Thursday, October 31, 2019

FDT 1 week 4 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

FDT 1 week 4 - Essay Example Pena-Nieto’s administration should consider applying border initiative-operation Rio Grande. Rio Grande centralized local, state, county and federal law enforcement intelligence. Similarly, Pena-Nieto’s government should use current available assets including the National Guard under the supervision of Texas Homeland Security Director (Hesterman, 2013, p. 153). There should be viable strategies aimed at enhancing security at the Mexico-Texas border. Sustainable techniques include paying officers overtime to enhance patrols, coordinating state agencies, and sharing information with federal agencies (Hesterman, 2013, p.154). Pena-Nieto’s government should initiate programs that offer ammunition and training to law enforcers and oversight of security agencies operating at the Mexico-Texas border. Currently, Pena-Nieto’s government uses the army to conduct police related activities, in contradiction of provisions outlined under the Posse Comitatus law. Nieto has an established and healthy working condition with bordering countries. The administration employs foreign-based agents to work in coordination with Interpol and other international organizations on drug-related issues (Gaines, 2011, p. 231). Employment of more law enforcement agents is a key success of the administration in addressing challenges of drug cartels along Mexico-Texas

Tuesday, October 29, 2019

The Development Quantum Computing Essay Example for Free

The Development Quantum Computing Essay The story of computers started with the abacus invented by the Babylonians around 500 B. C. In 1614 John Napier began to develop mechanical computers such as the Babbage differential engine that could carry out one fixed problem to the accuracy of 20 decimal places using steam power. This is a picture of the left side of the Manchester Mark 1 computer, which was constructed in 1947. However, computing didnt advance until the introduction of vacuum tube powering in the early 20th century and transistors in 1947. At present computers work by manipulating bits, that can only be of discrete values of 1 or 0. In a digital computer the value of a bit is generated by the voltage on a capacitor, with a charged capacitor representing 1 and an uncharged capacitor denoting 0. According to Moores law the number of transistors in computer chips doubles every 18 months and computers have been seen to double in speed and half in size every two years, this is due to advanced lithography that allows wires and transistors contained in chips to be one hundredth of the width of a human hair These computers can carry out calculations using algorithms, a precise set of instructions used to solve a particular problem, an example of a fast or usable algorithm is addition and a slow or hard algorithm is factorisation. There a limits to present computers, that cant seem to be overcome by present technology. Hard algorithms like factorisation increase in time taken to solve exponentially when the number of digits increase, factorising a 400 digit number would take the most technologically advanced computer a billion years to perform. Computers have also reached their present size boundaries as transistors and wires cant be decreased to less than a width of an atom. (Approximately 10? 10 meters) The dawn of quantum computers In 1982 Richard Feynman began to consider the idea of quantum computers and in 1985 a revolutionary paper was published by David Deutsch of Oxford university, describing a universal quantum computer, however a use for quantum computers couldnt be found, until 1994 when Peter Shor from ATTs Bells laboratories devised a quantum algorithm that could theoretically perform efficient factorisation, creating a killer application for quantum computers for their great potential to break complex codes, for example electronic bank accounts, which gain their security from the present difficulty in factorising large numbers. What a Quantum computer can do for you In order to continue the advance in computing a new type of technology needed to be exploited. According to quantum physics a subatomic particle cant be said to exist, there are only probabilities of its existence and position until its definite state and position is discovered, then its probabilities collapse. Quantum physics breaks down the classically binary nature of a bit, with the invention of a quantum bit or qubit that can exist in coherent superposition, i. e. as a 0, 1 or simultaneously as a 1 and 0, with a numerical coefficient representing the probability of each state. The qubit is represented by the nuclear spins of each individual atom, for example the change in energy state. When you perform a calculation using an electron existing in both states you are performing two calculations, when another superposed qubit is added four calculations can be performed at once and so on. This exponential increase means that the time taken to carry out calculations rapidly decreases. The time to carry out calculations also decreases as atoms change energy states far quicker than even the fastest computer processors. With only a few hundred qubits it is possible to represent more numbers than there are atoms in our universe. It also increases storage capacity exponentially, as N qubits can store 2 numbers at once. Imagine the qubits are atoms whose different electronic states can be controlled by a tuned laser; this will change their state allowing in only one computational step a calculation to be performed on 2 different input numbers encoded in coherent superpositions of N qubits. The actual space a quantum computer will take up will be significantly smaller than present day desk tops, allowing the further development of sophisticated, efficient palm held computers. This is because given the right calculation each qubit can take the place of an entire processor, meaning that 100 barium ions could take the place of 100 computer processors. Aside from computers quantum technology has developed rapidly in the last ten years. In June 2002 a team of Australian scientist were able to teleport a laser beam, causing it to disappear and be regenerated 3 ft away, the results are yet to be confirmed but if they are sound this development could in a matter of years be able to teleport actual objects significant distances. Nuclear Magnetic Resonance After Shors discovery quantum computing construction began in earnest, however due to the phenomena of decoherence no atom or photon, being the qubit, can be of an undetermined state after being detected, the probabilities collapse and its state becomes definite. This makes further calculations impossible as the exponential element of the qubit has been lost, causing it to behave as a regular analogous bit. In order to keep the coherence of the qubit the inner workings of a quantum computer must be separate from the outside environment to stop any interactions that may determine the state of the qubit from occurring, but also be accessible so that calculations can be carried out and results obtained. A solution was Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) a technique developed in the 1940s, which is widely used in medical imagery and chemistry. Experiments were carried out, during the mid 1990s and it was found using a classical fluid made of many (1023) selected molecules allowed each qubit to be represented by many molecules allowing interactions to take place between some of the molecules but still maintaining the coherence of the qubit. NMR treats the spins of qubits as tiny bar magnets that will line up when a magnetic field is applied, allowing manipulation of the qubits. Two alternative alignments are generated one parallel to the external field and one anti-parallel to the field, corresponding to two different quantum states. NMR procedures also use an oscillating electromagnetic field, which is specially selected according to the properties of the molecules used. This causes certain spins in the liquid to be rotated, causing them to perform the different calculations required. Example Hydrogen nuclei placed in a magnetic field of 10 tesla, change orientation at a frequency of 400 megahertz (radio frequency) Due to decoherence the pulse is only turned on for a few millionths of a second but can cause the spins to rotate by 180 degrees, a pulse half that length causes a 90 degree spin. This causes the spins to be of state 1 or 0 with equal probability. This causes the spin to rotate about the magnetic field, as shown in the image on the right. This rotation emits a weak radio signal, which is picked up by the NMR apparatus.

Sunday, October 27, 2019

Family Communication Plan for Parents of Deaf Children

Family Communication Plan for Parents of Deaf Children There have been many studies conducted concerning children who are born into deaf families who can hear. These studies identify how parents manage this change in life and how they can make the best decisions that can positively impact their children and family. However, a limited number of studies have actually been conducted for children who are born into deaf families who can hear. Moore Lane (2010) state that 90% of deaf parents have hearing children, unfortunately these children have the same amount of attention compared to those who are deaf in hearing families. Purpose The purpose of this review is to establish a plan for children born into deaf families that can best help them and their parents, identify other studies and articles that have researched this, and to identify key gaps that are missing from the research. This study will explore family communication with emphasis on expressiveness, family satisfaction, and motivation. It will also identify how these concepts relate to the roles of interpreting and protecting. Research The research was conducted using the Cornett Library database online, which includes the CINHAL and MEDLINE databases, along with others. We limited our search to scholarly journals only and searched within a five year window so all data would be up to date and accurate. I searched for â€Å"deaf adults† â€Å"children with deaf parents†, and â€Å"nursing and deafness†. I chose the selected articles based on familiarity of ideas, and consistency of information, along with the minor disagreements that each article had. Themes Communication: There are many different theories that try to explain and solve the issue of communication of children and their deaf parents. Koerner and Fitzpatrick (2012) established a communication model by using relational observations. These analyzations created a theory that addressed the level of â€Å"conversational orientation.† Families with a high degree of conversational orientation tended to be able to freely communicate about any topic. This kind of communication led to high satisfaction within all family members. This theory states that every family is unique, so it is up to each separate family member to contribute to how they best like to communicate so their satisfaction is higher within the family, or environment. Olson (2011) used created the Circumplex Model of Marital and Family Systems and established a model that stated that communication, cohesion, flexibility, and family relationships are key to creating a healthy family balance. Expressiveness: With both theories, it is important for family members to express themselves with their own opinions and ideas to continue positive communication. Schrodt (2015) conducted a survey that questioned young adult children about their family communication. Schrodt (2015) states that the â€Å"perceptions of family expressiveness have a sizable, direct association with perceptions of family cohesiveness and flexibility†. Schrodt also voiced the when family members communicate effectively, it lowers stress within the family structure, and it also helps to lower the stress levels of members outside the family unit as well (Schrodt 2015). Cohesiveness is formed when family members commit to the idea that they are going to converse with each other about both the negative and the positive things that are happening to them as well as the other people within the family. It is also important that the flexibility within the family happens. This can only occur when each family member learns how to properly deal with the information that is being discussed. Family Satisfaction: The satisfaction family members have towards one another directly relates to the type of communication they have with each other. Burns Person (2011) conducted an online survey where two family members answered questions related to three categories: relationship talk, joking around, or summarizing their day. The study concluded that the three categories were predictors of the family’s satisfaction towards one another. A sense of unity was formed when family member discussed one of these three topics, and this led to a higher family satisfaction. Caughlin (2013) states that â€Å"a family’s satisfaction rate can be measured only by the family members’ standards they have set for themselves and their family as a unit.† This emphasizes that all families are different and although satisfaction can be generalized through the previously mentioned studies, these situations should be recorded and investigated more thoroughly, as every family communicates differently. Motives: Children communicate with their parents for many different reasons. Barbato, Graham Perse (2013) identified two key variables when children communicate with their parents: inclusion and control. Children will learn how to properly communicate with their parents because the main thing they truly want is to be included in their family’s conversations. Children should learn how to communicate with their parents so they can explain their ideas, ask questions and feel a sense of belonging. Also, children communicate to gain certainty with what is going on around them to feel more in control of their environment. Barbato, Graham Perse (2013) concluded that children are influenced by how their parents communicated. In the study, many children embraced the same communication habits as their parents. Limitations and Gaps All research studies have limitation that need to be considered. In the Burns and Pearson (2013) article they state that â€Å"future research should begin looking at families individually as units and then making comparisons with other family units to have a more accurate interpretation of ‘‘families’’ and not individuals. Complimenting these results with observations may also provide more validation.† Also in the Schrodt (2015) article, they state that the sample size that they used was too limited both in ethnic diversity and in number. This could have been easily corrected by expanding the number of individuals that participated and the different ethnic family that were included as well. Finally, Barbato, Graham, Perse (2013) states in their article that certain fundamental gap was noted after their study was performed with the age group of 12-16 year old females. There were only five female girls aging from 12-16 years old, compared to 20 childr en from every other age group tested, making this the weakest point in their study. Method Method Choice: In order to conduct my own inductive study, I would use a qualitative method throughout because I would be concerned about the effect family communication is impacted as a whole, not just only how the parent’s deafness impacts the family. Also, I would look for a similarity between the parents’ deafness and the family communication. I would study this by analyzing real participants it affects and in the actual environment with the communication occurs. To guarantee credibility, I would use three methods to form my data. The three methods I would use would be personal interview, focus groups, and ethnographic research. The ethnographic research would enable authentic reactions within a real life environment and provide a unique opportunity to view this interaction between a child and parent. Personal interviews could help better understand a person’s motives and feelings, and focus groups could help new ideas form. Sample Selection: For selecting a sample, I would use the Texas Association for the Deaf and receive a list of families that are living with hearing children and deaf parents. I would contact these families and explain my study and ask if they wanted to be a part of it. I would then choose a nonrandom sample of the participants that meet three criteria. First, they must be between 10 and 18 years old in order to answer all questions asked in the study. Secondly, they must live within a 20 mile radius of the Dallas Fort Worth area so I can properly and personally contact them all. Finally, both parents of the children chosen must be deaf. The minimum amount of families I would want to observe would be five. Overall, I would like to interview between 20 and 30 children Procedure: In the ethnographic research, I would only be an observer. I would witness applicants both in a public setting and at their personal home, knowing that the participants might act differently because of my presence. For personal interviews, I would have a pre-determined list of questions and would give opportunity to ask new questions depending on the direction of the interview. The interview is estimated to last between 45 minutes to an hour, depending on the extent of the participant. One question that I would ask would be, â€Å"Do you use regularly use voicing or sign language when you communicate with your parents?† In the focus group, I would use a facilitator who could both speak and use sign language. I would also take record the answers the participants stated and any other comments that could be useful concerning their communication within their family. After the data is collected, I would draw conclusions from it once it is interpreted and analyzed. Discussion and Conclusion The goal of this literature review was to establish a plan for children born into deaf families that can best help them and their parents, identify other studies and articles that have researched this, and to identify key gaps that are missing from the purposed research. Its intent was also to discuss family communication with emphasis on expressiveness, family satisfaction, and motivation. Overall, children with deaf parents can and do communicate with them every day. The goal, however, is to support and help them and their parents better communicate with each other in order to create a healthy and happy family dynamic. This will help within the nursing community by improving communication with deaf patients and will greatly help in healthcare service areas throughout the world. Though this is seen differently with each family because every family is unique, the goal is the same, and with more work and improvement in this field, we can make a difference and see lives changed. References Barbato, C., Graham, E., Perse, E. (2013). Communicating with the family: An examination of the relationship of the family communication environment and interpersonal communication motives. The Journal of Family Communication, 3(3), 123-148. Burns, M., Pearson, J. (2011). An investigation of communication atmosphere, everyday dialogue, and family satisfaction. Communication Studies, 62(2), 171-185. doi: 10.1080/10510974.2010.523507 Caughlin, J. (2013). Family communication standards what defining excellent family communication and how standards associated with family satisfaction? Human Communication Research, 29(1), 5-40. Koerner, A., Fitzpatrick, M. (2012). Toward a theory of family communication. Communication Theory, 12(1), 70-91. Moore, M., Lane, H. (2013). For hearing people only. Rochester: Deaf Life Press. Olson, D. H. (2010). Circumplex model of marital and family systems. Journal of family therapy, 22(2), 144-167. Schrodt, P. (2015). Family strength and satisfaction as functions of family communication environments. Communication Quarterly, 57(2), 171-186. doi: 10.1080/01463370902881650

Friday, October 25, 2019

children and tv :: essays research papers

Effects of Television on Children Children are mainly exposed to television, television violence and television culture at home. Thus parents play a vital role in helping children to make sense of what they see on the television. These days television influences the lives of young children and it is only going to get worst with each passing year. It is very challenging for young children to make choices of what programs they should watch. Because of the lack of experience they need more help from adults. Pulling children away from television programs is a challenge. Children's media are designed to get attention and keep it. Some Horrifying facts about media violence in children's lives: †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  By the end of elementary school, the average child will have seen 8,000 murders and 100,000 other violent acts in the media. †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Children's cartoons and action programs average more than 20 acts of violence per hour, compared with 5 acts per hour during prime-time hours. †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The sale of Mighty Morphin Power Ranger products (based on the extremely violent TV show) surpassed $1 billion in 1994. †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  More than $3 billion of products related to the Star Wars movie have been sold worldwide. †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In one survey, more than 90% of teachers thought the Power Rangers led to increased violence among the children they taught. Some Action Ideas: First of all as a parent, take charge. Develop guidelines for your child as to how much television she/he can watch. The less the television time the better it is. Since young children do not have the concept of time, deciding on the number of shows they can watch can be an option. Select programs that are designed to promote positive development and learning. Some experts suggest no more than an hour a day for young children. Experts have suggested a simple chart that parents can use with their children, for example: ________________________________________ Plan for TV viewing for ____________________________ Day of week Picture of Show #1 Picture of Show #2 _________ Time: Time: _________ Time: Time: ________________________________________ Children as young as three years old can plan by drawing pictures of the show they plan to watch. You can develop TV rules for home. Please make sure that as a parent you follow them as well and be consistent. You can come up with some rules as for example, TV only on weekends, no TV before school, no TV after dinner, no violent shows, etc. This plan of action will be more effective if you develop these rules with your child because she/he will feel that her/his voice is heard.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Issue Report on Captive Breeding and Reintroduction

Wildwood Trust is a project situated on the edge of the Forest of Blean, in Kent. Wildwood's aim is to use the facilities in the woodland and animal collection to ‘support practical conservation projects in the wild.' There are over three hundred animals, many of which are endangered, taking part in conservation projects, and living in semi natural enclosures. The woodland is managed by coppice rotation, a process that takes place every 20 years where trees such as silver birch and sweet chestnut are cut to ground level and then shoots allowed to regrow. This is an essential habitat for the hazel dormouse. The wood is a centre for captive breeding and reintroduction for native endangered species such as hazel dormice and this example will be used in this report to explain these issues. The Hazel Dormouse (Muscardinus avellanarius) The Hazel Dormouse is native to the countryside of Britain, predominantly southern England (see figure 2), living in woodland areas and environments rich in coppice. The mice are an arboreal species; spending the majority of their life in trees or bushes and only living on ground level during winter hibernation. The mice are considered a ‘flagship species' chosen to represent an environmental cause and raise support subsequently benefitting other species contained in the ecosystem. The populations of dormice were shown to have disappeared from seven counties in England by The UK Mammal Society Dormouse Survey in 1984. The decline has been caused by human destruction of their woodland habitat through development, climate change and pressure from other species. Grey squirrels were introduced into England and ate the nuts that the dormice fed on whilst they hibernated. Climatic change caused warmer winters resulting in the early awakening of the dormice from hibernation, before the ripening of their food, and wetter summers stopped the dormice from foraging. Dormice are listed on The World Conservation Union (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species and are protected by law, under Schedule 5 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act, 1981. This act prevents the killing, injuring, disturbing or trapping of the dormouse. It also makes it illegal to possess or control the animal, damage its shelter and sell or buy the dormice without a licence. Captive breeding Captive breeding is the reproduction of animals in confinement under controlled conditions to be released into the wild. This is important for conservation of threatened species and is an example of ex situ (out of the natural habitat) conservation, but it raises implications. Captive breeding has taken place at Wildwood for dormice as part of the national dormouse captive breeding and reintroduction programme. The dormice are housed in an enclosure made of a wooden frame and mesh covering. Unlike other rodents theirs is a short breeding season having 1-2 small litters of 4-7 offspring. The young stay with the mother for 6-8 weeks, making it unlikely for more than one litter a year. In each enclosure the nest boxes are kept 1.5m off the ground with protection from water and predators, water and food are hung on the side of the cage and the floor is covered with leaves and soil. After hibernation the enclosure is filled with branches of vegetation to provide 3D space for the animals to use. This provides the ideal conditions for breeding with no stressful food finding. One enclosure can hold up to three individuals either two females and one male or one breeding pair and their offspring, under one year of age, and will be kept in the same groupings over winter. Adult males must be placed separately as they are territorial and will fight. Where do the breeding mice come from? In November nest boxes are checked and, if permission is granted from Natural England, wild dormice weighing less than 15g can be taken. As these mice are underweight they have less chance of surviving winter hibernation and can be kept indoors during this period in heated nest boxes. Other dormice are orphaned or given into rescue centres and vets. The Common Dormouse Captive Breeders Group (CDCBG) chooses which individuals breed and how many are bred annually, which also helps to prevent inbreeding. The Paignton zoo studbook keeper gives each captive born dormouse a stud book number, and their breeder will allocate each mouse a local ID number. Genetics When animals reproduce genes are passed from parents to offspring. Genetic variation is the natural differences of individuals, across a population. A characteristic that will give dormice a disadvantage, for example short teeth, could prevent them from opening nuts, so if food was in short supply these mice would die and longer teethed mice would thrive. This would cause the gene for longer teeth to become more common, which is the basis of natural selection. Natural selection, was a theory of Charles Darwin, in which better adapted animals would have more chance of survival, so becoming more predominant. Wildwood would like to preserve biodiversity which is the huge variation found within and between species and ecosystems on Earth. Offspring that are created from the same sets of genes will have similar genes to each other. Inbreeding is the breeding of animals that share more genes than the average population, they are related in some way. If inbreeding takes place the genes of their young will come from a very selective gene pool, making particular genes more predominant within a species. Inbreeding can lead to deformities and mutations as well as problems with immune systems and an increase in genetic diseases. ‘Inbreeding tends to reduce the number of alleles in a population', from source 1. A studbook for dormice was created in 2006 to keep track of mice kept by members of the CDCBG. The studbook limits inbreeding and keeps breeding to first generation or wild caught animals. Breeders can use the studbook to selectively breed, mixing mice from different collections and different families. This will stop related mice from dominating the gene pool creating healthier mice and preserving genetic diversity. Future developments could include implantation of embryos and in vitro fertilisation (IVF) of the dormice. Selective breeding could be improved and gradually undesirable characteristics or weaknesses bred out. Cloning could be developed. Captive breeding raises many ethical, environmental, social and economic issues. Ethical issues. * There are various ethical issues that need consideration with regard to captive breeding. Animals have to be removed from their natural environment and put into captivity virtually locking them up and many people feel that there should not be any interference with nature in this way even to avoid extinction. It could be the case that genetic diversity has already declined to the point where it is irreversible. * There could be a case for protection to encourage breeding in the wild, by in situ methods of conservation, within the environment. However, captive breeding is used to retain species and improve numbers and is easier to manage. * Selective breeding increases genetic variation and produces healthier populations also preventing inbreeding. This reduces deformities and mutations but should humans interfere with natural reproduction? Inbreeding would sometimes naturally occur and if the population was kept large enough this would not often happen. Economical Visitors pay an entrance fee at Wildwood and this money goes towards the captive breeding scheme. However, they do not see the programme taking place as they would disturb the dormice and interfere with hibernation and reproduction. It could be that unless the programme continues indefinitely a lot of investment may be lost if the numbers continue to decline. Environment Using dormice from different collections to breed may spread diseases to other populations of dormice. Reintroduction Reintroduction is releasing captive born animals into a particular environment to which they were once native and where they will be free from human supervision. Normally these populations experienced decline due to human intervention and will only succeed if the cause of the decline has been overcome. The reintroduction is considered successful if the animal has fully integrated into the local population and survived with no further aid or interaction from humans. Reintroduction projects must follow guidelines set out by the IUCN and Wildwood has released dormice back into their natural habitats. They use a soft release program, gradually using less human intervention. Seven weeks before release the litters are health screened at the Zoological Society and released if they pass the tests. Reintroduction is limited to once a year as criteria for suitable sites are extensive and complicated. The population densities are less than 10 adults per hectare in their best environments. What does the health screening test for? The health screening takes place to check the animals do not have any disease that could be passed onto wild populations. Scientists test for: * pathogenic bacteria * Tapeworms (cestodes) * Roundworms (strongyles) * Tubercolosis * Parasites The condition of the dormice's coat, skin, face, genitals, feet and incisor teeth are checked and their weight should be between 18-24g for summer re-introduction. 8mm Pet-ID microchips are fitted in the dormice under anaesthetic for identification in the future. Where is a dormouse released? An ideal site for the dormice†¦ would†¦ would not†¦ be an old wood with different layers of vegetation, already have a dormouse community (males may kill new dormice) have lots of undergrowth, have less than 100 nest boxes in the woodland. have deciduous trees, Place males less than 100m apart, as they are territorial. have coppicing taking place regularly, Have related dormice close by to stop inbreeding have fruiting hazel, Be at least 20 hectares, have a site management plan. Figure 4: Table showing an ideal site for dormouse reintroduction. How Wildwood release their dormice 1. Natural England is informed. 2. Pre-release cages made of wire are attached to a group of hazel trees. 3. 2-3 nest boxes placed in each cage, with a male and two females so there is more of a chance of the animals staying together. 4.Dormice then live in these whilst they acclimatise to the surroundings. 5. For 2-3 weeks humans supply fresh food everyday, during the day so the dormice are not disturbed. Also leafy branches are placed above pens to provide shade and protection from predators. 6. One week to 10 days into the three week period, a hole, less than 3cm2 is made in the top corner of the cage. The mice can then explore the area and there cage can not be invaded by birds or squirrels. 7. The frequency of feeding is reduced gradually until mid-September, when the animals should have found their own food supplies. 8. The nest boxes are checked until October, where weights and number of offspring are recorded. 9. Dormice are left to hibernate. 10. Monitoring begins in May. Figure 5: Stages of reintroduction What is monitored and when does it take place? A long term monitoring plan should be made before any reintroduction, so that the species will successfully survive in a wild environment. After release nest boxes are checked by trained and licensed volunteers, who record numbers, sex, weight, breeding condition and offspring. The volunteers monitor the nest once a month from April to October, between the 15th and 25th of each month. Data should be collected before midday so torpid dormice can be seen, and a National Dormouse Monitoring Programme Record From must be completed. Conditions of release * Winter cleaning of empty boxes. * Dormice are released in June to prepare for hibernation. Ethical There is an ethical duty for reintroduction because humans destroyed the dormice's natural habitat and caused the population decline so they should restore the population. However, should animals be returned to the wild when there are still outstanding issues that led to the original decline? Microchips are put into the necks of the released dormice which are approximately a tenth of their body length. Anaesthetic is risky for small animals and interferes with their natural state. The chips are considered important for monitoring the dormice to help with the programme. They could be eaten by a predator in the food chain and the microchip would be affecting natural processes. If the reintroduction is not successful and the mice die this could be due to human error and animals may have suffered as a result of this. Economical The scheme is expensive as the release is labour intensive, with staff needed to survey the area before and after release. This diverts resources from much more cost-effective ecosystem and habitat conservation measures. The health screening is expensive and microchips costs à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½8 per mouse on top of anaesthetic and vetinary bills. Environmental The nest boxes and cages used can intrude on the natural woodland, with the possibility of dormice causing a shortage of food for the other animals in the ecosystem. Social Some behaviour in genetically inherited but some is learnt from adults and experience. Captive bred animals do not gain this knowledge and are at a disadvantage when reintroduced. The mice might lose their ability to create their own nests. The reintroduced dormice could cause a problem to the local residents.

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

Snowflake Chemistry - Common Questions

Snowflake Chemistry - Common Questions Have you ever looked at a snowflake and wondered how it formed or why it looks different from other snow you might have seen? Snowflakes are a particular form of water ice. Snowflakes form in clouds, which consist of water vapor. When the temperature is 32 ° F (0 ° C) or colder, water changes from its liquid form into ice. Several factors affect snowflake formation. Temperature, air currents, and humidity all influence shape and size. Dirt and dust particles can get mixed up in the water and affect crystal weight and durability. The dirt particles make the snowflake heavier  and can cause cracks and breaks in the crystal and make it easier to melt. Snowflake formation is a dynamic process. A snowflake may encounter many different environmental conditions, sometimes melting it, sometimes causing growth, always changing its structure. Key Takeaways: Snowflake Questions Snowflakes are water crystals that fall as precipitation when its cold outside. However, sometimes snow falls when its slightly above the freezing point of water and other times freezing rain falls when the temperature is below freezing.Snowflakes come in a variety of shapes. The shape depends on the temperature.Two snowflakes can look identical to the naked eye, but they will be different on the molecular level.Snow looks white because the flakes scatter light. In dim light, snow appears pale blue, which is the color of a large volume of water. What Are Common Snowflake Shapes? Generally, six-sided hexagonal crystals are shaped in high clouds; needles or flat six-sided crystals are shaped in middle height clouds, and a wide variety of six-sided shapes are formed in low clouds. Colder temperatures produce snowflakes with sharper tips on the sides of the crystals and may lead to branching of the snowflake arms (dendrites). Snowflakes that grow under warmer conditions grow more slowly, resulting in smoother, less intricate shapes. 32-25 ° F - Thin hexagonal plates25-21 ° F - Needles21-14 ° F - Hollow columns14-10 ° F - Sector plates (hexagons with indentations)10-3 ° F - Dendrites (lacy hexagonal shapes) The shape of a snowflake depends on the temperature at which it formed. 221A / Getty Images Why Are Snowflakes Symmetrical (Same on All Sides)? First, not all snowflakes are the same on all sides. Uneven temperatures, presence of dirt, and other factors may cause a snowflake to be lop-sided. Yet it is true that many snowflakes are symmetrical and intricate. This is because a snowflakes shape reflects the internal order of the water molecules. Water molecules in the solid state, such as in ice and snow, form weak bonds (called hydrogen bonds) with one another. These ordered arrangements result in the symmetrical, hexagonal shape of the snowflake. During crystallization, the water molecules align themselves to maximize attractive forces and minimize repulsive forces. Consequently, water molecules arrange themselves in predetermined spaces and in a specific arrangement. Water molecules simply arrange themselves to fit the spaces and maintain symmetry. Is It True that No Two Snowflakes Are Identical? Yes and no. No two snowflakes are exactly identical, down to the precise number of water molecules, spin of electrons, isotope abundance of hydrogen and oxygen, etc. On the other hand, it is possible for two snowflakes to look exactly alike and any given snowflake probably has had a good match at some point in history. Since so many factors affect the structure of a snowflake and since a snowflakes structure is constantly changing in response to environmental conditions, it is improbable that anyone would see two identical snowflakes. If Water and Ice Are Clear, then Why Does Snow Look White? The short answer is that snowflakes have so many light-reflecting surfaces they scatter the light into all of its colors, so snow appears white. The longer answer has to do with the way the human eye perceives color. Even though the light source might not be truly white light (e.g., sunlight, fluorescent, and incandescent all have a particular color), the human brain compensates for a light source. Thus, even though sunlight is yellow and scattered light from snow is yellow, the brain sees snow as white because the whole picture received by the brain has a yellow tint that is automatically subtracted. Sources Bailey, M.; John Hallett, J. (2004). Growth rates and habits of ice crystals between −20 and −70C. Journal of the Atmospheric Sciences. 61 (5): 514–544. doi:10.1175/1520-0469(2004)0610514:GRAHOI2.0.CO;2 Klesius, M. (2007). The Mystery of Snowflakes. National Geographic. 211 (1): 20. ISSN 0027-9358 Knight, C.; Knight, N. (1973). Snow Crystals. Scientific American, vol. 228, no. 1, pp. 100-107. Smalley, I.J. Symmetry of Snow Crystals. Nature 198, Springer Nature Publishing AG, June 15, 1963.