the pastor who sprayed people in the face with the insect spray, Doom, to chase away demons. And yes, we all laughed at the jokes, like the one...

Yes, it is laughable. Or rather ridiculous, because it is so not true. It is the complete opposite of the simple content of God's message. God does not need shows and noise to attract people to Him. God does not need to be in the headlines on the front page of the newspaper or the evening TV news for the wrong reasons.

God has done what He wanted to do for mankind. And it seems as if we think it is not enough. That's why people do such ridiculous things like Pastor Doom. Mankind can be really, really stupid. Why do we want to add to the message to make it easier to understand?

The message is simple: 10... await the arrival of his Son, whom he raised from the dead-Jesus, who rescued us from certain doom.

That's it! No need to get the spray cans to drive out the demons. No need to build enormous church buildings with giant speakers, screens and flashing lights. Only this simple truth. God raised Jesus, his own Son, from death for one reason only: So that you do not have to pay for your sin. Jesus bore the punishment for sin (which is death and which you deserved) on your behalf.

Jesus died in your place. The punishment for your sin has been carried out and the court case is over. There is no charge against your name. Even if you sin a thousand times in the days ahead.

You don't have to fear the day you enter heaven. You don't have to stress about the court case that lies ahead, because whatever will be said there - and I suspect for all of us it will be: Guilty! - it doesn't matter. The punishment has been carried out, all fines have been paid.

Maybe this message is too simple and now the church has to make it more complex so that people can believe it. It reminds me of my friend's dad who wrote an extremely authoritative book. It was not a very thick book and he thought a price of R50 per book would be sufficient. He failed to sell even one.

Then a friend suggested that he increases the price. So he made it three times as much. In a short period all the books sold out. People link the value of something to what it costs.

So we need to ask: Is the cost of the life of our God's Son not enough for us? Isn't it enough to make the whole of mankind fall on their knees and give their lives to God within one or two days?

Apparently not. And that's why some do such crazy things like spraying Doom in other people's faces.

Do not run after fools. 10... await the arrival of his Son, whom he raised from the dead-Jesus, who rescued us from certain doom.

This is more than enough!

Scripture

  1 Thessalonians 1:5-10

Reflection

Is God's message enough for you?

Do you believe it?

Do you live it?

Prayer

Our Father, it is so sad that we make Your message so much heavier than necessary. Thank you for Your love and for caring for us. Thank you for Your Son who came to die in my place and who bore the punishment for my sin. Please help me to live in a way that will make others experience the simplicity of salvation. Amen.

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Teaching Methods in History

By Martin Hahn

History is the record of human past activities that are taking place on the earth surface. Teaching methods are different principles and methods that are used to instruct students in a learning environment. The methods used by a teacher will depend on the skills or information the teacher would like to convey to their students. Some of the most common teaching methods are memorization, class participation, recitation, and demonstration. While these teaching methods are widely used, every instructor has a specific teaching method. Teachers must be flexible in their methods and often adjust their style of teaching to accommodate their students.

Efficient teaching methods are essential tools that can help students achieve success in the classroom. Each student has a different personality and learning abilities. There are several factors that a teacher must consider when choosing a teaching method for their students. some determining factors for selecting a teaching method include the student's interest and background knowledge, as well as their environment and learning abilities. Teachers also help their students learn with various aids such as Auditory, Kinesthetic, and visual aids. Instructors use these teaching methods to help students understand and complete class assignments.

Teaching method as a history often includes lesson plans that students can use to help retain and recall information. Various forms of teaching methods used with lesson plans are explanation, demonstration, and collaboration. The explanation is similar to a lecture that provides detailed information about the specific subject. Demonstrations are used to provide visual learning opportunities from different view and collaboration allows students to participate.

TYPES OF TEACHING METHODS
There are two main types of teaching methods which are a non-participatory method and participatory method. They are considered as the major categories though non-participatory methods only one type can be used which is the lecture method. This can be applied in the case of high population or large number of students in the class. The following are the major methods of teaching that are applied as the participatory methods of teaching especially in teaching history:

1. STORYTELLING METHOD - These are methods of teaching that is applied as the main method particularly in the low population classes. For instance, when teaching in the class you mainly may decide to choose some certain topic and tell the story related so as to attract the understanding of the students to understand the lesson. The teacher ensures the time scheduled in the time table and the scheme of work of the lesson plan and lesson notes are all following in a smooth.

2. DEMONSTRATION METHOD - Teaching strategies is the careful plan of actions to achieve a goal, or the art of developing, or carry out such a scheme. This is an elaborate and systematic plan of action. This is all plan made to help learners to access the information. Teaching strategies can apply for this and not for that. Teaching strategies should aim at involving audio, visual, and audiovisual and kinesthetic learning aids. The demonstration method may be applied in a small class different from lecture method that can be applied where the class population is high.

3. QUESTION AND ANSWER METHOD- These methods also refer to the system under which applied by teaching in the class to make sure that the students are memorizing and assure the understanding is becoming very high in class. The prior knowledge of the student is considered to be of very important. From this fountain is where the trench of knowledge is to dig to make a big and wide canal of knowledge. Through this means, it assures the students and the teacher to share deferments issues.

4. DEBATE METHOD - This applied by the teacher depending on the nature of the class that whoever the class is small or large, it will enable a teacher to design on the changes upon a class. For example; attaining of instructional objectives depend on the method used. If the objectives need the student to list, mention or naming then the teaching method, strategies and techniques must relate to listing, mentioning, or naming.

5. EXPLANATION METHOD - This is a method under which the instructors tend to use the lesson notes from different sources to brainstorming his or her student and assuring them to understand the lesson as well. Here the teacher act as the main instructor and the students tends to listen to him or her when explaining.

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Just Peachy

By Dale Phillip

Like so many fruits, the first peaches were discovered in China during the 10th century BC, and, thanks to early explorers and trade routes, found their way to Persia (now Iran) and ancient Egypt. After showing up in Greece and Italy, they made their way to the city of Marseille, a large port town in southern France, scoring a home run from the get-go. Eventually, like most French foods, they found their way across the channel to England, where Queen Victoria (1837 - 1901) proclaimed that no meal was complete without a fresh peach.

During the 16th and 17th century, France was the self-proclaimed world center for peaches. As was frequently the fashion, when a king took a liking to a particular food, he spread the word. Thus was the case with King Louis XIV (mid-1600s) who ordered hundreds of peach trees be planted in the royal orchards and commanded his chefs to start creating new recipes, glorifying this newfound treasure. No doubt tarts and pastries were whipped up daily to satisfy his craving. To this day, several varieties of peaches, including heirloom, are still grown in the gardens of the Chateau de Versailles.

In 1892, a new dessert was created at the Savoy hotel in London by famous French chef Auguste Escoffier. Named in honor of an opera star, Peach Melba made its debut, featuring the glorious peach with raspberry sauce and cream. (Sadly, too late for King Louis to enjoy.)

A unique Italian cocktail originated in world famous Harry's Bar in Venice, by its owner Giuseppe Cipriani. The Bellini is still popular to this day, as Mr. Cipriani wisely chose not to name it the Harry. Made with fresh peach juice and prosecco, a sparkling wine, its namesake was a prominent Italian painter, not a bartender.

Peaches probably were passengers on the early ships to America. Along with apple, cherry and apricot trees, they were planted throughout the Northeast and along the seaboard, establishing a variety of fruits available to the colonists. Even Native Americans helped spread their popularity during their local travels. Peaches were embraced for their sweet juicy flesh and comprised some of America's favorite desserts, including cobbler and pie. Until canning was perfected, they were mainly eaten in season, either raw or cooked, generously covered with cream. Foodie president Thomas Jefferson had a prolific orchard on his estate and served peaches frequently to his dinner guests.

Although home canning was common, it became a booming industry in the early 1800s, but peaches did not emerge as a commercialized crop until the later part of the century., offering Americans a favorite fruit year-round. Proving to be a popular food for children, canned peaches flew off grocer shelves in large cities where fresh fruits were not as available. Although the state of Georgia is known as the Peach State, the largest grower award goes to California, which turns out the majority of annual peach production, a whopping 715,000 tons per year, compared to Georgia's 36,000 tons (sorry, folks). Another blow to Georgia is their neighbor South Carolina gets kudos from fruit experts for growing sweeter and larger peaches (go figure). Unfortunately for most of the country, due to the delicate nature and perishability of ripe peaches, they are usually picked underripe and transported. If you're lucky enough to have a neighbor who has his own peach trees, be nice to him so he'll let you pick your own. Although popular for eating, their first cousin, the smooth-skinned nectarine, takes a back seat for cooking.

No matter how you slice it, peaches top the hit parade. Available year-round, thanks to canned and frozen, we can all enjoy pies, cobblers and sauces out of season. And if you can find a local farmers market or live in a peach state, so much the better. Your summers are bound to be just peachy.

Author Dale Phillip has fond memories of her mother's canned peaches and her aunt's homemade peach ice cream. Growing up in the Midwest, peaches were abundant and usually picked ripe, yielding juicy fruit for cobblers and just plain eating. She confesses to having swooned the first time she tasted a Bellini (and yes, it was at Harry's Bar). Please view her many articles on Food and Drink and visit her blog: http://myfriendlyu.blogspot.com/