Artificial Heart: It’s Development through Time

Our hearts are becoming fragile by the day. If we look at the statistics of USA, 610,000 people die due to heart disease every year. A large number of these deaths could have been prevented with the help of heart transplant but still there are too few hearts.

The first human heart transplant was performed by South African surgeon Christiaan Barnard. Soon surgeons around the world were transplanting hearts. But the problem was that all the recipients died within a year of transplant.

Since the late 1960s, doctors have been working on artificial heart. The most influential device was made by Willem Kolff, who invented the first dialysis machine for kidney.Kolff collaborated with fellow engineer, Robert Jarvik to work with him at University of Utah. What we got was Jarvik-7. It was made of two pumps, four valves and two air hoses. Due to its large size (like refrigerator), it could only be implanted in adults.

The US FDA approved the use of Jarvik-7 to be used on humans in 1982. Total five patients were implanted with Jarvik-7 but none of them survived more than 18 months. The device has been modified and renamed many times since then. SynCardia, a descendant of Jarvik-7 has been used many times.

Scientists are now working on a pulseless heart in which there is no heartbeat.

image007

Student workers from Zambo get salaries on time

Student workers from Zambo get salaries on time
According to the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), in spite of the current armed clash in Zamboanga City, the student laborers living the city still receive their wages on time.
DOLE Undersecretrary Danilo Cruz mentioned that their regional office offered about 1.4 million pesos as payment of wages of Special Program for the Employment of Students (SPES) payees in Zamboanga City.
Apart from giving the chance to gain profit, Cruz emphasized that SPES offers student workers the opportunity to resume their education as well as enhance their skills in employment in the future.
The officer in labor also mentioned that DOLE granted the I-Café Computer Services Project of Ave Maria College Associate of Computer and Information Technology (AMC-ACIT) Alumni Association in Liloy, Zamboanga del Norte amounting to three hundred seventy three thousand four hundred pesos livelihood assistance under the Integrated Livelihood Program of DOLE.
The alliance also employed a manager in a shop who receives an allowance amounting to three thousand pesos every month.
The DILP is one of the DOLE’s program officially registered under the Community-Based Employment Program (CBEP) of the government which have a purpose to produce sustainable local business regarding the extensive self-employment and efficiency across the country.
M. Jaymalin

当时只道是寻常

华师一附中高二    吴国丽

 

我不知道该用怎样的笔调为那些逝去的日子唱一首时光的挽歌,我知道,它是宁静辽远的,我亦知道,它是匮乏的。

我也不知道该用怎样的文字来为这个飞速变幻的时代写长诗,我知道,它是喧哗与骚动的,而我也知道,它是悲凉中透着可爱的。

从刀耕火种的原始文明,到男耕女织的田园生活,从布票粮票的计划时代,到改革开放三十多年的今天,我们在漫长的时间轴上或快或慢向前推进,从一种生活走向另一种生活。当我们回望那些消隐在时光深处的日子时,我们或悲或喜,却不凄凉。

“这是最好的时代,也是最坏的时代。”彼时此时皆然,所有的时代皆有美与丑示人,只不过时间是个精于撒谎的大师,它将记忆中的丑悄悄擦去,留下无瑕的回忆。

也许此时,我们的物质文明确是远超于精神文明的,甚至更可怖一点——现代人精神的彷徨与没落。但我始终相信,这个时代必有其伟大之处,在层层污秽下,必有那亘古的纯洁。

我爱所有的时代,因为它们就是我们自己。

“陌生花开,可缓缓归矣”

此时也是人间四月,却不见草长莺飞的轻快的生气了。不见孩童纸鸢,不见舞雩风前。从前“山原旷其盈视,川泽行其骇瞩”的景致都变为了熙攘和喧闹;从前“天街小雨润如酥,草色遥看近却无”的羞涩的绿,仿佛也被灰色的钢筋水泥、迷乱的霓虹吸收殆尽;从前“窈窕以寻壑,崎岖而经丘”的逸兴,从前折枝赠友、曲水流觞的雅兴,仿佛也像那些春天一样,回不来了。

那是风雅的时代,同样也是“阡陌交错,鸡犬相闻,老死不相往来”的时代。“我想你了,就会翻过三座山,走二里路,去牵你的手。”自幼养于这种安定与寂寞中的人们,形成了特有的沉静从容、淡然温良,与那个时代的真诚友善形成我们最羡慕的和谐。

特定的历史背景会孕育特定的文明。随着时间的推进,文明逐渐与自然疏离。机器代替双手去劳作——传统工艺无以传续;机器代替双脚去远行——灵魂被身体落得很远。

我想起那天坐在机场候机厅巨大的玻璃前,看眼前起飞降落的离别与重逢,听着回荡在空旷大厅里的广播,一片浓稠的夜色中只有不安的信号灯在静默等待,它们像死去的星星。不知为什么,在这标志着便捷与时效的透明空间里,我忽而感到悲凉。

到杭州时,迎接我的是旧旧的火车站,让人想起朱自清的《背影》。在铁轨纵伸的远方,仿佛随时会晃来一列绿皮火车,咯吱地唱着岁月的歌谣,穿梭于缓慢的时光流中,即使火车开动了,仍有时间拥抱、亲吻——它会把别离拉长,长至万里,长至一生,而不是倏忽间,便海角天涯,了无痕迹。

或许我们怀念的,是那个年代时,人们葆有的纯朴,是一种让人心安的信任,是一种高贵而贴近自然的精致与智慧。而当我们转换视角,看到它的愚昧之面、闭塞之面时,我们会生出一种纤细的惆怅,会带着在过去日子中沉淀下来的品格走向下一个时代。

丰盈中怀念匮乏

月亮仍是天空的瞳孔,只不过诗人木心看见的,不再是古意的从容了。

这个宏大的时代不断快进,其实从第一次工业革命开始,甚至从新航路开辟开始,我们的道路就注定了。

浮躁、虚伪、功利、利己、欺诈、野蛮、空虚……仿佛一瞬间,我们的文明退化了、消失了。人们挣扎在网络中,握着正在充电的手机的样子被另一些尖酸刻薄的聪明人比作系在电线杆上的狗。虚拟时空里的健谈渊博,却变作现实生活中的社交恐惧;手机间频传亲密, 现实中却淡漠擦肩,多讽刺。

然而我们亦要看到这个时代的丰盈。倘若没有电视、网络,这首小诗《从前慢》便也只是驻在他笔记本里一列美丽又寂寞的孤儿了。倘若没有开放,我们或许会停留,但也不会前进。

我始终相信,镌刻在我们民族骨髓中的真善美可能会被压抑,但绝不会减损,我们的追求或各相异,但我们不会忘本。黑子不光存在于此时代,只是此时更显著,而可以确定的是,黑子遮蔽不了太阳。

我想,所有的时代都有它的意义,都有其美丑,这也正是我们无止尽向前行进的原因。我们爱《从前慢》,爱的是现今少存的“慢”, 而有意无意忽略了它的匮乏——不止是物质。无论我们怎样批判当今时代,都是怀着一种深沉的爱,它以科技与文明给我们另一种生活方式,也教我们另一种思维方式。正如“心远地自偏”,如何在这纷繁中找回“从前慢”的温存与优雅,是我们自己的事——与是否“从前”无关。

我爱所有的时代,因为身在其中。当时只道是寻常,因了这种心境,回首顾望,才有芬芳。

13

http://hqwallbase.com/133197-beautiful-flower/

Name: 吴国丽

遗失的星球

“滴滴——”
船舱内突然寂静了一下,侦察兵李深吸了一口气,站起来向指挥长敬了一个我所见过的最不标准的军礼——因为激动,他浑身都在颤抖,就像那些被外星虫寄生的病人一样。从我这个角度可以清楚地看见他熬红的眼眶,以及平常只写着严谨的眸子里发出的恒星一样耀眼的光芒。
我的手也在微微地颤抖,我知道李接下来的话也许会把我变成和他一样的寄生虫病人,所有人都会疯狂。
李说:“报告指挥长,前方坐标1735处发现一颗古行星,经元素分析与母星相似度65%,扫描仪显示,上面有文明存在过的痕迹。”他极力压抑的冷静声音突然变得沙哑:“兄弟们,我们很有可能,找到了我们的母星——遗失了四千年的地球。”
空气变得炙热起来,我吸入的每一口人造空气都让我的胸腔变得更加火热,我能感到体内的血脉在沸腾。我的眼睛一定红了,因为所有的战士眼睛都红了。我们在战场上可以像钛合金一样冷冽,但是在即将面对很有可能就是地球的遗失星球时,再冷硬的战士也会瞬间燃烧。
那可是地球!自从四千年前人类因为地球资源的耗尽而不得不离开后,没有人再到达过那里。前几百年,离开的人类还可以为自己能进行星际旅行而沾沾自喜:他们无知地以为再找到一个和地球大气环境相似、地理环境相似并且有液态水的星球后,就能安稳地居住下来,建造新的家园。他们确实找到了这样几个星球,但是这些星球都是另有所属,那是其他智慧生命的家园。经过沟通后,这些智慧生命同意人类暂住下来。可当时的人类一定没有看到那些原住民眼里的同情——这种同情与怜悯我现在都可以从我的外星朋友眼里看到——他们只是因为能在星际间旅行近千年后找到一个落脚地而欣喜。
他们一定不会知道,当年引以为傲的太空之旅,竟然成为了一场灾难的开端。前几十年大家相安无事,可是很快,就有人开始莫名地提前衰老,哪怕有高科技的医疗设备,人的寿命仍然骤减。科学家们找不到原因,眼睁睁地看着人类也许就要这样灭绝。这时更高文明的智慧体告诉人类:生命体与催生生命体的星球之间有一种他们也没有研究清楚的关系,他们称之为生命物。一旦这些生命离开母星太远,场的作用太微弱时,生命体就会衰竭。
原因找到了,人类却高兴不起来。千年的跋涉已经让他们忘了出发地,地球已成为历史教材书里的一个符号,成为数据库里的一段代码。人类终于看懂了别人对自己的同情,知道了自己被别人称为“星际流浪者”。
星际流浪者,没有根,没有家;找不到来路,就找不到出路。
人类花了一千年离开地球,却花了三千年找回来。
也许,我们已经找到了,这颗遗失在深邃宇宙里的母星。
我抬头望向指挥长,强大的军人自制力让我们没有什么出格之举。指挥长的表情依然很冷酷严厉,但是他紧握的拳头出卖了他。他开始扫视我们:“勇士们,是时候要结束这趟旅程了!我们终于要回家了!现在,四小队负责飞船的降落,其他小队换上最好的战甲,我们要以最好的面貌回到母亲的怀抱!”
很快,我们分成两人一组坐上小型飞行器——这是最快的飞行工具了——我和李分到了一起。黑色的太空里忽然出现了一团灿烂的银色星云,我看见我的同胞们急不可耐地驾着银色飞行器流星一般滑向那颗蓝色的星球,像离家太久的孩子冲回母亲的怀抱
也许她已经被遗失了太久,此刻的地球已经苟延残喘。我们也许会责备前人对地球的伤害,而导致她疲备不堪,但是这一刻,一切都不重要了,没有孩子会介意母亲的穷困潦倒,更何况是这些孩子一手造成的;当然也不会有母亲介意孩子的伤害,只是敞开大门,默默地等着他们回家。这是一种无止尽的奉献与爱,地球对人类的爱。
我与李对望了一眼,都看出彼此对回归的渴望。对面那颗遗失的星球就是我们的根源。人类有句古话叫“落叶归根”,叶只有找到根,才能找到生命的归属。“星际流浪者”就是在广褒宇宙中脆弱的浮萍,现在这浮萍找到了自己的港湾。
我利落地将速度调到最快,变成千万颗银色流星中的一颗。
妈妈,我们离开你太久了。
我们为我们曾犯下的不可饶恕的罪行忏悔。
现在,我们穿越几千光年的距离,回来了。
我们真的想你。
作者系湖北省实验中学高二学生
辅导老师:袁  圆

 

9

 

  • http://completehealthcircle.com/2013/11/19/connecting-to-elementals-discovering-earth-spirits-through-faerie-tale-meditation/
  • Name: 刘兆瑞

Effect of DDT Pesticides on Environment

There are a lot of environmental problems faced nowadays and most of those arise out of the human activities and the misuse of resources available to them. With the increase of the population on the Earth, the demand for food has also tremendously increased which has made the usage of pesticides essential for meeting the demands. However, it is adversely affecting the environment and proving to be a hazard for it.

The first usage of DDT was done in the form of chlorinated hydrocarbon. The full name of DDT is dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane. The discovery of DDT was made by a Swiss chemist Paul Müeller in the year 1939. Initially, it was used extensively by people as it helped in killing a number of insects and pests without proving toxic to the mammals.

Due to its persistency, the effect of DDT remained for a longer duration when used once as it was not required to be applied often.  The main reason for this was its high tolerance due to which it didn’t get washed off by rain or got lessened by other weather conditions.

Gradually, due to immense usage of pesticides for growing more crops and getting rid of insects, the insects started growing resistant to the usage of DDT.  By the time, it was also revealed how DDT had disastrously polluted the whole environment with its dangerous chemicals. Though it is banned in a few nations, but still farmers have been using it in many countries for their profit.

Its continued usage has also proved cancerous for human consumption and has led to many other diseases in human beings. Animal lives are also affected as they eat the plants on which DDT is sprinkled.

The need of the day is to ban such harmful pesticides all over the world to save the environment.

Student: Mike Rosario

pesticides

 

http://www.urbancultivator.net/pesticides-food/

中日关系-日本对待中日战争态度?

谈及中日关系,就不得不谈中日战争,就战争本身而言,我没有太多的谁对谁错的看法,当时正处于经济危机时期.世界各国的政治,经济,军事,社会的各个方面都受到不同程度的负面影响.对于建立在经济和商业基础上的资本主义国家来说更加明显.而对于日本这样一个资源贫瘠,地域狭小的岛国来说更是如此,而中国土地辽阔,资源多,且在清政府的统治下愈加腐败,此时,对于具有强烈危机意识的日本来说,为了生存与发展,发动侵华战争似乎已成历史必然。

我想要说的是,对于两个同时都受到创伤的名族,我们都不愿去过多提起那悲惨的历史。但是,日本政府必须正视历史,对于战争给中国人民造成的重大损害的责任,表示深刻的反省和由衷道歉,二战结束后的日本政府曾经抱着反省和道歉的态度,表示对中国人民的感情予以理解和尊重,在此期间两国取得巨大发展,获得重要利益。但是,80年代以来,由于日本国内接连发生审查通过歪曲,否定侵华战争的历史教科书和公职人员参拜供奉着二战“甲级”战犯的靖国神社等事件,给中日关系造成极大的负面影响。日本政坛的右翼力量对侵华战争拒不反省,甚至颠倒历史真相的恶劣态度才是中国人民对日本有不良影响的重要原因。

 

image002

 

曾维芬

N星度假

邹瑶 洪山区洪山高中高一 辅导老师:吴蔚

 

一艘光离子飞船正以极快的速度脱离大气层,飞向外太空。而我,就在这飞船内,享受着船舱中的优美旋律。

 

这份舒适对我来说可真是难得。在当今社会中,效率与财富似乎已经成为全球人类的风向标,例如我此行的目的地——N星度假村就是个好例子。N星是离地球888万光年的一颗小行星,据说那上面的环境和地球相似简直是如假包换,只是体积只有月球那么大而已。N星被发现后,Z国首富金迷先生以天价购下了它,又用史上最最惊人的速度完成了N星度假村的建设,并且在短短一年的时间内就获利80多亿美元,真可谓既将“效率”两字发挥到极致,又将“财富”收入囊中。我,Y报社记者,名叫凯尔,不久前刚刚荣膺国际新闻大奖,获得了一次免费N星度假七日的机会。

 

此刻,光离子飞船正带着我进行空间跳跃,开始了N星度假。

 

两小时后,888万光年的距离就已被我抛在身后,飞船徐徐降落在N星机场。走下舷梯,我立马惊呆了,因为我居然看见N星的主人——金迷先生正伸出右手,满面春风地快步向我走来,分明就是要与我握手啊!要知道金迷先生是何等高高在上的人,他去某些国家洽谈商业合作项目时,总统都会去机场迎接。而金迷先生此刻主动前来迎接并与我握手,真让我受宠若惊。

 

“您好您好,您就是国际新闻大奖得主凯尔先生吗?”说话的正是金迷先生。“啊,是!我就是凯尔。幸会幸会,能见到金迷先生真是三生有幸啊!”

 

“凯尔先生这是哪里话,接下来的几天请凯尔先生尽情享受,如有招待不周,还请凯尔先生多多包涵啊!”

 

钻进金迷先生的宾利车后,我们毫无拘束地攀谈起来。聊了一会儿我才知道,原来金迷先生是想让我为他的N星度假村写一个专题报道,利用我在新闻界的名气,为他的度假村招揽更多的顾客。哼!我就知道天下没有免费的午餐。但这笔交易还是挺划算的,我也就欣然应允了。

 

几天后,我终于明白N星度假村豪华到了什么程度。首先要说的是人手一双“重力鞋”。由于N星体积比地球小得多,引力自然也就小了许多,所以人们的工作和生活会极为不便,而这双“重力鞋”可以先设置你所需的重力大小,然后在你周围一米范围内形成相应大小的重力场,让你既可体验失重的快感,又可以方便地享受日常生活或是从事你所喜欢的工作。其次就是“游戏人生体验馆”了,在这里,你可以选择任意一款热门游戏,然后令自己通往“脑波休眠器”,身临其境,成为游戏主角。诸如此类的神奇物品真是数不胜数。难怪N星度假村让每个去过的人都流连忘返。

 

度假第六天,我感觉自己为这个专题报道所准备的素材也差不多了,便起身去度假村中心大厦找金迷先生。金迷先生乐呵呵地将我迎进他的办公室,我将报道提纲讲给他听,他连连拍手称赞。

 

“那个……金迷先生,冒昧地问一句,您当初究竟是如何在那么短的时间内将神奇的度假村建在这遥远的星球上的呢?呃……如果这涉及商业机密,您也可以回避。”

 

金迷先生略微沉思后,淡然一笑说:“好,既然凯尔先生想知道,那么我也不隐瞒了。请跟我来。”

 

我随着金迷先生走进一扇设有虹膜和指纹双重认证锁的电梯门,电梯开始向地下行进。约摸过了一分钟,电梯停了下来,显示器上显示已达地下八十八层。我的天,这么深啊!以N星的半径来看,我们似乎已经来到了N星的地下岩矿层了吧?这么深的地段会有什么秘密呢?

 

电梯门缓缓打开,展现在眼前的景象不禁令我大吃一惊:这是一座看不到边际的巨大工厂,至于在生产什么我不得而知。但最令人震撼的莫过于这里的“工人”了,他们简直不能称之为人,因为他们的平均身高均超过两米,强健的肌肉覆盖全身,只是每个“工人”的脚上都戴有一副银白色的脚铐。这是……

 

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  • http://www.keepbanderabeautiful.org/nasa.html
  • Name: 吴蔚

光明战士手册 保罗•柯艾略

光之战士手册指引个人的旅程去发掘自己的梦想和找到自己内心的力量。这本书,是保罗•柯艾略的作品。保罗•柯艾略是一位伟大的作家,他的作品值得每个人去阅读。这本书不同于其他文章,因为这本书不是建立在一个故事之上。

这本书以一个小故事开始,这个小故事奠定了手册的基础。这本书其余的部分都是围绕着这个故事的哲言和思想。因为这本书的风格独特,因此这本书通俗易懂。这本书的好处就是,你可以翻开任何一页来阅读这些哲言和思想,之后关上书本来思考这些哲言和思想。你可以从早上读到晚上。

你读的越多,你越演变成精神的存在。这本书回答了我们心中很多的问题。当我们在阅读的时候,我们认识到我们生活中很多没有意识到问题。每次我们在阅读的时候,我们都有新的感受。当你遇到困难时,想寻找激动人心的故事时,这本书最适合了。这本书一定唤醒你心中的战士。

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Student: 李维桢

2016 Global Social Equality Essay Competition

Announcing our first international essay contest!
2016 Global Social Equality Essay Competition

GUIDELINES:
*Essays may be submitted by any student in any country.
*Essays should be about 300-500 words.
*Essays should be written in English or Chinese and must be original.
*Include your contact information.
*Please submit your essays to editor@explorationjournal.org by April 5, 2016.
*Winners are announced by June 2016.

We welcome your participation!

Success of IBM in business world

IBM has made its name all over the world as a successful company giving wonderful business to the world. The vision and mission of the company clearly states how it could become a successful venture and set an example for others in the business world. People at IBM believe in perfection and strive to lead the world in the manufacture, creation and the development of the most advanced forms of information technologies in the IT sector. Not only computer systems, employees at IBM excel in creating software, making networking systems and manufacturing storage devices and electronics.

IBM  believes in giving wonderful service to its customers by offering advanced technologies to their customers with the help of their professionals and business services spread all over the world.

The company believes in making continuous efforts till the level of perfection is reached to provide the best service to its customers. It first sets its indicators of success and then strenuously works on its path to achieve the goals.

IBM pays a lot of importance to the financial performance of the company as the satisfaction of the customers as well as its employees largely depends on its success. For keeping the track of its financial records, the company has also made a website solely dedicated for maintaining its financial records. On the basis of these records, the annual performance of the company is also updated to give a detailed view of the profits and the success earned during the whole year in the business.

Some of the developed nations of the world like the United States, Russia, and China also have strong bonds with this company which has given the business a big boost in the past few years. IBM knows the worth of its customers and the root cause of its success in the business world which mainly lies in the satisfaction of its customers. For this, it leaves no stone unturned to provide the best products and services to its customers all over the world.

Student: Mary Rivera

ibm

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