We Watch The Same Sunset

Painting by a 12 years old boy using acrylic on canvas. Interpretation of The Outsiders quote by S. E. Hinton We all watch the same sunset

Sibyl

What inspired me to work on the female form was the belief that our minds can create our reality. Most of my life I had suffered from morbid obesity - reaching at one point 288 lbs. Most likely my body weight reached higher numbers, but I refused to step on the scale after observing the dreaded 288! I was suffering from low self esteem, depression, severe low back pain, tendinitis, plantar fasciitis and several other itis when I realized that the most powerful tool that I had available was my brain. If I was going to turn my life around, I had to learn how to master my body and re-create myself. I needed a visual image of how my new body was going to be and while imagining it gave me a good idea, creating it on canvas helped me to send out a message to the Universe. The second painting, Sibyl, followed on the same lines [as first painting, The Bather], but emphasized my passion for learning. My Sibyl has well-defined muscles (female form and power), but is more feminine than Michelangelo\u27s. She is focused on developing her knowledge and she is aware of her strength and beauty

The Bather

What inspired me to work on the female form was the belief that our minds can create our reality. Most of my life I had suffered from morbid obesity - reaching at one point 288 lbs. Most likely my body weight reached higher numbers, but I refused to step on the scale after observing the dreaded 288! I was suffering from low self esteem, depression, severe low back pain, tendinitis, plantar fasciitis and several other itis when I realized that the most powerful tool that I had available was my brain. If I was going to turn my life around, I had to learn how to master my body and re-create myself. I needed a visual image of how my new body was going to be and while imagining it gave me a good idea, creating it on canvas helped me to send out a message to the Universe. My first painting of The Bather started to reflect that new woman to be created. Placing her in direct contact with the ocean and nature meant that she was washing away all negativity. Placing her hands on her head symbolized that she was using her own hands to clean and transform herself. She faces the mountains reminding her that the journey requires devotion, diligence and stamina. Her realistic body shape (not Barbie-like) reminded me that health and well-being were my ultimate goal

Across the Fence

ARTIST ALEX WAZIRY inspired by the movie, “The BOY IN THE STRIPED PAJAMAS”. Having Jewish roots, it deeply touched the Waziry family

Birth of Venus

What inspired me to work on the female form was the belief that our minds can create our reality. Most of my life I had suffered from morbid obesity - reaching at one point 288 lbs. Most likely my body weight reached higher numbers, but I refused to step on the scale after observing the dreaded 288! I was suffering from low self esteem, depression, severe low back pain, tendinitis, plantar fasciitis and several other itis when I realized that the most powerful tool that I had available was my brain. If I was going to turn my life around, I had to learn how to master my body and re-create myself. I needed a visual image of how my new body was going to be and while imagining it gave me a good idea, creating it on canvas helped me to send out a message to the Universe. The sketch of Birth of Venus is an evolutionary follow-up of The Bather. She is more relaxed, has better defined forms and is more comfortable with herself. She trusts the ocean to support her new life and now she faces me - symbolizing that we have accomplished a great deal together. The mountains (obstacles) that kept her away from her true form, were now conquered, so they are out of view. Venus is not finished yet reminding that I have not yet materialized the female body that I have painted. I need to keep on working on this life long project

Are there any Astronomical Observatories evidences in ancient Egypt?

Ancient Egyptians precisely direct their temples and tombs to specific astronomical points, as attested in the designs of the Old kingdom pyramids and related temples. Likewise, the same approach was used in many religious and funerary buildings across the sequential historical epochs of ancient Egypt. This research introduces what can be called "astronomical design improvements" conducted by ancient Egyptians to secure a precise orientation for a specific direction of religious and funerary monuments. Moreover, this precise orientation requires observatories used for the orientation and monitoring of geographical directions. Therefore, this paper discusses the inquiring; are there any Astronomical Observatories evidences in ancient Egypt

An Unpublished Fragment of Papyrus Concerning a Pledge

This study focuses on a fragment of papyrus concerning a pledge published for the first time the residue of this papyrus is preserved in the museum store of Tell-Basta under the registration number 1125 The shape of this fragment is of unequal sides the material of writing is ink It is written in one of four scripts of ancient Egyptian language which is probably a demotic script consisting of nine thick lines were transcribed in a horizontal way By studying and researching some questions and difficulties arose and therefore needed to be addressed There are questions such as Is this fragment of papyrus written in a demotic script Or is it written in an abnormal hieratic because there is a name that can be read Hr-m-hb As for difficulties here are some examples There is a dating formula without a royal name or a cartouche also without official titles and witnesses therefore there is no dating Besides there are lacunae that were a major cause for the lack of clarity of the full contex

Perinatal exposure to an aromatase inhibitor glyphosate-base herbicide reduced male and female social behavior in juvenile age and the sexual behavior at adult female rat

Objetivos: O glifosato é um herbicida não seletivo, usado em muitas culturas alimentares e não alimentares e em áreas não agrícolas, sendo que os produtos a base de glifosato atuam como moduladores das funções endócrinas por meio da inibição da atividade da aromatase e da ativação de receptores de estrógeno. O presente estudo avaliou os efeitos do herbicida Roundup® (GLY-BH) à base de glifosato, em comportamentos sexualmente dimórficos de ratos após exposição perinatal a doses baixas e altas de GLY-BH no período perinatal. Métodos: Ratas prenhas foram tratadas com 50 ou 150 mg/kg de GLY-BH do 15º dia de gestação (GD15) ao 7º dia de lactação (LD7). O comportamento de luta/brincar foi observado na fase juvenil e os comportamentos social e sexual na idade adulta. Resultados: a exposição perinatal a GLY-BH reduziu o peso corporal de machos e fêmeas aos 28, 75 e 90 dias de idade. O comportamento de luta/brincar diminuiu em ambos os sexos, sendo as ratas foram as mais afetadas. O comportamento sexual foi reduzido apenas nas fêmeas. Conclusões: A exposição perinatal a ambas as doses do GLY- BH promoveu tanto na idade juvenil como na idade adulta, efeitos sexualmente dimórficos. Esses efeitos foram atribuídos à inibição da atividade da aromatase induzida exposição perinatal ao GLY-BH.Objectives: The herbicide glyphosate, a pesticide used in agriculture to control weeds, both in food crops and in other agricultural areas, has been identified as an endocrine modulator through the inhibition of aromatase activity and the activation of estrogen receptors. The present study examined the effects of a glyphosate-based herbicide (Roundup® (GLY-BH) on sexual dimorphism of rats after perinatal exposure to low and high GLY-BH in males and females offspring. Methods: Two groups of pregnant rats were treated with two doses of GLY-BH (50 or 150 mg/kg) from day 15 of gestation (GD15) to postnatal day 7 (PND7). Play fighting behavior was observed at the juvenile stage and during social and sexual behaviors in adulthood. Results: Perinatal GLY BH exposure reduced male and female body weight at 28, 75, and 90 days of age. The play fighting behavior was decreased in both sexes, but female rats were more affected. The sexual behaviors were reduced only in females. Conclusions: Perinatal exposure to both doses of GLY-BH promoted sexually dimorphic effects in both juvenile and adulthood stages. These effects were attributed to the inhibition of aromatase activity induced by exposure to GLY-BH in the perinatal period.

Impact of pyriproxyfen on virus behavior: implications for pesticide-induced virulence and mechanism of transmission

Background More than 3 years since the last Zika virus (ZIKV) outbreak in Brazil, researchers are still deciphering the molecular mechanisms of neurovirulence and vertical transmission, as well as the best way to control spread of ZIKV, a flavivirus. The use of pesticides was the main strategy of mosquito control during the last ZIKV outbreak. Methods We used vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) tagged with green fluorescent protein (GFP) as our prototypical virus to study the impact of insecticide pyriproxyfen (PPF). VZV-GFP infected and uninfected Jurkat, HeLa and trophoblast cells were treated with PPF and compared to untreated cells (control). Cell viability was determined by the MTT assay. Cell morphology, presence of extracellular vesicles (EVs), virus infection/GFP expression as well as active mitochondrial levels/localization were examined by confocal microscopy. Results PPF, which was used to control mosquito populations in Brazil prior to the ZIKV outbreak, enhances VSV replication and has cell membrane-altering properties in the presence of virus. PPF causes enhanced viral replication and formation of large EVs, loaded with virus as well as mitochondria. Treatment of trophoblasts or HeLa cells with increasing concentrations of PPF does not alter cell viability, however, it proportionately increases Jurkat cell viability. Increasing concentrations of PPF followed by VSV infection does not interfere with HeLa cell viability. Both Jurkats and trophoblasts show proportionately increased cell death with increased concentrations of PPF in the presence of virus. Conclusions We hypothesize that PPF disrupts the lipid microenvironment of mammalian cells, thereby interfering with pathways of viral replication. PPF lowers viability of trophoblasts and Jurkats in the presence of VSV, implying that the combination renders immune system impairment in infected individuals as well as enhanced vulnerability of fetuses towards viral vertical transmission. We hypothesize that similar viruses such as ZIKV may be vertically transmitted via EV-to-cell contact when exposed to PPF, thereby bypassing immune detection. The impact of pesticides on viral replication must be fully investigated before large scale use in future outbreaks of mosquito borne viruses