TinyTap is a new iPad application designed for kids which introduces a different angle on the "record-your-own-voice" storybooks craze, by offering a playable book or game you and your kids can customize with your own photos, camera shots, music, narration, and more. The resulting creations can then be shared with family and friends. And, for a little inspiration, the built-in TinyTap store offers a collection of pre-made games which kids can customize with their own voice and actions.
Last week Nugget had her lastever?ECFE (Early Childhood Family Education) class. I cannot believe her first 'school' journey has come to an end. We attended our first Mommy and Me class together when she was just four weeks old, and we haven't missed a single session since. We anticipate our weekly classes, and Nugget is always excited to see Miss Britt and all her friends. Since I am home with my kids all the time, this is a time for?Nugget to develop friendships on her own, and?work on?separating from me during the parent education time. It hasn't always been easy for her, but through it all she (and I) have learned and grown tremendously. Circle time with Miss Britt.
It has been such a positive experience in both of our lives, and honestly, I wish we could continue going forever, like until she's 18. Seriously!?There's still so much I need to know for down the road.?I know?the closing of this chapter?is a stepping stone to bigger things, but I love our?little net of ECFE, the one that feels like family. We are all working together for the common good of our children, and striving to be the best parents we can be.
The art table is one of her favorite areas.?
I don't think Nugget fully understands that she has aged out of her beloved school, but she does get that she's going to preschool 'after summer' and she's pretty stoked about that. Her ECFE buddy, Mac, will be in her class, and I'm hoping a familiar face will make the transition just a teensy bit smoother. Her other favorite, playing in the kitchen.
I must say that the promise of starting the cycle all over again with Brother softened the blow a wee bit for me last week, and because of that I was able to hold myself together on the last day. After all, Nugget didn't need me bringing her down on her beach party day!
'Peek Into Preschool' group, Winter 2012. Back L to R: Miss Britt, Carolyn, Caroline, Walker, Hunter,Charlie, Sky Front L to R: Aedan, Giovanni, Kate, Lilian, Nugget, Maddie, Mac
These are our awesome teachers, Parent Educator Miss Mary, and Early Childhood teacher Miss Britt. And Dora.
And while Nugget and I are enjoying our time together, Brother is just down the hall in the sibling care room with Miss Pam, whom he just adores. It's a pretty awesome feeling when your child is comfortable with?his care giver and runs right in to her arms, all ready to play! There are so many amazing people who work hard to make ECFE fantastic, so we always make sure to remember them with a special little gift and Christmas time and the end of the year. But because there are so many of them, we usually opt to gift something homemade (aka inexpensive), and they are always so appreciative. This year we made lemon hand scrub for everyone, and Nugget thoughtfully picked out a special nail polish to accompany each one. Who wouldn't love a little at home mani/pedi to get ready for summer? Recipe here.
So yes, sadly, Nugget's time in ECFE has come to an end. We are so grateful and appreciative for all that we have learned and experienced during our time there. It will always hold a special place in our hearts. We are ready for the next journey, ready to learn, make more new friends, ready for the next stepping stone of life.
ScienceDaily (May 23, 2012) ? Children are more likely to have more body fat during childhood if their mother has low levels of Vitamin D during pregnancy, according to scientists at the Medical Research Council Lifecourse Epidemiology Unit (MRC LEU), University of Southampton.
Low vitamin D status has been linked to obesity in adults and children, but little is known about how variation in a mother's status affects the body composition of her child.
Low vitamin D status is common among young women in the UK, and although women are recommended to take an additional 10?g/day of vitamin D in pregnancy, supplementation is currently not routine.
In new research, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition on May 23 2012, scientists at the MRC LEU, University of Southampton, have compared the vitamin D status of 977 pregnant women with the body composition of their children. The findings from this study showed that the children who were born to mothers who had low vitamin D status in pregnancy had more body fat when they were six years old. These differences could not be explained by other factors such as mother's weight gain in pregnancy, or how physically active the children were. The 977 women are part of the Southampton Women's Survey, one of the largest women's surveys in the UK.
Dr Si?n Robinson, Principal Research Fellow, at the University, who led the study, says: "In the context of current concerns about low vitamin D status in young women, and increasing rates of childhood obesity in the UK, we need to understand more about the long-term health consequences for children who are born to mothers who have low vitamin D status.
"Although there is growing evidence that vitamin D status is linked to body fatness in children and adults, this research now suggests that the mother's status in pregnancy could be important too.
"An interpretation of our data is that there could be programmed effects on the fetus arising from a lack of maternal vitamin D that remain with the baby and predispose him or her to gain excess body fat in later childhood. Although further studies are needed, our findings add weight to current concerns about the prevalence of low vitamin D status among women of reproductive age."
This study is part of a wider body of work by the MRC Lifecourse Epidemiology Unit into how factors during pregnancy might have a long-term influence on childhood growth and development.
Professor Cyrus Cooper, Director of the MRC LEU comments: "This is a wonderful example of multi-disciplinary research using the unique clinical and biochemical resource provided by the Southampton Women's Survey. The observations that maternal vitamin D insufficiency might be associated with reduced size at birth, but accelerated gain in body fat during early childhood, add to the considerable amount of evidence suggesting that vitamin D status during pregnancy may have critical effects on the later health of offspring."
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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by University of Southampton, via AlphaGalileo.
Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.
Journal Reference:
Sarah R Crozier, Nicholas C Harvey, Hazel M Inskip, Keith M Godfrey, Cyrus Cooper, Si?n M Robinson, and the SWS Study Group. Maternal vitamin D status in pregnancy is associated with adiposity in the offspring: findings from the Southampton Women's Survey. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, May 23, 2012 DOI: 10.3945/ajcn.112.037473
Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.
Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.
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No matter what type of rider you are, front bike lights are extremely important, especially if you know you will be cycling in the dark. Safety should be your main concern when our riding; the road can be a dangerous place when there are cars and other cyclists present so it is vital that you remain visible at all hours of the day. You can do this in a number of ways including wearing reflective clothing and investing a set of front bike lights. They will protect you and ensure your journey is a safe and smooth one. Country roads in particular can be full of hazards such as sharp bends and narrow bridges. Motorists should be another one of your main concerns; they can be extremely unpredictable by overtaking and flying around bends so it is essential to remain vigilant and have those front bike lights on full power.
Riding in the Country
Riding in built up areas or on busy roads is a completely different experience to that of riding in the countryside. There are plenty more risks to a cyclist riding amongst countryside lanes so it is essential to be well prepared. If you choose to ride in the day and know that you will be back well before dark, it is likely that you won't need a set of front bike lights however isn't it better to be safe than sorry? Imagine if you get lost and get delayed or come across bad weather, then you'll wish you attached that light to your bike! If you know you will be riding in the dark on countryside lanes, lights are an absolute must and you should also wear reflective clothing. This way you will be extra noticeable to drivers and other riders. Here are a few tips to riding in the countryside:
Hold your own whilst riding and don't let cars bully you.
Look out for potholes on those roads you haven't visited before.
Be assertive with any animals you come across.
Stay hydrated; bring enough water and food with you.
Kit yourself out with front bike lights and wear reflective clothing.
Front Bike Lights and Enjoying Your Ride
Of course it is safety that should be your primary concern but it is also important that you enjoy your ride! Having front bike lights attached to your bike will mean you can get the most out of your hobby and it will also allow you to ride whatever time of day you please. As already discussed, cycling in the countryside brings with it many dangers but if you are aware of these and are well prepared, countryside riding is fun and exciting! There are so many front bike lights available today so make sure you choose wisely.
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Probability of contamination from severe nuclear reactor accidents is higher than expectedPublic release date: 22-May-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Prof. Jos Lelieveld jos.lelieveld@mpic.de 49-061-313-054-040 Max-Planck-Gesellschaft
Western Europe has the worldwide highest risk of radioactive contamination caused by major reactor accidents
This press release is available in German.
Catastrophic nuclear accidents such as the core meltdowns in Chernobyl and Fukushima are more likely to happen than previously assumed. Based on the operating hours of all civil nuclear reactors and the number of nuclear meltdowns that have occurred, scientists at the Max Planck Institute for Chemistry in Mainz have calculated that such events may occur once every 10 to 20 years (based on the current number of reactors) some 200 times more often than estimated in the past. The researchers also determined that, in the event of such a major accident, half of the radioactive caesium-137 would be spread over an area of more than 1,000 kilometres away from the nuclear reactor. Their results show that Western Europe is likely to be contaminated about once in 50 years by more than 40 kilobecquerel of caesium-137 per square meter. According to the International Atomic Energy Agency, an area is defined as being contaminated with radiation from this amount onwards. In view of their findings, the researchers call for an in-depth analysis and reassessment of the risks associated with nuclear power plants.
The reactor accident in Fukushima has fuelled the discussion about nuclear energy and triggered Germany's exit from their nuclear power program. It appears that the global risk of such a catastrophe is higher than previously thought, a result of a study carried out by a research team led by Jos Lelieveld, Director of the Max Planck Institute for Chemistry in Mainz: "After Fukushima, the prospect of such an incident occurring again came into question, and whether we can actually calculate the radioactive fallout using our atmospheric models." According to the results of the study, a nuclear meltdown in one of the reactors in operation worldwide is likely to occur once in 10 to 20 years. Currently, there are 440 nuclear reactors in operation, and 60 more are planned.
To determine the likelihood of a nuclear meltdown, the researchers applied a simple calculation. They divided the operating hours of all civilian nuclear reactors in the world, from the commissioning of the first up to the present, by the number of reactor meltdowns that have actually occurred. The total number of operating hours is 14,500 years, the number of reactor meltdowns comes to four one in Chernobyl and three in Fukushima. This translates into one major accident, being defined according to the International Nuclear Event Scale (INES), every 3,625 years. Even if this result is conservatively rounded to one major accident every 5,000 reactor years, the risk is 200 times higher than the estimate for catastrophic, non-contained core meltdowns made by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission in 1990. The Mainz researchers did not distinguish ages and types of reactors, or whether they are located in regions of enhanced risks, for example by earthquakes. After all, nobody had anticipated the reactor catastrophe in Japan.
25 percent of the radioactive particles are transported further than 2,000 kilometres
Subsequently, the researchers determined the geographic distribution of radioactive gases and particles around a possible accident site using a computer model that describes the Earth's atmosphere. The model calculates meteorological conditions and flows, and also accounts for chemical reactions in the atmosphere. The model can compute the global distribution of trace gases, for example, and can also simulate the spreading of radioactive gases and particles. To approximate the radioactive contamination, the researchers calculated how the particles of radioactive caesium-137 (137Cs) disperse in the atmosphere, where they deposit on the earth's surface and in what quantities. The 137Cs isotope is a product of the nuclear fission of uranium. It has a half-life of 30 years and was one of the key elements in the radioactive contamination following the disasters of Chernobyl and Fukushima.
The computer simulations revealed that, on average, only eight percent of the 137Cs particles are expected to deposit within an area of 50 kilometres around the nuclear accident site. Around 50 percent of the particles would be deposited outside a radius of 1,000 kilometres, and around 25 percent would spread even further than 2,000 kilometres. These results underscore that reactor accidents are likely to cause radioactive contamination well beyond national borders.
The results of the dispersion calculations were combined with the likelihood of a nuclear meltdown and the actual density of reactors worldwide to calculate the current risk of radioactive contamination around the world. According to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), an area with more than 40 kilobecquerels of radioactivity per square meter is defined as contaminated.
The team in Mainz found that in Western Europe, where the density of reactors is particularly high, the contamination by more than 40 kilobecquerels per square meter is expected to occur once in about every 50 years. It appears that citizens in the densely populated southwestern part of Germany run the worldwide highest risk of radioactive contamination, associated with the numerous nuclear power plants situated near the borders between France, Belgium and Germany, and the dominant westerly wind direction.
If a single nuclear meltdown were to occur in Western Europe, around 28 million people on average would be affected by contamination of more than 40 kilobecquerels per square meter. This figure is even higher in southern Asia, due to the dense populations. A major nuclear accident there would affect around 34 million people, while in the eastern USA and in East Asia this would be 14 to 21 million people.
"Germany's exit from the nuclear energy program will reduce the national risk of radioactive contamination. However, an even stronger reduction would result if Germany's neighbours were to switch off their reactors," says Jos Lelieveld. "Not only do we need an in-depth and public analysis of the actual risks of nuclear accidents. In light of our findings I believe an internationally coordinated phasing out of nuclear energy should also be considered ", adds the atmospheric chemist.
###
Original paper:
Jos Lelieveld, Daniel Kunkel and Mark G. Lawrence
Global risk of radioactive fallout after nuclear reactor accidents
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 12, 4245-4258, 2012 www.atmos-chem-phys.net/12/4245/2012/ doi:10.5194/acp-12-4245-2012
[ | E-mail | Share ]
?
AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
Probability of contamination from severe nuclear reactor accidents is higher than expectedPublic release date: 22-May-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Prof. Jos Lelieveld jos.lelieveld@mpic.de 49-061-313-054-040 Max-Planck-Gesellschaft
Western Europe has the worldwide highest risk of radioactive contamination caused by major reactor accidents
This press release is available in German.
Catastrophic nuclear accidents such as the core meltdowns in Chernobyl and Fukushima are more likely to happen than previously assumed. Based on the operating hours of all civil nuclear reactors and the number of nuclear meltdowns that have occurred, scientists at the Max Planck Institute for Chemistry in Mainz have calculated that such events may occur once every 10 to 20 years (based on the current number of reactors) some 200 times more often than estimated in the past. The researchers also determined that, in the event of such a major accident, half of the radioactive caesium-137 would be spread over an area of more than 1,000 kilometres away from the nuclear reactor. Their results show that Western Europe is likely to be contaminated about once in 50 years by more than 40 kilobecquerel of caesium-137 per square meter. According to the International Atomic Energy Agency, an area is defined as being contaminated with radiation from this amount onwards. In view of their findings, the researchers call for an in-depth analysis and reassessment of the risks associated with nuclear power plants.
The reactor accident in Fukushima has fuelled the discussion about nuclear energy and triggered Germany's exit from their nuclear power program. It appears that the global risk of such a catastrophe is higher than previously thought, a result of a study carried out by a research team led by Jos Lelieveld, Director of the Max Planck Institute for Chemistry in Mainz: "After Fukushima, the prospect of such an incident occurring again came into question, and whether we can actually calculate the radioactive fallout using our atmospheric models." According to the results of the study, a nuclear meltdown in one of the reactors in operation worldwide is likely to occur once in 10 to 20 years. Currently, there are 440 nuclear reactors in operation, and 60 more are planned.
To determine the likelihood of a nuclear meltdown, the researchers applied a simple calculation. They divided the operating hours of all civilian nuclear reactors in the world, from the commissioning of the first up to the present, by the number of reactor meltdowns that have actually occurred. The total number of operating hours is 14,500 years, the number of reactor meltdowns comes to four one in Chernobyl and three in Fukushima. This translates into one major accident, being defined according to the International Nuclear Event Scale (INES), every 3,625 years. Even if this result is conservatively rounded to one major accident every 5,000 reactor years, the risk is 200 times higher than the estimate for catastrophic, non-contained core meltdowns made by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission in 1990. The Mainz researchers did not distinguish ages and types of reactors, or whether they are located in regions of enhanced risks, for example by earthquakes. After all, nobody had anticipated the reactor catastrophe in Japan.
25 percent of the radioactive particles are transported further than 2,000 kilometres
Subsequently, the researchers determined the geographic distribution of radioactive gases and particles around a possible accident site using a computer model that describes the Earth's atmosphere. The model calculates meteorological conditions and flows, and also accounts for chemical reactions in the atmosphere. The model can compute the global distribution of trace gases, for example, and can also simulate the spreading of radioactive gases and particles. To approximate the radioactive contamination, the researchers calculated how the particles of radioactive caesium-137 (137Cs) disperse in the atmosphere, where they deposit on the earth's surface and in what quantities. The 137Cs isotope is a product of the nuclear fission of uranium. It has a half-life of 30 years and was one of the key elements in the radioactive contamination following the disasters of Chernobyl and Fukushima.
The computer simulations revealed that, on average, only eight percent of the 137Cs particles are expected to deposit within an area of 50 kilometres around the nuclear accident site. Around 50 percent of the particles would be deposited outside a radius of 1,000 kilometres, and around 25 percent would spread even further than 2,000 kilometres. These results underscore that reactor accidents are likely to cause radioactive contamination well beyond national borders.
The results of the dispersion calculations were combined with the likelihood of a nuclear meltdown and the actual density of reactors worldwide to calculate the current risk of radioactive contamination around the world. According to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), an area with more than 40 kilobecquerels of radioactivity per square meter is defined as contaminated.
The team in Mainz found that in Western Europe, where the density of reactors is particularly high, the contamination by more than 40 kilobecquerels per square meter is expected to occur once in about every 50 years. It appears that citizens in the densely populated southwestern part of Germany run the worldwide highest risk of radioactive contamination, associated with the numerous nuclear power plants situated near the borders between France, Belgium and Germany, and the dominant westerly wind direction.
If a single nuclear meltdown were to occur in Western Europe, around 28 million people on average would be affected by contamination of more than 40 kilobecquerels per square meter. This figure is even higher in southern Asia, due to the dense populations. A major nuclear accident there would affect around 34 million people, while in the eastern USA and in East Asia this would be 14 to 21 million people.
"Germany's exit from the nuclear energy program will reduce the national risk of radioactive contamination. However, an even stronger reduction would result if Germany's neighbours were to switch off their reactors," says Jos Lelieveld. "Not only do we need an in-depth and public analysis of the actual risks of nuclear accidents. In light of our findings I believe an internationally coordinated phasing out of nuclear energy should also be considered ", adds the atmospheric chemist.
###
Original paper:
Jos Lelieveld, Daniel Kunkel and Mark G. Lawrence
Global risk of radioactive fallout after nuclear reactor accidents
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 12, 4245-4258, 2012 www.atmos-chem-phys.net/12/4245/2012/ doi:10.5194/acp-12-4245-2012
[ | E-mail | Share ]
?
AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
TinyTap is a new iPad application designed for kids which introduces a different angle on the "record-your-own-voice" storybooks craze, by offering a playable book or game you and your kids can customize with your own photos, camera shots, music, narration, and more. The resulting creations can then be shared with family and friends. And, for a little inspiration, the built-in TinyTap store offers a collection of pre-made games which kids can customize with their own voice and actions.
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Public release date: 22-May-2012
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