Herbal Wisdom: memory and migration

Within contemporary Western herbal medicine, traditional knowledge and modern science are combined to provide a unique meeting of patient, practitioner and plant. In the Australian context, herbalists have based their practice on knowledge which originates from the traditions of Europe, and has more recently been influenced by traditional medicine from Asia. The combination of these diverse ways of knowing—traditional and modern, Eastern and Western—means herbal practitioners are influenced by ancient philosophy alongside phytochemistry and biomedical sciences. The challenge for herbal medicine today is that faced by all living (as opposed to ossified) traditions: how is a practice forged which retains what is valuable from the past while establishing relevance to the 21st century? We illustrate these issues in the context of the conference theme of ‘food for thought’ and consider medicinal plants which are used for the improvement of cognition. We focus on the therapeutic use of common herbs from the Eastern and Western traditions and present the scientific research which shows their ability to facilitate cognitive function and the laying down of memory. We also tell their traditional stories which indicate that these actions have been recognised and utilised for centuries. We go on to demonstrate, via case studies, the clinical application of this knowledge and in particular the importance of ancient practice of synergistic prescribing which occurs when a number of herbs are prescribed together in a formula. Scientific understanding of the basis of this practice is being developed which further complements and validates traditional herbal wisdom

Composition in Theme and Variations Form

We decided to study theme and variations composition because we found that it is very relevant and applicable to what we are learning in our Music Theory class. Variations form is also accessible to listeners and beginning composers. We hope that after our presentation, those listening will feel more comfortable in listening to and creating their own piece Theme and Variations form is a standard form of musical composition where a simple, unembellished melody is used as a theme and then repeated several times with melodic, rhythmic, harmonic, or other variations. We will take a theme and variations piece, Mozart\u27s Ah! vous dirai je maman Twinkle Twinkle, Little Star KV 265, and analyze what the theme is, and how the composer used variations of that theme in the piece. We will demonstrate the variation form with an audio timeliner diagram and audio clip. After demonstrating the form, we will show how to compose a piece in variation form, using our own original composition

Understanding the dynamics of unsteady buoyant Jets:an experimental analogue of Vulcanian and Strombolian style eruptions

Explosive volcanic eruptions, which are characterized by the discharge of ash and gas from the vent into the atmosphere, are an example of a naturally occurring buoyant jet. These buoyant jets can significantly impact the surrounding environment; for example, the presence of fine ash particles in the atmosphere can damage aircraft engines, potentially leading to engine failure. Therefore, during an explosive eruption, volcanic ash advisory centers (VAACs) consistently monitor the concentration of ash in the atmosphere using numerical models. These numerical models require the definition of a source term (i.e., source mass eruption rate, plume height and total grain size distribution), which is often obtained from simpler one-dimensional models. One dimensional models derived from well-established theories successfully replicate the dynamics of the initial buoyant jet; however, they assume time-averaged source conditions which are not observed in field-scale vulcanian and strombolian style eruptions. As such, there is a disconnectbetween these well-established theories assuming time averaged source conditions and reality. This disconnect may introduce uncertainties in ash concentration forecasts, potentially resulting in practical implications such as unnecessary airspace closures or flights operating in hazardous conditions. The present contribution utilizes scaled laboratory experiments to quantify theinfluence of source variability on the dynamics of buoyant jets and evaluates potential deviations from time-average assumptions

Understanding the dynamics of unsteady buoyant Jets:an experimental analogue of Vulcanian and Strombolian style eruptions

Explosive volcanic eruptions, which are characterized by the discharge of ash and gas from the vent into the atmosphere, are an example of a naturally occurring buoyant jet. These buoyant jets can significantly impact the surrounding environment; for example, the presence of fine ash particles in the atmosphere can damage aircraft engines, potentially leading to engine failure. Therefore, during an explosive eruption, volcanic ash advisory centers (VAACs) consistently monitor the concentration of ash in the atmosphere using numerical models. These numerical models require the definition of a source term (i.e., source mass eruption rate, plume height and total grain size distribution), which is often obtained from simpler one-dimensional models. One dimensional models derived from well-established theories successfully replicate the dynamics of the initial buoyant jet; however, they assume time-averaged source conditions which are not observed in field-scale vulcanian and strombolian style eruptions. As such, there is a disconnectbetween these well-established theories assuming time averaged source conditions and reality. This disconnect may introduce uncertainties in ash concentration forecasts, potentially resulting in practical implications such as unnecessary airspace closures or flights operating in hazardous conditions. The present contribution utilizes scaled laboratory experiments to quantify theinfluence of source variability on the dynamics of buoyant jets and evaluates potential deviations from time-average assumptions

The social justice issues of smoke im/mobilities

In 2014, the Hazelwood mine fire burned for 45 days. Local communities were impacted by smoke and ash, and there were reports of raised carbon monoxide levels. Local news and social media reported residents experiencing numerous physical symptoms of smoke inhalation, including bleeding noses, coughing, wheezing and chest tightness. Paper masks to filter particulate matter were made available to residents to wear outside. The dust and ash constantly seeped into homes and offices, which required cleaning daily and sometimes multiple times during the day. Smoke was free to move across physical and bodily boundaries while those most vulnerable were hampered by lack of movement: pregnant women, the elderly and children were advised to leave the area. However, this suggestion to ‘simply’ move ignored the context of a community disproportionately impacted through years of economic decline and societal change. This paper explores the unequal mobilities of smoke and people that arose as a result of this event and draws on concepts of mobility justice (Sheller 2018) and emergency mobilities (Adey 2016) to reflect on the political dimensions of uneven mobility in times of crisi

A Survey of Safety Recommendations for All-Terrain Vehicle Dealers and Track Owners in Kansas

Introduction. All-terrain vehicles (ATVs) are associated with injury,mortality, and healthcare costs. ATV related injuries are less severewhen consistent safety practices are followed, however, ATV safetyregulations are varied among states. This study sought to surveyKansas ATV dealers and track owners to determine safety promotionpractices. Methods. A cross-sectional telephone survey was conducted ofKansas ATV dealers and tracks. Survey questions included promotionand sale of safety equipment, provision of ATV safety information,and respondent characteristics. Results. Of those contacted, 32% of dealers and 31% of tracksresponded to the survey. Most ATV dealers sell safety gear (70% -100%) and all recommend safety gear to buyers and riders. All ATVtracks reported requiring helmets (100%) but were varied regardingother forms of safety gear. The majority of ATV dealers (77%) recommendedsafety courses, but only 31% of dealers and 40% of tracksoffered courses. Eighty percent of ATV tracks and 52% of dealers feltthey had a professional responsibility to educate riders/owners onsafety. Conclusions. Safety promotion by ATV dealers in Kansas consistentlywas recommended, but often limited to the sales of safety gear(helmets and gloves) or the provision of manufacturer provided safetymaterials. Further, ATV dealers reported rarely offering skills tests orsafety courses to buyers. In Kansas, safety promotion at the point ofsale or track level could be improved to increase public awareness ofATV safety practices. KS J Med 2017;10(4):76-78