Jewelry Kits

The next big negative mentioned was the use of jewelry kits:
Some jewelry makers felt kits were too restrictive. They preferred to use their own jewelry making methods and to make personal one-of-a-kind designs.
Another kit concern was the idea that different party attendees can have different kits, since each person picks her own kit and orders it on line. The consultant receives the kit and brings it to the party. Therefore, different kits could be difficult to manage depending on how many people you taught at one time.
Personally, after teaching classes on my own for awhile, I started making my own kits (which were not as fancy as Luxe Jewels’ kits, but worked okay for me at the time) because I needed to streamline my teaching. It was just too crazy when I had tons of beads and findings and such out for people to pick from. But, I could see how this might not appeal to everyone. For those who really can’t handle using kits, though, I was surprised to learn that Luxe also has what they call a “Classic” party, which doesn’t use kits. At this type of party, each attendee receives a package of stringing supplies (clasp, stringing material, etc.), but she gets to select from strands of beads and what they call “add-ons,” such as pendants, up-graded clasps, and extra beads.
Even if you are still skeptical about the kit approach, here are a few pros:
The Luxe Jewels kits are made with high-quality jewelry supplies. As it happens, Janice Parsons from Beadshop.com has joined forces with Luxe, and as a bead shop owner and designer herself for many years, she is well-known for her quality jewelry materials.
Remember, most people who will come to the parties will be beginners – maybe even total newbies to jewelry making, so they may not be comfortable with the design process required of a “Classics” style party.
While attendees get their choice of kits and so this can mean lots of different types of jewelry being made at the same time, all the kits are developed around four basic techniques. Again, this is a type of streamlining makes a lot of sense when you are trying to teach a number of inexperienced jewelry makers at the same time.

Luxurious Luxe Shell Necklace Kit

If you didn’t know already, and I have to confess that I didn’t until I took another look at their website, Luxe Jewels sells jewelry making kits, and you don’t have to necessarily be a Luxe Jewels consultant to buy one. I got a chance to make the “Washed Ashore Necklace” kit, which is considered an advanced skill level 3 kit. If you want to make this necklace yourself, the kit costs $49, and for those non-jewelry makers, they can purchase the finished necklace, ready-to-wear for $79.
Now, since this is an advanced kit, it did take some wire wrapping experience, so obviously, someone very new to jewelry making who hasn’t worked with wire much might find it a little involved. However, if you are a wire lover like myself, then you’ll have no trouble putting this together, and the final necklace is nice and long, about 22 inches, and very light weight.

I found the supplies included in the kit – shell beads; gold-filled chain; vermeil “S” clasp; logo tag and jump ring; and gold-filled wire – to be of excellent quality. In fact, when you consider the cost of gold-filled chain (have you priced it lately?) the cost for this kit is reasonable.
The kit does not come with tools (no big surprise as most kits don’t), so you’ll need some wire cutters, round-nosed pliers, and needle-nosed (flat-nosed) pliers to complete the kit. Along with all the materials, it includes step-by-step instructions and techniques sheet that explains and illustrates the wire wrapping technique needed for this necklace.

Teaching With Robots

Teaching With Robots A Guide To Finding Curriculum and Resources
by Dr. Kenneth Berry, kenb@botmag.com,

Assistant Professor, California State University, Northridge The following is an expanded treatment of Ken Berry’s Spring 2007 Robot Magazine EDU BOTS feature story on locating and using robotics curriculum and lesson programs. Please also see the resource list of curriculum and lesson plan sources included at the bottom of this story. —the editors "We cannot afford to fail in preparing our students for the jobs of tomorrow—jobs that will require skills in math, science, and engineering," said Donald L. Carcieri, Governor of Rhode Island in early October, 2006. He was at the launch of a new program sponsored by the Business Innovation Factory (BIF), the Rhode Island Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, the Governor's PK-16 Council, the Rhode Island Science and Technology Advisory Council, and the Rhode Island Economic Development Corporation. The $140,000 program will put VEX robots in every high school in the state, and support the formation of robotics teams at each of the schools to compete against other schools in the state, region and nation. This is just the latest in a fast moving trend to get robots in schools. There are around 10,000 robotics teams operating in schools around the country. FIRST projects for this year include 1,300 FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) Teams, 5,600 FIRST LEGO League (FLL) teams, and 900 FIRST Vex Challenge (FVC) teams. BEST has 500 middle school and high school teams. Botball has 200 teams. RoboFest has 230 school teams. Battle Bots IQ supports 100 high school and college teams. And the list goes on with MATE and underwater robots, RoboCup, Trinity College Fire Fighting Robots, etc. COMPETITION BENEFITSThis trend has taken many an educator by surprise. They want to take part in this new educational phenomena but they do not know how. Entering a competition is usually the first step. Students are eager to join school teams, and dedicated teachers are willing to coach. However, coaching robotics is usually a volunteer activity that can be extremely time consuming. During the competition season spouses of these dedicated teachers often morbidly refer to themselves as FIRST, or BEST or BBIQ or you-name-it robot competition widows. Coaching a team can be a draining avocation for the most dedicated educators. So, at some point they begin to realize that robotics has a lot to offer their students academically. Instead of robotics being an avocation for the educators, they can make it part of their vocation! They can teach science, math, physics, and technology classes using robots as a theme! The benefit of making robotics part of the workday is that a teacher can get paid to play… I mean, instruct students on the three R’s with the fourth R, Robots. But this takes planning, and most of that planning has to happen in the fall if the course is going to be approved for the next year. School boards consider new classes in January that will be taught the next fall. ENGAGING YOUR SCHOOL BOARDHere is a laundry list of requirements that teachers need to develop for their school board for course approval: List of academic standards that robotics addresses Course outline and curriculum Textbooks that can be used as primary or secondary resources Estimated budget for running the course (buying the robots) Good pedagogical rational for upsetting the status quo ACADEMIC STANDARDS ROBOTS ADDRESS“Standards and testing” is the chorus of the No Child Left Behind legislation that ties school’s academics to federal funding. This legislation mandates that high academic standards be established in every state. Once they are established, each state must create a test to measure student progress toward the standards. It would be too easy to just have one set of standards. Each state has its own academic standards. Every teacher in every state knows by now what standards he or she has to teach. (See the list of resources, below, to find academic standards for each state.) Fortunately, finding the specific standards that robots address is relatively easy once you decide on a set of standards. Robots are complex and require knowledge of many different academic disciplines. Algebra’s ratios and proportions are covered by many different aspects of robots including most obviously gear ratios, Ohm’s Law (E=IR), work force problems (W=F x D) and Newton’ laws (F=ma). These are also physics in the form of simple machines, electricity, work and force. Finding connections to other math disciplines like geometry and pre-calculus is not hard. Even connecting robots to Chemistry, with batteries and biology, with any variety of sensors, is relatively trivial. COURSE OUTLINE AND CURRICULUMOnce a teacher knows the “What” that will be taught through the standards, he/she needs to establish the “How.” Curriculum provides this road map. Curriculum provides the lesson plans and the pacing of the course. The lesson plans provide the day-to-day tactical plan in the classroom. The pacing provides the long-term strategy. During each year a teacher must cover a great number of topics. Of primary concern to the teacher is covering all the topics before the year ends. Curriculum is the plan. There are many sources of curricula now available to teachers. There are many more sources of lesson plans. By simply putting “lesson plan robotics” into a search engine a teacher will be met with the proverbial fire hose full of stuff. Google for example provides 1,040,000 hits. Sifting through all these lessons can be frustrating. GREAT LESSON PLANS, AND THE HAZARDSSome of the best collections are at NASA’s Robotics Education Website, http://robotics.arc.nasa.gov/edu/9-12.htm, and Tufts University Center for Engineering Education website, http://www.ceeo.tufts.edu/. These are somewhat controlled for quality as well. Most of them are good. Lesson plans alone are problematic. Plopping a lesson plan into an existing course is rife with problems. A lesson plan may require students to have an understanding of concepts that have not yet been introduced. Or, they may highlight concepts that were introduced earlier in the year. However, Alpha teachers, as we used to call them at NASA, or as they are more genially referred to as “Points of Light”, have put these lessons together into year-long curricula. Alpha or Points of Light teachers are extremely hard working dedicated teachers who make a huge difference in their student’s lives. Unfortunately, most teachers live lives of their own and have to make time for their families. Fortunately, there are more and more prepackaged curricula for teachers. The Robotics Academy at CMU has developed a nice set of multimedia curriculum for Vex Robots and LEGO Mindstorms robots. Parallax has developed curriculum for bread board robots that incorporate data loggers and sensors. RidgeSoft provides programming lessons in JAVA, the language of choice for Advanced Placement (AP) courses in programming, with their IntelliBrain-Bot. The GEAR’s robots come with a complete high school curriculum for their system. And, Intelitek has developed curriculum for programming Vex robot system in easy C. Each of these has a cost associated with them either in buying the robot platform or in purchasing the curriculum itself. There is also free curriculum created by the RoboEducators that can be found at http://www.robo-works.net/roboeducators.html. It is currently in a very rough form. Even these will have to be tweaked to fit a state’s particular academic standards for a specific academic class. Nevertheless, these resources will provide a nice foundation upon which to build a curriculum that matches a specific state and school district. Creating a curriculum for a robotics class still takes a dedicated teacher who is willing to creatively find ways to get the “toys,” I mean, instructional tools into the classroom. TESTIMONIALS FROM PIONEERSFor a first hand account, here is part of a note from Kevin Barnard an Alpha Teacher/Point of Light in North Carolina regarding his efforts to create a robotics class: “I have used a number of different curricula, and borrow freely from all of them. I think I have all of the Robotics Academy CD’s. I use the FIRST LEGO League lessons. I search the net. I have had robotics pentathlons, sumo, NASCAR races (line followers), tractor pulls, Battlebots, basketball, and more. I have taught all levels of kids, with pretty good success. I have never finished writing a curriculum!!!” It is not easy with what is currently available to be sure, but dedicated teachers are hard at work doing what they can to create more complete curricula. TEXTBOOKSAlong the same lines as curriculum are textbooks. Textbooks are still considered the oracles of all knowledge on any given subject. School boards like to see textbooks or just books on the subjects being taught in the classroom. Books and textbooks especially have an air of authority to them. By their nature they have been approved by many people. A book must go through many hands before it is actually published; it must be critically examined by many eyes. University breed academics often write them and review them for each other. Therefore, most of the mistakes and misrepresentations have been removed before they reach the students. And, to merit a book, a topic must be important for so many people to spend so much time discussing it. Robotics is clearly an important topic, so of course there are many good books and magazines on robotics that teachers can use as textbooks in their classes. Some of these are specific to robotics in the K-12 classroom like Barbara Bratzel’s Physics by Design. Others have been created for the college market like Eric Wang’s Engineering with LEGO Bricks and Robolab, and Fred Martin’s, Robotic Explorations: A Hands-on Introduction to Engineering. Other books are for specific purposes like Forest Mims III’s books on electronics. Others are of general interest about robotics created for the general population and not specifically for the classroom. They do not have exercises at the end of each chapter. (see the Resources section for a listing of textbooks) BUDGET QUESTIONSFor most new courses the biggest ticket item is the textbook. Textbooks often cost $100 a piece. Each student needs one. Multiply $100 by every student in 5 periods of robotics and you have a large cost. New courses are costly propositions even if they are English and History classes that do not require a lot of extra equipment. That is why school board approval is necessary. A new course, no matter what subject, is going to cost between $30,000 and $50,000. WHICH ROBOT KITS?However, in robotics classes the largest cost needs to be the robot kits. Parallax, Ridgesoft, and GEARS all provide the curriculum/textbooks with the robots. The good part of this is that textbook money can often go to robot kits. The bad part is that robots cost more than textbooks and often do not last as long. Nevertheless, determining the budget for a new robotics course is dependent mostly on the robot platform. The robotics competition in which the school participates usually dictates the robot platform. First Robotics Competition (FRC) and First Vex (FVC) will likely use Vex; First LEGO (FLL), and RoboFest use LEGO Mindstorms (RoboFest allows participants to use any platform although most still use LEGO); BBIQ use GEARS; Mars Rover Project use K-Nex. All of these educational robot platforms need to be rugged, yet flexible. LEGO’s, K’NEX, and Erector set type robots fit both criteria. Rugged in the sense that the parts will not break with repeated use. Notice, I did not say the robot. LEGO/Technic robots are always falling apart. However, the bricks and the computer brain are robust and will not be destroyed if dropped or stepped on. The most rugged toys are built for toddlers and the youngest members of our families. School kids are not far removed from that age, and need, and will ultimately break very rugged parts. CONNECTORSThe final choice of robot platform often boils down to the connectors. Educational robots are easy to make and pull apart. This provides a great deal of flexibility for the teacher. One robot kit can produce many different robot models over the years. The LEGO stud, Technic pin, and K’NEX connector, all allow for quick assembly and take down. Prototyping is important in educational settings. The first robot design is probably not the best or even any good. Students need to be able to quickly reconfigure their robot when it does not do what it is supposed to do. In the process, they construct their understanding of the world around them. LEGO robots are the quickest to reconfigure. They also are most likely to fall apart. Vex is built from Erector set pieces and K’NEX are built with special robs and connectors which hold the robot together pretty well, and therefore make them harder to pull apart and reconfigure. HOW MANY?Once a teacher chooses a platform, he/she must decide how many robot kits to buy. This is tricky. Ideally every student should get a robot. Realistically there will not be sufficient funds for this. Some teachers will resort to making a few robots available at a “Center.” A Center is a section of the classroom and a section of the curriculum that students rotate through. This is a great way to reduce the number of robots. The disadvantage of this set-up is the loss of whole group social interaction. Kids especially teenagers love being social, note the popularity of MySpace. If the whole class is working on the robots together students can compete, cooperate and help each other on tasks. Also, the class can move through the curriculum together. Most successful classrooms have robots for student groups of four. A teacher can usually break up building, programming, wiring, and leadership tasks easily among the four students in a group for each task. Keep in mind that each class period will need robots. A teacher cannot afford the time for students to build and take apart robots in a one-hour class period. The cost of the Robot Kits may end up being the sticking point for the new course proposal to the school board. Robots do cost a lot of money, but they are worth it. Many of the technology courses that once populated the vocational track at most high schools were costly too, and many have disappeared as a result. Nevertheless, they provided a valuable service to students who disliked pure academics. They made staying in school relevant to many students who are now dropping out in record numbers according to a Harvard study. Los Angeles Unified has recently decided to restructure the district to better support Technical Education for this very reason. Technical Education seems to be on a rebound. Compared to auto shops, wood lathes, welding tools, and metal shops, robots are much more attractive. They are far cheaper and much more safe. PEDAGOGICAL RATIONALBesides these technical issues that must be resolved and documented, the school board is ultimately going to ask how this new costly course is going to benefit students. This is a very important and very big question that requires an article of its own. For now simply take the words of the Honorable Donald L. Carcieri Governor of Rhode Island, "This program will provide young people with an extraordinary opportunity to get hands-on, real-world science and engineering experience in a way that brings true excitement to learning. I am pleased to make this program an important part of our plan for educating Rhode Island's next generation of science, technology, and engineering leaders." TEACHING WITH ROBOTS RESOURCESDr. Kenneth Berry ACADEMIC STANDARDS RESOURCESNational StandardsScienceNational Science Education Standards, http://newton.nap.edu/html/nses/ MATHNational Council of Teachers of Mathematics Standards, http://www.nctm.org/standards/Science Technology Education (Learning how to use technology)International Technology Educators Association, Technology Standards, http://www.iteaconnect.org/TAA/Publications/TAA_Publications.html Educational Technology (Using technology to learn)National Education Technology Standards (NETS) http://cnets.iste.org/ Atlas of Science Literacy (a great resource to show relationships between science concepts)http://www.project2061.org/ STATE STANDARDSMid-continent Research for Education and Learning (MCREL) is the lead research institution on academic standards, http://www.mcrel.org/standards-benchmarks/ Education World has a nice interface for finding and viewing the academic standards for each state. http://www.education-world.com/standards/ LESSON PLANS ON ROBOTICSNASA’s Robotics Alliance Project has several nice sites with lesson plans.http://robotics.nasa.gov/, Lesson Plan Matrix http://robotics.nasa.gov/edu/matrix.phpRobotics Curriculum Clearinghouse http://robotics.nasa.gov/rcc/ Massachusetts PreK-12 Engineering.http://www.prek-12engineering.org/ Tufts Center for Engineering and Education Outreach (CEEO)Lego Curriculum Ideas – All Subject Areas http://130.64.87.22/robolabatceeo/K12/ CURRICULUM FOR PURCHASECarnegie Mellon University and National Robotics Engineering Consortium’s Robotics Academy Curriculum.http://www-education.rec.ri.cmu.edu/roboticscurriculum/ Robotics Engineering Curriculum by Intelitek,http://www.intelitek.com/products/product.asp?cid=1&pid=12&did=366 Engineering, Science and Technology Foundationshttp://www.estfoundations.com/ PURCHASED WITH ROBOT SYSTEMParallaxThe Boe-Bot comes with a complete set of books to build and program the robot.http://www.parallax.com/html_pages/robotics/shop/robo_comparison.asp Gears Educational SystemsMike Bastoni has created a wonderful curriculum for this platform.http://www.gearseds.com/curriculum/learn/toc.php RidgeSoftThe curriculum includes a course outline, tutorials and many example programs for the IntelliBrain-Bot. The programming is in JAVA. http:// http://www.ridgesoft.com/ FOR FREERoboEducatorshttp://www.robo-works.net/roboeducators.html TEXTBOOKSWang, Eric. Engineering with LEGO Bricks and RoboLabhttp://www.pldstore.com/pld/finditem.cfm?itemid=8425 Martin, Fred, Robotic Explorations: A Hands-on Introduction to Engineering, MIT Media Labs, http://vig.prenhall.com/catalog/academic/product/1,4096,0130895687,00.html Bratzel, Barbara. Physics by Design, http://www.collegehousebooks.com/physics_by_design.htm General Purpose books and ResourcesSolidWorks CAD Teacher Blog has exercises and 3D models developed by teachers and their students for MATE ROV, Gears Eds and others.http://blogs.solidworks.com/teacher. RobotBookshttp://www.robotbooks.com/ Mims, Forrest, Getting Started with Electronics Robot DNA BooksConstructing Robot Bases, Programming Robot Controlers, Building Robot Drive Trains Ferrari, M., Ferrari, G., and Hempel, R. Building Robots With LEGO Mindstorms: the Ultimate Tool for Mindstorms Maniacs Iovine, J., PIC Microcontroller Project Book

2000PLUS built by Dan Wilson

2000PLUS built by Dan Wilson
Target Environment : Locomotion Method
Indoors : 4 Wheels
Sensors / Input Devices : Actuators / Output Devices
video camera : 3 stepper motors, 2 DC motors
Control Method : Power Source
Radio/Control : Battery
CPU Type : Operating System
Intel 80x86 : Windows 95/98/NT/2K/CE...
Programming Lanuage : Weight
BASIC : N/A
Time to build : Cost to build

Comments

2000PLUS is a mobile robot that can be used for a wide variety of uses.
It was mainly designed to help the handicapped people get things around the house. Part of the control for the robot is a Hewlett Packard personal computer running Microsoft Windows 98. Windows 98 was chosen for it's multiple video adapter feature. This allows the user to have a much larger desktop using multiple monitors. The image from the arm-mounted camera can be seen on one monitor and the software can be on another. The robotic arm is controlled by the Visual Basic program designed to operate the three stepper motors onboard the robot as well as two DC motors.
The drive train of the robot is controlled by a modified car remote control.
The interior electronics are used with a computer game joystick. This controls the forward/reverse, right/left movement of the robot. It uses two FM channels, one for the X-axis of the joystick and the other for the Y-axis. The signal received at the robot is combined using an elevon mixer user for remote control airplanes. This combined signal is then routed to the appropriate channel's speed controller. The speed controllers are hooked up to electric drill motors placed underneath the robot. The motors have a small wheel attached that drives the rear wheel providing movement.
The computers communicate using 2.4 GHz wireless network cards. The software PcAnywhere links the user computer to the robot computer and provides complete access to the robot computer. This allows the user to run the stepper motor control program from the robot side. Microsoft NetMeeting is used to transmit and receive the audio/video between the two computers.
Power on the robot is provided by two 12V 24 Ah. They are connected to a 350-Watt power inverter, which is used to power the computer. The batteries also provide direct power to the DC motors used for driving the robot as well as the two motors used on the arm.
Email: : DWilson@IITRI.ORG

Prostate Cancer

The prostate gland is located underneath the bladder and in front of the rectum. Because of this location, this walnut-sized organ has to be examined by insertion of a lubricated gloved finger into the rectum. The prostate gland wraps around the urethra, which is the passageway for urine flowing from the bladder. The seminal vesicles and the ejaculatory ducts are attached to the prostate, and they empty their contents into the prostatic urethra. The prostate gland also produces hormones and enzymes. The hormones assist with the growth of the prostate gland, while prostatic enzymes help ensure the motility of sperm, which improve the chances of reproduction.
As men age, the prostate gland becomes susceptible to three common conditions: benign enlargement, infection, and cancer.
Benign enlargement of the prostate gland is usually referred to as benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH). This non-cancerous condition can cause symptoms related to this enlargement. Urinary frequency (voiding more than seven times per day), urgency (the sensation of the immediate requirement to void), urge incontinence (the inability to prevent the leakage of urine during urgency), and nocturia (awakening more than two times per night for urination in an individual less than 65 years of age) are usually the early symptoms of BPH. As this disease process progresses, men may experience a decreased force of urinary stream (slow stream), straining to void, urinary hesitancy, and the sensation of incomplete bladder emptying. Progressive symptoms can lead to the total inability to urinate, a condition called urinary retention. Treatment of BPH is usually with medications that will help relax the prostate or reduce the size of the gland. Symptoms that are unresponsive to medication can be treated with surgical intervention. The gold standard is transurethral resection of the prostate. Other minimally invasive procedures include microwave therapy, needle ablation, laser therapy, and vaporization of the prostate.
Infection of the prostate gland can lead to a condition called prostatitis. This infection can lead to inflammation of the prostate, which may become symptomatic. These symptoms can include painful urination, blood in the urine, fever, chills, and pain in the perineum, lower abdomen, and back. It can also decrease sexual performance. Treatment is usually with long-term antibiotics; typically a six-week course is required. Chronic infections may recur and require an even longer course of antibiotics. Prostatic massage, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications, and Sitz baths can help reduce the discomfort associated with this condition.
The third common prostate condition is cancer of the prostate gland. Prostate cancer is the uncontrolled growth of cells within the prostate gland. Prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed malignancy and is the second leading cause of death among American men. This year, approximately 198,100 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer and 31,500 will die of this potentially curable disease. This means that an American male is diagnosed with prostate cancer every three minutes and death from this disease occurs every sixteen minutes.
In Louisiana, approximately 3,500 men are expected to be diagnosed with prostate cancer and 600 were predicted to die of this disease in 2001. Unlike many other states, Louisiana has not observed a significant decrease in the death rate from prostate cancer. In fact, the likelihood of developing prostate cancer has slightly risen.
The exact cause of prostate cancer is not known. However, there are primary risk factors that increase the chances of developing this disease. The first primary risk factor is age. Beginning in the fourth decade of life, advancing age positively correlates with developing prostate cancer. More than 80% of cases are diagnosed in men over 65 years of age. Race is the second primary risk factor. The highest risk in the world is among men of Sub-Saharan African descent. Asians have the lowest risk in the world. In America, African-American men have up to a 60% higher risk of prostate cancer than their Caucasian counterparts. Even more disturbing is the fact that the death rate among African-American men is twice that of their closest ethnic counterpart. The third primary risk factor is family history. Prostate cancer tends to run in families. The risk increases with the number of first-degree relatives affected. First-degree means a father, brother, or grandfather. Fathers and brothers have twice the risk of men with no affected relatives, and if there are three affected relatives the risk goes up eleven-fold.
Other risks include dietary components, lifestyle and environmental factors. Diets supplemented with vitamins A, D, E, and selenium may lower the chances of developing prostate cancer. These vitamins are contained within seafood, meats, vegetable oils, vegetables, egg yolks, and fruits. Lycopenes, which are present in tomatoes, may also lower the risk of prostate cancer. On the other hand, diets high in saturated fats may raise the risk of developing this disease. Exposure to sunlight may play a protective role against prostate cancer. Reasons to account for these dietary and environmental observations are presently being studied.
Early detection is the key to surviving this potentially curable disease. Two simple tests are recommended, a digital rectal examination and a serum prostate specific antigen (PSA) level. During the digital rectal examination, a lubricated examining finger is gently inserted into the rectum to feel for the prostate gland. This examination is associated with minimal discomfort and takes only a few seconds. Prostate specific antigen is a protein found in the blood that is usually elevated in men with prostate cancer. Many urologists believe that a normal PSA is between 0 to 2.5 nanograms per milliliter. Values higher than 2.5 nanograms per milliliter are abnormal and may need further medical workup. The important thing to remember is these two very simple tests can save your life. African-American men and men with a family history of prostate cancer should begin yearly screening at the age of 40 years, whereas all other men should begin yearly screening at 50 years of age.
The three most common reasons for an elevated PSA are BPH, prostatitis, and prostate cancer. Individuals with an elevated PSA or abnormal DRE should undergo further testing to rule out prostate cancer. This should consist of transrectal ultrasonography and biopsy of the prostate gland. This procedure is usually performed in the physician's office under a local anesthetic. It is usually associated with mild discomfort and few post-procedure complications. It takes approximately 20 minutes to perform. The ultrasound probe is inserted into the rectum to identify the prostate gland. Six or more (usually 12) biopsies are obtained from multiple sites throughout the gland. These samples are then examined under the microscope for the presence of prostate cancer.
The treatment of prostate cancer depends on multiple factors, which are age, concurrent medical conditions, stage and aggressiveness of cancer. Stage refers to whether the cancer is confined to the prostate gland (Stages A and B or T1-2) or has spread outside the capsule of the prostate to local or distant sites (Stage C and D or T3-4). Treatment options consist of:
Radical prostatectomy: surgical removal of the prostate gland. Recommended for early stage disease (RESD).
Interstitial brachytherapy: surgical placement into the prostate gland of small seeds that give off radiation over several months. RESD.
High dose radiotherapy: the administration of high doses of radiation through needles or plastic cylinders temporarily implanted into the prostate. These needles are removed after 3-4 doses are administered (usually 24 hours after insertion). RESD.
External beam radiation: radiation is administered to the prostate gland (and/or entire pelvis) daily for 6-8 weeks. RESD and locally advanced prostate cancer.
Cryotherapy: probes inserted into the prostate gland are used for a double freeze and thaw cycle. RESD and prostate cancer refractory to radiation.
Hormonal therapy: agents used to either decrease the production of testosterone (the male sex hormone and growth factor for prostate cancer) or prevent its action. These agents can be given as the primary form of treatment or to supplement any of the above treatments.
Chemotherapy: agents that slow the growth of prostate cancer.
Watchful Waiting: treatment is withheld until symptoms arise.
In conclusion, individuals with symptoms of BPH or prostatitis should see their physician (preferably a urologist) for treatment, as well as to determine whether prostate cancer is present. Prostate cancer is a curable disease if detected in the early stages. Treatment is individualized, and the risks and benefits of each option should be understood before one is selected.

Changing Behaviors to Help Self-Manage Diabetes

Diabetes is a condition that must be dealt with 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. There isn't a vacation from taking care of a person's diabetes. There is no, "I'll take care of my diabetes tomorrow or next week." The person who has diabetes must make numerous decisions every day as to what is healthy or the best way to self-manage or take care of themselves and their diabetes daily. A person who has diabetes must see a health care provider (doctor, nurse practitioner, physician assistant, etc.) on a regular basis and probably more often than most people. However, most people with diabetes are the real caretakers of themselves and their diabetes. That is real self-management.
Diabetes is also a condition that has the possibility of causing numerous complications such as cardiovascular (heart and circulation), kidney, neurological (nerve), and eye problems. Additionally, conditions such as hypertension (high blood pressure) and various forms of hyperlipidemia (high cholesterol, high fats in the blood) commonly occur with diabetes. So, when we look at all of these conditions together, we can see that what is done to protect hearts will also help self-manage diabetes. For most people this means changing behaviors (the way we do things) and habits.
Change is hard for most people. We become very comfortable in what we do, such as eating ice cream every day, or in what we don't do, such as exercising. We like what we do. Even when we really want to change a behavior, there is usually hard work, determination, and some degree of discomfort. So in order to make a change in our behaviors, or way of living, something is usually given up. It might be something enjoyed or just a habit that has served well in the past but is no longer useful. You may be giving up time or energy that has been used for other things. Some people grieve or feel sad about giving up an old habit. Changing how to do things, like eating healthy foods, means breaking a habit or finding something new to enjoy. OLD HABITS ARE STUBBORN - JUST LIKE A MULE!
Knowing WHY you want to make a change is just as important as knowing WHAT to change. Remember, the final goal is to lessen and hopefully prevent complications. Try to think of what you would like your life to be like in 5, 10, or 15 years. What you do today affects your future. I would much rather be an old grandma, wearing a purple hat and enjoying my grandchildren, than for my grandchildren to have to take care of me!
Whether You Are Changing Your Diet, Exercise, Smoking, Footcare, Medication, or Some Other Behavior, There Are Some Hints That Can Help You Do So More Easily:
1. Get informed. The more information you have about your habit and the changes you want to make, the more successful you will be.Example - If you want to change your meal plan or the foods you eat, talk to your health care provider, talk to a dietician, read a book, look on the Internet, go to lectures. Get as much good information as you can. Get information you understand and ask questions. Be sure to get your information from good sources and not just the person ahead of you in the grocery line.2. Only work on one or two changes at a time. If you try to do everything at once, you can stretch yourself too far.Example - Even if you do need to lose weight, increase your exercise, stop smoking, and take your medicine regularly, pick the area you are most ready to handle. Then work your way down the list once the first habit or behavior is under control. So, maybe you think that by setting an alarm you could get up in time to take your medicine before going to work. Do that until you are absolutely not missing any medicine. Then go to the next habit - maybe walking. Do this until all behaviors are changed or managed.3. Start small. Plan to make little steps toward your goal.Example - Start with baby steps. You can't make it on the Olympic team your first day of exercising. For some couch potatoes, getting up and moving is a good start. Remember, if you are overweight, the weight didn't just appear overnight; it isn't going away overnight either.4. Get help. If you work with a buddy who is also trying to change, the two of you can support each other.Example - Get a walking partner. Walk with your children. Join or start a support group. Share recipes and ideas. If you can't see your feet, find a foot checking partner.5. Add something new. It is always easier to add a new habit than to take something away. So, try to change your behavior by adding instead of subtracting, especially at first.Example - Instead of thinking, "I can never eat ice cream for dessert," make a plan to eat fresh fruit for dessert at least two times each week. Instead of thinking, "I can't stay here in bed sleeping," make a plan to walk 15-30 minutes three times each week.6. Keep a record. The first step to changing your habits is knowing yourself well. Keep a list of what you are doing on your behavior, now before you really get down to changing it. That way you will know when things start to change.Example - If you are trying to lose weight, write down your weekly weights. You might even want to make a chart or graph. If you are trying to stop smoking, write down how many cigarettes you smoke each day, or write down the time you smoke each cigarette in the pack.7. Reward yourself. Since you are doing something hard, you deserve a reward. Decide ahead of time how you will "pat yourself on the back" while you are changing your habit - don't expect others to reward you. Be your own reward system.Example - Choose something you enjoy or something you would like to have. If you are trying to lose weight, give yourself a non-food treat each day or each week to reward yourself (a nap, the movies, a bubble bath, fishing). Every person does better when rewarded - it doesn't matter what the task or job is.8. Tell others. If you are trying to make a big change, get your family and friends on your side. Tell them what you are trying to do so that they can be your cheerleaders.Example - No man is an island. Let your family know you are trying to cut down on ice cream, so they don't offer it to you. Let friends and family be your support system. Involve others in the deal.9. Be positive. Getting angry at yourself for not changing faster doesn't help. Remind yourself that you can do it - even though it might be really hard.Example - Instead of telling yourself, "I'll never get to my goal," tell yourself, "I'm working hard at it, and I'm healthier for it!" Be kind to yourself.10. A slip is not the same as a fall. You will have time where you don't quite meet your goals. Stick to the plan anyway. Even tiny steps toward your goal are better than no steps at all. Example - If you don't exercise on an exercise day, don't give up. Think of the times you have exercised. Just regroup - get started moving again. A little exercise is better than no exercise.
So, remember, although changing behaviors can be hard, it can be done. Others have done it, so you can also - with a commitment to change and some work. In order to do that, just get started. I know you can do it.
For more information on changing behaviors, contact: Your local hospital's diabetes program
A behavioral psychologist or other professionals - often available through hospitals behavioral medicine departments or diabetes programs. Local colleges or universities may also be sources.
As always, the American Diabetes Organization is an excellent source of information regarding any aspect of living with diabetes. You may contact your local chapter or go to http://www.diabetes.org
The above information was adapted with permission from How to Make a Change by Michele Larzelere. It is an unpublished educational handout used in the Daughters of Charity Health Center Disease State Management program.

Installing an EAR file or WAR files on UNIX

Installing an EAR file or WAR files on UNIX

This section explains how to install the ColdFusion MX 6.1 J2EE configuration on UNIX. If you are updating an existing deployment of ColdFusion MX for J2EE, see “Updating from ColdFusion MX for J2EE” before continuing.

By default, the ColdFusion MX 6.1 J2EE install places files into the /opt/cfmx directory. To install it into a different directory, you must create that directory before running the installation.

To install ColdFusion MX 6.1 on UNIX (J2EE configuration):

1 Read the online version of the Release Notes for any late-breaking information or updates. For more information, see www.macromedia.com/go/proddoc_releasenotes.

2 Make sure that your operating system meets the system requirements described in “System requirements for UNIX”

3 Review the “Installation considerations for UNIX”

4 Determine and record environment information, as described in “Preparing to install using the J2EE configuration”

5 Log in as root.

6 Copy the installation file that is appropriate for your platform and locale from the CD or Macromedia website, and save it to a directory on your local disk.

The installation files for supported server configuration platforms are as follows:

■ coldfusion-61-lin.bin

■ coldfusion-61-sol.bin

■ coldfusion-61-other.jar

7 Using the cd command, go to the directory with the installation file.

8 Start the installation with the following command:

./<filename>

The installation program starts.

To use coldfusion-61-other.jar to install on a UNIX platform other than Solaris or Linux, enter the following command (for more information, see “Installation considerations for UNIX”):

java_home/bin/java -jar coldfusion-61-other.jar

Note: To run the UNIX installer in GUI mode, type ./ -i gui

9 Follow the prompts, and let the installation program run to completion.

Caution: For security reasons, it is crucial that you do not use root for the runtime user.

After the Pre-Installation Summary, the files are copied to your computer.

10 Deploy ColdFusion MX 6.1 and configure Java settings, as required by your application server.

For more information, see “ColdFusion MX J2EE deployment and configuration”

11 Open the ColdFusion MX Administrator in a browser (http://hostname:portnumber/contextroot/CFIDE/administrator/index.cfm). Because opening the ColdFusion MX Administrator for the first time automatically invokes the Configuration Wizard, it is best to open the Administrator at this time.

12 Answer the questions asked by the Configuration Wizard. Completion of the Configuration Wizard and display of the ColdFusion MX Administrator indicate a successful install of ColdFusion MX.

Note: If you deployed the rds.war file, and a Configuration Wizard error message indicates that

RDS is not installed or not enabled, edit the rds.properties file to match the ColdFusion context

root, restart the application server, and re-open the ColdFusion MX Administrator.

13 Configure and manage your system, as described in Chapter 4, “Configuring Your System,”

14 Code and test ColdFusion MX CFM pages. Store CFM pages under the web application root (either cfusion-ear/cfusion-war or cfusion-war) and access these pages using a URL of the form http://hostname:portnumber/context-root/filename.cfm, as follows:

■ hostname The machine name, IP address, localhost, or 127.0.0.1.

■ portnumber The port number used by your application server’s web server.

■ contextroot The context root for the ColdFusion MX web application. For more information, see “Context root”

■ filename The directory path and file to display. The path is relative to the cfusion-war directory.

For example, to display a CFM file located at /opt/jrun4/servers/default/cfusion-ear/cfusionwar/eisapp/index.cfm using the built-in JRun web server and a context root of cfmx, you specify the URL as http://127.0.0.1:8100/cfmx/eisapp/index.cfm.

Installing an EAR file or WAR files

Installing an EAR file or WAR files

If your computer is already running a J2EE application server, the installation wizard creates an EAR file or WAR files, which you deploy using application-server-specific tools. The ColdFusion MX J2EE configuration must run out of an expanded directory structure. Different J2EE application servers have different functionality with regard to deployment and an expanded directory structure, as follows:

• Deploy compressed archive to working directory On some J2EE application servers (such as IBM WebSphere), the deployment process expands the EAR/WAR file into a working directory and from that point forward, the expanded directory is considered to be the application. For these application servers, you deploy the compressed EAR/WAR file and work in the resulting directory structure.

• Deploy expanded archive as working directory On other application servers (such as JRun 4 and BEA WebLogic), the deployment process expands the EAR/WAR file into a temporary directory and (conceptually), the compressed EAR/WAR file is still considered to be the application. For these application servers, you must expand the EAR/WAR file manually and then deploy the expanded directory structure, which becomes your working directory. The following discussions provide installation procedures for Windows and UNIX. For more about deployment and configuration, see “ColdFusion MX J2EE deployment and configuration”

Installing an EAR file or WAR files in Windows

This section explains how to install the ColdFusion MX 6.1 J2EE configuration in a Windows platform. If you are updating an existing deployment of ColdFusion MX for J2EE, see “Updating from ColdFusion MX for J2EE” before continuing.

Note: The Windows installer requires a computer that supports at least 256 colors.

To install ColdFusion MX 6.1 in Windows (J2EE configuration):

1 Read the online version of the Release Notes for any late-breaking information or updates. For more information, see www.macromedia.com/go/proddoc_releasenotes.

2 Make sure that your operating system meets the system requirements described in “System requirements”

3 Review the “Installation considerations for Windows”

4 Determine and record environment information, as described in “Preparing to install using the J2EE configuration”

5 Close any applications that are currently running on your computer.

6 Insert the CD or download the setup file from the Macromedia website.

7 If the installation wizard does not start automatically when you insert the CD, locate setup.exe on the CD and double-click it. If you are installing from a network or a downloaded file, locate the ColdFusion MX 6.1 installation executable file (coldfusion-61-win.exe) and double-click it. The installation wizard starts.

8 Follow the instructions in the wizard, and let it run to completion. After the Pre-Installation Summary pane, the files are copied to your computer.

9 Deploy ColdFusion MX 6.1 and configure Java settings, as required by your application server. For more information, see “ColdFusion MX J2EE deployment and configuration”

10 Open the ColdFusion MX Administrator in a browser (http://localhost:portnumber/contextroot/CFIDE/administrator/index.cfm). Because opening the ColdFusion MX Administrator for the first time automatically invokes the Configuration Wizard, it is best to open the Administrator at this time.

11 Answer the questions asked by the Configuration Wizard. Completion of the Configuration Wizard and display of the ColdFusion MX Administrator indicate a successful install of ColdFusion MX.

12 Configure and manage your system, as described in Chapter 4, “Configuring Your System,”

13 Code and test ColdFusion MX CFM pages. Store CFM pages under the web application root (either cfusion-ear\cfusion-war or cfusion-war) and access these pages using a URL of the form http://hostname:portnumber/context-root/filename.cfm, as follows:

■ hostname The machine name, IP address, localhost, or 127.0.0.1.

■ portnumber The port number used by your application server’s web server.

■ contextroot The context root for the ColdFusion MX web application. For more information, see “Context root”

■ filename The directory path and file to display. The path is relative to the cfusion-war directory.

For example, to display a CFM file located at c:\JRun4\servers\default\cfusion-ear\cfusionwar\eisapp\index.cfm using the built-in JRun web server and a context root of cfmx, you

specify the URL as http://127.0.0.1:8100/cfmx/eisapp/index.cfm.

Installing an EAR file or WAR files on UNIX

This section explains how to install the ColdFusion MX 6.1 J2EE configuration on UNIX. If you are updating an existing deployment of ColdFusion MX for J2EE, see “Updating from ColdFusion MX for J2EE” before continuing.

By default, the ColdFusion MX 6.1 J2EE install places files into the /opt/cfmx directory. To install it into a different directory, you must create that directory before running the installation.

To install ColdFusion MX 6.1 on UNIX (J2EE configuration):

1 Read the online version of the Release Notes for any late-breaking information or updates. For more information, see www.macromedia.com/go/proddoc_releasenotes.

2 Make sure that your operating system meets the system requirements described in “System requirements for UNIX”

3 Review the “Installation considerations for UNIX”

4 Determine and record environment information, as described in “Preparing to install using the J2EE configuration”

5 Log in as root.

6 Copy the installation file that is appropriate for your platform and locale from the CD or Macromedia website, and save it to a directory on your local disk.

The installation files for supported server configuration platforms are as follows:

■ coldfusion-61-lin.bin

■ coldfusion-61-sol.bin

■ coldfusion-61-other.jar

7 Using the cd command, go to the directory with the installation file.

8 Start the installation with the following command:

./<filename>

The installation program starts. To use coldfusion-61-other.jar to install on a UNIX platform other than Solaris or Linux, enter the following command (for more information, see “Installation considerations for UNIX”

java_home/bin/java -jar coldfusion-61-other.jar

Note: To run the UNIX installer in GUI mode, type ./ -i gui

9 Follow the prompts, and let the installation program run to completion.

Caution: For security reasons, it is crucial that you do not use root for the runtime user.

After the Pre-Installation Summary, the files are copied to your computer.

10 Deploy ColdFusion MX 6.1 and configure Java settings, as required by your application server. For more information, see “ColdFusion MX J2EE deployment and configuration”

11 Open the ColdFusion MX Administrator in a browser (http://hostname:portnumber/contextroot/CFIDE/administrator/index.cfm). Because opening the ColdFusion MX Administrator for the first time automatically invokes the Configuration Wizard, it is best to open the Administrator at this time.

12 Answer the questions asked by the Configuration Wizard.

Completion of the Configuration Wizard and display of the ColdFusion MX Administrator indicate a successful install of ColdFusion MX.

Note: If you deployed the rds.war file, and a Configuration Wizard error message indicates that RDS is not installed or not enabled, edit the rds.properties file to match the ColdFusion context root, restart the application server, and re-open the ColdFusion MX Administrator.

13 Configure and manage your system, as described in Chapter 4, “Configuring Your System,”

14 Code and test ColdFusion MX CFM pages. Store CFM pages under the web application root (either cfusion-ear/cfusion-war or cfusion-war) and access these pages using a URL of the form http://hostname:portnumber/context-root/filename.cfm, as follows:

■ hostname The machine name, IP address, localhost, or 127.0.0.1.

■ portnumber The port number used by your application server’s web server.

■ contextroot The context root for the ColdFusion MX web application. For more information, see “Context root”

■ filename The directory path and file to display. The path is relative to the cfusion-war directory.

For example, to display a CFM file located at /opt/jrun4/servers/default/cfusion-ear/cfusionwar/eisapp/index.cfm using the built-in JRun web server and a context root of cfmx, you specify the URL as http://127.0.0.1:8100/cfmx/eisapp/index.cfm.

Installing the J2EE configuration with JRun on UNIX

Installing the J2EE configuration with JRun on UNIX

This section explains how to install Macromedia JRun 4 and the ColdFusion MX 6.1 J2EE configuration on UNIX.

To install the J2EE configuration with JRun on UNIX:

1 Read the online version of the Release Notes for any late-breaking information or updates. For more information, see www.macromedia.com/go/proddoc_releasenotes.

2 Ensure that your operating system meets the system requirements described in “System requirements for UNIX”

3 Review the “Installation considerations for UNIX”

4 Determine and record environment information, as described in “Preparing to install using the J2EE configuration”

5 If you plan to configure an external web server, ensure that the web server is running.

6 Log in as root.

7 Copy the installation file that is appropriate for your platform and locale from the CD or Macromedia website, and save it to a directory on your local disk.

The installation files for supported server configuration platforms are as follows:

■ coldfusion-61-lin.bin

■ coldfusion-61-sol.bin

■ coldfusion-61-other.jar

8 Using the cd command, go to the directory with the installation file.

9 Start the installation with the following command:

./<filename>

The installation program starts.

Note: To run the UNIX installer in GUI mode, type ./ -i gui

10 Follow the instructions in the installation wizard. Make sure that you select Install New Version of ColdFusion MX, then J2EE Configuration (ColdFusion MX with JRun 4).

Tip: The installation wizard disables the ColdFusion MX with JRun 4 option if JRun 4 is already installed on the computer.

Caution: For security reasons, it is crucial that you do not use root for the runtime user.

After the Pre-Installation Summary pane, the files are copied to your computer.

11 Start the JRun cfusion server:

jrun_root/bin/jrun start cfusion

12 If you specified external web server settings when running the installation wizard, run the jrun_root/bin/cfmx-connectors.sh shell script. The script runs the Web Server Configuration Tool, which configures the web server for use with ColdFusion MX. The web server should also be running. If there are problems running this script, review the configuration and bin directory specifications, modify as necessary, and rerun the script. You can also configure your web server using the scripts in jrun_root/bin/connectors, or through java –jar jrun_root/lib/wsconfig.jar, as appropriate.

Note: This step is important, because if you specified the use of an external web server when running the installation wizard, the CFIDE and cfdocs directories are placed under that web server’s root directory, and you must successfully configure the web server before opening the ColdFusion MX Administrator.

13 Open the ColdFusion MX Administrator in a browser, using http://localhost/contextroot/CFIDE/administrator/index.cfm (external web server) or http://localhost:8300/contextroot/CFIDE/administrator/index.cfm (built-in JRun web server). Because opening the ColdFusion MX Administrator for the first time automatically invokes the Configuration Wizard, it is best to open the Administrator at this time.

Note: If you are accessing ColdFusion MX 6.1 from a remote computer, use the previous URL with the host name or IP address of the remote computer instead of localhost.

14 Answer the questions asked by the Configuration Wizard.

Completion of the Configuration Wizard and display of the ColdFusion MX Administrator indicates a successful install of ColdFusion MX.

15 Configure and manage your system, as described in Chapter 4, “Configuring Your System,”

16 Code and test ColdFusion MX CFM pages. If you configured an external web server, store CFM pages under your web root directory. If you are using the built-in web server, store CFM pages under the web application root (jrun_root/servers/cfusion/cfusion-ear/cfusion-war) and

access these pages using a URL of the form http://hostname:8300/context-root/filename.cfm, as follows:

■ hostname The machine name, IP address, localhost, or 127.0.0.1.

■ contextroot The context root for the ColdFusion MX web application. For more information, see “Context root”

■ filename The directory path and file to display. The path is relative to the cfusion-war directory.

For example, to display a CFM file located at /opt/jrun4/servers/cfusion/cfusion-ear/cfusionwar/eisapp/index.cfm using the built-in JRun web server and a context root of cfmx, you specify the URL as http://127.0.0.1:8300/cfmx/eisapp/index.cfm.