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Playing around with a cheap CD burner at the office recently, I burned as many of the Songs of the Susquehanna submissions onto a CD.
I wanted to get a feel of how many songs we might get on an average-sized disc – what I ended up with is an endless loop of songs that keep playing over my truck’s speakers. It’s hard to turn them off. They’re that good.
In fact, that may be the hardest part of this project – to get people to know just how diverse, catchy and impressive each of the submissions are.
There is a deeply emotional submission written about the death of the musician’s father during COVID restrictions and how the therapy of nature helped her deal with the grief.
“She tells such a strong, solid, story and it resonated deeply with me. She really paints a story through her music interweaving the elements of nature, family, spirituality, bereavement and loss,” relayed Andrea Niederman of Plainview, NY.
There is a song focused on the history of the Knox Mine Disaster of 1959 along the Susquehanna, where the river raged into a hole dug by miners, killing many. There is a song set to a popular TikTok melody designed to teach about watersheds. An “anthem” (as one reviewer called it) about various struggles of life and the importance of continuing to paddle forward regardless of life’s trials. There’s an ode to the old-time fanny floats, one focused on childhood hunger, a Christmas-like poem set to music and even a fun look at what it would be like to be a pirate along the Susquehanna.
In all, we have 46 originally written, river-inspired songs from 39 different musicians ranging in age from 15 to the mid-80s.
Musicians involved include Van Wagner, KJ Reimensnyder-Wagner, Johanna Kodlick, Don Shappelle, Janie Meneely, Steve Hulslander, Grace Kenny, Stu Shrawder, Steve Catania, Summer Evans, Don Krech, Thomas Jones, William Keller, Nicholas Horner, Chris Whitmer, Doug Madenford, Chris LaRose, Stan Vitzakovitch, Gary Gyekis, Larry Lawson, Paul Loomis, Hannah Bingman, Mike Lundy, Barbara Duncan, Doug Hess, Tom Knapp, Georgia Young, Jason Sherwin, William Ryan, Ricky Murphy, Todd Cummins, Laurel Sanders, Tim Walker, Terry Wild, Eric Barnhart, John Fries, James Longo, Bill Dann and Flora Eyster.
Each piece showcases a passion for our river that sticks with you well after the final note.
The Songs of the Susquehanna project was designed to give musicians an outlet after a year of decimated gigs and other outlets. You can donate money on the site that will go toward our musicians as they figure out the next steps of their careers.
It was also developed to help the Middle Susquehanna Riverkeeper Association creatively reach new audiences with a message about the threats our river and its tributaries face – and the recreational/therapeutic benefits of protecting those resources.
Some of the responses we've received about the project so far include:
The tough part, now, is deciding which of these songs make it onto the final playlist. That is where we need your help. Through Feb. 28, you can listen to all 46 songs and send us a list (in order) of your favorites. So far, we’ve had 103 different people submit feedback, but the more we have, the better the final product will be.
Those who do fill out the full form from the website and send it in will be eligible for a few random prizes from the Riverkeeper’s stash. There is also a platform to donate to the project and the musicians who made it possible.
In early March, our goal is to have the final CD available for purchase – and an online playlist of the selected songs available for download. All proceeds from this sale go to the Middle Susquehanna Riverkeeper Association’s efforts to protect and promote our river-based resources.
Considering the response we received, there are plans in the works for a fall concert (if conditions allow) featuring some of the musicians of this project. We are also planning to develop this into a yearly program … so for those with a song in their heart about our river-based resources, we’ll be accepting new entries late in 2021.
Ultimately, I hope you enjoy the submissions we received as much as I have. To steal a line from one of the choruses you’ll hear:
Take solace in the Susquehanna’s serenading song.
I know I did.
For more information, and to check out the songs, visit www.middlesusquehannariverkeeper.org/song-project.html
John Zaktansky is an award-winning journalist and avid promoter of the outdoors who loves camping, kayaking, fishing and hunting with the family.


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Grieving the death of a family member or close friend is hard, exhausting work. This work may be especially difficult during holiday seasons, and other days that are filled with family and community traditions, such as anniversaries, birthdays, and mother’s and father’s days. During these times you may be keenly aware of the empty spot left by the one who has died, whether that death happened recently or years ago.
If your loss is recent, you may dread the approach of a holiday and wonder how you and your family will get through it. While others in your family or friendship circle may share your dread, talking about it with them can be difficult. You may believe that mentioning the empty spot that will be present during the holidays will simply deepen your pain and sadness. The tendency to avoid addressing this empty spot is so common that some have compared it to an elephant in the room that no one wants to talk about.
To read the full article, please visit Canadian Virtual Hospice.

domain: psychology


text:
SORT BY Relevancy
Carson Buckingham knew from childhood that she wanted to be a writer and began, at age six, by writing books of her own, hand-drawing covers, and selling them to any family member who would pay (usually a dime) for what she referred to as “classic literature.” When she ran out of relatives, she came to the conclusion that there was no real money to be made in self-publishing, so she studied writing and read voraciously for the next eighteen years, while simultaneously collecting enough rejection slips to re-paper her living room…twice.
When her landlord chucked her out for, in his words, “making the apartment into one hell of a downer,” she redoubled her efforts, and collected four times the rejection slips in half the time, single-handedly causing the first paper shortage in U.S. history.
But she persevered, improved greatly over the years, and here we are.
Carson Buckingham has been/is a professional proofreader, editor, anthologist, newspaper reporter, copywriter, technical writer, novelist, short story writer and comedy writer. She loves reading and gardening; but not at the same time. Though born and raised in Connecticut, she lives in Arizona now—and Connecticut is glad to be rid of her!
Check out her blog at carsonbuckingham.blogspot.com
I will talk about the audio visual industry in Philadelphia, Audio visual for the consumer and two of my favorite TV shows. Fringe and Lost. I must love science fiction.
On this edition of Carson's Corner, Bob flys solo this week, as he discusses some of the issues facing the working class. First, as Election Boycott Advocate and former campaign manager of Ralph Nader Christopher Driscoll said on this show, there are so many bubbles in the economy that are bound to burst. We'll discuss this, plus, the effects of income inequality are part of the new normal of capitalism; and of course, Bob will discuss why he is an Election Boycott Advocate, as well as some up-coming plans for a new show television show with a member/supporter of the Zeitgeist Movement.
On tonight’s show Maverick and ‘Plan take over to bring you detailed thoughts on historical perception vs historical reality, and take the IWC to task for believing in soundbites and folk memory rather than hard evidence.
Jeff Niles Presents: Lance Hardwick Mysteries
“Her Kisses were Steamy but... Oh, Those Cthulhu Boobs!” Part 3 (The Story Finale)
Story Synopsis: It is the final showdown! It's filled with a Green Monster, a ship full of... ???????? "little birds", an Ex-Monsignor and Goyisher New Testament Bobbemyseh, lots of Popping, music and dancing.... But NO DIPPING! It is the EXCITING conclusion to Lance's first adventure in Radioland! Please make sure to listen after the credits! It might be important.
Written, directed and produced by Viktor Aurelius and Jeff Niles
Featured in the cast were:
David Schütz II as Dr. Mosmer Mishegoss
Viktor Aurelius as Dick Reardon
Jeff Niles as Lance Hardwick
Jonithan Patrick Russell as Agent Ace Stompers
Laura Nicole as Betty
Michael Breckenridge as Uncle Bruce
Rachel Rumler as Gay Schlafen
Special thanks to the Valiant Crew of the USS White Swallow
and Mat Weller as the Coroner
Music by Kevin MacLeod ( http://incompetech.com/m/c/royalty-free/ )
And Klezmerica! (http://frozenchozen.com/download.html)
Kate Smith and Judy Garland!
Sound Design by Viktor Aurelius
This Radio Serial is sponsored by The Megillah Soap Company and Ver Clempt Cigarettes.
How else can you keep your fingertips clean after smoking?!
© The 4077th and ALL BETTER AUDIO (2014) Visit our website: http://the4077th.blogspot.com
Want to learn MORE about Yiddish Phrases? Did Lance confuse you?
On this episode of Carson's Corner, I will discuss the recent People's March Agaisnt Capitalism, which took place in New York City on October 8th, 2014. I will give my thoughts on this march, which happened to be my first political march ever. Plus, I will discuss why I participated in the march and the issues that continue effect working class Americans each and every day.
Please note: my apologies for my finger appearing in some of the photos taken during the march.
A brief look at the Ferry Godmother's newest program INSIDE VISUAL ARTIST. This new show highlights the life of visual artists and displays their work. Each artist has a unique story to tell and advice to give to our youth. Tonight we will recapture their art work with our slides and discuss their backgrounds. The show airs every Thursday at 7:30pm.
Back tonight to do the regularly scheduled show...shout out to everybody who tuned in last night and heard the heat I brought!!! Still gonna bring you the hottest Indie Music and Artists out of North Carolina and South Carolina!!! So tune in and check out the hottest online radio show to come out of the Carolinas putting them back on the map!!! Call in number is (646) 716-4952 press #1 to call in and make or request or just to give somebody a shout out!!!
Tune in tonight as Big Buji takes over the airwaves on Twin Radio Syndicate...your favorite look a likes didn't have anything planned for today's show and plus they aren't feeling all to great...so the homie Big Buji said he will do a show tonight!!! Expect to hear the hottest North Carolina Indie Artists out right now and hear about the upcoming events he has coming up in the near futute!!! Click the link from 8-10 pm EST sharp and show him the same love you show us!!! Call in number is (646) 716-4952 press #1 to make a request or just to give a shout out!!!
Born in New York City to Puerto Rican/Boriken parents, as a young artist Josie Gonzalez interned with Cityarts Mural Workshop, and apprenticed with artist Jorge Soto Sanchez at Taller Boricua in East Harlem, New York, while completing her BA in fine arts at Queens College. Her paintings and mixed media works have been exhibited in numerous NY galleries, including the Lehman, Rush and Point, as well as at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Recent works include the MTA “Children at Play’, stained glass windows at the Woodlawn Avenue station in 2006 in the Bronx; FBHC’s ‘Jacob’s Place’ mural in 2008 at the Jacob’s Place building in the Bronx. Gonzalez has received numerous community awards.
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domain: artistic


‘No right answer’ to questions about optimal time for breast cancer screening initiation
Physician recommendations about the optimal time to initiate and discontinue breast cancer screening often continue to conflict with guidance from professional societies and independent experts.
Most primary care physicians recommend mammography screening for women beginning at age 40 years, even though guidelines from the American Cancer Society and U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) support a personalized approach toward screening for women in this age group, according to a research letter published in JAMA Internal Medicine.
Physician recommendations are one of the most important factors in a patient’s decision to undergo or forgo screening; hence, consensus is desired regarding when and how often to screen for breast cancer.
Archana Radhakrishnan, MD, clinical research fellow in the division of general internal medicine at Johns Hopkins University, and colleagues used data from the Breast Cancer Social Networks study — a national survey of PCPs — to determine whether physicians’ specialties or their organizational trust appeared associated with their breast cancer screening recommendations.
The bivariate analyses included 871 randomly selected PCPs (73.9%) and gynecologists (26.1%) who cared for women aged 40 years or older.
The survey asked participants whether they typically recommended routine screening mammograms to women in three age groups — 40 to 44 years; 45 to 49 years; and 75 years or older — with no family history of breast cancer and no prior breast issues.
Results showed 81% of physicians recommended mammography screening for women aged 40 to 44 years; 88% recommended it to women aged 45 to 49 years; and 67% recommended it to women aged 75 years or older.
Gynecologists appeared more likely than PCPs to recommend screening to women of all age groups (P < .001).
The survey showed a relatively even split with regard to which organization’s guidelines the survey respondents trusted most; 26% indicated they most trusted the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), 23.8% selected the American Cancer Society and 22.9% favored USPSTF guidelines.
“The results provide an important benchmark as guidelines continue evolving, and [they] underscore the need to delineate barriers and facilitators to implementing guidelines in clinical practice,” Radhakrishnan and colleagues wrote.
HemOnc Today spoke with experts on both sides of the debate about the potential advantages and disadvantages of early initiation of mammography screening.
Although the USPSTF has determined the benefits of mammography outweigh the risks for women aged 40 to 49 years, the difference is so subtle that it is important that women make their own choice about whether to be screened, according to George F. Sawaya, MD, professor of obstetrics, gynecology and reproductive sciences at University of California, San Francisco.
In addition, women in their early 40s must be aware of the likelihood of various outcomes, including the potential for false-positive results, Sawaya said.
In a debate at this year’s ACOG Annual Clinical and Scientific Meeting, Sawaya argued in favor of USPSTF guidelines that recommend biennial screening for women aged 50 to 74 years and assign a “C” grade — meaning decisions should be based on clinicians’ professional judgment and patient preferences — to a recommendation of screening for women aged 40 to 49 years.
“The process the task force uses to establish these recommendations is detailed, transparent and laborious,” Sawaya told HemOnc Today. “In considering the age to begin screening and the periodicity of screening, the task force believes that the best balance is beginning screening at age 50 and repeating screening every 2 years until the age of 74.”
The task force assigned a “B” grade — characterized as a recommendation of the service — to biennial screening for those aged 50 to 74 years because the task force believes that the net benefit is of a moderate magnitude, Sawaya said.
“Both of these are positive recommendations,” Sawaya said. “For the ‘C’ grade recommendation, the task force believes that women who place a higher value on their potential benefits than the potential harms may choose to begin biennial screening between the ages of 40 and 49. I have a great deal of confidence in the process undertaken by the USPSTF, and I believe it to be reasonable for physicians to look at the USPSTF guidelines for a variety of conditions as their primary source for recommendations.”
Earlier screening saves lives
Annual screening saves the most lives in every age group — including those in their 40s — and that should be physicians’ primary focus, according to Debra Monticciolo, MD, chair of the American College of Radiology Breast Imaging Commission.
“[Although] decreasing mortality from breast cancer is the main goal, there are additional benefits of screening, because screening-detected tumors tend to be smaller and are easier to treat,” Monticciolo told HemOnc Today.
Screening provides opportunity for less aggressive surgery and oncologic therapies, she said.
“A woman who wants to maximize the benefits of screening should start at age 40 and continue annually,” Monticciolo added. “This is the best way to reduce mortality and morbidity from breast cancer.”
A small amount of overdiagnosis — or the detection of early breast cancers that may never pose a threat — likely occurs, but it cannot be measured directly, Monticciolo said.
“All that we have are estimates, and these are based on assumptions that vary among studies,” she said.
Studies that correctly account for lead time and underlying incidence trends revealed overdiagnosis rates between 1% and 10%, Monticciolo said.
“It should be made clear that breast cancers look suspicious on mammography — even those that may be part of overdiagnosis,” she said. “Waiting ... to start screening at age 50 instead of age 40 will not change this. These tumors will still be present — although larger — at age 50. We have shown that breast cancer does not spontaneously regress. Invasive tumors do not go away without treatment.”
A relatively small number of overdiagnoses should not be used to determine the appropriate age to start screening, or the interval at which individuals are screened, Monticciolo said.
“We do not know which tumors are the overdiagnosed lesions, so we cannot use this to inform the screening recommendation,” she said. “The only way to not overdiagnose is to not screen at all, which we definitely do not want to do.”
Search for common ground
Despite the variations between recommendations issued by professional societies and independent panels, the general consensus among experts is that mammography ultimately saves lives.
“All major guidelines are similar with regard to the age to begin screening,” Sawaya said. “The major differences between the USPSTF and other major medical groups is how often screening should be performed — annually or biannually. There is no right answer here, only different ways to put together and view the pieces of a complex problem, and we as physicians have to be careful in doing so. Screening by definition is trying to make well people better in the future, but we do not want to harm them inordinately in this pursuit.”
Monticciolo agreed that the professional societies and the USPSTF are united in the belief that mammography substantially reduces breast cancer mortality.
“However, the difference exists in the way the USPSTF advises women of the risks and harms of screening at a younger age and more frequently,” Monticciolo said. “[Although] there are always risks to screening, I do not think that dying from breast cancer is on the same scale as having anxiety, getting recalled to have extra images taken or undergoing minimally invasive needle biopsy for what turns out to be a benign biopsy.
“Physicians need to know the facts and think about the patient’s best interest,” she added. “Women need to understand that mammography screening is associated with more benefits than harms, including decreasing their chance of dying of breast cancer.” – by Jennifer Southall
Grady D and Redberg RF. JAMA Intern Med. 2017;doi:10.1001/jamainternmed.2017.0458.
Haas JS, et al. J Gen Intern Med. 2016;doi:10.1007/s11606-015-3449-5.
Oeffinger KC, et al. JAMA. 2015;doi:10.1001/jama.2015.12783.
Pearlman M and Sawaya GF. The John and Marney Mathers Lecture: USPSTF Task Force Guidelines for Breast Cancer Screening (DEBATE). Presented at: ACOG Annual Clinical and Scientific Meeting; May 6-9, 2017; San Diego.
Peterson EB, et al. Prev Med. 2016;doi:10.1016/j.ypmed.2016.09.034.
Radhakrishan A, et al. JAMA Intern Med. 2017;doi:10.1001/jamainternmed.2017.0453.
Siu AL, et al. Ann Intern Med. 2016;doi:10.7326/M15-2886.
For more information:
Debra Monticciolo, MD, can be reached at Scott & White Medical Center, Department of Radiology, 2401 S. 31st St., Temple, TX 76508; email: firstname.lastname@example.org.
George F. Sawaya, MD, can be reached at The University of California, San Francisco, 550 16th St., Floor 7, San Francisco, CA 94143; email: email@example.com.
Disclosure: Monticciolo and Sawaya report no relevant financial disclosures.


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A cost of living crisis is “driving angst” among Conservative MPs about spring’s local elections, senior party figures are warning, as an overwhelming majority of voters in a survey reported that they had seen their costs rise faster than their income.
With the Treasury examining an expansion of a scheme designed to help the poorest with their energy bills, influential Tories are already saying that the plan will be too narrow and that the party will suffer big losses in May’s elections.
The elections, which take place across London, metropolitan boroughs and some county councils, are being regarded as the next major source of political danger for Boris Johnson. MPs are sounding the alarm because inflationary pressures are set to peak just weeks before voting takes place. Some Tories are already warning they will try to engineer a parliamentary clash with the chancellor, Rishi Sunak, to force him into action.
“I think it’s fair to say that the cost of living is one of the things that’s actually driving angst amongst MPs,” said Lord Hayward, the Tory peer and respected pollster.
The MPs are conscious that the elections will be happening in the wake of increases in energy and national insurance charges due to come in three or four weeks earlier.
“Large numbers of MPs have never been in a parliament where the government has been 15 points behind. This for them is a new experience to be even 6% or 7% behind, though the last two opinion polls have actually been better for the Tories,” Hayward said. “But certainly there is an angst amongst MPs who, confronted by 6% to 8% deficits, are looking towards their local elections.”
The news comes as an Opinium poll for the Observer suggests households are already noticing price inflation. About 70% of voters said they had seen their cost of living increase more than their income over the last 12 months, despite reports of pay rises. A majority who voted Tory at the last election (57%) said they backed removing VAT from energy bills.
One in eight voters (12%) would now describe their financial situation as “struggling”, up slightly from 9% from the end of lockdown in April. A huge majority of the public say they have noticed price rises. About 86% have noticed a rise in the overall cost of living, 83% a rise in grocery bills, 80% a rise in energy bills and 59% a rise in council tax.
A likely remedy from the government will be an expansion of the £140 Warm Homes Discount aimed at the poorest households. However, Tories are already warning that expanding the scheme will be insufficient: some even suggested they would threaten to vote against this year’s budget without firmer action. “That is only for those on benefits, predominantly,” said one influential figure. “The just-about-managing are not helped. I hope that they introduce a green levy escalator that goes down when the wholesale energy price rises.”
The government is receiving guidance that inflation could rise to as high as 7% if they fail to take action. Average annual fuel bills could rise from £1,300 to about £2,000 a year.
“The whole timing of this cost of living increase, whether it’s caused by world factors such as energy prices or whether it’s caused by domestic factors such as increased taxes, is coming at a very awkward time,” said another party veteran. “Not only the local government elections, but just at a time when really everybody wants to sort of get beyond Covid. We’re all hoping that after this winter is over and Omicron doesn’t turn out as bad as everybody feared, we want to emerge from that and start to get our lives back. This whole cost of living thing – I think it’s going to become quite tricky for the government.”
Energy regulator Ofgem is set to announce a rise of up to £700 in its price cap at the start of next month. Bills would increase from April, with the local elections set for 5 May.
Tories have been demanding a cut to green levies, the end of VAT on energy bills or a reversal of a coming increase in national insurance to ease the pressure. Labour has so far backed cutting VAT on energy bills, but is also under pressure to go further.
Stephen McPartland, the Tory MP for Stevenage, said that family finances were like a “leaky bucket that is getting leakier and leakier”. He called for the energy price cap not to be increased.
Lib Dem leader Ed Davey said there was now a “growing revolt in former Conservative heartlands against this government”. He added: “As we saw in North Shropshire, even lifelong Conservative voters are fed up with Johnson’s incompetence and lack of decency. His failure to act on the cost of living crisis is simply adding fuel to the fire.”
Just two months after removing the British Queen as its sovereign by becoming a Republic, Barbados is today, Wednesday, January...

domain: sociology


text:
The Mariana Islands cover a 900 km arc in the western Pacific Ocean. These volcanic islands have accumulated species typical of remote oceanic islands―far-flying pigeons, white-eyes, rails, megapodes, fruit bats, and plants with sticky and spiny seeds that cling to the legs of birds, for example. The isolation of the archipelago has driven the speciation of island endemics, including the multi-hued, plum-fronted Marianas fruit pigeon. Guam, a raised limestone atoll furthest south, is the oldest at 30 million years, with newer, active volcanic islands in the north (Farallon de Pájaros).
The nine major islands of the northern Marianas have little forest due to recent volcanic activity. Grasslands and patches of forest occur on older lava flows. The ironwood tree Casuarina equisetifolia, Pisonia grandis, pandanus, and the fern Nephrolepis hirsutula are common elements. Patches of upland forest occur with Aglaia mariannensis, Terminalia spp., and Elaeocarpus joga.
On the older southern islands, one finds forests on limestone (raised reefs or makatea) with Pisonia grandis, Artocarpus mariannensis (a native breadfruit), the banyan fig Ficus prolixa, Mammea odorata, Cordia subcordata, and Merrilliodendron megacarpus. Dendrocnide latifolia, Cynometra ramiflora, Intsia bijuga, and Erythrina variegata are also common. The endemic genus Guamia with only one species, Guamia mariannae, is common in the understory.
Primary broadleaf forests on volcanic soils of the southern islands are dominated by Aglaia mariannensis and Elaeocarpus joga, a Micronesia endemic with blue berries favored by birds. Also on volcanic soils are grasslands with patches of forest occurring in ravines that include Pandanus tectorius, P. dubuis, Hibiscus tiliaceaus, Ficus prolixa, Glochidion mariannensis, and Premna serratifolia. The islands regularly experience strong typhoons that influence a forest structure that is dense with many vines and few emergent trees.
Fifty-five plants are endemic to the Marianas, including Serianthes nelsonii, Succinea piratarum, Succinea quadrasi, Aglaia mariannensis, and Heritiera longipetiolata. Twenty-five land birds are native with 16 unique to the islands (6 are extinct), including the Marianas crow, Rota bridled white-eye, Micronesian megapode, Micronesian starling, Guam swiftlet, Nightingale reed-warbler, Tinian Monarch, and golden white-eye. The Mariana flying fox is endemic as was the now extinct Guam flying fox. A subspecies of the Polynesian sheath-tailed bat is resident. Eleven geckos and skinks are native.
The forests of the larger, southern islands have been long modified by people through settlement, agriculture, burning, battles of WWII, and the introduction of livestock and invasive plants and animals. Most are covered in grassy savannas and secondary growth forests with many introduced species, such as Triphasia trifolia, Jatropha gossypifolia, Pithecellobium dulce, Muntingia calabura, Cananga odorata, and especially Leucaena leucocephala. Remnant patches of original forest offer refuge to native species in the southern islands, such as on Saipan and Rota, though most has been eliminated on Guam.
Introduced cattle, pigs, Philippine deer, and goats degrade vegetation on most of the islands. Introduced rats and brown tree snakes eat native wildlife. The brown tree snake has been implicated in the extinction of three bird species on Guam since its arrival and is viewed as a major threat to Marianas wildlife.
Over 12 protected areas, including the entire northern islands of Asuncion, Maug, Uracas, and Guguan, are managed to protect native wildlife. Multiple recovery and species management programs, including invasive species control programs and translocations of threatened species, especially for the devastating brown tree snake, are underway.
The priority conservation actions for the next decade are to: 1) prevent the introduction of invasive species to the northern islands, including the brown tree snake and predatory snails, and the further spread of the little red fire ant from Guam; 2) remove feral ungulates and introduced predators from the islands of Anatahan, Alamagan, Pagan, Aguiguan, and Agrihan; and 3) translocate native forest birds from the southern islands to the northern islands and establish a captive breeding program. Other priorities include a captive rearing and breeding of Partulid snails program, eradication of scarlet gourd on Saipan, and protecting remnant limestone forests on Tinian.
- Berger GM, J Gourley, G Schroer. 2005. Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Strategy for the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. CNMI Division of Fish and Wildlife, Saipan, CNMI.
- Mueller-Dombois D, FR Fosberg. 1998. Vegetation of the Tropical Pacific Islands. Springer-Verlag, New York.
- Zicus S. 2018. Marianas tropical dry forests. Accessed 1 June 2018 at https://www.worldwildlife.org/ecoregions/oc0203

domain: geography


|Publication number||US7255961 B2|
|Application number||US 10/799,076|
|Publication date||Aug 14, 2007|
|Filing date||Mar 12, 2004|
|Priority date||Mar 12, 2004|
|Also published as||CA2555087A1, EP1754269A2, EP1754269A4, EP1754269B1, US20070154762, WO2005091946A2, WO2005091946A3|
|Publication number||10799076, 799076, US 7255961 B2, US 7255961B2, US-B2-7255961, US7255961 B2, US7255961B2|
|Inventors||Robert C. Schucker|
|Original Assignee||Trans Ionics Corporation|
|Export Citation||BiBTeX, EndNote, RefMan|
|Patent Citations (24), Non-Patent Citations (3), Referenced by (8), Classifications (45), Legal Events (5)|
|External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, Espacenet|
The United States Government has rights in this invention pursuant to Contract No. DE-FG03-01ER83317 between the United States Department of Energy and Trans Ionics Corporation.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to thin film composite electrolyte structures that are preferably ionically conductive and are therefore suitable for use in electrochemical cells, such as secondary batteries based on sodium and sulfur.
2. Related Art
Solid, ionically conductive electrolyte components are utilized in high temperature electrochemical cells, such as secondary batteries based on sodium and sulfur or sodium and a metal chloride. Such electrochemical cells are typically comprised of: a) a liquid anodic reactant; b) a liquid cathodic reactant; and c) a solid electrolyte component that separates the cathode from the anode and that is permeable by either ions from the anodic or cathodic reactants. For example, when the cell is a sodium-sulfur cell, the anodic reactant is liquid sodium, the cathodic reactant is liquid sulfur or a mixture of sulfur and sodium polysulfides, and the electrolyte component is typically comprised of materials such as beta double prime alumina ((β″-Al2O3) or (Na2O.5Al2O3)), NASICON (Na3Zr2Si2PO12) or other materials that are permeable only by sodium ions. A complete description of the fabrication and operation of sodium-sulfur cells can be found in the publication by J. L. Sudworth and A. R. Tilley entitled “The Sodium-Sulfur Battery” (Chapman and Hall, New York, 1985). The cell reaction that produces power (discharge cycle) in this device is most generally given as:
During the discharge cycle, sodium is oxidized (i.e., gives up an electron to form a sodium cation) at the anode and sodium ions migrate from the anode compartment through the solid electrolyte. Therefore, the reaction at the anode during discharge is:
Simultaneously, the following reaction takes place at the cathode where elemental sulfur is reduced:
The flow of electrons through the external circuit from the anode to the cathode produces power to drive equipment such as electric motors.
A critical component of the sodium-sulfur battery is the solid electrolyte that allows only the transport of sodium cations while blocking the transport of sulfur anions. Since the original conception of the sodium-sulfur battery, the electrolyte of choice has been β″-Al2O3 (Na2O.5Al2O3). Other materials, such as NASICON, have shown promise.
There are certain important requirements that the electrolyte component must meet in order to perform effectively in a high temperature electrochemical cell. One of these is a high ion flux; and because ion flux is inversely proportional to the thickness of the electrolyte component, it is desirable to make the electrolyte layer as thin as possible. Another important requirement is low electronic conductivity and this is governed by the choice of electrolyte materials.
There are several conventional methods for fabricating such electrolyte components. For example, there are teachings describing the fabrication of solid electrolyte structures (typically tubes or plates) from β″-Al2O3 powder and assembly of the resulting tubes or plates into a structure that is typically hermetically sealed for use in automotive and electrical utility load leveling applications. While β″-Al2O3 tubes can be prepared by isostatic compression of the powder, the preferred method of fabrication is electrophoretic deposition as described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,896,018; 3,896,019; 3,900,381; and 3,976,554 (all of which are incorporated herein by reference). Further, U.S. Pat. No. 4,038,464 (incorporated herein by reference), discloses the use of fibrous mats in both electrode compartments to enhance the conductivity of the electrodes. The fabrication of β″-Al2O3 in shapes other than tubes for greater cell efficiency is taught in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,226,923; 4,568,502; 5,053,294; and 5,112,703 (all of which are incorporated herein by reference).
There are several inherent disadvantages to cells made by conventional methods. One disadvantage is that electrolytes made from materials such as β″-Al2O3 have low ion flux, because the electrolyte must be thick enough to also provide mechanical support. So, while it is generally known that thinner electrolytes have higher ion flux, these unsupported electrolyte tubes of the prior art can typically not be optimized for high flux because of the limitations of their mechanical strength.
Another disadvantage of conventional methods results from forming the electrolyte as tubes on mandrels (typical of the electrophoretic deposition method) because there is a limit on the minimum diameter of the tube and also on its maximum length. This, in turn, limits the surface area to volume ratio, and thus the energy density, of the resulting electrochemical cell. For example, sodium-sulfur cells made by conventional techniques have relatively low surface area to volume ratios; and, consequently, they have lower energy densities than desired.
One approach to mitigating these disadvantages is to support the solid electrolyte as a thin film on a suitable microporous support. U.S. Pat. No. 4,244,986 (incorporated herein by reference), discloses the application of a precursor to β″-Al2O3 (in the form of a solid) onto supports such as α-alumina, mullite or zirconium oxide. One concern with respect to this approach is the difference in the coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) between β″-Al2O3 (8.6×10−6/° C.) and the preferred supports a-alumina (8.2×10−6/° C.), zirconium oxide (8.2×10−6/° C.) and especially mullite (5.2×10−6/° C.). A second concern is that none of the listed refractory ceramic supports are electrically conductive, thereby limiting the configuration of a sodium-sulfur cell made by this process to one in which the anode reactant is on the support side.
While U.S. Pat. No. 4,526,844 (incorporated herein by reference) discloses that NASICON can also be used as the solid electrolyte in a sodium-sulfur cell, there are no actual examples showing that a thin film composite of such a material was ever made. This may be because of the significant mismatch in CTE between NASICON (˜1×10−6/° C.) and most microporous substrates.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,059,497 (incorporated herein by reference) discloses the fabrication of a composite, ion-conductive electrolyte member comprised of a first layer of an ion conductive material such as β″-Al2O3, and a second, or substrate layer, comprised of a material selected from aluminum silicon carbide, doped tin oxide, graphite, or composites, compounds, mixtures, and/or combinations of these materials. A preferred material is selected from the titanium dioxide family as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,422,917 and 3,985,575 (both of which are incorporated herein by reference) (tantalum or niobium-doped TiO2). According to the '497 patent, the first layer is much thinner than the second in order to provide higher ion flux and the second layer is substantially thicker to provide suitable mechanical support. The first layer can be applied by, among other techniques, electrophoretic deposition.
U.S. Serial No. 20020172871A1 (incorporated herein by reference) describes one method of fabricating an improved electrochemical cell a) with an anode (and corresponding anodic reactant); b) a cathode (and corresponding cathodic reactant); and c) a composite ion-conductive electrolyte structure with: i) a first layer, preferably thin-film in nature, that is a mixture of two or more chemically distinct compounds, at least one of which is ion-conductive; and ii) a second layer bonded the first layer, where the second layer is any refractory support structure having: (1) an effective porosity that will allow an effective flow of anodic or cathodic reactants to the first layer; and (2) a coefficient of thermal expansion within 5% of the first layer's material. The objective of utilizing a mixture of two or more chemically different compounds in this application was to achieve a match in the coefficient of thermal expansion.
Another attempt to construct a suitable solid electrolyte is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,901,733 (incorporated herein by reference). This patent describes a two layer beta alumina structure. The first layer is a thin (50-1,000 microns) conductive dense layer of β alumina, and the second layer is a thicker substrate or backing of porous beta or beta double prime alumina. The conductive dense layer is coated on the substrate (plasma or slurry spraying, or granular deposition), and sintered to a final temperature between 1,500 to 1,800° C. Unfortunately, such an asymmetric two layer composite is subject differential shrinkage in the sintering process, making the composition unreliable as a structural material.
Therefore, while conventional methods have provided solid ion-conductive electrolyte components for sodium sulfur electrochemical cells with varying commercial success, there is still a need in the art for solid ion-conductive electrolytes with improved ion-conductive properties and improved mechanical properties that can withstand the stresses associated with wide temperature swings. There is also a need in the art for improved methods of making these solid ion-conductive electrolytes. The present invention addresses these needs.
The present invention includes: (1) a supported thin film composite solid electrolyte and (2) a process for making this electrolyte.
The electrolyte of the present invention, in its preferred structure, is a supported thin film composite forming a sandwich-like structure of at least three layers, with two exterior layers and an interior layer. While it is possible to create such films as two layer structures (i.e., asymmetric in nature), it has been found that these electrolytes are subject to distortion due to thermal and mechanical stresses that occur during sintering, and that such distortions do not occur for symmetric configurations. To minimize distortions, it is preferred that the sandwich have a center layer and two exterior layers symmetric with respect to the center, the exterior layers having substantially the same thickness, with a variation of up to 15% in the exterior layers. Further, the preferred geometry of the structure of the present invention is planar though it is possible to make the electrolyte of the present invention in tubular form. Two different preferred configurations of the three layers for the electrolyte are described. In each configuration, there is at least one thin, dense layer less than about 100 microns in thickness and preferably less than 50 microns in thickness that is the functional electrolyte layer. The term “dense” is used to mean non-porous, however, the dense layer must be ionically conductive with respect to one of the charged reactants (generally sodium in a sodium/sulfur cell), generally through a diffusion process. For the sodium sulfur battery application a preferred material for the dense layer is β″-Al2O3. Depending on the configuration selected, it is supported on a second layer that is microporous or between two second layers that are microporous, so that reactants can flow to the electrolyte surface as necessary. The thicker microporous layer gives mechanical strength to the composite (herein, “porous” or “microporous” layer refers to an effective porosity and permeability that will allow an effective flow of anodic or cathodic reactants through the layer).
A feature of the preferred embodiment of the present invention is that this microporous structure is also β″-Al2O3. By constructing the electolyte in this manner, there is no difference at all in coefficient of thermal expansion between the thin, dense layer(s) and the microporous support layer(s). Further, bonding between the two layers is excellent.
The preferred method of making the composite sandwich structure is tape casting, which is routinely used for making planar components in the microelectronics industry, although other manufacturing methods may be modified to create the three layer structure. An excellent reference for tape casting is a recent book by Richard E. Mistler and Eric R. Twiname entitled “Tape Casting Theory and Practice,” American Ceramic Society (2000).
It is an object of the invention to provide a three layer structure suitable for an electrolyte, where the layers include a microporous layer and a dense non-porous later.
It is an object of the invention to provide a three layer structure suitable for an electrolyte constructed of Beta double prime alumina, beta alumina or NASICON.
It is an object of the invention to provide a three layer planar structure suitable for an electrolyte in a sodium/sulfur cell.
It is an object of the invention to provide a method of creating structures suitable as an electrolyte in a sodium sulfur cell where encapsulation is not utilized during sintering.
It is an object of the invention to provide a method of creating structures suitable as an electrolyte in a sodium sulfur cell where final sintering temperature is at or below 1600° C.
The present invention encompasses at least a three layer ionically conductive supported thin film composite solid electrolyte, which has particular application in sodium sulfur (Na/S) cells, although this configuration has potential applications in other electrochemical cells. The invention also encompasses the method of making the solid electrolyte product; the method, however, can be employed to build a two layer product solid electolyte.
In one embodiment of the invention shown in
Each distinct layer may be composed of a series of layers or laminations of the layer forming material.
In both of these embodiments, the chemical composition of the thin dense layer(s) and the microporous support layer(s) are substantially identical, thereby ensuring a match in the coefficient of thermal expansion. For instance, the three layers can be composed of Beta double prime alumina, NASICON, or Beta alumina. It is possible but not preferred to mix Beta and Beta double prime alumina, as their CTE are comparable. Additionally, in some instances a 5 layer structure may be formed, where the outermost exterior layers of the sandwich may be a thin layer of NASICON, although the interior layers may be Beta or Beta double prime, as further discussed later. The preferred material for an electrolyte in a sodium sulfur cell is a beta alumina (β-Al2O3) which has the generic formula Na2O.xAl2O3, where x can range from 5 to 11. A more preferred material is β″-Al2O3[Na2O.5Al2O3]. In order to accommodate the high sodium content, these materials are typically stabilized with lithium or magnesium oxides, with magnesium preferred (see example 3 discussed herein where MgCO3 is utilized), and such stabilized compounds are also considered as β″-Al2O3.
The preferred method of fabricating supported thin film composite electrolyte according to the present invention is tape casting. In the process of making planar ceramics by tape casting, a dry powder of electrolyte or support material is mixed with binders, dispersants, plasticizers and solvents to form a slip, which is then cast using a casting knife to produce a layer of constant thickness. The sheet is then heated to remove solvents. Multiple layers of this sheet can be laminated under heat and pressure to form thicker structures, if desired.
Fabrication of the electrolyte of the present invention by tape casting, however, is not straightforward and a significant amount of work has gone into developing the technique to make acceptable supported thin film composite β″-Al2O3 electrolyte. Factors that affect the physical structure and electrochemical characteristics of the resulting thin film supported electrolytes include, but are not limited to: (1) particle size of the powders used to make the dense and microporous layers; (2) type and particle size of pore forming material; (3) formulation of the tape casting slip; (4) temperature and pressure used during lamination of tapes; (5) drying time and temperature of laminated tapes; (6) temperature profile during sintering; (7) final sintering temperature; and (8) holding time at maximum sintering temperature.
It is known that smaller particles sinter faster than larger particles because of their higher surface area and, therefore, the average particle size of the β″-Al2O3 powder for the thin, dense electrolyte film and that for the microporous support are different in order to provide different rates of sintering (densification) during processing. In the present invention, the thin, dense layer is formed from nanoparticulate β″-Al2O3 having an initial average particle size of from 10 to 500 nm (a “Nanoparticulate”), more preferentially from 20 to 200 nm and most preferentially from 20 to 150 nm. Nanoparticulate β″-Al2O3 can be prepared using flame spray pyrolysis as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,958,361 (incorporated herein by reference). The microporous layer is formed from β″-Al2O3 having an initial average particle size of from 0.5 to 5 microns, more preferentially from 0.5 to 3 microns and most preferentially from 0.5 to 2 microns. Nanoparticulate can be used for the micro porous layer, but it is not preferred.
For the purpose of forming pores in the microporous layer during sintering, any material that combusts completely in air during the sintering process can be used. Examples of pore formers that are typically used are rice hulls, corn starch and carbon black, and other materials which will combust without leaving substantial residues, such as organic or cellulostic materials having sufficient volume and shape to create porosity and permeability in the support layer once combusted. The particle size of the chosen pore formers is an important property to the final end product's characteristics. Particles that are too small result in very small pores which are not always interconnected, and hence results in low permeability, slowing or blocking the flow of reactants across the electrolyte support layer. A preferred pore former for the present invention is rice hulls.
The amount of pore former in the casting slip also has an impact on the resulting structure of the microporous section. Rice hull contents between 25 wt % and 40 wt % were evaluated and it was found that at 40 wt %, the microporous structure collapsed as a result of excessive porosity. At 25 wt % rice hulls, the porosity resulted in a functional layer, but flow through the layer was not as effective as desired. Therefore, the preferred rice hull content is 25 wt % to 40 wt %, more preferably from 27 wt % to 35 wt %. Thus, a pore former is desired that will provide sufficient permeability for the reactants through the microporous layer, but not so great as effect the support properties of the microporous layer. With sufficient porosity, the needed thickness of porous support layer will be controlled by the mechanical structural requirements of the particular application, for instance, a planar electrolyte in a given cell configuration may require a thicker layer than a cylindrical electrolyte due to the inherent structural advantages of the cylindrical form.
The β″-Al2O3 electrolyte could be prepared as a powder for subsequent formation into the dense electrolyte layer or the microporous support. Slips for tape casting were formulated and the procedure used was that specified by Mistler and Twiname for alumina materials (“M&T”, herein incorporated by reference). The powders were first dried carefully to remove any moisture. Dried powders were then added to a mixture of solvents (a list of suitable solvents is contained on pages 18-19 of M&T) containing a dispersant (a list of dispersants is contained in Table 2.1 of M&T, incorporated by reference) and mixed further to distribute the dispersant onto the particle surfaces. To this was then added a binder (a list of binders is contained in Table 2.3 of M&T, incorporated by reference) and one or more plasticizers (a list of plasticizers is contained in Table 2.4 of M&T, incorporated by reference) and the material was further mixed to produce a slip suitable for casting. Tapes were cast using a commercially available casting knife having an adjustable gap. Films from 3 to 25 mils were routinely cast onto a silicone-coated Mylar substrate. The cast films were then dried to remove solvent and stored in a dry environment.
Two different tapes must then made in order to form the composite structure. A first tape is fabricated from Nanoparticulate β″-Al2O3 without pore formers and cast in layers from 1-5 mils in thickness. A second tape is fabricated from larger particle size β″-Al2O3 plus a pore former and is cast in layers from 5-50 mils in thickness. One or more layers of the first tape are then laminated with one or more layers of the second tape under heat and pressure to form a composite structure. For instance, in the preferred embodiment, the tapes are laminated to form the three layer structure as shown in
The composite laminated tape is then carefully dried and sintered in air to form the final composite electrolyte structure. It is common practice to encapsulate the electrolyte to minimize the loss of sodium (in the form of sodium oxide) from the structure during sintering. In this process, the material to be sintered is place in a closed environment in order to maintain a sodium rich environment. For example, the materials may be encapsulated in a close fitting cylinder to retain sodium (in the form of sodium oxide) escaping in the sintering process. However, the process of the present invention does not require encapsulation and allows free air sintering of the tapes while preserving their ionic conductivity. This is accomplished through a series of drying and sintering steps that maintain the desired high sodium content. Note however, that if NASICON is the structural material for the sandwich, the sintering temperature is substantially lower (˜1100-1200° C. to densify the non-porous NASICON layer), well below the temperature at which sodium loss (in the form of sodium oxide) becomes problematic (1275° C.).
First, the laminated structure is dried at or above 100° C. in order to adequately remove moisture prior to sintering. The preferred sintering schedule includes a drying period at 100° C. followed by a slow ramp (1-2° C./min) in temperature from 100° C. to 700° C. to burn off the pore former. Higher terminating temperatures may be needed depending on the chosen pore former material and faster heating rates can be used provided the rate is slow enough to allow combustion gases to escape without causing delamination in the structure. For rice hulls, a ramp rate of 1-2° C./min is adequate.
Once the pore former is combusted, the temperature can be ramped to 1,200° C. at a faster rate (˜5° C./min, although these ramp rates are not critical to the final product). Above 1,275° C., Na2O is known to sublime from the structure and it is desirable to minimize the time above this sublimation temperature. Therefore, the temperature is ramped from 1,200° C. to its final sintering temperature at a rapid rate (25-30° C./min), held for a period that is preferred not to exceed 30 minutes and cooled to 1,200° C. again at 25-30° C./min, followed by a slower cooling rate (˜5° C./min) to room temperature. This is to minimize the time above 1275° C. The starting point for the rapid rise can be other than 1200° C. When this sintering schedule is followed, a supported Beta double prime electrolyte layer of excellent ionic conductivity is formed. Again, if NASICON is used as the structural material, the sintering temperature is lower, ˜1100° C., and hence, the ramp rates to this temperature and not critical, as loss of sodium is not a concern.
The final sintering temperature is important to the formation of a fully dense structure. A maximum sintering temperature of 1,600-1,650° C. is common for electrolyte articles made by a process of the prior art. U.S. Pat. No. 5,691,082 (incorporated herein by reference) specifies a staged heating cycle wherein a magnesium stabilized electrolyte is sintered to between 1,400° C. and 1,550° C. at a heating rate no greater than 50° C./hr, further heated to a temperature between 1,580° C. and 1,650° C. and holding for no more than 0.1-0.3 hours, followed by cooling again into the temperature range of 1,400° C. and 1,550° C. at a rate of no more than 50° C./hr. However, because of the lowering sintering temperature of Nanoparticulate β″-Al2O3 and because of the thin nature of the electrolyte film, the process of the present invention can effectively reduce the maximum sintering temperature to ˜1,500° C. to ˜1600° C. and produce an electrolyte with the desired properties. The maximum time spent at the final temperature can be of the order of ˜20 minutes for a 1500° C. final sintering temperature, to ˜5 minutes of a 1600° C. final sintering temperature. In effect, the loss of sodium oxide from the microporous structure produces a local atmosphere rich in Na2O, which maintains a sufficient level of sodium in the thin, dense electrolyte to provide the required conductivity without encapsulating the sample. When higher temperatures are used, loss of sodium again becomes a concern, and encapsulation may be needed.
The following non-limiting examples demonstrate an example of the present invention.
Nanoparticulate β″-Al2O3 was purchased from TAL Materials Corporation (“TAL”) of Ann Arbor, Mich. Approximately 50 g of TAL β″-Al2O3 was attrition milled for two hours in isopropanol using 3 mm YSZ spherical media in order to break up agglomerates. The isopropanol was evaporated and the powder was dried at 120° C. for 24 hours for subsequent use in production of a slip for tape casting. Use of Nanoparticulate sized powders to form the thin dense layer allows the layer to densify at lower temperatures.
A batch of β″-Al2O3 suitable for use in the microporous support layer was synthesized as follows. Approximately 85.65 g Bayerite alumina (UOP Versal B), 13.82 g Na2CO3 and 2.53 g MgCO3 were added to an attrition mill and milled in isopropanol using 3 mm YSZ spherical media for 1 hour to homogenize. The slurry was strained to remove the YSZ media and placed in an evaporating dish over a weekend to evaporate most of the isopropanol. The resulting powder was ground lightly with a mortar and pestle and loaded into a series of alumina crucibles, which were in turn placed in a drying oven at 100° C. to complete the drying process. Each crucible (with contents) was weighed while still warm to obtain the initial weight of the reactants. The crucibles were then placed in a muffle furnace, heated to 1,300° C. at 5° C./min in air, held for 4 hours and cooled. Eight crucibles in all were used and the average weight loss per crucible was 36.04±0.15 wt %. The resultant β″-Al2O3 powder was attrition milled again in isopropanol to reduce particle size, dried in an evaporating dish in air and finally dried in an oven at 100° C. overnight. This batch was designated RCS-022. A sample of RCS-022 was subjected to X-ray powder diffraction analysis; and the diffraction pattern was found to be consistent with that of β″-Al2O3.
Into a small (˜1 pt) mill jar was added ˜215 g ¼″ YSZ cylindrical grinding media. To that was added 0.87 g menhaden fish oil (dispersant), 33.41 g mixed xylenes, 33.42 g anhydrous ethanol and 43.40 g hot (about 120° C.) (β″-Al2O3 from Example 1). The mill jar was sealed and the mixture milled on a roll mill at 60 rpm for 24 hours. To this was then added 3.48 g polyvinylbutyral (binder) and 1.75 g butyl benzyl phthalate (plasticizer). The mixture was further milled at 60 rpm for 24 hours. The slip was then strained to remove grinding media and de-aired under a slight vacuum (˜680 torr) to remove entrained air bubbles. This slip was designated SLIP-026.
SLIP-026 from Example 3 was used to cast tapes of different thickness. Tapes of 2 mils, 3 mils and 4 mils were cast onto silicone coated Mylar using a 10″ Gardner BYK casting knife with an adjustable gap. Tapes were dried on a heated plate at 40° C. and stored in an evacuated container to minimize moisture uptake.
Into a small beaker was placed 4.5 g attrition milled rice hulls (−325 mesh), 13.50 g unmilled rice hulls (−325 mesh) and 42.00 g β″-Al2O3 (RCS-022 from Example 2). The powders had been previously dried in an oven at 110° C. for 24 hours to remove moisture. The powders were mixed with a spatula until visually homogeneous and added to a small mill jar containing ˜215 g ¼″ YSZ cylindrical milling media. To this was added 1.20 g menhaden fish oil dissolved in 26.40 g mixed xylenes and 26.40 g anhydrous ethanol. The mill jar was sealed, shaken vigorously to mix the components and milled on a roll mill at 60 rpm for 24 hours. To this jar was then added 4.81 g polyvinyl butyral, 3.60 g butyl benzyl phthalate and 3.63 g polyalkylene glycols (plasticizer). The contents were milled for another 24 hours at 60 rpm on a roll mill. The grinding media were strained out and the slip was deaired under a slight vacuum. This slip was designated SLIP-029.
Tapes of 20 and 25 mil thickness were cast with SLIP-029 using the procedure of Example 4.
Six pieces (approximately 1″×1″) of 25 mil tape prepared from SLIP-029 in Example 6 were dried in an oven at 110° C. for 2 hours. They were placed in a closed container to cool in order to prevent moisture uptake. These six pieces were stacked together and one piece of 3 mil tape from Example 4 was placed on either side of the stack to produce the structure shown in
The laminate from Example 7 was trimmed on each side to produce a square plate and dried in an air oven at 110° C. overnight. It was placed while still hot onto a smooth MgO plate and covered with another MgO plate (that did not touch the surface). The sample was then placed into a high temperature furnace and sintered in air using the following schedule:
1. Ramp to 100° C. at 5° C./min
2. Ramp from 100° C. to 700° C. at 1° C./min
3. Ramp from 700° C. to 1,250° C. at 5° C./min
4. Ramp from 1,250° C. to 1,500° C. at 25° C./min
5. Hold at 1,500° C. for 20 minutes
6. Cool to 1,000° C. at 25° C./min
7. Cool to room temperature at 5° C./min
The sample was smooth, flat and glossy on both sides. The final thickness of the laminate was approximately 940 microns and each of the thin dense layers was approximately 20 microns. A corner was broken off and analyzed by scanning electron microscopy. It should be noted that the corner was broken off with some difficulty due to the excellent strength of this laminate. An SEM cross-section is shown in
Although the present invention has been described in terms of specific embodiments, it is anticipated that alterations and modifications thereof will no doubt become apparent to those skilled in the art which are intended to be included within the scope of the following claims.
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|U.S. Classification||429/129, 429/188, 429/304|
|International Classification||H01M6/18, H01M6/04, H01M2/14, H01M10/39, H01M2/16|
|Cooperative Classification||C04B2235/6565, C04B2237/588, C04B2235/6567, H01M10/3927, H01M2/145, C04B2237/586, C04B35/113, C04B2111/00612, B32B18/00, C04B35/6264, C04B2235/3203, C04B2235/3206, C04B2235/5454, C04B2235/5445, H01M2/1686, C04B2235/6025, C04B2235/6562, C04B35/6261, C04B38/00, B82Y30/00, H01M2300/0094, H01M2/1646, H01M2300/0074, C04B2237/343, H01M10/3981, C04B2237/704, C04B2111/00853|
|European Classification||B82Y30/00, H01M2/14M, H01M2/16L, H01M10/39B2B, H01M2/16C1, C04B35/626A6, B32B18/00, C04B38/00, C04B35/626A10M, C04B35/113|
|Mar 12, 2004||AS||Assignment|
Owner name: TRANS IONICS CORPORATION, TEXAS
Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:SCHUCKER, ROBERT C.;REEL/FRAME:015092/0081
Effective date: 20040310
|Feb 10, 2011||FPAY||Fee payment|
Year of fee payment: 4
|Mar 27, 2015||REMI||Maintenance fee reminder mailed|
|Aug 14, 2015||LAPS||Lapse for failure to pay maintenance fees|
|Oct 6, 2015||FP||Expired due to failure to pay maintenance fee|
Effective date: 20150814


text:
About a week ago, Russian President Vladimir Putin embarked on his invasion campaign to bombard, overtake and control neighbouring Ukraine. Aiming to strategically seize the country through bombing assaults that focused on the capital city (Kyiv); the Russians, assuming it would be a quick and easy offensive unexpectedly encountered bold, courageous and resilient resistance from the Ukrainian people.
With Kyiv holding against being captured by the Russians (for now), the focus of Putin’s onslaught has turned to other Ukrainian population centres; resulting in mass civilian displacement. As the numbers of casualties rise and supplies/safety becomes increasingly scarce, the people of Ukraine require our support.
It can be overwhelming to see/hear things play out in real-time on the news or social media; digesting a constant stream of information and updates can make an ongoing and evolving crisis seem insurmountable. However, there is much we can do to provide assistance and solidarity that will make a difference.
Here are some key ways you can help Ukraine …
Share Reliable Information
Disinformation is a tactic used to deliberately sow mistrust, push disturbing ideologies and/or cause panic. Sharing misleading or manufactured information is all too easy to do; make sure sources are verifiable and trustworthy, such as:
- The Kyiv Independent; English-language journalism based in Ukraine
- The New Voice of Ukraine; breaking news and analysis
- BBC News; world renowned, up-to-the-minute breaking news and in-depth journalism
Donate To Key Organizations
United Help Ukraine; providing food, medical supplies and humanitarian aid to those displaced by Russia’s invasion
Revived Soldiers Ukraine; medical and sustainable living support for soldiers and their families
Voices of Children; a Ukrainian charity focused on helping children in the east of the country recover from the psychological impacts of war
World Central Kitchen; the incomparable Chef José Andres is feeding refugees who have reached the Polish border
Support Marginalized People
While everyone is at risk during this conflict; it is suspected that Russian authorities will target LGBTQ+ advocates, journalists and members of religious and/or ethnic minority groups in Ukraine. The following organizations and initiatives need urgent donations:
- Fight for Right; protecting the rights of people with disabilities
- Chuffed; helping Roma access humanitarian aid
- Project Kesher; independent Jewish community meeting the needs of women and girls, including those who need to relocate
Push For Political Action
Taking part in a protest represents a vocal and visual way to show the people of Ukraine that you support them; it also lets government leaders know that condemning Russia’s actions remains a priority. If you’re interested in attending a demonstration/rally in your country, you might be able to find one here (or research them on social media).
You can also contact your political representative/s to make sure they are supporting:
- ongoing financial and humanitarian aid to Ukraine as the crisis develops
- increased/revised sanctions
- safe passage for refugees, including improving visa/entry requirements
Advocating for an end to violence and Russian aggression can assume many forms; pressure is being applied from governments, organizations and brands around the world. We can add our voices to this rising tide; it’s a matter for all of us to care about.
Do you have any other ways you’re showing support for Ukraine? What’s happening in your local area?

domain: news


text:
Accelerating progress in Artificial General Intelligence: Choosing a benchmark for natural world interaction
Measuring progress in the field of Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) can be difficult without commonly accepted methods of evaluation. An AGI benchmark would allow evaluation and comparison of the many computational intelligence algorithms that have been developed. In this paper I propose that a benchmark for natural world interaction would possess seven key characteristics: fitness, breadth, specificity, low cost, simplicity, range, and task focus. I also outline two benchmark examples that meet most of these criteria. In the first, the direction task, a human coach directs a machine to perform a novel task in an unfamiliar environment. The direction task is extremely broad, but may be idealistic. In the second, the AGI battery, AGI candidates are evaluated based on their performance on a collection of more specific tasks. The AGI battery is designed to be appropriate to the capabilities of currently existing systems. Both the direction task and the AGI battery would require further definition before implementing. The paper concludes with a description of a task that might be included in the AGI battery: the search and retrieve task.
Geva, S., and Sitte, J. 1993. A cart-pole experiment for trainable controllers. IEEE Control Systems Magazine 13:40-51.
Goertzel, B., and Pennachin, Eds., C. 2007. Artificial General Intelligence. Springer.
Goertzel, B.; Arel, I.; and Scheutz, M. 2009. Toward a roadmap for human-level artificial general intelligence: Embedding HLAI systems in broad, approachable, physical or virtual contexts. Technical report, Artificial General Intelligence Roadmap Initiative. http://www.agi-roadmap.org/images/HLAIR.pdf
Kokinov, B. N. 1994. The DUAL cognitive architechture: A hybrid multi-agent approach. In Proceedings of the Eleventh European Conference on Artificial Intelligence. John Wiley and Sons.
Laird, J. E.; Wray III, R. E.; Marinier III, R. P.; and Langley, P. 2009. Claims and challenges in evaluating human-level intelligent systems. In Proceedings of the 2009 Conference on Artificial General Intelligence. Atlantis Press.
Lebiere, C.; Gonzales, C.; and Warwick, W. 2009. A comparative approach to understanding general intelligence: Predicting cognitive performance in an open-ended dynamic task. In Proceedings of the Second Conference on Artificial General Intelligence. Atlantis Press.
Michel, O.; Rohrer, F.; and van Bourquin, Y. 2008. Rat's Life: A cognitive robotics benchmark. In et al., H. B., ed., Proc 2008 European Robotics Sympoiusm, volume STAR 44, 223-232. Berlin Heidelberg: Springer-Verlag.
Mlodinow, L. 2008. The Drunkard's Walk: How Randomness Rules Our Lives, 8th Printing Edition. Pantheon. See Chapter 1.
Moore, A. 1990. Efficient Memory-Based Learning for Robot Control. Ph.D. Dissertation, University of Cambridge.
Mueller, S. T., and Minnery, B. S. 2008. Adapting the Turing Test for embodied neurocognitive evaluation of biologically-inspired cognitive agents. In Proc. 2008 AAAI Fall Symposium on Biologically Inspired Cognitive Architectures.

domain: literature


- Nickel alloy turbo manifold for Audi S2/RS2 with K24 T25 flange + Audi S2 wastegate connection
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- Turbo manifold for all Audi S2 and RS2 models. This manifold has a larger tube path than the original RS2 manifold, leading to high performance. Adjustments might be required.
Our cast manifolds are manufactured in a metal mold from high-quality cast and then CNC-machined, characterizing them by high precision fitting. Unlike tube manifolds, this one is more durable. Additionally, the manifold has a connection for a wastegate.
- all Audi 5 cylinder 20v engines
- K24 or K26 flange, S2 turbocharger, RS2 turbocharger
- with minor alterations on the downpipe side for turbochargers with T25 flange:
Optional fitting accessories:
- Manifold gasket T25 to turbo
- Closure plate 38mm for wastegate
This Product was added to our catalogue on 31/03/2010.


Doubts raised over Oxford coronavirus vaccine after ALL of the monkeys that took part in the trial are found to have contracted the disease
- All six rhesus monkeys given the vaccine still became infected with Covid-19
- There were also warnings that they may have been able to spread the virus
- Oxford University vaccine has already been steam-rolled into human trials
- A professor from Imperial trial warned vaccine unlikely to be ready before 2021
- Here’s how to help people impacted by Covid-19
The coronavirus vaccine being developed by scientists at Oxford University may not prevent people from becoming infected with the disease after all, experts have warned.
In the latest animal trials of the vaccine carried out on rhesus macaques, all six of the participating monkeys went on to catch the coronavirus.
Dr William Haseltine, a former Harvard Medical School professor, revealed the monkeys who received the vaccine had the same amount of virus in their noses as the three non-vaccinated monkeys in the trial.
This suggests the treatment, which has already received in the region of £90million in government investment, may not halt the spread of the deadly disease.
The bombshell comes after initial reports last week suggested the vaccine offered 'some' immunity against the virus, and stopped it getting deep into the lungs, where it becomes deadly.
The vaccine, known as ChAdOx1 nCov-19, is currently undergoing its first human clinical trial, as nations accelerate their efforts to tackle the deadly virus.
It is the latest setback to hopes of a cure after a professor at Imperial College London, where researchers are also studying a potential vaccine, warned earlier today a working vaccine is unlikely to be ready this year.
He said people should not have 'false expectations' of cure being ready soon despite ministers revealing they are hoping to have 30 million vaccine doses for the UK by September.
Discussing the Oxford vaccine, Dr Haseltine wrote on Forbes: 'All of the vaccinated monkeys treated with the Oxford vaccine became infected when challenged.
'There was no difference in the amount of viral RNA detected from (nasal secretions) in the vaccinated monkeys as compared to the unvaccinated animals.
'Which is to say, all vaccinated animals were infected.'
Professor of Molecular Biology at Nottingham University, John Ball, warned: 'The amount of virus genome detected in the noses of the vaccinated and un-vaccinated monkeys was the same and this is concerning.
'If this represents infectious virus and a similar thing occurs in humans, then vaccinated people can still be infected and shed large amounts of virus.
'This could potentially spread to others in the community.'
Professor of Immunology and Infectious Disease at Edinburgh University Eleanor Riley said the number of antibodies produced was 'insufficient' to prevent infection and viral shedding.
'If similar results were obtained in humans, the vaccine would likely provide partial protection against disease in the recipient but would be unlikely to reduce transmission in the wider community,' she said.
The vaccine' limitations were revealed when the full trial results were published last week.
They also show three of the six vaccinated monkeys began breathing more rapidly than normal after becoming infected, making them clinically ill.
However, none developed damage to the lungs. This was seen in two of the monkeys that did not get the vaccine.
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN VACCINES CREATED BY OXFORD AND IMPERIAL COLLEGE?
The science behind both vaccine attempts hinges on recreating the 'spike' proteins that are found all over the outside of the COVID-19 viruses.
Both will attempt to recreate or mimic these spikes inside the body. The difference between the two is how they achieve this effect.
Imperial College London will try to deliver genetic material (RNA) from the coronavirus which programs cells inside the patient's body to recreate the spike proteins. It will transport the RNA inside liquid droplets injected into the bloodstream.
The team at the University of Oxford, on the other hand, will genetically engineer a virus to look like the coronavirus - to have the same spike proteins on the outside - but be unable to cause any infection inside a person.
This virus, weakened by genetic engineering, is a type of virus called an adenovirus, the same as those which cause common colds, that has been taken from chimpanzees.
If the vaccines can successfully mimic the spikes inside a person's bloodstream, and stimulate the immune system to create special antibodies to attack it, this could train the body to destroy the real coronavirus if they get infected with it in future.
The same process is thought to happen in people who catch COVID-19 for real, but this is far more dangerous - a vaccine will have the same end-point but without causing illness in the process.
Dr Haseltine added: 'It is crystal clear that the vaccine did not provide sterilising immunity to the virus challenge, the gold standard for any vaccine.
'It may provide partial protection.'
The vaccine entered its first human clinical trial last month. As many as 1,110 people across Oxford, Southampton, London and Bristol are taking part. Half are receiving the vaccine while the others are given a control.
The government announced a further £65.5million investment in the Oxford vaccine trials yesterday.
Business Secretary Alok Sharma said the Government is hoping to be in a position to roll-out a mass vaccination programme in the Autumn of this year.
Mr Sharma praised the Oxford vaccine and said: 'The speed with which Oxford University has designed and organised these complex trials is genuinely unprecedented.
'This new money will help mass produce the Oxford vaccine so that if current trials are successful we have dosages to start vaccinating the UK population straight away.
'The UK will be the first to get access and we can also ensure that in addition to supporting people here, we are able to make the vaccine available to developing countries at the lowest possible cost.'
Imperial College London is also working on a vaccine to stop coronavirus, which it says aims to trigger a rapid immune response using the 'spike' protein on the virus surface.
It has received more than £20 million in funding so far.
However, Robin Shattock, head of mucosal infection and immunity at Imperial, said it is 'important not to have a false expectation that it is just around the corner'.
Prof Shattock said there are an estimated 100 coronavirus vaccines in development around the world.
But the 'most optimistic estimation' would suggest that one proven to be successful will not be 'readily available for wide scale use into the beginning of next year'.
He said it 'may take quite some time' for researchers to get all the data they need to prove without doubt that a vaccine actually works.
Asked if the UK is 'on the brink' of getting a working vaccine, Prof Shattock told the BBC: 'I think we need to distinguish two different things. One of the hurdles is making vaccine doses, obviously AstraZeneca can do that and that is a good thing but that is very different to having the data that proves that the vaccine actually works.
'We need to have those data to show that it is ready and appropriate to roll out. It may take quite some time to get that data, it is a numbers game.
US firm Moderna's experimental vaccine shows potential to block coronavirus in human trials
Moderna's experimental COVID-19 vaccine produced antibodies that could 'neutralize' the new coronavirus in patients in a small early stage clinical trial, the company announced Monday, sending its shares up by more than 20 percent.
The levels of the antibodies - immune cells made in response to a germ, which may provide protection against reinfection - were similar to those in blood samples of people who have recovered from COVID-19, early results from the study conducted by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) showed.
Participants were given three different doses of the vaccine and Moderna said it saw dose-dependent increase in immunogenicity, the ability to provoke an immune response in the body.
Moderna noted that the early trial is intended to determine the safety and side effects of the vaccine and, although the early results are promising, it's too soon to say whether the shot candidate can actually block the virus.
The company has been in the lead of the US race to make a COVID-19 vaccine, and nearly neck-in-neck with an Oxford University effort to make one in the UK.
'And in fact as we are better at reducing the number of infections in the UK it gets much harder to test whether the vaccine works or not.
'There are no certainties, no guarantees in developing any of these candidates so I think it is important not to have a false expectation that it is just around the corner.
'It may be longer than any of us would want to think.'
Some health experts have suggested a vaccine could take as long as 18 months to develop while others have cautioned one may never be found.
Prof Shattock said: 'I think we need to keep context here. Obviously there could be some success, we could see things working earlier if we get the numbers and the kind of AstraZeneca approach is preparing for that success.
'But it is probably very likely that we won't really get the evidence until into early next year and then there is a difference between a solution in the UK which could be rolled out and a global solution.
'A global solution is likely to take much longer just because of the sheer operational effort to make billions of doses and make them available worldwide.'
Prof Shattock said he believed there is a 'very high chance of seeing a number of vaccines that work' as he said the evidence suggested coronavirus is 'not such a hard target as others'.
He added: 'My gut feeling is that we will start to see a number of candidates coming through with good evidence early towards next year - possibly something this year.
'But they won't be readily available for wide scale use into the beginning of next year as the kind of most optimistic estimation.'
Six drugs for treating coronavirus are currently in clinical trials worldwide.
China has four potential vaccines in clinical trials at present, three of which have entered stage two.
Trials of one vaccine developed by Beijing-based company Sinovac Biotech in April appeared to arrest the development of Covid-19 in monkeys.
However, it used a Sars-Cov-2 virus, whereas the Oxford vaccine uses a weakened version of adenovirus (common cold) that causes infections in chimpanzees, with the coronavirus spike protein added to it.
Sinovac Biotech has secured land and loans for it to develop a facility to mass produce any effective vaccine.
The company has previously been involved in developing vaccines for hepatitis A, hepatitis B and H1N1 influenza.
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DSU to display ‘The Forgotten Wives of Joseph Smith’ in art exhibit
An art exhibit that has gained national attention in the last few months will be on display at Dixie State University this fall.
Leslie Peterson’s collection of portraits titled “The Forgotten Wives of Joseph Smith” will be on display in Dixie State’s North Plaza Building, 46 S. 1000 East. An artist reception will open the exhibit Friday, 7–9 p.m. The exhibit will be on display through Oct. 29. Admission is free and the gallery is open 8 a.m.–5 p.m., Monday–Friday.
The show has been displayed in the Writ & Vision Gallery in Provo and at the Sunstone Symposium in Salt Lake City earlier this year. Additionally, the show garnered national attention when The New York Times recently published an article about Peterson’s works.
The exhibition includes watercolor portraits of each of the 34 wives of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints founder. Some of the pieces are based on photographs of the women and others are based on written descriptions and the artist’s imagination.
For information, contact Nancy Ross at firstname.lastname@example.org or 435-879-4344.


text:
The 2006 Needle Award Winner!
RANSOM SEABORN. Congratulations to Bill Deasy!
Here are some comments from the judges . . .
"What an unexpected literary treasure. It’s not just hype; Jay Gatsby and Holden Caulfield have nothing on Dan Finbar."
"Deasy has penned a fantastic debut novel. [New York Publishers] need more books like this and less of everything else. This is [the kind of book] that comes to mind when someone says American Literature.”
"Ransom Seaborn is beyond memorable—it’s haunting. I was still thinking about it days later and poised to open it and start again. It’s simply beautiful."
Congratulations, as well, to the other 2006 nominees:
FUTUREPROOF by N. Frank Daniels
A MULTITUDE OF MERCIES by Fay Freimuth
THE GREATEST SHOW ON EARTH by Daniel Scott Buck
And thanks to all the people who made this project possible, from writing the books to judging them to the agents and editors reviewing the results. It's been another super (and exhausting) year.


text:
This lofty design embraces the homeowners’ art collection and accommodates their love for entertaining.
21 March 2018
Home Type: 4-storey landed house
Floor Area: 6,000sqft
Text by Disa Tan
The homeowners wanted a space primed for entertaining, but bearing in mind size of the house, the team from Design Rebirth had to bring the design down to a more human scale. Design Director Victor Loh says: “Given the sheer volume of this house, we needed to get the proportions right.” One of the ways he instilled design harmony was through the use of similar materials. The dry kitchen has been topped with a suar wood worktop and a similar treatment appears in the dining space.
Another key requirement the homeowners had was to be able to showcase their art collection. To create a focal point for art to be displayed in the dining area, Victor designed an impressive installation of metal and timber and accentuated it with sculptural lighting fixtures. He says: “This design feature highlights the triple volume ceiling, and gives the staircase a more distinctive style.”
For a gallery-inspired home that is also welcoming, layers of wood tones do well to imbue warmth and enhance various design details. The striking form of the staircase for example, is further underscored by the range of rich-hued wood finishes.
The master bedroom is elegant and beautifully understated. “We wanted to emulate the hotel-inspired style with simple but refined aesthetics,” says Victor. By using plush padded fabric panels and soft furnishings, the space exudes a calm and collected ambience with a touch of class.
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