102 résultats pour "serious"
- Robin Williams Robin Williams, born in 1952, American comedian and actor, who has gradually transitioned from strictly comic roles to more serious performances.
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Capital Punishment.
deterrent effect. Capital punishment advocates note that because the death penalty is reserved for the most aggravated murders, the deterrent effect of capitalpunishment on such crimes may not be apparent in data on homicide rates in general. Supporters also urge that the conflicting results of various studies indicate thatthe deterrent effect of the death penalty cannot not be proven or disproven with any certainty. They maintain that in the absence of conclusive proof that the threat ofexecuti...
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Surgery.
III SURGICAL PROCEDURES Surgical procedures are classified as optional, required, elective, urgent, and emergent based on the patient’s medical condition. Optional surgery consists of operationsthat are not required but which the patient chooses to undergo as with some types of cosmetic surgery. Required surgery is performed when only surgery will correct aproblem—such as cataracts—but the surgery can be delayed for a period of weeks or months. Elective surgical procedures usually involve cond...
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Pornography.
censorship. Congress passed 20 obscenity laws between 1842 and 1956, most of which were variations of or amendments to the original Comstock Law. Later, Congress passed aseries of antipornography and anti-indecency laws dealing with new forms of technology and with the protection of children. The Protection of Children Against SexualExploitation Act of 1977 prohibits anyone from employing or inducing a minor to participate in sexual conduct or in the making of pornography. In 1988 Congresspassed...
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Ice Hockey.
Each period begins with a face-off at the blue dot at center ice. During the face-off one player from each team lines up at the dot with the stick blade on the ice. After the referee drops the puck, the two players attempt to gain possession of it. Quick hands and strength are essential qualities for players participating in the face-off. Once the puck is dropped, it is in play until an official’s whistle stops it, a goal is scored, or time expires. The team on offense tries to move the puck f...
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Criminal Procedure.
B State Criminal Procedure A person prosecuted in the courts of a particular state on a charge of violating the criminal laws of that state is subject to state criminal procedure. State criminalprocedure is found in the constitution, statutes, rules, and judicial decisions of that state. Furthermore, portions of the U.S. Constitution are applicable to state criminaldefendants. State constitutions generally guarantee a state criminal defendant most of the same rights that a federal defendant is...
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Aerospace Medicine - astronomy.
medically as aeroembolism and popularly as the bends, leads to confusion, paralysis, or neurocirculatory collapse. The most characteristic symptoms of the bends arepain in the large joints resulting from pressure of the gas on tendons and nerves, together with spasm of the blood vessels. Preflight inhalation of pure oxygen toeliminate nitrogen from the system has proved valuable as a preventive measure. Rapid decompression, resulting from accidental failure at high altitudes of thepressure withi...
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Immune System.
The humoral immune response involves a complex series of events after antigens enter the body. First, macrophages take up some of the antigen and attach it to classII MHC molecules, which then present the antigen to T helper cells. The T helper cells bind the presented antigen, which stimulates the T helper cells to divide andsecrete stimulatory molecules called interleukins. The interleukins in turn activate any B lymphocytes that have also bound the antigen. The activated B cells then divide...
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International Criminal Court.
only exercise its jurisdiction when a national court is unwilling or unable to carry out the investigation or prosecution. For example, the ICC might intervene when agovernment’s judicial system has collapsed or is actively shielding a person from criminal responsibility. The court may hold accountable any person aged 18 or older at the time of the crime without regard to the individual’s official duties or functions. Therefore, heads ofstate, legislators, and other high-ranking government offic...
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Labor Unions in the United States - U.
National Guard troops were used against the strikers, with the result that the strike was lost and the union that conducted it virtually destroyed. In 1894 a strike by theAmerican Railway Union against the Pullman Palace Car Company was defeated by an injunction issued under the Sherman Antitrust Act of 1890, which made acombination or contract in restraint of trade illegal. Thereafter employers used injunctions with increasing frequency and effectiveness as an antistrike weapon. See also Hours...
- With the fall of communism the collapse of trade with the former USSR plunged this country into serious economic difficulties.
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Dogsledding.
Mushers are caretakers, but also coaches. Top mushers have large kennels, and their preparation for competition begins by buying and breeding race-specific dogs.They train their dogs, decide which to run on certain days, and make adjustments during races by switching and dropping dogs. Serious competitors run their dogsyear-round, using carts and all-terrain vehicles when there is not enough snow on the ground. During races they decide their strategy, choosing when to rest and whento push ahead....
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Sexually Transmitted Infections.
D Genital Herpes Genital herpes is caused by infection with the herpes simplex virus (HSV). Most cases of genital herpes are due to HSV type 2. Some cases, however, result from genitalinfections with HSV type 1, a common cause of cold sores. Genital herpes causes recurrent outbreaks of painful sores on the genitals, although the disease oftenremains dormant with no symptoms for long periods. In the United States, one in five individuals over the age of 12 is infected with HSV type 2, and the va...
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Fungus - biology.
Many fungi can reproduce by the fragmentation of their hyphae. Each fragment develops into a new individual. Yeast, a small, single-celled fungus, reproduces bybudding, in which a bump forms on the yeast cell, eventually partitioning from the cell and growing into a new yeast cell. V CLASSIFICATION OF FUNGI Scientists have long disagreed about how to classify fungi, and the classification systems are still developing. The first description of fungi was published in 1729 byItalian botanist Pier...
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Ottoman Empire .
fleets at Suez, Egypt; though the Portuguese were not expelled, Selim did manage to prevent the establishment of a total Portuguese monopoly over the spice trade. Selim I died in 1520 after having spent most of his short reign on matters pertaining to the east. His son and successor Süleyman I (reigned 1520-1566) again turnedthe attention of the Ottomans to the west. In August 1521 Süleyman, later known as Süleyman the Magnificent, opened the road to Hungary by capturing Belgrade, aHungarian str...
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Ottoman Empire - History.
fleets at Suez, Egypt; though the Portuguese were not expelled, Selim did manage to prevent the establishment of a total Portuguese monopoly over the spice trade. Selim I died in 1520 after having spent most of his short reign on matters pertaining to the east. His son and successor Süleyman I (reigned 1520-1566) again turnedthe attention of the Ottomans to the west. In August 1521 Süleyman, later known as Süleyman the Magnificent, opened the road to Hungary by capturing Belgrade, aHungarian str...
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Thailand - country.
E Natural Resources Thailand possesses a range of mineral resources. Tin is mined in the peninsula. Important gemstones, such as sapphires, are found in the southeast, and coal reserves,particularly lignite, are in the north. Fish are abundant in rivers and coastal waters. In addition to being consumed domestically, fish are also exported. F Climate Thailand experiences a typical monsoon climate. Winds blow from the northeast during the winter months of October to March or April (known as the...
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South Africa - country.
The major soil zones are conditioned largely by climatic factors. In the semiarid north and west, soils are alkaline and poorly developed. In the southern part of WesternCape Province, rain falls mostly in the winter months, and soils there form slowly and are generally thin and immature. The moderate temperatures and summer rainfallof the High Veld and eastern coastal areas create conditions for more productive organic decomposition, leading to dark, fertile soils, or chernozems, similar to tho...
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Criminal Punishment.
In the United States and Canada, younger offenders may be sentenced to highly regimented, military-style correctional programs known as boot camps. Generally,offenders volunteer to participate in boot camp programs to avoid other types of incarceration. At boot camps, officials subject offenders to strict discipline and physicaltraining. They also provide educational or vocational programs. Boot camps serve as an alternative to traditional, long-term incarceration and attempt to train offenderst...
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First Aid.
IV SEVERE BLEEDING The presence of blood over a considerable area of a person’s body does not always indicate severe bleeding. The blood may ooze from multiple small wounds or besmeared, giving the appearance of more blood than is actually present. The rate at which blood is lost from a wound depends on the size and kind of blood vesselruptured. Bright red, spurting blood indicates injury to an artery while welling or steadily flowing, dark red blood indicates injury to a vein. Welling or spur...
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Confucian philosophy, Chinese
occupies a pre-eminent place in the history of Chinese philosophy. The core of Confucian thought lies in the teachings of Confucius (551-479 BC) contained in the Analects ( Lunyu ), along with the brilliant and divergent contributions of Mencius (372?-289 BC) and Xunzi ( fl. 298-238 BC), as well as the Daxue (Great Learning) and the Zhongyong (Doctrine of the Mean), originally chapters in the Liji (Book of Rites). Significant and original developments, particularly along a quasi-metaphysica...
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Medicine.
C Other Health Professionals Medicine is not restricted to physicians. A wide variety of health care practitioners work in this exciting field. By far the largest professional group is nurses. Registerednurses help physicians during examinations, treatment, and surgery. They observe, evaluate, and record patients’ symptoms, administer medications, and provideother care ( see Nursing). Nurse practitioners perform basic duties once reserved for physicians, such as diagnosing and treating common i...
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Australia - country.
itself forms most of the border between New South Wales and Victoria. Considerable lengths of the Murray, Darling, and Murrumbidgee rivers are navigable during thewet seasons. The central plains region, also known as the Channel Country, is interlaced by a network of rivers. During the rainy season these rivers flood the low-lying countryside,but in dry months they become merely a series of water holes. The Victoria, Daly, and Roper rivers drain a section of the Northern Territory. In Queensland...
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Australia - Geography.
itself forms most of the border between New South Wales and Victoria. Considerable lengths of the Murray, Darling, and Murrumbidgee rivers are navigable during thewet seasons. The central plains region, also known as the Channel Country, is interlaced by a network of rivers. During the rainy season these rivers flood the low-lying countryside,but in dry months they become merely a series of water holes. The Victoria, Daly, and Roper rivers drain a section of the Northern Territory. In Queensland...
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Spain - country.
B Natural Resources Spain has a number of mineral resources. The largest known deposits are of iron ore, zinc, and lead. Spain also produces significant quantities of copper and mercury.These deposits are mined mainly in Huelva province in southwestern Spain, around Cartagena on the Mediterranean, and at various points along the Bay of Biscay inthe north. Additionally, uranium is mined in the region of Extremadura, near the Portuguese frontier, where pyrites, fluorspar, gypsum, tungsten, and po...
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Tragedy
I
INTRODUCTION
Euripides
Unlike other 5th-century BC Greek playwrights, tragic poet Euripides addressed the plight of the common people, rather
than that of mythic heroes.
SenecaSeneca was a Roman philosopher, dramatist, and statesman. His tragedies later influenced Renaissance dramatists,including William Shakespeare. The bust of Seneca shown here is a Roman copy of a Greek original.Art Resource, NY Aeschylus is one of the best known of the ancient Greek tragic playwrights. The author of some 90 plays, he established many of the conventions of the tragic dramaticform, which he perfected throughout his career. Aeschylus's skillful use of poetic language and brilli...
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Depression (psychology).
IV CAUSES Some depressions seem to come out of the blue, even when things are going well. Others seem to have an obvious cause: a marital conflict, financial difficulty, or somepersonal failure. Yet many people with these problems do not become deeply depressed. Most psychologists believe depression results from an interaction betweenstressful life events and a person’s biological and psychological vulnerabilities. A Biological Factors Depression runs in families. By studying twins, researche...
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Respiratory System.
rapidly, or laughs while swallowing, the swallowing reflex may not work, and food or fluid can enter the larynx. Food, fluid, or other substances in the larynx initiate acough reflex as the body attempts to clear the larynx of the obstruction. If the cough reflex does not work, a person can choke, a life-threatening situation. TheHeimlich maneuver is a technique used to clear a blocked larynx ( see First Aid). A surgical procedure called a tracheotomy is used to bypass the larynx and get air to...
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Czech Republic - country.
enforcement of environmental regulations. Environmental considerations have also led some government officials to promote nuclear energy as a key source of powerfor the country’s future. The Czech Republic produces most of its energy by burning domestic coal. Much of the coal burned is low quality with a high ash and sulfur content—a key componentof acid rain—producing high levels of air pollution. Forests in the Czech Republic are among the most seriously affected by acid rain in all of Europe....
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Saskatchewan (province) - Geography.
The length of the frost-free season varies within the province. In the southwest, particularly in the valley lands along the South Saskatchewan River, the frost-freeperiod ranges from 150 to 160 days. Regina enjoys about 123 frost-free days, and Saskatoon has about 111. The far north has only from 85 to 95 frost-free days. One important characteristic of Saskatchewan’s climate is the great variability in temperature and precipitation from year to year, which is often critical for agriculture.The...
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Saskatchewan (province) - Canadian History.
The length of the frost-free season varies within the province. In the southwest, particularly in the valley lands along the South Saskatchewan River, the frost-freeperiod ranges from 150 to 160 days. Regina enjoys about 123 frost-free days, and Saskatoon has about 111. The far north has only from 85 to 95 frost-free days. One important characteristic of Saskatchewan’s climate is the great variability in temperature and precipitation from year to year, which is often critical for agriculture.The...
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Mental Illness.
note that under this definition, political dissidents could be considered mentally ill for refusing to accept the dictates of their government. VI PREVALENCE Mental illness affects people of all ages, races, cultures, and socioeconomic classes. The prevalence of mental illness refers to how many people experience a mentalillness during a specified time period. A United States and Worldwide In the United States, researchers estimate that about 24 percent of people 18 or older, or about 44 mill...
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Brazil - country.
occasional droughts. Brazil contains a wealth of mineral and plant resources that have not yet been fully explored. It possesses some of the world’s largest deposits of iron ore and containsrich deposits of many other minerals, including gold and copper. Brazil’s fossil fuel resources are modest, but this limitation is offset by the considerable hydroelectricpotential of the nation’s many rivers. Although Brazil is an important producer of tropical crops, areas of highly fertile land are limited...
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Les impacts économiques de la peur de la fin du monde
from a major city) ft. building. Price $1,400,000 Denver, CO 210 total acres. Very rare piece of history – only 18 built. Massive 45,000 + sq. ft. of underground f loor-space . Many unique possibilities for commercial or private usage. Serious and capable buyers only. Parcel 1: Remote 20 acres bordering two sides National Forest in Northern Idaho. 3,000 sq ft earth home bomb shelter with beautiful view of Schweitzer Mountain ski runs. No tours...
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Snorkeling.
injury from animals is to be aware of diving conditions at a site, to dive with a buddy, and to leave the water promptly should a problem occur. Boaters can also pose a serious threat to snorkelers. If not near a boat or a visible dive flag, snorkelers can be virtually invisible to boaters and can be run over.Another common danger in snorkeling is fatigue, which can lead to drowning. V WORKING UNDERWATER Most underwater work is accomplished by scuba divers because they can remain underwater at...
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Malaria.
last long and is unlikely to be fatal. Infants and children are especially vulnerable to malaria because they have not yet built up immunity to the parasite. Some peoplehave genetic traits that help them resist malaria. Sickle-cell anemia and thalassemia, for example, are inherited blood disorders linked to malaria resistance. Travelers who lack immunity to malaria should take precautionary measures when visiting areas where the disease is prevalent. Such measures include using insectrepellents,...
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Comedy
I
INTRODUCTION
Laurel and Hardy
Stan Laurel, in overalls, and Oliver Hardy, left, formed one of the most popular comedy teams in motion-picture history.
The elements and techniques of comedy are diverse and differ from culture to culture. More than tragedy or serious drama, comic entertainment is controlled by socialconventions that define the boundaries of acceptable humor and topics that are taboo or off-limits for humor. What is considered funny in one place and time may beforbidden culturally or viewed as infantile or in poor taste in another. Virtually every component of human behavior is subject to comic treatment. This includes bodilyfunc...
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Alzheimer's Disease.
compared residents of Ibadan, Nigeria, who eat a mostly low-fat vegetarian diet, with African Americans living in Indianapolis, Indiana, whose diet included a variety ofhigh-fat foods. The Nigerians were less likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease compared to their U.S. counterparts. Some researchers suspect that health problems suchas high blood pressure, atherosclerosis (arteries clogged by fatty deposits), high cholesterol levels, or other cardiovascular problems may play a role in the devel...
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Hippopotamus - biology.
hippo backs up to its droppings and uses its tail as a paddle, flicking the dung through the air. This creates a pile that can become several meters wide over time. Male river hippos start to establish territories when they are in their early 20s, and they may eventually control more than 250 m (820 ft) of the water's edge.Subordinate males come and go freely, but a rival male will spark a confrontation if it tries to intrude. The territory owner and intruder face each other open-mouthedand, if...
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Latin America.
adequate housing and services, most were forced to live in shantytowns that came to encircle all large Latin American cities. One of the key problems facing Latin America in the late 20th century was the rapid rise of external debt during the 1980s. The borrowed money had been used bycorrupt, or at best inefficient, governments in non-productive projects. These large debts meant that many countries had to spend up to 30 percent of their net incometo pay interest on their loans. Some countries, s...
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Unemployment.
set up to monitor the economy and provide advice to the president and Congress. Between 1945 and 1990 nine cyclical swings in unemployment occurred; all weresmaller than the 1930s depression. During this period the unemployment rate was as low as 2.9 percent (1953) and as high as 9.7 percent (1982). Because of cutbacksin the unemployment insurance program and changes in the nature of employment during the 1980s, however, only 37 percent of jobless workers received benefits in1990. Fears that the...
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Canadian Pacific Railway - Canadian History.
roads constructed inland from the lakeshore. However, this changed with the outbreak in Saskatchewan of the Northwest Rebellion by Louis Riel and his supportersagainst the authority of the Canadian government in March 1885. Despite the fact that the railway was not completed, a contingent of troops was able to reachWinnipeg from Montréal in only seven days, much faster than they could have gone overland, and get from there to Saskatchewan in time to successfully put down therebellion. This actio...
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Obesity.
of a day, contributing to the development of obesity. V TREATMENTS FOR OBESITY Obesity can become a chronic lifelong condition caused by overeating, physical inactivity, and even genetic makeup. No matter what the cause, however, obesity can beprevented or managed with a combination of diet, exercise, behavior modification, and in severe cases, weight-loss medications and surgery. A Diets The most common and conservative treatment for obesity utilizes a nutritionally balanced, low calorie diet...
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Henry VIII
I
INTRODUCTION
Henry VIII (1491-1547), king of England (1509-1547), the image of the Renaissance king as immortalized by German artist Hans Holbein, who painted him hands on
hips, legs astride, exuding confidence and power.
that was completed by 1540. The crown then took possession of all their property, paying small pensions to the approximately 10,000 monks and nuns who weredeprived of their homes. In a reversal of roles, many towns were forced to assist the same people who had once provided charity to the less fortunate. To pay for hiscontinued wars, Henry sold the former monastic lands to nobles and gentry, who thereby gained an interest in the success of Henry’s reformation and becamedependent upon the king. T...
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Henry VIII.
that was completed by 1540. The crown then took possession of all their property, paying small pensions to the approximately 10,000 monks and nuns who weredeprived of their homes. In a reversal of roles, many towns were forced to assist the same people who had once provided charity to the less fortunate. To pay for hiscontinued wars, Henry sold the former monastic lands to nobles and gentry, who thereby gained an interest in the success of Henry’s reformation and becamedependent upon the king. T...
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Henry VIII .
that was completed by 1540. The crown then took possession of all their property, paying small pensions to the approximately 10,000 monks and nuns who weredeprived of their homes. In a reversal of roles, many towns were forced to assist the same people who had once provided charity to the less fortunate. To pay for hiscontinued wars, Henry sold the former monastic lands to nobles and gentry, who thereby gained an interest in the success of Henry’s reformation and becamedependent upon the king. T...
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Hazardous Wastes.
A Source Reduction The best way to eliminate hazardous wastes is not to generate them in the first place. For example, improvements have been made in the production of integratedcircuits: The toxic chlorinated hydrocarbons commonly used in the 1970s were replaced in the 1980s by less toxic glycol ethers and in the 1990s by low-toxicity estersand alcohols. B Recycling Recycling is the recovery or reuse of usable materials from waste. About 5 percent of hazardous waste in the United States is re...
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Police.
body. In larger agencies, executive officers may be selected through a civil service or merit system, after moving through the ranks from patrol officer to sergeant,lieutenant, captain, and (in still larger agencies) deputy or assistant chief. At the county level, the head of the agency usually holds the title sheriff. The sheriff is almost always elected and has the power to appoint deputies. Sheriffs'departments often provide law enforcement services for unincorporated areas of counties and ar...
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?stanbul - geography.
İstanbul hosts a number of annual cultural events. The İstanbul Cultural Festival, held in the summer, offers music and dance performances in more than 50 venuesthroughout the city, including outdoors at Rumelihisar ı. The city also hosts a summer jazz festival. Turkey is one of the world’s largest producers of motion pictures, anda highly regarded international film festival takes place in İstanbul during the early months of the year. V RECREATION With increasing modernization, recreation is...
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Leukemia.
leukemia, and normal or mildly decreased in chronic lymphocytic leukemia. Nearly all chronic leukemia patients have increased white cell counts. In chronic myelocyticleukemia, some of these leukemic white cells are capable of functioning as normal cells do by fighting infectious microbes. Hence, infection is no more common than in ahealthy individual. In chronic lymphocytic leukemia the blood contains large numbers of malignant lymphocytes that do not function normally. Normal lymphocytescoexist...