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Problem : A projectile is projected up with a velocity √(2ag) at an angle “θ” from an elevated position as shown in the figure. Find the maximum horizontal range that can be achieved.
Solution : In order to determine the maximum horizontal range, we need to find an expression involving horizontal range. We shall use the equation of projectile as we have the final coordinates of the motion as shown in the figure below :
Substituting and changing trigonometric ratio with the objective to create a quadratic equation in “tan θ” :
Rearranging, we have :
For tan θ to be real, it is required that
Hence, maximum possible range is :
Problem : A ball is thrown horizontally from the top of the tower to hit the ground at an angle of 45° in 2 s. Find the speed of the ball with which it was projected.
Solution : The question provides the angle at which the ball hits the ground. A hit at 45° means that horizontal and vertical speeds are equal.
However, we know that horizontal component of velocity does not change with time. Hence, final velocity in horizontal direction is same as initial velocity in that direction.
We can now find the vertical component of velocity at the time projectile hits the ground by considering motion in vertical direction. Here,
Using equation of motion in vertical direction, assuming downward direction as positive :
Hence, the speed with which the ball was projected in horizontal direction is :
Problem : A ball “A” is thrown from the edge of building “h”, at an angle of 30° from the horizontal, in upward direction. Another ball ”B” is thrown at the same speed from the same position, making same angle with horizontal, in vertically downward direction. If "u" be the speed of projection, then find their speed at the time of striking the ground.
Solution : The horizontal components of velocity for two projectiles are equal. Further, horizontal component of velocity remains unaltered during projectile motion. The speed of the projectile at the time of striking depends solely on vertical component of velocity. For the shake of convenience of analysis, we consider point of projection as the origin of coordinate system and vertically downward direction as positive y - direction.
Motion in vertical direction :
For A,
For B,
Thus, velocities in vertical direction are equal in magnitude, but opposite in direction. The ball,"A", which is thrown upward, returns after reaching the maximum vertical height. For consideration in vertical direction, the ball returns to the point of projection with same speed it was projected. What it means that the vertical component of velocity of ball "A" on return at the point projection is "u/2". This further means that two balls "A" and "B", as a matter of fact, travel down with same downward vertical component of velocity.
In other words, the ball "A" returns to its initial position acquiring same speed "u/2" as that of ball "B" before starting its downward journey. Thus, speeds of two balls are same i.e "u/2" for downward motion. Hence, two balls strike the ground with same speed. Let the final speed is "v".
Now, we apply equation of motion to determine the final speed in the vertical direction.
Putting values, we have :
The horizontal component of velocity remains same during the journey. It is given as :
The resultant of two mutually perpendicular components is obtained, using Pythagoras theorem :
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"Can you think of something that can be modeled with the quadratic equation defining a projectile's motion?"
Overview
Understandings
and Standards
Activities
Resources
Student Guide
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Overview
Grade Levels:
9, 10, 11, 12
Curriculum Areas:
Focus:
Math
Secondary:
Science, Technology, Economics, Science
Topic:
Quadratic Equations & Projectile Motion
Themes:
Apply to real life applications, Graphing Quadratic Equations, Understand the meaning of x-intercepts, Using QE in real life applications, Using Quadratic Formula
Duration:
5 hours
Summary
This project will introduce students to the second-degree polynomial quadratic equation and its important real-life applications.
Students will learn to graph and determine solutions of quadratic equations, and apply this knowledge to analyze the relationship between time, velocity, height in vertical and projectile motion problems.
Rationale
Students often wonder why they have to learn math, graphing and solving equations. Does math really benefit them in real life? By demonstrating everyday application like projectile motion, an appreciation of the usefullness of quadratic equations is presented.
Students will realize that they will have to use math to solve many real-life problems such as finding speed, distance and time of travel. These concepts can be applied to sports,the player throwing the ball, how high the athelete can jump, or how long does it takes for a diver to reach the water in a diving competition. Each of these can be modeled with the quadratic equation for projectile motion. | http://my-ecoach.com/online/teacherguide.php?projectid=233 |
The Maximum Ballistic Height calculator compute maximum vertical altitude (Mh) above a plane that is reached by an object launched at an angle above the horizon (θ) at an initial velocity (V) assuming a constant downward acceleration (g).
(V) This is the initial velocity.
(h) This is the initial height above the plane.
(θ) This is the angle above the horizon.
Max Altitude (Mh): The calculator returns the maximum height achieved in meters. However this can be automatically converted to other length units via the pull-down menu.
Velocity to achieve a Max Ballistic Height: This computes the initial velocity required to achieve the max height.
The Max Ballistic Height equation is used to compute the maximum height (h) of an object in trajectory motion above a plane. The range is based on negative vertical acceleration (g), initial velocity (V) and launch angle (θ). This simplified ballistic equation does not take into account any drag or other forces and this equation assumes the launch point (origin) is on the plane.
h is the maximum height.
Note: a default for gravitational acceleration (g) of 9.80665 meters per seconds squared is provided. This is the approximate SI value at sea level on earth. The user may change the gravitational acceleration constant (g) to accommodate a different body (e.g. moon or a different altitude on the earth, or for other units.
This equation, Ballistic Max Height, is used in 5 calculators and 1 equation/constant. | https://www.vcalc.com/wiki/vCalc/Ballistic+Max+Height |
By Christopher I. Thornton, Ph.D., P.E., and Richard Kane
Revetments are used to protect banks and shorelines from erosion caused by waves and currents. This paper briefly addresses the application of revetments in wave environments using riprap and articulated concrete blocks. The discussion is limited to low-energy wave conditions where wave heights are less than 5 feet. These conditions occur in sheltered waters such as lakes, reservoirs, rivers, channels, canals, estuaries, and bays. High-energy wave conditions that are encountered on open ocean coastlines are more appropriately addressed using armor stone or concrete armor units.
In many coastal engineering projects, determination of the design condition is a major component of the design effort. In the case of wave-induced bank erosion, it is first necessary to determine the cause of the erosion. Then, the wave and water level conditions must be determined. Wave data are usually not available in sheltered waters. For these cases, the waves must be estimated from historical wind conditions using hindcast methods such as those described in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Shore Protection Manual (SPM) and Coastal Engineering Manual (CEM) (COE, 1973, 1984; COE, 2001). High water level data may be available from gauging stations.
In the United States, it is common to design revetments based on an event of a specified occurrence (1 percent annual chance occurrence or 100 year event). The choice of the design event is a key consideration in the design. Once the occurrence level has been selected, the joint probability of waves and water levels must be determined. A conservative approach is to design the high water condition for the 1 percent wave occurring at the 1 percent water level. If the revetment does not extend to the bed or channel bottom, then a low water level design condition must also be determined.
Waves are specified by the wave height, H (vertical distance from crest to trough), the wave period, T (the time between the passage of successive waves), wave direction, ? (angle between wave crest and shoreline), and the still water depth, h (the water depth in the absence of waves). The wave length, L (horizontal distance from wave crest to wave crest), is determined from the wave period and water depth by the dispersion equation. If the water depth is greater than half the wave length (h > L/2), then conditions are considered deep water and the deep water wave length, L0, may be written as
Equation 1:
Where:
g is the acceleration due to gravity.
When wave conditions are generated by winds, there are always multiple waves. There are many wave heights, periods, and directions existing simultaneously. It is convenient to represent this collection of waves by a single representative wave height, period, and direction. The significant wave height, H, is related to the average of the highest 1/3 of the waves. The spectral wave height, Hm0, is equal to four times the square root of the total energy in the waves. In deep water, these two are taken to be equivalent. The peak wave period, Tp, is the wave period corresponding to the most energetic wave. The mean period, Tm, is determined from the distribution of wave heights and periods. A rule of thumb is
Equation 2:
The wave direction is usually specified by the peak direction, ?p, corresponding to the most common direction or the spectral direction, ?m, corresponding to the energy propagation direction.
When waves propagate into shallow water, the depth eventually limits the maximum wave height and the waves break. The breaker index, ? , relates the depth-limited breaking wave height, HB, to the breaking depth, hB.
Equation 3:
Values for ? range from about 0.6 to 1.2, depending on the wave height and period and the bottom slope. For a flat bottom, ? =0.78, and this value is commonly used. The type of breaking wave can be estimated from the surf similarity parameter,
Equation 4:
in which a is the slope. The subscript m is used to denote the use of the mean period.
A riprap revetment is distinguished from an armor stone revetment in that riprap is more widely graded. Stone armor is usually specified with a very narrow range of sizes. A typical weight range is 0.75W50 to 1.25W50, where W50 is the median weight of the stone. The nominal diameter, Dn50, is defined as
Equation 5:
in which ?is the weight density of the stone. This gives an r allowable diameter range of 0.91Dn50 to 1.08Dn50. The corresponding range for riprap is 0.125W50 to 4.0W50 (0.50D n50 to 1.59Dn50). Riprap is less stable than armor stone because the smaller sizes are susceptible to removal and it is difficult to obtain uniform placement of the size distribution on the structure. Without special considerations, riprap revetments are not recommended for large wave conditions.
The design of riprap revetments in the United States follows recommendations provided by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (COE 2001, 1984, 1973). The required riprap size can be determined using the Hudson equation or the van der Meer equation. The Hudson equation is
Equation 6:
in which KD is the empirical Hudson stability coefficient and ? is the immersed relative density defined as ? = ?r/?w-1, where ?r is the specific weight of the rock and ?wis the specific weight of the water (62.4 pounds per cubic foot (pcf) for fresh water; 64.0 pcf for sea water). The stability coefficient for angular riprap in breaking waves is KD = 2.2 (COE 1984, 1973). The wave height is computed as the wave height at the toe of the structure. The 1973 and 1984 versions of the SPM are inconsistent in the use of the Hudson equation. The 1984 SPM recommends using a wave height that is 1.27Hs. If this wave height is used in the Hudson equation, the required stone weight doubles.
The van de Meer equation is
Equation 7:
in which N is the number of waves (maximum value of 7,500), P is the notational permeability, and S is the damage level. The two equations account for different breaking wave types based on the value of ?m. For slopes of 1V:1.5H to 1V:3H, S = 2; and for slopes 1V:4H to 1V:6H, S = 3. These equations are for deep water, but can also be used in shallow water wave conditions (CUR, 1991). Guidance for selecting the notational permeability is given in CUR (1991) and COE (2001). Since riprap is well graded, the permeability is lower and a value of 0.2 is suggested in the absence of additional information.
The thickness of the riprap layer should be 2Dn50, but not less than 1 foot. Care must be taken when placing the riprap to ensure that the stone sizes are uniformly distributed over the full slope. End dump construction often results in the larger stones at the toe with smaller material on the upper slope.
An underlayer beneath the riprap provides pressure dissipation, drainage, and containment of the fines in the subgrade. Because a riprap revetment is widely graded, the underlayer size requirements are more restrictive than a stone armor revetment. The size of the underlayer is given by
Equation 8:
in which D85 underlayer is the diameter at which 85 percent of the underlayer sizes are finer and D15cover is the diameter at which 15 percent of the riprap stone sizes are finer. An approximate underlayer size is given by
Equation 9:
The underlayer beneath the riprap should have a thickness of 3Dn50underlayer, but not less than 1 foot. A typical riprap revetment cross section is shown in Figure 1.
Articulating concrete blocks (ACBs) are designed to provide stability and erosion control in a wide variety of hydraulic applications. Made on dry cast block machines, the individual units are engineered to capitalize on the weight of concrete, friction between units, and the interconnection of units into flexible mattresses. Flexibility between units is provided to allow the mat to conform to minor deformations in the subgrade. Classes of individual units can be produced at varying thicknesses, providing the designer flexibility in selecting appropriate levels of protec- tion. The range of block classes allows selection of the proper combination of unit weight, surface roughness, and open area for hydraulic stability.
For example, an ArmorFlex armor unit, shown in Figure 2, is substan- tially rectangular, having a flat bottom to distribute the weight evenly over the subgrade. The upper sides of the unit are sloped to permit articulation of the armor layer and to accommodate underlayer irregularities when the armor units are connected into mats. The units have two vertical openings providing for permeability of the armor layer. This reduces uplift forces on the armor by allowing release of dynamic pressures that occur during wave break- ing. The vertical cells also increase surface roughness and allow a flux of water into the underlayer, reducing waving runup.
Current industry standards utilize the Pilarczyk (1990) equation to select an appropriate thickness of articulating concrete block. The Pilarczyk equation was developed in the Netherlands based on analysis of numerous large-scale tests at the Delft Hydraulics Laboratory. Interestingly, full-scale testing on the ArmorFlex unit as depicted above was used in development of the design methodology. The Pilarczyk equation is as follows:
Equation 10:
in which D is the block thickness, ?u is an empirical stability upgrading factor ( ?u = 2.50 for cabled blocks on a granular sublayer), F is a stability factor for incipient motion ( F = 2.25 for blocks placed on a permeable core), and b is a coefficient related to the interaction process between waves and the revetment (b = 2/3 is acceptable for ArmorFlex open-block system). The Hudson equation has also been used to estimate block stability in waves. For this case, ? corresponds to r the specific weight of the block and an appropriate KD value is used. However, the Pilarczyk equation considers additional variables associated with revetment stability in wave environments and is the recommended approach. A typical ACB revetment cross section is shown in Figure 3.
In addition to selecting the appropri- ate riprap or block size in waves, there are other important components of revetment systems to consider in the design. These include the underlayer, filter fabric, articulation, toe, flanks, and runup/overtopping.
Underlayer — A permeable under- layer is placed beneath the armor layer. This layer provides drainage to avoid build-up of excess hydraulic pressures beneath the armor, prevents migration of fines out of the bank, and provides a suitable surface for place- ment of the armor. Build-up of excess pressure beneath the revetment is one of the most important failure modes for revetments. Permeable revetments and underlayers allow dissipation of this pressure as water can flow out of the armor layer. Also, the subgrade must be geotechnically stable for the static and dynamics conditions associated with the design. This may require compaction or other improvements of the subgrade prior to placing filter and armor layers.
Filter fabric — If filter fabrics are used, ensure that the porosity and permeability requirements are satisfied. The fabric provides separation between the underlayer and the subgrade, preventing loss of fines but allowing the flow of water. In general, the equivalent opening size (EOS) of the fabric (EOS = 95 percent smaller opening size) should be EOS = D50 subgrade. The fabric permeability should be at least 10 times the subgrade permeability. The fabric must have suitable strength capabilities in elongation, puncture, and shear. If the fabric will be exposed to sun light, it must also be UV stabilized. Additional information on using filter fabrics in wave environments is given in Pilarczyk (2000).
Articulation — Flexibility of the armor layer is a consideration with using articulating concrete block systems. The revetment system should allow for individual units to adjust to differential settling of the underlying material. Any settlement beneath a rigid revetment system may result in voids beneath the armor layer, causing points of weakness which will lead to failure. Toe protection — Toe protection may be necessary to prevent failure of the structure caused by scour and undermining. Common alternatives are: 1) place a scour blanket of hydraulically stable material, 2) place larger stones or blocks on the toe, 3) trench the toe beneath the depth of maximum anticipated scour, 4) use filter fabric to contain the armor at the toe (Dutch toe), or 5) use ground anchors or screws for restricting block motion.
Flank protection — The lateral ends of the revetment may be susceptible to damage. The flanks may be stabilized using techniques similar to the toe. If the revetment is placed on a shoreline experiencing chronic erosion, then it may be necessary to tie the revetment back into the slope using wing walls. This will reduce the tendency for the revetment to be flanked.
Runup/overtopping — If the revetment is intended to prevent backshore flooding caused by waves, then the height of the revetment must be sufficient to prevent wave overtopping. Guidelines for estimating wave runup and overtopping are given in the SPM and CEM. If wave overtopping is expected, but is allowable, then the berm of the revetment may require additional stabilization. The techniques used on the toe are applicable. Along the berm, it may also be possible to use biostabilization methods. An overtopping rate of 0.02 cubic feet per minute per foot is sufficient to cause structural damage to buildings behind the revetment.
Setting — A 200-foot reach of shoreline along the south bank on a 3-mile-long, 30-foot-deep lake is experiencing wave-induced erosion during large storms. The clay-silt bank to be protected has an average slope of 1V:3H slope (18.4 degrees). The backshore is a campground with limited infrastructure.
Design variables — Given that there is no critical development in the backshore, a 10-year design condition is selected. A gauging station in the lake indicates that the water depth at the toe of the bank is 4 feet during the 10-year design event. At this water level, the bank has 5 feet of freeboard. Analysis of historical wind measurements indicates that the 10-year, 2-minute wind speed from the north is 50 mph. Using hindcast methods given in the SPM, the wave height and period are estimated to be Hs= 4.4 feet, and Tp= 3.7 seconds. It is assumed that the storm lasts more than 40 minutes, allowing this wave condition to develop. The same storms that cause high waves also cause the high water levels, so the joint 10-year conditions correspond to the water level and wave conditions as determined.
There are no offshore islands, sand bars, vegetation, or other mechanisms that would modify the waves before they reach the shoreline, and the wave approach is normally incident to the shoreline. The breaking wave height at the shoreline can be estimated based on shoaling and the breaker index as
Using Equation 3, this wave height breaks in a water depth of approximately
Note that this depth is greater than the design depth of 4 feet. Therefore, the wave height at the toe is depth limited and, using Equation 3, is approximately
It will often be the case for revetments in shallow water that the wave heights are depth limited. In these cases, the wave height can simply be estimated using Equation 3 without the need for hindcast computations.
Riprap revetment — The necessary riprap size is determined using the Hudson and van der Meer equations. The Hudson equation gives
in which it is assumed that ?r= 165 pcf and KD = 2.2. This stone weight has a nominal diameter of Dn50 = 12.0 inches. The riprap size range is 21 to 668 pounds (6 to 19 inches) and the thickness of the riprap layer is 2Dn50 = 24.0 inches. The underlayer size using Equation 9 is D=n50 underlayer= Dn50 cover/3.7=3.2 inches. The underlayer thickness is 3Dn50 underlayer, but not less than 1 foot. In this case, the underlayer thickness is 1 foot. A fabric placed beneath the underlayer requires suitable strength, UV, porosity, and permeability properties as discussed above.
For the van der Meer equation, it is necessary to determine the mean period, the number of waves, the surf similarity parameter, and then which equation to use. The mean period is
The number of waves is the storm duration divided by the mean wave period or 7,500, whichever is less. The maximum number of waves times the mean period gives 7.0 hours. If the storm duration is longer than 7.0 hours, then N = 7,500. If the storm duration is less than 7.0 hours, a reduced value for N is used. For this example, it is assumed that storm conditions last for longer than 7.0 hours, so N = 7,500.
Next, the surf similarity parameter and critical value for the surf similarity parameter are determined.
The corresponding weight is W50 = 184 pounds. The riprap layer thickness and underlayer properties are similar to and follow the same steps as the Hudson equation results.
ACB revetment — The Pilarczyk equation is used to determine the required ACB thickness. The immersed relative density is
where the specific weight of the block has been taken as 140 pcf. The Pilarczyk equation is
in which coefficients appropriate for ArmorFlex have been used. For this case, ArmorFlex Class 60 block with a thickness of 7.5 inches would be selected. The individual blocks would be cabled together into appropriate mat sizes using either polyester, galvanized, or stainless steel cable depending on lake water salinity and project-specific logistics.
Prior to placement of the ACB cabled mat system, a site-specific filter fabric compatible with the subgrade soils would be placed on the graded formation, utilizing a minimum 1-foot overlap of successive rolls. Determination of the filter fabric follows design criteria mentioned above. A 4-to 6inch-thick, coarse, uniformly graded, granular material (#57 crushed granite typical) is then placed as a filter (bedding) layer over the site-dependent filter fabric. Blinding the ACB system with a gravel material can enhance the stability of the system by increasing the inter-block friction and providing a means of load transfer over a greater area of the revetment. Also, a site-specific soil dressing, followed by native grasses and plants with shallow root systems could be planted within the open cells of the blocks on the upper portions of the slope to provide vegetation and associated habitat. Note that stability equations have been developed for wind waves and not boat wakes. A rule of thumb is to multiply the wake height by 1.5 to estimate an equivalent Hsto use in the stability equations (CUR, 1991). Also, the number of boat wake waves is difficult to estimate. One boat passage only generates a few waves, but there are many boats. Hence, unless additional information is available, it is recommended to use a maximum value of N = 7,500 in boat wake designs.
Christopher I. Thornton, Ph.D., P.E., is director of the Hydraulics Laboratory and Engineering Research Center at Colorado State University.
Richard Kane, erosion control product manager, CONTECH Construction Products, Inc., has 10 years of experience in the geotechnical, environmental, and civil engineering industries.
Online quiz for this article is not active and PDH credit is no longer available.
This article is being maintained for informational purposes only. | https://www.conteches.com/knowledge-center/pdh-article-series/revetment-design-considerations |
Q. 15. A stone is thrown vertically upward with an initial velocity of Taking find the maximum height reached by the stone. What is the net displacement and the total distance covered by the stone?
Initial velocity u = 40 m s-1
Acceleration a = -g = -10 m s-2
Final velocity at the highest point would be v = 0
Let the maximum height reached be s
As per the third equation of motion
The net displacement would be zero as the stone will return to the point from where it was thrown. | https://learn.careers360.com/ncert/question-a-stone-is-thrown-vertically-upward-with-an-initial-velocity-of-40-m-s-taking-g-equal-to-10-m-s-to-the-power-of-2-find-the-maximum-height-reached-by-the-stone/ |
Newton's laws of motion
This content was COPIED from BrainMass.com - View the original, and get the already-completed solution here!
Problem 1:
A box of mass M is held against the ceiling by a force P acting at an angle (SYMBOL1) as shown. The block slides along the ceiling to the right at a constant speed. The coefficient of kinetic friction between the box and the ceiling is (SYMBOL2).
(a) Draw a labled free body diagram for the box
(b) Determine the force P in terms of M, g, SYMBOL1 and SYMBOL2
Problem 2:
In a James Bond movie, James in a 2000kg car driving at 10 m/s when he approaches 40m wide canyon. Rather than stopping he drives off the cliff, propelling a propeller engine which exerts a constant horizontal force of 5000N while the car is in tha air. The higher cliff is 80m above the valley and the lower cliff is 60 meters above the valley. Neglecting frictional losses, determine the speed at which he lands.© BrainMass Inc. brainmass.com December 24, 2021, 5:05 pm ad1c9bdddf
https://brainmass.com/physics/velocity/newtons-laws-motion-27631
SOLUTION This solution is FREE courtesy of BrainMass!
Hello and thank you for posting your question on BrainMass!
The solution is attached below in two files. The files are identical in content, only differ in format. The first is in MS Word XP Format, while the other is in Adobe pdf format. Therefore you can choose the format that is most suitable to you.
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Since the block does not fall vertically and moves with constant speed, the net force on the block is zero.
In the horizontal direction the equation is:
And in the vertical direction the equation is:
Since
We can isolate N from the vertical equation and substitute it in the horizontal equation:
Thus:
The equations of motion in the horizontal direction are:
Where the acceleration comes from the force applied by the propeller:
The vertical equations of motion are those of a free fall:
Where g is the gravitational acceleration .
To find the car's speed one has to calculate the final velocity both in the horizontal and vertical directions. For this wee need to calculate the time it took the car to jump over the chasm (if it makes it).
We can get t either from the horizontal displacement equation or from its vertical counterpart, but in any case the time found from the horizontal motion should be less than the time it took the car to fall the height difference between the cliffs (otherwise we will have a very two dimensional agent with the code name double-o-splat).
First let's calculate the horizontal acceleration:
The horizontal equation becomes a quadratic equation for t which has two roots, but we are only interested in the positive one:
From the vertical equation we get (assuming no initial vertical velocity):
Apparently Q really messed up this time, and poor ol' James will have martini on the rocks, but at least it will be shaken - not stirred. Instead of landing velocity we need to find the crash velocity.
The car will be airborne for only 2.93 seconds. After that time the horizontal velocity will be:
And the final vertical velocity is:
The speed is the magnitude of the velocity vector and is given by:
Let's hope the airbag worked...... | https://brainmass.com/physics/velocity/newtons-laws-motion-27631 |
Ballistic trajectory or the Black Lagoon Helicopter stunt
Welcome class and please get out your physics books as this week’s lesson is on trajectory, specifically ballistic trajectory and Black Lagoon. No we will not be examining bullet trajectories from the numerous shootouts found in the show, but the infamous PT boat vs Helicopter scene. For those of you who are not familiar with it, the clip can be found below.
Considerations
Now just at first glance, there are several factors that need to be examined, to determine if this stunt is possible in real life. The speed of the boat, angle of the ramp, height of the helicopter, not to mention the strength of the ramp, and the strength of the boat’s hull. For the purposes of this examination I will not be including the strength of the ramp or the strength boat’s hull. The reason for this exclusion is because a PT boats hull is made out of wood, specifically mahogany, which while strong, does have its limits. This is also the reason for excluding the strength of the sunken boat that is used as a ramp. From the few shots that are shown of the boat it sports a fair amount of rust, and has been sitting there for an undetermined length of time. Given the amount of force needed to launch a boat into the air, it is entirely possible that the PT boats hull or the ramp could give out as soon as they collide ending the myth right there. Now given that the ramp is successfully used in the clip, we will assume that both the hull of the boat and the ramp are strong enough.
Terminology
In order to determine if the Black Lagoon can attack the helicopter with torpedoes, the trajectory of the Black Lagoon must be determined. Trajectory is the path a projectile takes through space. While the Black Lagoon is a PT and not a true projectile, once it leaves the water and can no longer propel itself, it can be considered one. The type of trajectory that we are interested in is a ballistic trajectory. In this type of motion the object moves both vertically and horizontally near the earth’s surface. The force of gravity is the main force acting on the projectile so other forces like air resistance are excluded as their influence in this case would be negligible at best.
Basic Facts of the scene
Before we begin diving into the math let’s consider the facts that will be used to consider if this particular scene is in fact possible. In the picture below we can see that at the peak of its ballistic trajectory the Black Lagoon reaches a height greater than that of the helicopter.
We can use a second picture to estimate the approximate altitude of the helicopter.
In this picture we are concerned about the trees shown in the background as a way to determine the approximate altitude. We can assume at this point in the show that the Black Lagoon is in an estuary close to Ronanapur, a fictional city in Thailand. Mangrove trees are a common tree found in estuaries in Thailand. There are several different species mangroves with a range of heights from 6 meters on the shorter side to species that can grow up to 35 meters on the larger side. Now let’s assume that trees beneath the helicopter are of the shorter variety at 6 meters. An examination of the image shows that the helicopter is two tree lengths from the water at a height of 12 meters. Given the first image the Black Lagoon must reach a height of at least 12 meters for the scene to be possible.
The Math
Projectile motion also known as ballistic trajectory is motion in two directions and the equations for each are shown below.
Glossaryx- Horizontal position y- Vertical position v- velocity- speed t- Time a- acceleration- change in speed= to the force of gravity at 9.8m/s2 f- Final i- Initial Determining horizontal position Xf = vt + Xi Determining vertical position Yf = Yi +viti +atf2 Vf2 = Vi2 +2a(Yf – Yi)
The above equations work in situations where the object is not projected at an angle like a plate sliding off the edge of a table. If the projectile is launched at an angle another wrinkle needs to be added in order to complete the calculations for a ballistic or parabolic trajectory shown below.
As shown in the diagram the angle of the launch determines the height and distance the projectile travels assuming each one is launched with the same initial speed. For the purposes of this evaluation only the vertical component of the Black Lagoons ballistic trajectory will be considered as it does fly past the helicopter in the scene, and they can be considered close enough for the torpedoes to hit the target. The maximum height will be determined for each of the three angles shown above Calculating the vertical component of the initial velocity Vyi = Vxi(sin angle) The maximum speed of a PT boat is 76kmph and it can be assumed that Dutch keeps the Black Lagoon in top form. To make the math easier 76kmph converts to 21.1 meters per second. Vertical speed at 30 degrees Vyi = 21.1m/s x sin30 Vyi = 21.1 x 0.5 Initial vertical velocity at 30 degrees = 10.6 m/s Vertical speed at 45 degrees Vyi = 21.1m/s x sin45 Vyi = 21.1m/s x 0.71 Initial vertical velocity at 45 degrees = 14.9 m/s Vertical speed at 60 degrees Vyi = 21.1m/s x sin60 Vyi = 21.1m/s x 0.87 Initial vertical velocity at 60 degrees = 18.4 m/s Calculating the maximum height of the Black Lagoon Maximum height = (Vyi2) / (2a) At 30 degrees X= (10.6)2 / 2 x 9.8 X = 112.4 / 19.6 Max height = 5.7 meters At 45 degrees X= (14.9)2 / 2 x 9.8 X = 222 / 19.6 Max height = 11.32 meters At 60 degrees X= (18.4)2 / 2 x 9.8 X = 338.6 / 19.6 Max height = 17.3 meters
Conclusion
Well the numbers don’t lie guys, and to be honest I was surprised by this one. If the angle of the sunken boat the Black Lagoon uses as a ramp is more than 45 degrees then the ballistic trajectory of the boat will reach the 12 meter mark and the stunt works. I did not expect to be able to call this one confirmed but here it is, PT boat vs helicopter is
The infamous PT boat vs helicopter scene can actually work if we assume the hull of the boat and the ramp can survive the stress. Plus Dutch has to be able to aim the torpedoes to hit the helicopter. If you have any comments or suggestions, please leave them in the comments below. | https://www.animescience101.com/black-lagoon/ |
Quadratic equations are used for many applications. The formula to solve quadratic equations can be used to solve all quadratic equations, even those that cannot be factored. A common application of quadratic equations is the height of a thrown object over time, which takes the earth's gravity and the velocity of the throw into account. For example, if someone throws a ball down from a height of 100 meters, the ball's distance from the ground can be modeled by the equation: d = − 9.8 t 2 − 15 t + 100 where t is the time in seconds and d is the distance in meters.
When the ball hits the ground then d=0
From there we have to solve for t.
Before that we simplify the equation to remove the decimal.
Then we solve for t using quadratic formula.
t= -4.05 and t=2.52
Time can not be negative ...
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Accelerated motion - mechanics
The delivery truck with a total weight of 3.6 t accelerates from 76km/h to 130km/h in the 0.286 km long way. How much was the force needed to achieve this acceleration?
Correct answer:
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Most microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) sensors are based on the microcantilever technology, which uses a broad range of design materials and structures. The benefit of MEMS technology is in developing devices with a lower cost, lower power consumption, higher performance and greater integration. A free-end cantilever beam with a magnetic material mass has been designed using MEMS software tools. The magnetic material was used to improve the sensitivity of the cantilever beam to an externally-applied magnetic field. The cantilever was designed to form a capacitance transducer, which consisted of variable capacitance where electrical and mechanical energies were exchanged. The aim of this paper was to analyse the system design of the microcantilever when subjected to a magnetic field produced by a current-carrying conductor. When the signal, a sinusoidal current with a constant frequency, was applied, the cantilever beam exhibited a vibration motion along the vertical axis when placed closer to the line current. This motion created corresponding capacitance changes and generated a voltage output proportional to the capacitive change in the signal-processing circuitry attached to the microcantilever. The equivalent mass-spring system theory was used to describe and analyse the effect of the natural frequency of the system vibrations and motion due to the applied magnetic field, in a single-degree of freedom. The main application of this microcantilever is in current measurements to develop a non-contact current sensor mote.
Key words: MEMS, microcantilever, capacitance transducer, mass-spring
Introduction
The microcantilever is a very useful shape in miniature devices and has been used successfully in many microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) sensor technologies, such as accelerometers, rotational motion sensors and, more recently, current sensors.1 The design of the cantilever shape is dependent on its application. For example, different microcantilever shapes have to be designed and used with corresponding variation in sensitivity for accelerometers and current sensors.2,3 In this application, a free-end cantilever beam was designed to sense the current flowing in a current-carrying conductor. A microelectro-mechanical system's performance and applicability depend directly on the synthesis topologies, configurations, electro-magnetic systems and mathematical models etc., that were used in its development. There is room for much improvement in MEMS design techniques.4
One of the techniques that were used to determine the stress and strain on a certain physical structure was the finite element method (FEM).5 The FEM separates the actual shape of the structures into finite geometrical elements, whereby each element represents a portion of the physical structure and all are joined by shared nodes. The collection of these elements and nodes is called a mesh.6
The natural frequency of the beam affects the behaviour of the device in response to an external signal. The large deflection of the beam depends on the dimensions of the beam, which also affect the natural frequency. Therefore, it is important to determine the frequency of the vibration mode due to its mechanical element as well as the equivalent electrical part, to obtain a measurement of one or more of the characteristics of the external signal. The mass-spring system was used to describe the behaviour of a cantilever-beam when a magnetic force was applied.7 Large signal deflection of the beam is an approach that may be used in the estimation of the maximum detectable signal.
Many laboratory techniques have been developed in recent years to manufacture microdevices; software has also been developed to simulate these devices to assist studies of physical structures, layouts and analysis of these miniature systems. CoventorWare software was designed to accurately reproduce MEMS design models and support both system-level and physical design approaches. The system-level approach used libraries of tools with a high-speed system simulator to create two-dimensional layer outputs, and the physical approach converted the two-dimensional models to three-dimensional models. The major components of this software are the Material Properties Database (MPD), Processor Editor, Architect, Designer, Meshing, Analyzer and Systems Integrator.
Structure and design
Silicon was the basic material used to build up the microcantilever using MEMS tools in CoventorWare 2006. The initial dimensions are shown in Table 1. The commercial and structural properties of the silicon are well known throughout the electronics industry and silicon also is the material of choice in MEMS development. The base (ground) and beam of the cantilever in this study also consisted of silicon. A mass, made of nickel, was added on top of the beam to improve the magnetic sensitivity. Nickel was selected as one of three ferromagnetic materials considered to improve the beam's sensitivity to a magnetic field. The beam was designed to be fixed at one end, allowing the other end to be free. This cantilever design is called a free-end cantilever beam. The area of the beam (the movable plate) is smaller than the area of the base (the fixed plate). Two layers of aluminium film were used to compose the capacitor. One aluminium layer was attached to the bottom of the beam and the other attached to the top of the base, making each layer an electrode. Fig. 1 shows the side view of the cantilever design and meshed model. The deflection of the beam in response to the magnetic field of an externally-applied current, is used to change the capacitance and thereby to measure the current as a function of the magnetic force.
Analysis of the beam vibration modes
The externally-applied current-carrying conductor was the source of the magnetic field to which the beam responded. The magnetic force existed along the vertical axis of the current-carrying conductor, according to Ampere's Law.8 To simplify the dynamic motion, the cantilever had to move in a single-degree of freedom in the direction of the beam along its vertical axis. If the beam vibrated due to the magnetic force, capacitance changes between the movable plate and the fixed plate occurred. In this case, it was important to ensure that the basic vibration mode of the structure caused the capacitance change, and not higher modes that could affect the reading due to smaller variations in capacitance value.9 A thorough modal and harmonic simulation was performed to analyse the vibration modes of the cantilever beam. The first six modes are shown in Fig. 2.
The first mode, shown in Fig. 2a, was suitable for the sensor requirement because the vibration mode was along the z-axis, normally called the fundamental frequency. The second mode, shown in Fig. 2b, allowed the beam motion along the y-axis. In this case the effective area did not change because the area of the beam was smaller than the area of the base, and the distance between them constant. If we refer ahead to Equation 18, the capacitance would remain constant and hence the mode would have no effect on the capacitance. The third mode, shown in Fig. 2c, indicates the transformation of the beam structure rotated symmetrically around the x-axis with a higher frequency than the first and second modes. In this case one has to consider a small-angle, tilted-capacitor design or eliminate the high frequency from the measurements. The effects of modes four, five and six can be ignored because the frequencies that were generated were much higher than in the first mode. Based on this analysis, the first mode was considered to be the most effective mode.
Modelling approach
Equation of motion of the cantilever beam
The Equation of motion of the cantilever beam subjected to a harmonic magnetic force is considered in this section. If the attached mass is a perfect conductor, then using the Method of Images which states that 'A line current above a perfect conductor induces an oppositely-directed surface current equivalent to an asymmetrically-located image line current' and Ampere's Law, one can derive the force per unit length induced by the current-carrying conductor on the mass-surface, shown in Equation 1:
Here d is the distance between the perfect conductor and the centre of the line current, and µo = 4π × 107 is the permeability of free space. We considered the current induced to not be exactly equal to the current flowing in the conductor and multiplied by the factor (δ × I). Therefore the magnitude of the force generated by a current-carrying conductor
is very small. For a sinusoidal current (I = I0 sin wft), the force can be written as follows:
where Io is the amplitude of the current, wf = 2πf is the circular frequency of the current signal and f is the frequency of the current signal.
The dynamic characteristics of this system depend on the geometrical dimension and the material properties of the structure.3 There are considerations that need to be taken into account to simplify the dynamic system analysis. The material of the beam follows Hooke's Lawthe flexure is a linear spring. The maximum flexure stress in the beam is less than the elastic limit of the beam. The thickness of the aluminium layer is very thin compared to the beam thickness so one can ignore the effect of the layer in the beam's elastic constant. The dielectric material between the beam and the base is considered to be a free space because the damping forces present a challenge in observing the oscillation behaviour of the system.10 The proposed application of the cantilever is to measure the beam deflection when it is placed closer to a current-carrying conductor. This will make the cantilever vibrate in relation to the applied magnetic force and generate a voltage output proportional to the capacitive change in the microcantilever. If the current carried by the conductor is a sinusoid wave, then the cantilever beam will be subjected to a harmonic force which usually is time-dependent along the vertical axis of the beam. The beam would exhibit harmonic motion that can be described using the well-known equivalent mass-spring system equation.
The harmonic motion of the mass-spring system in a single-degree of freedom usually is modelled with the second-order differential Equation given below:
where m is the effective mass, γ is the damping coefficient of the dielectric material, k is the equivalent spring constant and F is the magnetic force. The effective mass is given by Equation 5, using the beam parameters as in Table 1.
where mo is the attached mass, Meq is the equivalent mass of the beam, and ρs and ρN are the density of silicon and nickel, respectively. Equation 6 shows k, the equivalent spring constant,
where E is the modulus of elasticity and I is the moment of inertia of the section.
Large deflection of the beam
The maximum applied force that does not bend the beam determines the large deflection of the beam, i.e. the total force that causes the maximum stress. When the beam stress is greater than the fracture strength, the beam will break. If the force is applied at the top of the attached mass, then the maximum stress (σmax) is at the top-end surface of the cantilever beam at the anchor, given by
where g is the Earth acceleration constant.
The maximum magnetic force that can be applied to the cantilever beam is estimated by taking (σmax = σ), where σ is the fracture strength constant of the material of the beam. Using Equations 5, 6 and 7, we obtain the maximum magnetic force, called the maximum detectable signal, in Equation 9:
Referring to the tables of the dimensions of the cantilever and the material properties, we can estimate the maximum magnetic force by substituting the values of the parameters in Equation 9.
The large deflection is dependent on the maximum magnetic force applied to the cantilever beam and is given by Equation 10:
By substituting Equation 9 into Equation 10, we obtain Equation 11:
The height of the beam, which is the distance between the beam and the base, needs to be modelled in order to ensure that contact between them during the vibration motion is avoided. The initial gap capacitance is strongly dependent on this distance.
Natural frequency analysis
The natural frequency of the cantilever beam depends on the equivalent spring constant and the effective mass defined by Equation 12:
By substituting Equations 5 and 6 into Equation 12, we obtain Equation 13:
Using the dimensions of the cantilever and the material properties, we calculated the natural frequency (0.66 × 106) Hz, and compared it to the fundamental mode frequency.
The effect of the natural frequency+
The complete solution of the Equation of motion is a combination of two parts. Part one is a complementary function and represents the vibration component while the other part is a particular solution representing the forced vibration component. The complete solution, in the case of no damping force (γ = 0), is given by Equation 14. The solution shows the displacement of the cantilever beam, which is time-dependent, and the amplitude of the motion, which is dependent on the input current. The solution also shows three interesting situations caused by altering the frequency ratio. Matlab was used to analyse these cases.
Where
Figure 3 shows the case when the frequency ratio is closer to 0.5. The vibration takes place in a manner where the amplitude builds up and then dies out, repeating this behaviour continuously. This phenomenon is known as beating, and it is often observed in machine structures. When the frequency ratio is equal to 0.5, the amplitude is infinity and it is the resonant amplitude shown in Fig. 4.
In the case of r 0.5, (0 w wf), the diagram in Fig. 5 shows the simulation of the Equation for different values of the frequency ratio. The frequency of the current signal is taken as a constant value of 50 Hz. Therefore the minimisation of the effect of the natural frequency in the beam's motion amplitude is possible by decreasing the value of the ratio as much as possible within the constraints.
In the case of r 0.5, (2wf w ∞), the diagram in Fig. 6 shows the simulation of the Equation for different values of the frequency ratio and constant force amplitude (2 ×1010)N. The simulation shows that decreasing the ratio causes a decrease in the amplitude of the motion. The lower frequency, which is double the force frequency (2wf), is the motion frequency. The unlimited range of the natural frequency in this case gives an alternative in optimising the displacement gap of the cantilever beam.
As noted above, this case is interesting for microcantilever structures, which normally have a high natural frequency. The advantage is that the effect of the natural frequency can be decreased to a very small amplitude of the system motion. Referring to Equation 6, we can prove that the maximum displacement is proportional to the amplitude of the force, as in the Equation below which was tested by simulation.
Linearisation analysis
A small-angle tilted-plate capacitor is assumed for the capacitance sensor between the movable beam and the fixed base. This kind of capacitor has two unparallel electrode plates with a small angle between them, as seen in Fig. 7. The total capacitance (C) of this capacitor is derived from the basic parallel plate capacitance in Equation 18, but takes into account a very small angle of tilt.
Here ε is the dielectric constant, S is the effective area, have is the average distance between the two plates. The area of the layer under the beam is the effective area, which is designed to be equivalent to the beam area but smaller than the area of the layer over the top base or ground. Referring to Fig. 3, we can write
Then by using the approximation
≈ 1 when 1 Equation 19 can be witten as a function of time.
where Co is the initial capacitance at the equilibrium position for the free vibration due to the effective mass, and ho is the displacement due to the effective mass. Fig. 8 is a plot of the capacitance as a function of time; the initial capacitance is the minimum value of the capacitance, and it cannot be less than this value except when the applied force is more than the sum of the weight and Hooke's forcein the case where the beam moves backward from the base (ground). The capacitance change at the maximum displacement is given by Equation 23 and the ratio of the capacitance change by Equation 24. The diagrams in Figs 9 and 10 show the capacitance change proportional to the applied force, as well as the displacement.
By substituting Equation 17 into Equation 24, we obtain:
Thus
Equation 26 shows that the current value depends on the capacitance change. The current shows a parabolic relationship with the change in capacitance. This is shown in Figs 811.
Sensitivity analysis
The sensitivity of the cantilever beam is defined by the capacitance per applied magnetic force. Therefore, the sensitivity formula was derived from Equation 25 and is given by Equation 27:
The effect of these parameters on the sensitivity is illustrated in Figs 1217. The results show that the sensitivity increased with increases in beam length, width and area. The sensitivity decreased with increases in beam thickness, initial gap and beam elasticity.
Conclusions
Based on analysis of the vibration modes, the first mode is the most effective for developing a capacitance-based MEMS current sensor. The value of the frequency of the first mode determined from simulations corresponded well with the value calculated from the model, and the minor difference could be attributed to the different methods used in the software as opposed to the analytical model. The natural frequency of the microcantilever was very high compared to the frequency of the signal current at only 50 Hz. Therefore the effect of the natural frequency on the amplitude of the motion is very small. A linear relationship between the ratio of capacitance change and the amplitude of the motion (due to an applied magnetic field) was shown. A higher sensitivity can be obtained by designing optimal beam dimensions and this was simulated with consistent results. A viable design for developing a MEMS-based current sensor was achieved and will be manufactured henceforth.
1. Goedeke S.M., Allison S.W. and Datskos P.G. (2004). Non-contact current measurement with cobalt-coated micro cantilevers. Sens. Actuators A Phys. 112, 3235. [ Links ]
2. Lee K.B. (2007). Closed-form solutions of parallel plate problem. Sens. Actuators A Phys. 133(2), 518525. [ Links ]
3. Hu Y.C., Chang C.M. and Huang S.C. (2004). Some design considerations on the electrostatically actuated microstructures. Sens. Actuators A Phys. 112, 155161. [ Links ]
4. Lyshevski S.E. (2002). MEMS and NEMS: Systems, Devices, and Structures. CRC Press, Boca Raton. [ Links ]
5. Mendels D.A., Lowe M., Cuenat A., Cain M.G., Vallejo E., Ellis D. and Mendels F. (2006). Dynamic properties of AFM cantilevers and the calibrations of their spring constant IOP. J. Micromech. Microeng. 16, 17201733. [ Links ]
6. CoventorWare (2006). Architecture Reference Manual. Coventor, Cary, NC. [ Links ]
7. Veijola T. (2001). Nonlinear circuit simulation of MEMS components: controlled current source approach. In Proceedings of the ECCTD 2001, Espoo, 2831 August, vol. 3, pp. 377380. [ Links ]
8. Marshall S.V. and Skitek G.G. (1990). Electromagnetic Concepts and Applications, 3rd edn. Prentice-Hall International, Englewood Cliffs, NJ. [ Links ]
9. Wang L. (2005). Mechanics of micro-capacitive accelerometer with U-shape cantilever. M.Sc. thesis, Cape Peninsula University of Technology, South Africa. [ Links ]
10. Harmany Z. (2003). Effects of vacuum pressure on the resonance characteristics of MEMS cantilever structures. In Annual Research Journal Vo1. I, Electrical Engineering Research Experience for Undergraduates, pp. 5457. Department of Electrical Engineering, Pennsylvania State University, Pennsylvania. [ Links ]
Received 18 May. Accepted 29 July 2009. | http://www.scielo.org.za/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0038-23532009000400011&lng=en&nrm=iso |
What's the Higgs Boson particle? The universe is made of 12 fundamental particles and 4 fundamental forces. This is called the Standard Model of Physics. One more particle was predicted by Higgs, Brout and Englert in 1964. It explained the most important property of all matter - mass, and was called the Higgs boson (bosons are force-carrying particles named after Satyen Bose). The Higgs boson was confi rmed on Wednesday, half a century after the search began.
How did Higgs Boson get to be called the 'God particle'? Nobel winning physicist Leon Lederman unwittingly coined it. Out of frustration, he wanted to refer to the Higgs boson as the 'goddamn particle' but his editor didn't allow that. Higgs has distanced himself from the name saying: "I find it embarrassing. Although I'm not a believer, it is the kind of misuse of terminology that may offend some".
How did the large hadron collider (LHC) find it? Higgs boson is supposed to have originated a trillionth of a second after the Big Bang created the universe. Scientists tried to recreate the same conditions presumed to have existed then by making very high-speed protons collide with each other inside the LHC. Tracking millions of collisions occurring in seconds, they identified traces of a never-before-seen particle. Its mass is in the same range as predicted by theory: it is almost certain this is the Higgs boson
Why can't scientists confirm the discovery with certainty? They are being rigorous - as scientists should be. They say on one count they've found a particle that fits the predicted Higgs boson range of mass. But they have yet to completely identify its other properties. They've to explain all current observations, including the slightly higher than expected energy and absence of some other particles. That will take time. However, for all practical purposes, it is the Higgs boson.
So, what does it mean for science? The discovery confirms the Standard Model theory is valid. Other particles predicted by this theory have been confi rmed, but the missing Higgs boson was a glaring hole. Now that's closed. But there are other aspects of sub-atomic physics and of the cosmos that are unexplained, like dark matter (which makes up 25% of the matter in the universe but has never been seen), dark energy (which makes up 70% of matter in the universe but also has never been located), antimatter, supersymmetry (a theory that for every particle there is a heavier twin), etc. With the Higgs boson found, scientists can look at these aspects with more surety. Also, the most well-known force in the universe -gravitation - is still not fully explained. Such issues are still to be cleared. | http://www.aftab1.com/2012/07/five-things-you-must-know-about-higgs.html |
A decisive property of the Higgs boson is its affinity to mass. The heavier a particle is, the stronger the Higgs boson will couple to it. While physicists have firmly established this property for heavy W and Z bosons (force carriers), more data are needed to measure the Higgs boson coupling to the heavy fermions (matter particles). These interactions, known as Yukawa couplings, are very interesting as they proceed through a quite different mechanism than the coupling to force-carrying bosons in the Standard Model.
The results presented by the ATLAS collaboration during the Moriond Electroweak 2016 conference set new limits on a potential extended Higgs sector.
Friday was the last occasion for Moriond participants to see new results on specific physics topics since Saturday is reserved for summary talks. The topic was 'Beyond the Standard Model' -- a very large subject, which covers an incredible number of theoretical models, from Supersymmetry to Two-Higgs-Doublet Models, two of the most discussed topics of the day.
The ATLAS experiment released preliminary results on 26 Nov 2013 that show evidence, with a significance of 4.1 standard deviations that the Higgs boson decays to two taus, which are fermions. This is exciting news. But what makes this measurement important? | https://atlas.cern/tags/tau-lepton-0 |
When physicists discovered the Higgs boson in 2012, they declared the Standard Model of particle physics complete; they had finally found the missing piece of the particle puzzle.
And yet, many questions remain about the basic components of the universe, including: Did we find the one and only type of Higgs boson? Or are there more?
A problem of mass
The Higgs mechanism gives mass to some fundamental particles, but not others. It interacts strongly with W and Z bosons, making them massive. But it does not interact with particles of light, leaving them massless.
These interactions don’t just affect the mass of other particles, they also affect the mass of the Higgs. The Higgs can briefly fluctuate into virtual pairs of the particles with which it interacts.
Scientists calculate the mass of the Higgs by multiplying a huge number—related to the maximum energy for which the Standard Model applies—with a number related to those fluctuations. The second number is determined by starting with the effects of fluctuations to force-carrying particles like the W and Z bosons, and subtracting the effects of fluctuations to matter particles like quarks.
While the second number cannot be zero because the Higgs must have some mass, almost anything it adds up to, even at very small numbers, makes the mass of the Higgs gigantic.
But it isn’t. It weighs about 125 billion electronvolts; it’s not even the heaviest fundamental particle.
“Having the Higgs boson at 125 GeV is like putting an ice cube into a hot oven and it not melting,” says Flip Tanedo, a theoretical physicist and postdoctoral researcher at the University of California, Irvine.
A lightweight Higgs, though it makes the Standard Model work, doesn’t necessarily make sense for the big picture. If there are multiple Higgses—much heavier ones—the math determining their masses becomes more flexible.
“There’s no reason to rule out multiple Higgs particles,” says Tim Tait, a theoretical physicist and professor at UCI. “There’s nothing in the theory that says there shouldn’t be more than one.”
The two primary theories that predict multiple Higgs particles are Supersymmetry and compositeness.
Supersymmetry
Popular in particle physics circles for tying together all the messy bits of the Standard Model, Supersymmetry predicts a heavier (and whimsically named) partner particle, or “sparticle,” for each of the known fundamental particles. Quarks have squarks and Higgs have Higgsinos.
“When the math is re-done, the effects of the particles and their partner particles on the mass of the Higgs cancel each other out and the improbability we see in the Standard Model shrinks and maybe even vanishes,” says Don Lincoln, a physicist at Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory.
The Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model—the supersymmetric model that most closely aligns with the current Standard Model—predicts four new Higgs particles in addition to the Higgs sparticle, the Higgsino.
While Supersymmetry is maybe the most popular theory for exploring physics beyond the Standard Model, physicists at the LHC haven’t seen any evidence of it yet. If Supersymmetry exists, scientists will need to produce more massive particles to observe it.
“Scientists started looking for Supersymmetry five years ago in the LHC,” says Tanedo. “But we don’t really know where they will find it: 10 TeV? 100 TeV?”
Compositeness
The other popular theory that predicts multiple Higgs bosons is compositeness. The composite Higgs theory proposes that the Higgs boson is not a fundamental particle but is instead made of smaller particles that have not yet been discovered.
“You can think of this like the study of the atom,” says Bogdan Dobrescu, a theoretical physicist at Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory. “As people looked closer and closer, they found the proton and neutron. They looked closer again and found the ‘up’ and ‘down’ quarks that make up the proton and neutron.”
Composite Higgs theories predict that if there are more fundamental parts to the Higgs, it may assume a combination of masses based on the properties of these smaller particles.
The search for composite Higgs bosons has been limited by the scale at which scientists can study given the current energy levels at the LHC.
On the lookout
Physicists will continue their Higgs search with the current run of the LHC.
At 60 percent higher energy, the LHC will produce Higgs bosons more frequently this time around. It will also produce more top quarks, the heaviest particles of the Standard Model. Top quarks interact energetically with the Higgs, making them a favored place to start picking at new physics.
Whether scientists find evidence for Supersymmetry or a composite Higgs (if they find either), that discovery would mean much more than just an additional Higgs.
“For example, finding new Higgs bosons could affect our understanding of how the fundamental forces unify at higher energy,” Tait says. | https://www.symmetrymagazine.org/article/july-2015/one-higgs-is-the-loneliest-number?page=1 |
What is the Brout-Englert-Higgs mechanism?
The Brout-Englert-Higgs mechanism (BEH mechanism) describes how fundamental particles get mass. In this theory, developed independently by Robert Brout and François Englert in Belgium and Peter Higgs in the United Kingdom in 1964, fundamental particles acquire mass by interacting with a “field” that permeates the entire Universe. The more strongly the particles interact with the field, the more massive they are.
On the other hand, particles that do not interact with this field do not have mass - for example, the photon. This mechanism is a corner stone of the Standard Model, the theory that describes the elementary particles and forces. Later in 1964, the Americans Gerald Guralnik and Carl Hagen with their British colleague Tom Kibble further contributed to the development of this new idea.
The Higgs boson is the quantum particle associated with the Higgs field. Since the field cannot be observed directly, experiments have searched for the particle.
whose discovery would prove the existence of the field and confirm the theory. On 4 July 2012, the ATLAS and CMS collaborations announced the observation of a particle consistent with the long-sought Higgs boson. The analyses performed since then by the two collaborations have confirmed that the particle discovered has the characteristics of the boson described by the theory.
At the beginning of the 1970s, physicists realized that there are very close ties between two of the four fundamental forces – the weak force and the electromagnetic force. These two forces can be described within the same unified theory, which forms the basis of the Standard Model. The basic equations of the unified theory correctly describe the two forces in terms of a single electroweak force and its associated force-carrying particles, namely the photon, and the W and Z bosons - except that all of the particles emerge without a mass. While this is true for the photon, we know that the W and Z have large masses, nearly 100 times that of a proton. The Brout-Englert-Higgs mechanism solves this problem by giving a mass to the W and Z bosons. At the same time, within the Standard Model, it also gives masses to other fundamental particles, such as the electron and the quarks.
Is the Higgs mechanism responsible for the mass that is familiar to us?
The Higgs field gives mass only to elementary particles such as electrons and quarks. Quarks form the protons and neutrons in atomic nuclei. Most of the mass of the matter that surrounds - and includes - us comes from these composite protons and neutrons. The quarks inside them account for only a tiny part of their mass, which mainly comes from the strong nuclear force that binds the quarks together. However, without the Higgs field, the Universe would not be the one we know. The elementary particles, such as electrons, would travel at the speed of light, as photons do. They could not be organized into more complex structure like atoms and molecules - and we would not exist.
How long has CERN been looking for the Higgs boson?
The search for the Higgs boson at CERN began in earnest in the late 1980s, with the Large Electron-Positron (LEP) collider, which occupied the tunnel that now houses the Large Hadron Collider (LHC). The experiments at the Tevatron collider at Fermilab in the US also began searching for the Higgs boson in the 1990s. The big difficulty initially was that theory did not predict the mass of the particle and it was possible that it could be found anywhere in a wide range of mass. LEP was shut down in 2000 to make way for the LHC and the LHC experiments took up the search again in 2010.
Is this the end of the quest?
Were any previous Nobel prizes awarded for work performed at CERN?
Georges Charpak won the Nobel prize in physics in 1992 “for his invention and development of particle detectors, in particular the multiwire proportional chamber”. The particle detectors developed by Charpak revolutionized experimental particle physics by increasing considerably the volume of data that can be recorded by detectors. | https://home.cern/resources/faqs/cern-and-higgs-boson |
All of nature springs from a handful of components — the fundamental particles — that interact with one another in only a few different ways. In the 1970s, physicists developed a set of equations describing these particles and interactions. Together, the equations formed a succinct theory now known as the Standard Model of particle physics.
The Standard Model is missing a few puzzle pieces (conspicuously absent are the putative particles that make up dark matter, those that convey the force of gravity, and an explanation for the mass of neutrinos), but it provides an extremely accurate picture of almost all other observed phenomena.
Yet for a framework that encapsulates our best understanding of nature’s fundamental order, the Standard Model still lacks a coherent visualization. Most attempts are too simple, or they ignore important interconnections or are jumbled and overwhelming.
Consider the most common visualization, which shows a periodic table of particles:
This approach doesn’t offer insight into the relationships between the particles. The force-carrying particles (namely the photon, which conveys the electromagnetic force; the W and Z bosons, which convey the weak force; and the gluons, which convey the strong force) are put on the same footing as the matter particles those forces act between — quarks, electrons and their kin. Furthermore, key properties like “color” are left out.
Another representation was developed for the 2013 film Particle Fever:
While this visualization properly emphasizes the centrality of the Higgs boson — the linchpin of the Standard Model, for reasons explained below — the Higgs is placed next to the photon and gluon, even though in reality the Higgs doesn’t affect those particles. And the quadrants of the circle are misleading — implying, for instance, that the photon only couples to the particles it touches, which isn’t the case.
A New Approach
Chris Quigg, a particle physicist at the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory in Illinois, has been thinking about how to visualize the Standard Model for decades, hoping that a more powerful visual representation would help familiarize people with the known particles of nature and prompt them to think about how these particles might fit into a larger, more complete theoretical framework. Quigg’s visual representation shows more of the Standard Model’s underlying order and structure. He calls his scheme the “double simplex” representation, because the left-handed and right-handed particles of nature each form a simplex — a generalization of a triangle. We have adopted Quigg’s scheme and made further modifications.
Let’s build up the double simplex from scratch.
Quarks at the Bottom
Matter particles come in two main varieties, leptons and quarks. (Note that, for every kind of matter particle in nature, there is also an antimatter particle, which has the same mass but is opposite in every other way. As other Standard Model visualizations have done, we elide antimatter, which would form a separate, inverted double simplex.)
Let’s start with quarks, and in particular the two types of quarks that make up the protons and neutrons inside atomic nuclei. These are the up quark, which possesses two-thirds of a unit of electric charge, and the down quark, with an electric charge of −1/3.
Up and down quarks can be either “left-handed” or “right-handed” depending on whether they are spinning clockwise or counterclockwise with respect to their direction of motion.
Weak Change
Left-handed up and down quarks can transform into each other, via an interaction called the weak force. This happens when the quarks exchange a particle called a W boson — one of the carriers of the weak force, with an electric charge of either +1 or −1. These weak interactions are represented by the orange line:
Strangely, there are no right-handed W bosons in nature. This means right-handed up and down quarks cannot emit or absorb W bosons, so they don’t transform into each other.
Strong Colors
Quarks also possess a kind of charge called color. A quark can have either red, green or blue color charge. A quark’s color makes it sensitive to the strong force.
The strong force binds quarks of different colors together into composite particles such as protons and neutrons, which are “colorless,” with no net color charge.
Quarks transform from one color to another by absorbing or emitting particles called gluons, the carriers of the strong force. These interactions form the sides of a triangle. Because gluons possess color charge themselves, they constantly interact with one another as well as with quarks. The interactions between gluons fill the triangle in.
Introduction
More Matter
Now let’s turn to the leptons, the other kind of matter particles. Leptons come in two types: electrons, which have an electric charge of −1, and neutrinos, which are electrically neutral.
As with left-handed up and down quarks, left-handed electrons and neutrinos can transform into each other via the weak interaction. However, right-handed neutrinos have not been seen in nature.
Note that leptons do not possess color charge and do not interact via the strong force; this is the main feature that distinguishes them from quarks.
The Simplex Skeleton
Putting together what we’ve done so far, we’ve got the left-handed particles on the left, while right-handed particles are shown on the right. They form the basic skeleton of Quigg’s double simplex.
Introduction
Three Generations
Now, a complication: For unknown reasons, three progressively heavier but otherwise identical versions of each type of matter particle exist. For instance, along with the up and down quark, there’s the charm and strange quark and, heavier still, the top and bottom quark. The same is true of the leptons: Along with the electron and electron neutrino, there are the muon and muon neutrino and the tau and tau neutrino. (Note that the neutrinos have small but unknown masses.)
All these particles live at the corners of the double simplex. Note that a small amount of weak interaction happens between left-handed quarks in different generations, so that an up quark could occasionally spit out a W+ boson and become a strange quark, for example. Leptons in different generations have not been seen interacting in this manner.
Forces and Charge
What other ways do particles interact with one another? We mentioned already that many matter particles have electric charge — all, in fact, except neutrinos. What it means to have electric charge is that these particles are sensitive to the electromagnetic force. They interact with one another by exchanging photons, the carriers of the electromagnetic force. We represent electromagnetic interactions as wavy lines connecting charged particles with each other. Note that these interactions do not transform particles into one another; in this case, particles just feel a push or a pull.
Introduction
The weak force is a little more complicated than we let on earlier. Aside from the W+ and W– bosons — the electrically charged carriers of the weak force — there is also a neutral carrier of the weak force, called the Z0 boson. Particles can absorb or emit Z0 bosons without changing identities. As with electromagnetic interactions, these “weak neutral interactions” merely cause loss or gain of energy and momentum. Weak neutral interactions are represented here by orange wavy lines.
Introduction
It’s no coincidence that the weak neutral interactions closely resemble the electromagnetic interactions. The weak and electromagnetic forces both descend from a single force that existed in the first moments of the universe, called the electroweak interaction.
As the universe cooled, an event known as electroweak symmetry breaking split the forces in two. This event was marked by the sudden appearance of a field extending throughout space, known as the Higgs field, which is associated with a particle called the Higgs boson — the final piece of our puzzle.
Enter the Higgs
The Higgs boson is the linchpin of the Standard Model and the key to why the double simplex arrangement makes sense. When the Higgs field arose in the early universe, it joined left- and right-handed particles to each other, imbuing the particles at the same time with the property we call mass. (Note that the neutrino has mass, but its origin remains mysterious, since it derives from some mechanism other than the Higgs.)
Here’s a cartoon version of how this generation of mass works. As a particle such as an electron moves through space, it constantly interacts with Higgs bosons — excitations of the Higgs field. When a left-handed electron bumps into a Higgs boson, the electron might ricochet off it in a new direction and become right-handed, then bump into another Higgs and become left-handed again, and so on. These interactions slow down the electron, and that’s what we mean by “mass.”
In general, the more a particle interacts with the Higgs boson, the more mass it has. Furthermore, the frequent interactions with Higgs bosons make those massive particles quantum mixtures of left- and right-handed.
And with that, we have the Standard Model of particle physics: | https://www.quantamagazine.org/a-new-map-of-the-standard-model-of-particle-physics-20201022 |
On 23-24 June, an international scientific meeting dedicated to the 20th anniversary of JINR’s participation in the programme “Physics with Dimuons” of the CMS experiment at the LHC was held in the International Conference Hall. The meeting organized by the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research focused on such topics as new physics, verification of the Standard Model, and future physics beyond the Large Hadron Collider (LHC).
Participants presented reports on the work of the CMS collaboration at the LHC, the search for dark matter at the collider, and the study of the Higgs boson discovered at CERN in 2012. This topic is so important that a separate session at the event was dedicated to the 10th anniversary of the discovery of the Higgs boson.
What has this particle given to basic science in terms of the Standard Model of elementary particles? Here’s what the participants of the meeting said about it.
Dmitry Kazakov, Corresponding Member of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Director of BLTP JINR, stressed that the Higgs boson is not just a new particle but also a very important cornerstone of the Standard Model. “For the past 10 years the properties of this boson have been studied intensively, and it has been confirmed that this is indeed the particle that is needed to implement the mechanism of generation of elementary particle masses. It turned out that we discovered a particle performing exactly the functions required for the Standard Model. In this sense, its role is very important, and the alternatives discussed were immediately excluded. The variant that was implemented was the simplest but elegant, because a simple working scheme confirms the beauty of science,” he said.
At first, 10 years ago, they said it was a particle similar to the Higgs boson, and it was important to study its properties, as Dmitry Kazakov said. It was necessary not only to know what the mass was equal to, but also to study the quantum numbers of the particle, to determine its parity and decay modes so that they corresponded exactly to what they predicted. It was necessary to find out how the mass of elementary particles and the interaction constant were related to the Higgs boson. “All this has been studied and obtained for various particles, first for heavier, then for lighter ones. This process has been going on for 10 years. Now we know a lot more about this particle than about the others, because it was given top priority,” the speaker said.
Dmitry Kazakov noted that there may be phenomena that go beyond the minimum scheme that has been derived. So, in parallel with the study of the particle, there has been a search for similar other particles conducted, but they have not been detected. “The theory admits the existence of not one but many Higgs bosons, but no other such particles have been found yet, and this is one of the directions of the new search. I think that if there were more such particles, it would enrich the so-called Higgs sector. At any rate, it remains one of the most important areas of research in the physics of the Standard Model and beyond,” he stressed.
Victor Kim, Deputy Head of the High Energy Physics Department of NRC KI – PINP, Doctor of Physics and Mathematics, said “We are surrounded by a vacuum, it has quantum properties. One of the quanta of this vacuum is the Higgs boson, which has become known for being a very unusual particle. It gives mass to all currently known particles. For the first time in fundamental physics, a new particle representing a vacuum has been discovered, which is unlike anything else. The properties of this particle still need to be clarified in terms of how it is related to other particles, both already discovered and still unknown.”
Viсtor Kim explained that the Standard Model of elementary particles and their interactions in its simplest version uses only one type of Higgs boson, but there can be several. Moreover, in theory there are no restrictions on the number of types of Higgs bosons. By studying the properties of this particle we can understand a new physics and a new world unknown to humanity.
“Why is all this important? Because we still do not know what the Universe is made of. The visible matter that we observe and which is described by the Standard Model is only 5% of the mass and energy of the observable Universe. The evidence for this is indirect – we suggest it from the gravitational balance. The direct indication, however, is these new particles and interactions we are trying to find, and perhaps the Higgs boson will help us with that,” he added.
Viсtor Kim said that colliders make it possible to obtain previously unknown particles, including those that were previously unattainable in terms of energy for formation under laboratory conditions, but may have existed in the first moments of the Universe. The physics of micro- and macrocosm is thus connected through the Big Bang theory, which says that in the earliest moments of the Universe there were elementary particles, even more elementary than the ones we know now.
“Therefore, the currently existing theory is called the Standard Model, not a theory, because we know that it is temporal and that there is an even deeper one. The Standard Model contains too many parameters and, furthermore, it does not include one of the types of interactions – gravitation, which seems to exist separately. What’s more, we think that there should be new interactions that are not described by the Standard Model. And it may even be, as theorists suggest, that perhaps there are additional dimensions of space-time and other, interesting new physics. Therefore, the research does not stop. The LHC will soon enter a new phase, when its intensity will increase significantly, and at the same time, new accelerators are already being developed, because new technologies allow us to achieve new energies, new electronics allows us to achieve better precision, etc. The current state of physics suggests that the most pressing challenge now is a search for these more fundamental interactions and particles. The picture of the world that we have now is obviously incomplete,” Viсtor Kim summed up.
Maria Savina, Leading Researcher at VBLHEP, Candidate of Physics and Mathematics devoted her report at the meeting to dark matter search at the LHC. She shared her opinion about the topic, “The occurrence of all the masses of observed particles known to us in the Universe is associated with the Higgs boson. So, if we are looking for some other masses, in particular, dark matter, we can consider the Higgs boson as a concept that will help us shed light on this question as well, and it is very important and necessary, because dark matter is five times more than ordinary matter and we know nothing about it. Accordingly, we start from the fact that the Higgs boson is connected by interaction with all ordinary particles, with the visible sector, and then assume that dark matter can also be connected with the Higgs boson. This is just a hypothesis, but it is sufficiently substantiated by the special role of the Higgs sector responsible for the emergence of mass.”
She specified that the mass of dark matter is not necessarily acquired due to the Higgs boson that has already been observed and studied at the LHC. Specifically for dark matter, other, additional Higgs bosons may be responsible, which interact with our matter only indirectly, through a connection with our Higgs boson, and the latter is thus a kind of a bridge linking the dark and visible sectors. In this case, it is called the “Higgs portal to dark matter”. If such a concept exists, then the Higgs boson can help researchers discover dark matter particles.
“Within the framework of the quantum field formalism used for the construction of the Standard Model and its extensions, one can construct a theory, or a model, which describes the interaction of dark matter particles and the Higgs boson,” Maria Savina continued. She highlighted, “Any well-constructed model allows us to predict all possible processes with elementary particles proceeding according to the rules adopted in this model, and to obtain quantitative characteristics, in particular, the probabilities of these processes as a percentage. And after that, we can study the processes involving the Higgs boson at the LHC and see if there are any that differ from the allowed possibilities listed in the Standard Model and that may be consistent with the interaction with dark matter particles.
But how do we even understand what actually happened at the LHC, how are we looking for all this, how do we study the properties of a particle? We study experimental signatures, that is, signals in detector systems associated with the production of particles of a certain type. And we have well-developed techniques and reconstruction procedures, which allow us to firmly state that, say, this signal really corresponds to the production of this pair of particles, and another detected signal, respectively, to the production of some other finite configuration of particles. From this, according to what we detect at the end, that is, after the interaction, we can reconstruct what we had at the beginning. Of course, we can only do this if we have a theory or a model that allows us to quantify all possible processes. As said before, we need to set up such a model, that is to come up with, create, and then test it by comparing its predictions with those of the Standard Model. In our case, these are predictions for different modes of the Higgs boson decay into different final-state particles.
Thus, when studying different definite finite signatures, we pick up the situations when the Higgs boson has decayed into certain particles, that is, we record the facts of its decay through different channels. Further on, based on the number of these events and taking into account the parameters of the accelerator, you can quantify it, in decay proportions for each channel in terms given by the theory. You can then compare how closely the numbers obtained coincide with what the Standard Model predicts. The Higgs boson is unstable and necessarily disintegrates in a very short time. The inevitability of this event corresponds to 100% decay probability. But these 100%, or the total decay probability, are composed of definite percentage shares corresponding to different probabilities of the Higgs boson decay through different channels. Some decays are more probable, some are less probable, and others are highly improbable, or very rare. But their total sum should still be equal to 100%.
Where is the window into the new physics here? When the Higgs boson was just discovered, it was discovered only through three channels available in 2012. There were only a few dozens of Higgs bosons at the time. There are many of them being formed now though, the statistics for them is much better, and we can calculate these percentages much more accurately: in which case and into what it decays from the whole list allowed by the Standard Model. Modern-day precision is in principle enough to count all these channels and find out that they do not add to 100%. That’s to say that there remains some window for unexplored and unregistered decay channels, which we assume still leaves us an opportunity to search for new physics. In particular, since the previous conference, news has broken that the available window for such channels has narrowed to less than 17%. That is, there is still about a 17% probability that the Higgs boson decays in a nonstandard way, but we cannot detect such a decay; relatively speaking, they remain “invisible” to us. These are not necessarily only dark matter particles; they could be other possible scenarios of new physics, which also change the decay picture.
I should also say that this figure is not necessarily a real indication that there are any new properties: it could well just be a lack of modern measurement precision. It is constantly improving; accordingly, the percentage share of possible new decay channels is systematically decreasing, from about 30% at the very beginning of the study of the Higgs boson’s properties during Run 1 to the indicated current figure. Maybe it will continue to decrease until it completely disappears, and then we will be left with the Higgs boson with absolutely standard properties. We will see. In any case, a detailed study of the properties of the Higgs boson will allow us to conclude whether it is related to the particles of dark matter or not. At first, we were happy just to have discovered the Higgs boson. Further we have long studied its properties, and now we have more ambitious goals. We already believe that we can use the Higgs boson as a tool for searching for new physics.”
Maria Savina added that scientists assume that new physics is more complicated than the Standard Model, and more complicated theories often give several different scalar Higgs bosons. So, the closer examination of the Higgs sector is of great importance not only in terms of search for dark matter particles, but also in terms of verification of many other theoretical concepts of new physics. Accordingly, another important area of research is the search for other Higgs bosons at the LHC, finding out what their masses and other quantum numbers (parity, charge) are. Theoretically, all Higgs bosons are arranged in such a way that they interact not only with other types of particles, like fermions, vector bosons, but also with each other, including self-action (interaction of a scalar boson with itself); such interactions are described by the Higgs potential. Therefore, we can try to test the properties of this potential, which has the simplest form in the Standard Model and is much more complicated in the extended Higgs sector. We can look for new Higgs bosons through their interaction with the already known one with a mass of 125 GeV and with studied quantum numbers that we have been observing at the LHC for 10 years. Specifically, if the proposed new Higgs bosons are lighter than our boson, it can decay into them. And if it is the other way round – those are heavier, the new heavy scalar can be expected to decay into one or two of our Higgs bosons. We can try to search for and study all this. Moreover, according to the processes corresponding to the self-action of the known Higgs boson with itself – the so-called triple and quadruple vertices of the Higgs interaction in the Standard Model – we can try to isolate non-standard additives, which will certainly be in the case of other Higgs bosons, through loop corrections to such vertices. It is very important to study exactly the properties of the observed boson. This task will be solved both during Run 3 and later in the high-luminosity LHC mode.
“Before the start of Run 3, all analyses of the previous Run 2 were almost completed, and we expect new data to be presented by a series of traditional “big summer” international conferences on particle physics. Unfortunately, we have not found anything yet, no signals from new physics, but nevertheless, the boundaries of possible values of masses and other parameters of the new particles will once again be moved soon. When we look for a particle and do not see it, we interpret the obtained experimental results in terms of restrictions on the allowed values of its parameters. Over time, we would thus close ever-increasing regions of these parameter spaces for different particles and different new theories, but a very large window of opportunities still remains. So for now, it’s a systematic movement for us to narrow this window of opportunity,” she said. | http://www.jinr.ru/posts/physics-with-dimuons-it-will-get-harder-and-more-interesting/ |
Department of Energy grant awarded to Professor Shah's research on dark matter
As far as we know, the visible universe is composed of elementary particles which are much smaller than atomic nuclei. The known particle content, and forces that govern their observed interactions, are encoded in the Standard Model of particle physics. However, without the recently discovered Higgs boson, the mathematical structure of the Standard Model forbids elementary particle masses. The discovery of the Higgs boson validated the Higgs mechanism for the generation of elementary particle masses and has allowed physicists to understand why some particles are massless while others have mass.
These two videos offer analogies that explain the Higgs boson and the Higgs field: CERN & Symmetry Magazine.
Nausheen Shah, a Wayne State University physics and astronomy professor, has been awarded a Department of Energy grant to carry out theoretical research on particle physics beyond what is understood in the Standard Model. In her research, she will construct theoretical models with inherent symmetries present at high energies, leading to the presence of additional particles and forces, which may dictate certain features we observe in the Standard Model. Her research will shed light on the answers to three questions where the Standard Model falls short.
Shah will investigate the question of the divisions among the elementary particles, which are also called generations. According to the Standard Model, there are three generations of particles, identical except for their wildly different masses. Shah will use her research to reveal why there are three generations of matter with such large mass hierarchies.
Shah’s study will also focus on dark matter. We know that dark matter composes approximately 25% of the total energy budget of the universe, compared to only 5% of known matter. Dark matter is a big mystery to physicists. Many agree that we are more certain of what dark matter is not than what it is. Shah hopes to use her research to provide some clarity on what dark matter is or could be.
Despite what has been learned since the discovery of the Higgs boson, many questions remain unanswered. In particular, an understanding of the origin of the Higgs field is lacking. As a third focus of her research, Shah will investigate the possible origins of the Higgs mechanism.
Shah’s research stands to possibly uncover new physics that will open the field of particle physics and expand what is currently known in the field. | https://clas.wayne.edu/physics/news/department-of-energy-grant-awarded-to-professor-shahs-research-on-dark-matter-40146 |
The ATLAS and CMS teams at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) have been hard at work attempting to uncover the mysteries of the Higgs boson since its discovery a decade ago. The teams, in particular, have been looking at how the Higgs boson interacts with basic particles like quarks and leptons, which make up matter. According to the Standard Model of particle physics, these matter particles are classified into three “generations” based on their mass, and the Higgs boson interacts with them with a strength proportionate to their mass. Any divergence from this pattern would be a clear indicator of the emergence of new phenomena.
ATLAS and CMS have previously seen interactions of the Higgs boson with the heaviest quarks and leptons of the third generation, which accord with the Standard Model predictions within the present measurement precision. They have also found the first evidence that the Higgs boson interacts with a muon, a second generation lepton. They haven’t seen it interact with second-generation quarks yet. ATLAS and CMS describe results that impose strict limitations on the intensity of the Higgs boson interaction with a charm quark, a second-generation quark, in two recent papers.
ATLAS and CMS investigated Higgs boson interactions by examining how the boson converts, or “decays,” into lighter particles or how it is created in conjunction with other particles. Using data from the LHC’s second run, the two teams looked for the disintegration of the Higgs boson into a charm quark and its antimatter twin, the charm antiquark, in their most recent investigations.
This decay is very unusual in the Standard Model, occuring just 3% of the time. Furthermore, the decay is particularly difficult to detect because the two sprays, or “jets,” of particles that it produces may also be created at far higher rates by other processes. ATLAS and CMS focused their searches on Higgs bosons created in the presence of a W or Z boson decaying to electrons, muons (W, Z), or neutrinos (Z), and they utilized powerful machine-learning algorithms to detect jets coming from charm quarks. The CMS search also sought high-momentum, or “boosted,” Higgs bosons, which would result in two charm jets collapsing into a broad jet.
The scientists discovered no evidence of the Higgs boson decaying into charm quarks in the data, but their analysis placed boundaries on the rate at which this decay should occur when the Higgs boson is created with a W and Z boson. These limitations correspond to upper limits on the Higgs boson’s interaction strength with a charm quark of 8.5 and 5.5 times the Standard Model prediction for ATLAS and CMS, respectively.
ATLAS then combined these findings with measurements of Higgs boson decay into beauty quarks, revealing that the Higgs boson interacts with the charm quark more weakly than with the beauty quark. In other words, they discovered that, as anticipated by the Standard Model, the Higgs boson interacts differently with quarks of the second and third generations.
Interestingly, the CMS investigation enabled CMS researchers to witness the decay of the Z boson into charm quarks for the first time at a hadron collider, a bonus observation that arose from a validation step in their search for the decay of the Higgs boson into charm quarks. | https://neutrino-science.com/focusing-on-the-interaction-of-the-higgs-boson-with-the-charm-quark/ |
The Higgs boson reached overnight fame in 2012 when it was finally discovered in a jumble of other particles generated at CERN’s Large Hadron Collider (LHC) in Geneva, Switzerland. The discovery was monumental because the Higgs boson, which had only been theorized about previously, has the special property of endowing other elementary particles with mass. It is also exceedingly rare and difficult to identify in the debris of colliding particles.
Caltech physicists played a major role in the Higgs boson discovery, a result that earned theoretical physicist Peter Higgs a share of the 2013 Nobel Prize in Physics, and now they continue to make significant findings about rare Higgs boson processes.
This summer, for the first time, particle physicists using data collected by the experiment known as the Compact Muon Solenoid (CMS) at the LHC, have found evidence that the Higgs boson decays into a pair of elementary particles called muons. The muon is a heavier version of the electron, and both muons and electrons belong to a class of particles known as fermions, as described in the widely accepted model of particles called the Standard Model. The Standard Model classifies all particles as either fermions or bosons. Generally, fermions are building blocks of all matter, and bosons are the force carriers. | https://www.student-circuit.com/news/higgs-boson-decay-process-is-detected/ |
Scientists at the CERN research centre near Geneva, Switzerland, unveiled their latest findings in their search for the Higgs boson, a subatomic particle key to the formation of stars, planets and eventually life after the Big Bang 13.7 billion years ago.
But the universe is a big place and the Standard Model only explains a small part of it. Scientists have spotted a gap between what we can see and what must be out there. That gap must be filled by something we don’t fully understand, which they have dubbed ‘dark matter’. Galaxies are also hurtling away from each other faster than the forces we know about suggest they should. This gap is filled by ‘dark energy’. This poorly understood pair are believed to make up a whopping 96 percent of the mass and energy of the cosmos.
Confirming the Standard Model, or perhaps modifying it, would be a step towards the holy grail of physics – a ‘theory of everything’ that encompasses dark matter, dark energy and the force of gravity, which the Standard Model also does not explain. It could also shed light on even more esoteric ideas, such as the possibility of parallel universes.
A proton-proton collision event in the CMS experiment producing two high-energy photons (red towers). This is what we would expect to see from the decay of a Higgs boson but it is also consistent with background Standard Model physics processes.
Two beams of protons are fired in opposite directions around it before smashing into each other to create many millions of particle collisions every second in a recreation of the conditions a fraction of a second after the Big Bang, when the Higgs field is believed to have ‘switched on’.
To claim a discovery, scientists have set themselves a target for certainty that they call “5 sigma”. This means that there is a probability of less than one in a million that their conclusions from the data harvested from the particle accelerator are the result of a statistical fluke.
The two teams hunting for the Higgs at CERN, called Atlas and CMS, now have twice the amount of data that allowed them to claim ‘tantalising glimpses’ of the Higgs at the end of last year and this could push their results beyond that threshold.
what’s so important about finding the Higgs boson?
In particle physics, there is a theory called the “Standard Model” that endeavors to explain all electromagnetic and nuclear reactions between particles. The “Standard Model”, derived in the 1970′s, explains that the universe is completely comprised of matter (fermions) and force (bosons). The brilliance of the “Standard Model” is that it has been able to successfully explain nearly all experimental physics.
Particle physics is the study of the individual elements that comprise our universe. As most know, atoms are composed of smaller components; neutrons, electrons and protons. When electrons jump between atoms, new substances are formed, but the nucleus of an atom generally remains unchanged unless it undergoes a nuclear reaction. The neutron/proton nucleus is also known as a hadron, which is made up of quarks. Quarks come paired in six different varieties; up and down, charm and strange, top and bottom. Quarks can also be classified as first, second, or third generation.
According to the “Standard Model,” all matter consists of two different types of particles, quarks and leptons (i.e. electrons and neutrinos), held together by bosons. Bosons describe the force between particles.
There are three elementary bosons called gauge bosons; the photon (electromagnetic force), the W and Z boson (the weak force) and the gluons (the strong force). Then there are two additional suspected, yet unobserved, bosons, the Graviton and the Higgs.
The Higgs boson was originally suggested in the 1960′s by British physicist Peter Higgs. Higgs postulated that a particle gains mass by passing through the Higgs field, a combination of an electromagnetic field and a solid. Before the Higgs portion of the “Standard Model,” it was assumed that W and Z bosons interacted with other elementary particles, however, the mass of those bosons was always so large that it unbalanced and broke the “Standard Model”.
Thus, it was postulated that there had to be at least one other particle added to the mass equation, the Higgs boson. Ever since the search as been on to find the elusive Higgs, leading to the construction of the LHC.
The LHC is the world’s largest particle accelerator. Built by the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN), and situated along the border between France and Switzerland. LHC’s sole purpose is to be a platform in which to test particle physics theories. It is run by engineers and scientists from hundreds of universities and laboratories from over a hundred different countries.
One of the main objectives of the LHC, since its conception, is to find the Higgs boson. So how might the Higgs boson have been found? The Higgs boson is known to be unstable, decaying into certain particles based on its expected weight. The scientists designed their particle collision experiments in a way that will emit particles of a particular mass. If the particles within an expected range are more numerous then the collision alone can explain, then the rest of the observed particles are proof of the Higgs boson. | https://www.iaspreparationonline.com/higgs-boson/ |
UPDATE: A leaked video published on CERN's website earlier today appears to have accidentally announced the discovery of the Higgs boson ahead of the rumored official announcement scheduled for early tomorrow morning. Watch the announcement live on Wired.com beginning at 11 p.m. PT tonight (2 a.m. ET tomorrow morning).
If gossip on various physics blogs pans out, the biggest moment for physics in nearly two decades is just days away. The possible announcement on July 4 of the long-sought Higgs boson would put the last critical piece of the Standard Model of Physics in place, a crowning achievement built on a half-century of work by thousands of scientists. A moment worthy of fireworks.
Higgs Hunt Heats Up With Final Tevatron DataBut there’s a problem: The Higgs boson is starting to look just a little too ordinary.
As physicists at Europe's Large Hadron Collider prepare to present their latest update in the hunt for the Higgs boson – the strange particle that exists everywhere in space and interacts with all other elementary particles, giving them their mass – other physicists are preparing for disappointment.
That’s because scientists have been secretly hoping all along that, when they finally found the Higgs, it would be an interesting particle with unexpected behaviors – even somewhat unruly. A perfectly well-behaved Higgs leaves less room for new, exciting physics – the kind that theorists have been wishing would show up at the LHC.
The current situation has some physicists starting to worry and, if coming years fail to turn up interesting results, the field could be headed for a crisis.
Since the mid-20th century, particle physicists have been developing a theory known as the Standard Model, which accounts for all the known forces and subatomic particles in the universe. While this model has proven time and time again to be extremely good at predicting particles and forces that were later discovered experimentally, it is not the final theory of everything. The Standard Model still has various problems that stubbornly refuse to cooperate.
Many contenders have stepped up to account for the discrepancies of the Standard Model but none has been more adored than a theory known as supersymmetry. In order to fix the Standard Model, supersymmetry posits that all known particles have a much more massive superpartner lurking in the subatomic world.
The tricky part is that the LHC, in addition to searching for the Higgs, has also been looking for these heavy supersymmetric superpartners. But thus far, nothing is showing up. Furthermore, all indications are that scientists will find that the Higgs weighs 125 gigaelectronvolts (GeV) – or about 125 times more than a proton – which means that it sits exactly where the Standard Model expected it to be.
Great news for the troublesome Standard Model, not so much for its savior, supersymmetry.
Supersymmetry was first proposed in the 1960s and developed seriously during the heyday of particle physics in the 1970s and ‘80s. Back then, large particle accelerators were smashing subatomic particles together and discovering a slew of new bits and pieces, including quarks and the W and Z bosons. Supersymmetry was put forth as an extension of the Standard Model, but the predicted particles were out of reach for atom smashers of that era.
Before the LHC was up and running in 2010, many physicists were hopeful that it would uncover some evidence for supersymmetry. Despite a few promising results, experimental confirmation of the idea keeps failing to show up.
This has a few in the community beginning to seriously doubt their darling supersymmetry will ever be a viable theory.
“It’s a beautiful theory, and I would love it if it were true,” said particle physicist Tommaso Dorigo, who works on one of the LHC's two main experiments. "But there is not any compelling evidence."
For two decades, people have been claiming the supersymmetry results were just a few years away, Dorigo added. So as those few years kept coming and going with no results, physicists have tried explaining the non-appearance of these particles by making additions and elaborations to supersymmetry.
Already, the simplest versions of supersymmetry have been ruled out and a Higgs boson at 125 GeV could require even more changes, making many physicists nervous, Csaki said. Tweaking the theory to explain why even the lightest of the predicted superpartners haven’t shown up destroys some of supersymmetry’s beauty, he said.
For instance, one of the best aspects of supersymmetry is that many of its extra subatomic particles make excellent dark matter candidates. Altering supersymmetry could get rid of these potential dark matter particles, and further changes might make the theory even less useful.
“One day we may just look at it and ask if this is still the theory that we’re in love with,” Csaki said.
Of course, all is not yet lost. The LHC is still smashing particles together and, over the next few years, it will do so at higher and higher energies, perhaps finally bringing supersymmetry to light. While the accelerator will be shutdown in 2013 for repairs, 2014 and 2015 will have the machine running at its top capacity.
Many physicists are eager to see if the lightest predicted superpartner – the supersymmetric top quark, or stop squark – will show up. The stop squark is at the heart of supersymmetry and is needed to explain many properties of the Higgs. Without it, many physicists could give up on supersymmetry entirely.
While troubling, this situation doesn’t bring physics to a grinding halt. The Standard Model still has holes in it, and something needs to account for the dark matter and energy in the universe. Alternative theories to supersymmetry exist. Some require additional forces in nature, new interactions among particles, or for the Higgs boson itself to be composed of simpler pieces.
“However those models have their own problems to be a consistent models of nature,” wrote particle physicist Rahmat Rahmat from the University of Mississippi, who also works on the CMS experiment, in an email to Wired.
As yet, supersymmetry is still the front-runner for theories beyond the Standard Model and most physicists remain optimistic for its prospects.
“I’m really hopeful that besides the discovery of the Higgs, we will also soon see something else,” said Csaki. | https://www.wired.com/2012/07/higgs-boson-breaks-physics/ |
The Higgs boson, first predicted in the 1960s and discovered by the ATLAS and CMS experiments in 2012, is a unique elementary particle arising from the mass-generating Higgs mechanism of the Standard Model. It thus has a peculiar affinity to mass: the larger the mass of an elementary particle, the stronger its interaction (or coupling) with the Higgs boson. Any deviation from this pattern would reveal new physics.
Physicists can study Higgs-boson couplings in several ways: by measuring the rates of different Higgs boson production mechanisms and decays, and also by studying the particle’s kinematic properties. The ATLAS Collaboration has just presented precise new measurements of these key quantities. Several of these measurements were updated to use the full LHC Run 2 dataset (2015–2018), to provide the best precision to date.
When combined, ATLAS’ new measurements give detailed insight into this one-of-a-kind particle. They significantly outperform previous measurements, with the overall production rate of the Higgs boson found to be in good agreement with the Standard Model, within a measurement precision of 5% and about 4% uncertainty in the Standard Model prediction.
The latest ATLAS results significantly outperform previous measurements, giving physicists new insight into this one-of-a-kind particle.
Channel surfing with Higgs boson decays
ATLAS physicists began by measuring all of the main decay “channels” of the Higgs boson: into a pair of photons, W or Z bosons, tau leptons, bottom quarks – and even muons. Though the coupling to muons is difficult to probe, ATLAS physicists recently reported a first hint of the Higgs boson decay to muons. ATLAS researchers also searched for Higgs bosons decaying to “invisible” particles, leaving only missing transverse energy in the detector – a possible portent of dark matter, for example. Their new result sets the strongest limits yet on this process, establishing that less than 13% of Higgs boson decays could be into “invisible” particles.
These measurements could then be broken down into the major production modes of the Higgs boson: gluon fusion (ggF), vector-boson fusion (VBF), the associated production with a W or Z boson (WH, ZH), and the associated production with top quarks (ttH, tH), as shown in Figure 2. All of these are now observed and precisely measured, with the experimental sensitivity of some modes nearing the precision of state-of-the-art theory predictions. ATLAS has furthermore established for the first time the separate observation of the associated production of the Higgs boson with, respectively, a W boson and a Z boson.
Across a wide range of masses, ATLAS physicists found that the strength of the Higgs boson coupling increases with the mass of the elementary particle.
Further, the kinematic properties of the Higgs boson were assessed with unprecedented precision. Physicists introduced finer partitions of the various production modes – studying, for example, the Higgs boson transverse momentum or the number of jets in an event – to uncover potential hints of new physics. For the first time, ATLAS has also measured the differential distribution of the Higgs boson transverse momentum in ttH production, shedding new light on the boson’s interaction with the top quark.
With these measurements in hand, physicists were able to decipher the Higgs-boson couplings to other elementary particles. As shown in Figure 3, the strength of the coupling increases with the mass of the elementary particle, in good agreement with the Standard Model. This holds true across a wide range in masses, from the top quark (the heaviest particle in the Standard Model) down to the muon (1600 times lighter than the top quark).
Exploration through combination
ATLAS physicists paid particular attention to processes such as gluon-fusion production of the Higgs boson and Higgs-boson decays to a pair of photons. Both the gluon and photon are massless, and thus cannot directly interact with the Higgs boson. These processes are therefore mediated by other massive particles via loop interactions, which could be hideouts for new particles.
Though experiments cannot directly see these loop interactions, there are still ways to infer their content. The presence of new particles would change the rate for ggF production or the Higgs boson decaying into photons. In Figure 4, the measured gluon and the photon couplings are compared to theoretical predictions. A deviation of the measured values from unity, if established, would be a smoking gun for new physics lurking in loop interactions. Instead, ATLAS physicists observed a good agreement with the Standard Model, with measured uncertainties on the measured gluon and photon couplings as low as 5%, and an overall agreement with expectations at the 51% confidence level.
Finally, by combining together the various Higgs-boson decay measurements and including these loop interactions, ATLAS physicists set another limit on new physics. Showing the value of combined studies, this result sets a new limit of 9% for Higgs boson decays to “invisible” particles – an improvement from the 13% of the measurement quoted above.
The Standard Model remains unperturbed
Thanks to the excellent performance of the LHC and the ATLAS detector during Run 2, several ATLAS results have been combined to probe the couplings of the Higgs boson at unprecedented levels. Though the Standard Model remains unperturbed, the exploration is just beginning! Some important but difficult analysis channels are still to use the full Run-2 dataset – offering additional insight into the Higgs boson’s secrets.
Links
- A combination of measurements of Higgs boson production and decay using up to 139 fb−1 of proton–proton collision data at 13 TeV collected with the ATLAS experiment (ATLAS-CONF-2020-027)
- ICHEP2020 presentation by Matt Klein: Combined Higgs boson measurements at the ATLAS experiment
- A search for the dimuon decay of the Standard Model Higgs boson with the ATLAS detector (arXiv: 2007.07830, see figures)
- ATLAS one step closer in the search for rare Higgs boson decays to muons, Physics Briefing, July 2020
- Probing dark matter with the Higgs boson, Physics Briefing, April 2020
- See also the full lists of ATLAS Conference Notes and ATLAS Physics Papers. | https://atlas.cern/updates/briefing/higgs-boson-finds-strength-unity |
It is two years since CERN made its momentous announcement of the discovery of the Higgs boson on 4th July 2012. The Large Hadron Collider is currently being upgraded and is expected to restart operations in April 2015. Before it was shut down the LHC was colliding protons with a total energy of 8 TeV. When it is switched back on the combined energy of the colliding protons will be increased to 13 TeV before it is stepped up to the full design energy of 14 TeV.
A New Study
This lull in operation has given physicists further opportunity to analyse the data that has already been collected. A new study of the data collected by the Compact Muon Solenoid (CMS) detector at the LHC was published recently in the leading science journal Nature Physics. I will explain its significance below.
United Forces
The Higgs boson plays a dual role in the Standard Model. Its existence was originally hypothesized as a way to unify two of the forces of nature – the electromagnetic and weak forces. Forces are explained in quantum theories by the exchange of particles known as bosons. (For more information about bosons see my article Bosons, Lasers and Superfluids.) For instance, the electromagnetic force is due to the exchange of the fundamental particles from which light is composed – particles known as photons. The standard model combines the electromagnetic and weak forces into a single electroweak force that is produced by the exchange of four types of boson. And this is where the Higgs mechanism comes in. In the 1960s several theorists, including Peter Higgs, speculated that there might be a quantum field that permeates the whole of space and gives mass to three of the four electroweak bosons.
The Higgs Field
This field is known as the Higgs field. Higgs bosons are propagating pulses of vibration of the Higgs field. According to the standard model photons are not affected by the Higgs field, so they race on across the universe at the speed of light. They are exchanged to produce the electromagnetic force which is a long range powerful force. But the other three electroweak bosons do feel the Higgs field and this interaction gives them a large mass. The exchange of these lumbering particles results in a very short range feeble force. In this way the Higgs field breaks the electroweak force into two components that we see as the electromagnetic and weak forces.
But in the standard model even more is expected from the Higgs field. And it is the secondary role of the Higgs boson that has come to define it in the public imagination. Other fundamental particles, such as electrons and quarks, are expected to interact with the Higgs field and this is, according to the standard model, the origin of their mass. These are the matter particles or fermions. (For more information about fermions see my article Fermions, Atoms and Neutron Stars. ) This is not the only conceivable way for fermions to become massive, but it is the way that masses are generated in the standard model.
Now You See It Now Your Don’t!
The Higgs boson is an uncharged particle that decays in an instant into other particles. So it is not directly seen in the detectors of the LHC. Its existence is deduced from the detection of the particles that it decays into. The first signs of the existence of the Higgs boson that were announced in 2012 were due to the appearance of its decays into bosons. But if the Higgs boson plays the role expected in the standard model, then it must decay into fermions as well, and the fermions with the biggest mass must interact most strongly with the Higgs field and they will therefore be the ones that the Higgs bosons decay into most often.
The recently published paper in Nature reveals that the CMS detector has spotted Higgs boson decays into the heaviest possible quark-antiquark pairs formed of bottom quarks and anti-bottom quarks. (The top quark is even heavier than the Higgs boson, so it is not possible for a Higgs boson to decay into a top anti-top pair as this would violate energy conservation.) The Higgs boson has also been spotted decaying into the heaviest cousins of the electron known as tauons and anti-tauons. This is great news as it means that theorists’ expectations of the Higgs boson have been confirmed again and it provides even more evidence that the LHC really has found the Standard Model Higgs boson.
Further Information
There is a lot more information about the Higgs mechanism and the search for the Higgs boson in my book Higgs Force: Cosmic Symmetry Shattered. | http://quantumwavepublishing.co.uk/higgs-news/ |
With the latest results from ATLAS and CMS set to be announced on July 4, there is a lot of speculation and excitement about what the final data will reveal about Higgs boson.
CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, will hold a seminar early in the morning on July 4 to announce the latest results from ATLAS and CMS, two major experiments at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) that are searching for the Higgs boson. Both experimental teams are working down to the wire to finish analyzing their data, and to determine exactly what can be said about what they’ve found.
“We do not yet know what will be shown on July 4th,” says Ian Hinchliffe, a theoretical physicist in the Physics Division at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab), who heads the Lab’s participation in the ATLAS experiment. “I have seen many conjectures on the blogs about what will be shown: these are idle speculation. Things are moving very fast this week, and it’s an exciting time at CERN. Many years of hard work are coming to fruition.”
Last December, not long after the LHC had shut down for the winter, ATLAS and CMS both reported slight excesses over background of two kinds of signals consistent with the expected signature of a Higgs boson. The LHC started running again at a higher energy this spring, and, says Hinchliffe, “In that short time we’ve already doubled the data. But even if both experiments were to confirm what they saw last year with new data, no one can be certain that it is the Higgs.”
Why can’t they know? And what’s a Higgs boson anyway?
Why particles have mass
A Higgs boson is an excitation – a fleeting, grainy representation – of the Higgs field, which extends throughout space and gives all other particles their mass.
At the instant of the big bang, everything was the same as everything else, a state of symmetry that lasted no time and was immediately broken. Particles of matter called fermions emerged from the sea of energy (mass and energy being interchangeable), including quarks and electrons that would much later form atoms. Along with them came force-carrying particles called bosons to rule how they all were related. All had different masses – sometimes wildly different masses.
Using the concepts of a Higgs field and Higgs boson, the Standard Model explains why quarks, protons, electrons, photons, and a wide-ranging zoo of other particles have the specific masses they do. Oddly, however, the Standard Model can’t predict the mass of the Higgs itself. That will only be learned from experiment.
It will be far from simple to know when the Higgs has actually been found. Any particle that packs as much energy as the Higgs lasts only a miniscule fraction of a second before it falls apart into other particles, each with lower energy, and these fall apart into still lower-energy particles, finally leaving a set that ATLAS or CMS can see or infer. According to the Standard Model, the Higgs can decay by half a dozen different patterns of tracks, or channels.
The probability of each path varies. For example, there’s a low probability that a Higgs with mass equivalent to 100 billion electron volts (100 GeV) of energy would decay into a pair of W bosons, carriers of the weak interaction. Yet if its mass were 170 GeV, the probability of its decaying by that channel would be very high.
But earlier measurements, including those made last year at the LHC and at Fermilab’s Tevatron, have already excluded many possible masses for a Standard Model Higgs. Of the narrowing possibilities, the hints that ATLAS and CMS saw in 2011 were in the neighborhood of 125 or 126 GeV.
The two channels involved, called the two-photon channel and the four-lepton channel for short, are certainly not the most likely decay routes, says Beate Heinemann of Berkeley Lab’s Physics Division, who is also a professor in UC Berkeley’s Department of Physics. “The probability that a 125-GeV Higgs would decay into two gamma rays is about two tenths of one percent, and the likelihood that it would decay into four muons or electrons is even smaller.”
Finding the music in the noise
Background noise is the key. Even though the two-photon and four-lepton channels have a low probability, they are relatively free of noise from particle debris that obscures evidence of other channels. More probable routes for the decay of a Higgs with mass near 125 GeV would be to a bottom quark and antibottom quark, or a pair of W bosons, or a pair of tau particles, but all these are much harder to detect.
Heinemann, recently the Data Preparation Coordinator for ATLAS, says knowing what to look for is crucial. “Bunches of protons cross through each other 20 million times a second inside the ATLAS detector, with an average of 20 collisions at each crossing.” Electronic filters automatically cull the events to 100,000 per second of possible interest. Sophisticated software further reduces the cull to a few hundred events per second that are recorded and stored for later study. Says Heinemann, “We try to keep everything anyone can think of that might be interesting.”
The products of data reduction are colorful diagrams of spectacular sprays of particles from proton-proton collisions, recorded by the concentric layers of detectors that ATLAS wraps around the beam line. What makes the diagrams so intricate and precise begins in the Inner Detector, largely designed and built at Berkeley Lab, as was much of the filtering and sifting hardware and software.
“The LHC produces far more particles per collision than any accelerator before it. Not confusing them requires finer granularity and finer resolution, which means many more detector elements close to the beam,” says Murdock “Gil” Gilchriese, who headed the Berkeley Lab group that worked on the ATLAS Inner Detector.
The very heart of ATLAS is a pixel detector consisting of 80 million tiny silicon rectangles 50 microns (millionths of a meter) wide and 400 microns long, each connected to its own electronics – many millions of transistors bathed in the most intense radiation an accelerator has ever produced.
At CERN, U.S. participation in the ATLAS and CMS experiments alone numbers well over 1,500 people, not to mention significant U.S. contributions to other experiments and the accelerator itself. Fermilab hosts the U.S. participation in CMS, and Brookhaven National Laboratory is the U.S. host for ATLAS.
“About 20 percent of the ATLAS collaboration comes from the U.S.,” says Heinemann, “and one of the largest contingents is from Berkeley Lab, many of us in key positions. For example, Kevin Einsweiler, who led the ATLAS pixel project, is currently ATLAS’s Physics Coordinator, guiding analysis of the data. Michael Barnett has long held the post of Outreach Coordinator. At any given time we may also have 10 students and 10 postdocs working on ATLAS. There are a lot of us, and much of the time many of us are on the job at CERN.”
Whatever news comes out of CERN in the wee hours of the morning on July 4, hints and indications so far are just the beginning of the search to pin down the Higgs and learn its characteristics. The Higgs search commences a long voyage of discovery into a realm of unexplored physics, of supersymmetry, dark matter, miniature black holes, extra dimensions of space – and other, unanticipated wonders that defy prediction. | https://scitechdaily.com/cern-to-announce-the-latest-results-from-atlas-and-cms/ |
Six years after the strange, elusive Higgs boson particle was discovered, scientists working with the world's largest particle accelerator have finally observed its mysterious, yet most common, decaying process.
Using data from the Large Hadron Collider, physicists caught the boson decaying into two smaller particles - a bottom quark and its antimatter equivalent, an antibottom quark.
The Standard Model of particle physics predicts that a Higgs boson will decay into bottom quarks - the second-heaviest of the quark flavours - about 60 percent of the time.
Physicists have been trying to observe this process, because it will either support the Standard Model, or show that it's insufficient - requiring a search for new physics to explain the discrepancy.
This particle exists for about one-septillionth of a second before it decays into less massive particles. It's the detection of these particles from which particle physicists infer the existence of the Higgs boson.
Since the Higgs boson's existence is so brief, it's been impossible to determine whether the bottom quarks detected were the result of a decaying Higgs boson, or of proton collision background processes.
To find the decay, two collaborations - ATLAS and CMS - combined data from the first and second runs of the Large Hadron Collider, and analysed it to try and find bottom quarks from the particle showers they produced. Then they had to trace those bottom quarks back to a Higgs boson.
"Finding just one event that looks like two bottom quarks originating from a Higgs boson is not enough," said Chris Palmer, a physicist at Princeton University who worked on the CMS analysis.
"We needed to analyse hundred of thousands of events before we could illuminate this process, which is happening on top of a mountain of similar-looking background events."
"We used these particles to tag potential Higgs events and separate them out from everything else," Palmer explained. "So we really got a two-for-one deal with this analysis because not only did we find the Higgs decaying to bottom quarks, but we also learned a lot about its production mechanisms."
And they confirmed - again - the Standard Model of particle physics, with which the measured rate of decay matched.
It's a result that opens a new possibility for scientists to study the behaviour of the Higgs boson in closer detail, and how it interacts with other matter, plus whether it could interact with particles that haven't been discovered yet (such as dark matter). | http://ancaps.forumotion.com/t73934-supposedly-a-physics-milestone-as-scientists-finally-observe-predicted-higgs-boson-particle-decay |
HOPES of using the Higgs boson and the elegant theory of supersymmetry as shortcuts to discovering the mysteries of the universe are evaporating fast. That’s the verdict of a major update from the Large Hadron Collider in CERN, near Geneva, Switzerland – the first since a boson resembling the Higgs was spotted there earlier this year.
“If our understanding of nature is correct, then the details of what happens next are more complicated than we had hoped,” says Matthew Walker of CMS, one of the major LHC detectors.
In July, when CMS and its sister detector, ATLAS, announced the discovery of the boson, anomalies in the data hinted at physics beyond the standard model, the well-established description of the universe’s particles and forces.
Such new physics is urgently needed because the standard model contains no mention of dark matter, makes incorrect predictions about the universe’s antimatter and requires awkward “fine-tuning” to incorporate the Higgs mass reported in July.
The Higgs isn’t searched for directly, but spotted via a slew of particles that the standard model predicts it decays to. One anomaly in July’s particle debris was insufficient tau leptons, which could have implied the existence of non-standard particles (see diagram).
But on 14 November, armed with twice as much data, CMS and ATLAS researchers told the Hadron Collider Physics Symposium in Kyoto, Japan, that the number of taus has crept up, removing the hint of deviant physics. CMS also reported a signal suggesting that the boson behaves the same when viewed in a mirror, giving it the property of positive parity, which the standard model also predicts.
There’s still one anomaly left. In July, the newly discovered boson seemed to decay twice as often as predicted into pairs of photons, which could be the signature of an extra, non-standard particle, or of a non-standard Higgs. If that anomaly disappears too, the probable Higgs boson will look very standard indeed, which is strange because of all the known possible extensions to the standard model, none predicts a completely standard Higgs.
One explanation could lie in a theory called the Neutrino Minimal Standard Model (nuMSM), in which dark matter is actually a neutrino and the Higgs behaves so similarly to the standard model that the differences would be unobservable. Instead nuMSM might be discovered via space-based detectors that look for its proposed dark-matter particles, but it’s a long shot. Just because it seems to fit right now doesn’t mean nuMSM is the most plausible scenario, says Raymond Volkas of the University of Melbourne, Australia.
As if the boson’s good behaviour wasn’t frustrating enough, the LHC’s searches for particles predicted by supersymmetry (SUSY) have turned up nothing. As SUSY – which proposes a heavier superpartner for each known particle – extends the standard model to include dark matter and other omissions, this failure deals a further blow to possible sources of new physics at the LHC. It is also stoking exchanges between SUSY supporters and sceptics (see “SUSY no-show fuels debate“).
“SUSY’s plausibility is reduced,” says Nobel laureate Steven Weinberg, “but not to zero.” Others say the theory is flexible; that the latest results merely help to whittle down a list of possible incarnations.
Still the results have stoked a debate about the attention SUSY gets. “The theory, specifically as something we would observe at the LHC, was wildly over-promoted,” wrote Matthew Strassler from Rutgers University in New Jersey on his blog.
Michael Peskin of Stanford University in California disagrees. “I think that the serious effort given to SUSY is appropriate,” he says, adding that SUSY is attractive because its predictions can be tested. Perhaps only time will tell, but if SUSY eludes the next round of searches in 2014, it will become much harder to test. | https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg21628923-800-higgs-boson-is-too-saintly-and-supersymmetry-too-shy/ |
If physicists confirm that the Higgs boson exists, the discovery would also confirm that the Higgs mechanism for particles to acquire mass is correct. And, it may offer clues to the next mystery down the line, which is why individual particles have the masses that they do.
"That could be part of a much larger theory," said Harvard University particle physicist Lisa Randall."Knowing what the Higgs boson is, is the first step of knowing a little more about what that theory could be. It's connected."
The Standard Model is the reigning theory of particle physics that describes the universe's very small constituents.
Every particle predicted by the Standard Model has been discovered — except one: the Higgs boson.
"It's the missing piece in the Standard Model," said Jonas Strandberg, a researcher at CERN working on the ATLAS experiment. "So it would definitely be a confirmation that the theories we have now are right. If we don't [find the Higgs] it means we made some assumptions that are wrong, and we have to go back to the drawing board."
While the discovery of the Higgs boson would complete the Standard Model, and fulfill all its current predictions, the Standard Model itself isn't thought to be complete. It doesn't encompass gravity (so don't count on catching that fly ball), for example, and leaves out the dark matter thought to make up 98 percent of all matter in the universe.
"The Standard Model describes what we have measured, but we know it doesn’t have gravity in it, it doesn't have dark matter," said CERN physicist William Murray, the senior Higgs convener at ATLASand a physicist at the U.K.'s Science and Technology Facilities Council."So we're hoping to extend it to include more."
Discovering the Higgs boson would also help explain how two of the fundamental forces of the universe — the electromagnetic force that governs interactions between charged particles, and the weak force that's responsible for radioactive decay — can be unified.
"If you introduce the Higgs field, the W and Z bosons mix with the field, and through this mixing they acquire mass," Strandberg said."This explains why the W and Z bosons have mass, and also unifies the electromagnetic and weak forces into the electroweak force."
Though other evidence has helped buffer the union of these two forces, the discovery of the Higgs would seal the deal. "That's already pretty solid," Murray said. "What we're trying to do now is find really the crowning proof."
Another theory that would be affected by the discovery of the Higgs is called supersymmetry. This idea posits that every known particle has a "superpartner" particle with slightly different characteristics.
Supersymmetry is attractive because it could help unify some of the other forces of nature, and even offers a candidate for the particle that makes up dark matter. Depending on the actual mass of the Higgs boson, it could lend credence to supersymmetry, or cast doubt on the theory.
"If the Higgs boson is found at a low mass, which is the only window still open, this would make supersymmetry a viable theory," Strandberg said."We'd still have to prove supersymmetry exists."
The discovery of the Higgs would offer major validation for the LHC and for the scientists who've worked on the search for many years.
"If the Higgs eventually gets discovered it would be a very big step," said Guimaraes da Costa. "You have to invest lots of years, and getting to see it is quite exciting. It's quite good for the field because to build these machines [it] costs a lot of money, and you need to justify why we build these machines. If we make such an important discovery about the universe, it's a justification for why we should be investing in these things."
The discovery of the Higgs would also have major implications for scientist Peter Higgs and his colleagues who first proposed the Higgs mechanism in 1964.
"If it is found there are several people who are going to get a Nobel prize," said Vivek Sharma, a physicist at the University of California, San Diego, and the leader of the Higgs search at LHC's CMS experiment. | https://www.livescience.com/17433-implications-higgs-boson-discovery-lhc.html |
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The significance of systems and cybernetics in the future of societies.
Important world institutions, such as the United Nations (UN), the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) are publicly recognizing the highly interconnected nature of our world and therefore the relevance of systemic thinking and cybernetics as leading knowledge foundations to deal with the complexity of economic, social and environmental issues. This recognition by major international agencies of the CyberSystemic nature of policy issues makes apparent that in the context of the World Organisation of Systems and Cybernetics more than ever we need to debate and develop current ontological, epistemological and methodological approaches to understanding the future of humanity.
WOSC is honored that the Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS) has agreed to be the venue for its 18th Congress (WOSC 2020). Consistent with its scope scientists of this Academy have made important contributions to key issues of human society over the past decades. They have contributed to problems of nuclear disarmament, space exploration, the fight against terrorism, self-organization for strategic projects and many more. More recently, they have been developing aspects of socio-humanitarian cybernetics and of self-developing reflexive-active environments. Indeed, the RAS is a most valuable setting to support further developments of these and other issues.
Our aim in WOSC 2020 is to bring CyberSystemic scientists, and in particular younger researchers, together with politicians and practitioners to debate pressing economic, social and ecological problems of humanity, at all levels from local communities to global societies.
For this purpose, we propose to focus the discussions on the following four themes: philosophical and methodological foundations for the development of the systems approach and cybernetics, the cybernetics of democracy, the cybernetics of hybrid reality, and governance in an increasingly interconnected, ecologically sensitive, world. Short summaries of these themes are introduced below.
1.Philosophical and methodological foundations for the development of the systems approach and cybernetics.
Challenges and threats to the future of humanity are increasing pressure to develop systemic approaches and cybernetics. For this purpose, it is necessary to debate the foundations of the philosophy of science, ontology, epistemology and methodology. New ideas are needed concerning scientific rationality, the observer problem, the transdisciplinary approach, and the problems of complexity, reflexivity and ethics. We must increase the convergence of civilization and cultural specifics in the development of systemic approaches and cybernetics. The inclusion of multiple perspectives in systems thinking enables systems thinking and cybernetics to play a leading role in science diplomacy.
WOSC 2020 invites participants to discuss alternative approaches to recognize the participation of observers in human activities, starting from the traditional approaches of having external observers accepting an objective reality, going to observers as participants in the construction of our situational realities, as we interact with multiple environmental agents, and extending all this to an increased attention to the contextual constraints imposed by ecological and societal aspects to the co-evolution of situational actors and environmental agents.
The latter are relevant to societies to make them more functional and coherent. These meta-contextual aspects are not directly focused on actors and agents, but the framing of their interactions is limiting the free unfolding of situation-environment interactions. This way we can reflect on aspects of societal significance, such as the ecological chains straining resources or the economic inequalities limiting fairness as well as justice. WOSC 2020 wants to make inroads into how to study the mechanisms shaping interactions, communications and relationships in complex systems, whether enterprises, government agencies, small businesses or families. In particular, we want to offer an opportunity for participants to contribute with replicable approaches, emerging from their epistemological and methodological standing, their practical experiences in the life-world of societal, ecological and economic situations. Issues like boundaries, structures, communications and interaction mechanisms can influence good practice and improve our contributions to society.
2. The cybernetics of society ecology and governance
Cybernetics in the development of democracy. Cybernetic models of decentralized control. Cybernetics of self-developing reflexive-active environments. Cybernetic models of self-organizing communities of experts. Network democracy and collective intelligence. Strategic Control and Development Centres in initiating and supporting the consolidation of the state, business and society.
Our democratic models are functioning in the world of big data, artificial intelligence, cloud computing and algorithms and often are being explicitly used in the top-down direction. This makes it increasingly difficult to bridge global and local constructs and to provide constructive feedback loops. Effective interactions between citizens, experts and policy-makers are a major challenge.
Direct, representative and participative democracies need further development to be effective. We invite discussions of the significant distinction between the “wisdom of the crowd” emerging in citizens minds and evidence-based decisions, resulted from debates supported by experts, think tanks and political parties and also by the media. This distinction touches key aspects of communications in a complex world, today dominated by big data, which in practice implies data overload for citizens and politicians. How do we increase societal capacity to identify, understand and react on the dynamics of their environment? For citizens of a country, big data may support conflating their very local experience of income restrictions, immigration flows into their communities or poor local health services, with deciding whether or not to support global policies. Politicians, also overwhelmed by data -in an uncertain world- may construct and impose their truths influenced by ideology, weak expert advice and short-term political interests.
In WOSC 2020, we invite reflections on how to reduce the gap between sound evidence and emotional constructions. We need to discuss our responsibility to create regulatory procedures to contextualize what we hear in the media and social networks. We invite reflections on the authenticity, legitimacy and truthfulness of the arguments advanced by those forming public opinion. It may be argued that the complexity of social processes makes impossible dealing with these challenges. Complexity management tools such as situation centres for development, social networks and artificial intelligence, are emerging from systems thinking and cybernetics. These tools carry some risks but also have the potential to increase the opportunities for more effective participation in policy and decision-making processes. We need to learn how to keep open checks and balances between multiple viewpoints to bridge gaps between emotional and empirical truths. We need to learn how to construct dialogues enmeshed in multiple moral mazes. This proposed utopia for WOSC 2020 is an invitation for participants to contribute to more transparent societies.
3. Technology and humanity: co-developing a hybrid reality
Hybrid reality is about the close interconnection of technology and people, either individuals or groups, addressing every instance of their behaviour. From a cybernetic perspective, it is a convergence and integration of subject, digital and physical reality. It offers an amplification of individual capabilities as well as an attenuation of the digital representation of the world, actively affecting their lives. Hybrid reality refers to the dynamics of people’s life worlds in smart environments, experiencing the implications of new technologies.
In WOSC 2020, we are inviting contributions on the state of the art of technology research, focusing especially on its implications for people, organizations, societies and the environment. Discussions on computing in design and architecture, smart devices and environments (personal and organisational), big data analytics and sharing, artificial intelligence, situation centres for development, energy and transport related issues, cyber security, health, blockchains and the convergence of technologies. The reasoning on technological feasibility should be advanced with implications for society and the environment: economic justifications, accordance to law, the ethical perspective, effects on the environment, and paths for identifying not yet identified consequences.
People are adapting to huge changes in their surroundings. They are invited to share their experiences and thereby contribute to producing group knowledge, that may become the next meta-level of group consciousness. In the age of human-machine interdependence, the boundaries between individual and group intelligence are redefined, putting technology in everything we do and experience. Reasoning on group consciousness and clarification of these boundaries pose a challenge for WOSC 2020.
Special attention is given to the design of hybrid reality elements. In addition to being subject-supportive, proactive, secure and providing value-added, the seamless supplementing of the natural and artificial in hybrid reality adds to the desired positive user experience.
We think that it is important to use systems thinking to manage the complexity of interactions in the hybrid reality to maximize its synergetic potentials on individuals and organizations and to avoid misuse and mitigate undesired consequences.
4. The creation of new areas of knowledge from the transdisciplinarity of systems sciences and cybernetics
In a world increasingly dominated by interactions, one of the challenges is facilitating self-organization processes for the emergence of desirable values in societies and for the creation and production of related policies from the most local to the most global levels. These are processes, aimed at innovation as well as making more meaningful people’s collective concerns. Good governance increases the opportunities for people’s development. However, at the same time, it has the potential to avoid fragmentation by facilitating the alignment of their interests. For example, citizens' participation in decision-support systems of distributed situational centers helps increase opportunities for self-organising networks.
We want to open debates to explore governance grounded in people’s interactions, communications and relationships. Through the investigation of institutions and evolving technologies, the Congress’s focus is to discuss contributions that guide, enable and facilitate interactions among available resources to increase society’s requisite variety to deal with social, ecological and economic challenges.
On the one hand, the creativity of people’s communications should help them by branching into all kinds of aspects necessary for a better life, and their moment to moment coordination of actions should help them align their interests. We want participants in WOSC 2020 to explore issues of social concern through deeper and wider appreciation of what is relevant.
As the complexity of societal issues grows the practical need for bringing together people’s concerns grows as well. This is an ongoing process of building ecosystems and making their boundaries operationally meaningful to all those affected.
We are proposing WOSC 2020 as a platform for cyber-systemic contributions to the above themes. We envisage a programme supported by group discussions supporting collective synergy, as well as by presentations of state-of-the-art research by individual researchers. | https://www.wosc2020.org/a-manifesto |
Two major forces are shaping the future of human civilization: anthropogenic climate change and the digital revolution. The changing climate is driving systemic shifts that threaten to destabilize the health and wellbeing of humankind and the natural systems on which they depend. Big data, digital platforms, and artificial intelligence (AI) are rapidly transforming society in ways that pose systemic risks to the global social fabric. But fortunately, AI and other digital technologies also present systemic opportunities for driving the large-scale societal transformations needed to build a climate-safe and equitable world. Investors and strategists working on the climate crisis are increasingly turning to digital innovations to increase efficiencies and reduce emissions from high-emitting sectors such as electricity, transport, food, land, and industry. However, little attention to date has focused on how AI and digital technologies are transforming the underlying socio-economic systems that are keeping society on a carbon-intensive and vulnerable path, and the opportunities these present for driving the large-scale transformative changes needed for decarbonization.
Recognizing the severity of the risks and the magnitude of the opportunity, we call for a global collaboration among business, civil society, researchers, and innovators to focus on leveraging AI and the digital age to help build a sustainable and equitable world.
The objectives of this Collective Statement are to:
- Call on leaders tackling the climate crisis and those working towards a just and equitable digital world to recognize that these agendas are interconnected.
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Define priority areas for guiding digitally-enabled societal transformations—building on the strengths of all regions and communities —to facilitate a transition to a climate-safe and equitable world.
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Build an international network of researchers, innovators, business leaders, and policymakers collectively working to leverage the digital age to drive these societal transformations.
We recognize that:
To avoid the most dire consequences of the changing climate, we must decarbonize our society over the coming 30 years. Doing this requires global transformations in social, economic, and governance systems that are currently sustaining our high-carbon society. AI and digitalization are already driving transformations in these systems at an unprecedented scale and pace. Digital technologies are rapidly re-shaping the way we interact with each other and the world, the way we conduct business, and how we govern our society.
The digital age presents powerful levers for the types of societal transformations needed for decarbonizing our economy while building resilience and increasing equity, achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Yet, a stabilized climate and, more broadly, achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals are far from inevitable outcomes of the digital revolution. In fact, digitalization has helped drive the exponential rise of the human imprint on the natural environment that now threatens life-supporting Earth systems. Furthermore, the digital revolution is raising ethical and equity issues that need to be addressed.
We ask:
Leaders in business, government, and civil society to recognize that building a climate safe and equitable world requires a conscious effort to steer the societal transformations unfolding from the development and deployment of new digital technologies.
Immediate action is needed in five specific areas:
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Build a new social contract for the digital age, which addresses individual rights, justice and equity, inclusive access, and environmental sustainability;
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Ensure open and transparent access to data and knowledge critical to achieving sustainability and equity;
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Foster public and private collaborations to develop and manage AI and other technologies in support of sustainability and equity;
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Promote research and innovation to steer digital transformations toward sustainability and equity; and
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Support targeted communication, engagement and education to advance the social contract.
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A New Social Contract for the Digital Age
The basic premise of the digital economy is simple: digital services are provided to users in exchange for data. These data is then used to improve services to users with tailored individual preferences on what to read, who to listen to, what to consume, and with whom to interact. While society benefits tremendously from these services, the economic logic of the markets behind them fuels inequities, encroaches on individual privacy, threatens democracy, and promotes unsustainable production and consumption.
The initial prospect for the digital age was that it would democratize information, improve governance through broader citizen engagement, enable a new, green, sharing economy, and help to measure and manage previously intractable global environmental challenges. Many of these aspirations have not yet been realized, in large part because the digital revolution evolved with limited governance frameworks to guide its development. As a result, the digital age of today poses threats to individual rights, social justice, and environmental sustainability.
But it is not too late. The potential for leveraging the digital age to benefit people and the planet is massive. To seize on this potential, we urgently need a social contract for the digital age that respects individual rights, social justice, is inclusive, and protects the Earth’s life-support systems. This new social contract must be founded on the following four principles:
1. Individual Digital Rights. Support ongoing processes to develop a universal declaration of digital rights, as an extension of the human rights declaration laid out by the United Nations. This might include an international convention or other type of institution with the mandate to implement and enforce a digital rights declaration. Digital rights should include, but not be limited to: online privacy, control over personal data, control over individual digital identities, and freedom of expression.
2. Just and Equitable Society. AI and other digital technologies must be designed to avoid creating, reinforcing, or reproducing discrimination and bias. To ensure just and equitable digital systems, transparency in the provenance of online data and derivative information products is required.
3. Inclusive Access. Bridge the digital divide by ensuring everyone has affordable access to reliable and secure internet services, equalize the quality and quantity of data around the world, and build capacity to enable equitable participation in the digital world.
4. Environmental Sustainability. AI and other digital technologies must be developed in an environmentally responsible manner to minimize waste, protect natural resources, and achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.
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Open and Transparent Access to Data and Knowledge Critical to Achieving Environmental Sustainability and Social Equity
Colossal quantities of data are produced and made accessible as a result of the digital age. Nevertheless, much of the data most valuable for building a climate-safe and equitable world are either not available for public use or are simply not being collected. As AI is increasingly turning collected data into usable knowledge, steps that could ensure open access to this critical data and knowledge include:
The creation and support of multi-stakeholder, consensus-based processes to identify priority data needed in the public domain. This includes understanding:
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Ensuring access to good quality data.
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Instilling trust and transparency in processes that turn data into knowledge. This includes understanding and supporting:
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Implementing laws, standards, and regulations to enable all of the above.
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Public-Private Collaborations to Develop And Manage AI and Other Digital Technologies that Support Environmental Sustainability and Social Equity
Public-private collaborations provide a model for advancing complex, large-scale projects. While traditionally used in sectors like transport and infrastructure, the same model can be extended to sustainability transformations. This would enable a broad diversity of actors – from global technology, finance, and media industries, to non-governmental organisations, national and local governments, and civil society groups – to rally expertise, financing , and ideas toward the common goal of a sustainable and equitable world. Strong, enforceable measures should be instituted to ensure the needed collaborations and outcomes. These include:
Regulation of platforms. Similar to the management of public utilities, regulation can facilitate more equitable and just collaboration and market opportunities. Public and private actors should be involved in developing and monitoring guidelines and regulations for the equitable use of platforms, technology, software, and data (including a universal right to be forgotten).
Diversified investments. Governments are limited by budgets, whereas the private sector can be risk-averse. Public-private collaborations can overcome these limitations with scope for creativity in investment type, including impact investments, blended finance, prizes and competitions, and public procurement. Public-private investments can also be targeted to a broader range of recipients along the entire innovation spectrum, from fundamental research, to engagement activities, to technology.
Innovative revenue models. Various revenue models must be explored to facilitate public-private collaborations in support of building and managing AI and other digital technologies for the benefit of people and the planet. For example, privately owned data (proprietary basis) could be bought and sold in a fine-grained state but be made publicly available free of charge in a less granular state.
Expanded ownership and institutional vehicles. These might include the expansion of and open access to data trusts (mechanisms for stewardship of data for the benefit of a group of organisations or people), mission-focused incubators, and cooperatives (for example, socially oriented platforms for innovation).
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Research and Innovation Focused on Transdisciplinary Challenges and Opportunities
Deeper investigation is needed to better understand the underlying drivers and dynamics of the systems that are maintaining our unsustainability. It will also be imperative to assess the opportunities and risks of leveraging AI and other digital technologies for steering these systems towards a more sustainable and equitable world. Examples of questions to be explored include:
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Targeted Communication, Engagement, and Education to Advance the Social Contract
As this movement grows, knowledge transfer will be critical. The following can help foster widespread dissemination of learning:
In the education sector, we can create opportunities for stronger interdisciplinary training, teaching opportunities, and cross-fertilization of ideas to build a new generation of leaders versed in digital rights and protection of the Earth’s life- support systems. This could include, for example, ethics and social impact courses for computer scientists, AI and digital technologies courses for environmental social sciences and humanities scholars, early introduction for all students to ethics, environment, and digitalization, and a stronger emphasis on critical thinking and civic training in education more broadly.
Using a variety of targeted communications and engagement channels, we must build public understanding of the importance for the collection of data for the public good and garner support for a new social contract for the digital age.
We encourage worldwide engagement with these critical questions about big data, digital platforms, and artificial intelligence that will have a significant impact on the future of humankind and the planet that sustains us. | https://sustainabilitydigitalage.org/montreal-statement/ |
Summary report on the workshop “Responsible Research and Innovation in Synthetic Biology”, Darmstadt, 23 - 25 June 2014.
Submitted by harald_kit on
This SYNENERGENE workshop on “Responsible Research and Innovation in Synthetic Biology” took place at the Schader-Forum, Darmstadt (Germany), on 23 - 25 June 2014. It was jointly organized by the Institute of Technology Assessment and Systems Analysis (ITAS) / Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, the Institute for Philosophy at the Technical University of Darmstadt, and the Schader Foundation (Darmstadt).
The workshop aimed to bring together various actors, including people from academic research, industry, civil society and politics to discuss in an experimental format questions concerning pre-requisites for ‘Responsible Research and Innovation’ in synthetic biology.
The workshop started with a lecture and discussion event “Engineering Life? Responsible Research and the Limits of Design” on the evening of 23 June. Supported by the Schering-Foundation (Berlin), the evening event was open to the public.
Two talks initially presented two different perspectives on 'responsible research and innovation' (RRI) in synthetic biology: that of governance and ethical deliberation in and around science, and that of economical and policy aspects. The first of these perspectives was represented by René von Schomberg (European Commission), one of the most important advocates of RRI in Europe who spoke in personal capacity. He stressed the need for developing a “Science 2.0” that have to become more open for societal challenges and thus more mission-oriented in order to better serve societal needs, as well as explaining key ideas linked to RRI. In the second talk, James Philp (Science and Technology Policy Analyst at the OECD, and lead author of the latest OECD report on synthetic biology) represented a second more “economic” perspective on RRI. He focused on bioeconomy aspects as ways to combat by synthetic biology threats from some of the grand societal challenges (such as energy security, climate change, rural regeneration), as well as to secure the chemicals sector for the future in Europe– and how synthetic biology fits into the bio-based production picture. Furthermore, he outlined some emerging policy issues (including the biosecurity issue) of synthetic biology.
These presentations were commented by two workshop participants. From the point of view of innovative product development, Stephen van Dien (Director, Technology Development, Genomatica Inc., San Diego) pointed out the opportunities of synbio for the sustainable production of existing bulk chemicals (rather than generating replacement compounds with unknown properties) in a cost-competitive way. From a more ethics and policy oriented perspective, Wolf-Michael Catenhusen (former Secretary of State at the German Ministry of Research and currently vice-chairman of the German Ethics Council) suggested that the relatively early stage of synthetic biology is the right time to initiate a common learning process among stakeholders, integrating different learning processes from EU member states related to earlier technological developments, such as synthetic chemistry, genetic engineering and nanotechnology.
The presentations and comments were followed by a discussion with the audience which comprised about 30 workshop participants and 20 people from outside. It covered topics such as biosecurity and the FBI’s outreach approach to the scientific and the biohacker communities in the USA; the role of codes of conducts for RRI; criteria for concerns and risk assessment; regulatory issues related to biosafety and the basic question who decides / should decide what is responsible.
For programme and pictures of this public evening event , see http://www.schader-stiftung.de/uploads/tx_schaderstiftung/Flyer_Engineering_Life_Responsible_Research_and_Design_23_06_2014_01.pdf and http://www.schader-stiftung.de/veranstaltungen/artikel/public-panel-engineering-life-responsible-research-and-the-limits-of-design/, respectively.
The closed part of the stakeholder workshop on “Responsible Research and Innovation in Synthetic Biology” on 24-25 June involved 35 participants from Europe and the USA. It included people from academic synthetic biology research, science and technology studies (STS), students of the iGEM competition, industry, civil society organizations, the biohacker community, research funding and policy advice bodies. The workshop aimed to identify and discuss preconditions for ‘responsible research and innovation’ (RRI) in synthetic biology (synbio). It staged roundtable discussions on four separate ‘dimensions’ of 'responsible research and innovation' in four sessions:
1. Value sensitive design
2. Conditions for Co-Responsibility – Rights and Privileges, Commitments and Obligations
3. Responsible Representation – Knowledge and Ignorance, Limits of Control
4. Monitoring, Observation and Regulation – Collective Experimentation and Social Learning
Each of the four topics started with a brief presentation of an example or potential ‘prototypic’ model case related to RRI (by workshop participants or the organizers) as well as a set of questions and theses.
1. Value sensitive design
Implicit and explicit values and “societal needs”, such as sustainability, or privacy and safety by design, have increasingly gained relevance in research policies (e.g. related to nanotechnology) and in certain technology sectors (e.g. in communications technology). Questions in this session addressed the possibilities and potential limits for value-sensitive design in synbio research and development (R&D) processes.
As a possible ‘prototypic’ model, Stephen van Dien (Genomatica Inc., San Diego) presented the production of 1,4-butanediol (an important commodity chemical produced from oil and natural gas, and not synthesized by any known organism) from renewable materials by a ‘synthetic’ pathway in bacteria.
The prototypic model case initiated the discussion and delineation of various factors that affect, or should affect, values to be included / considered in R&D processes. Such factors can be ‘commercial drivers’ (e.g. market opportunities for ‘green chemicals’ or new synbio-based pharmaceuticals) or ‘societal benefits’ (public good). The relation between these two factors, and their role in RRI was controversially discussed between participants (e.g. from industry and innovation research on the one hand, and STS scholars and civil society on the other), without reaching consensus: Should RRI be mainly, or even exclusively, guided by values not immediately addressed by market mechanisms? And can these be at all separated from commercial drivers and markets? In addition the role and need for ethical limits (to manipulate organisms), of individual people (in institutions) and factors affecting the justification of research on certain applications were suggested to need consideration.
2. Conditions for co-responsibility – rights and privileges, commitments and obligations
Research and development in (potential) key technologies can be shaped by various societal actors. These range from investors, public or private research, the legislature, to certification bodies for sustainable production of goods – not to neglect the roles of NGOs/CSOs, consumers, or journalism. However, consequences of technological innovation are often the effects of collective action or societal effects which cannot be linked to intentional individual actions: How can individuals be embedded in a process of co-responsibility? – What are appropriate institutional models for constructive stakeholder participation and input in the innovation process in synbio?
As a possible ‘prototypic’ model, the organizers presented two not-for-profit international certification initiatives, Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and Roundtable on Sustainable Biomaterials (RSB), the latter of which has already relations to synbio. Both are models for democratically governed initiatives between various societal actors, including social and environmental NGOs and profit-making companies: Could they provide models for constructive stakeholder participation to affect innovation and product development in synbio? (e.g. related to new generations of biofuels or bio-based chemicals). And, could they further incorporate a ‘societal dynamics’ into the design of the synbio R&D process - and also shape research and research agendas in basic (and translational) science?
The example of product certification schemes brought up arguments regarding their benefits for creating co-responsibility and, as an institutional model, for constructive stakeholder participation. There appeared to be consensus that such schemes could strengthen co-responsibility between stakeholder groups, largely independent on governments (which some stakeholders may not trust). Such third –party, independent certification might also provide a model for non-governmental risk assessment (especially so in cases where capacities for governmental risk assessment might become insufficient, as was suggested a possibility for synbio in future). On the other hand, many participants raised concerns that such product-oriented schemes are not ‘upstream’ enough. And could thus not be able to affect research process or allow participation in setting research agendas. Instead, STS and CSO participants suggested the need for changes regarding science policy and ‘constitutionality’, also imposing responsibility on politics to ‘answer’. These changes should allow an empowerment of society – and would depend on the creation of structures and incentives that let societal actors to acquire knowledge and to gain authority / legitimacy.
3. Responsible Representation – Knowledge and Ignorance, Limits of Control
Synbio’s primary focus appears to be not on the discovery and testing of grand explanatory theories, but on problems that need to be solved to enable next steps within a larger research project, emphasizing the need for innovation and economic growth. It thus contributes to a design process, broadly conceived, e.g., to develop cures for disease, to improve the collection and storage of energy. Responsible Research and Innovation begins with an adequate self-understanding of practitioners in the field of synthetic biology but also needs to be seen for what it is by outsiders: How to resolve the tension between ambitions for construction and design on the one hand, and on the other hand the appreciation of limits of knowledge and control, emergent properties and evolutionary change of living systems. How is synthetic biology presented and represented?
As a possible ‘prototypic’ model, Daniel Sachs (iGEM team Darmstadt) presented the iGEM competition and possible relations of activities in iGEM and iGEM teams related to RRI.
Discussion started around the questions to what extent iGEM may be the ‘public face’ of synbio, and whether it could be a good model for RRI. Though iGEM appeared to be widely known among the workshop participants, it was suggested that other ‘synbio faces’ may actuallybe more 'public', such as the prominent US researcher Craig Venter or the company Monsanto. Though, as suggested by one participant from industry, some important corporate player may not want become a public ‘synbio face’ and don’t use the term synthetic biology in public communication.
The thesis that iGEM could serve as a good model for RRI, especially regarding responsible representation, was questioned by various participants, including people that have participated in iGEM. Mainly for two reasons: First, it were not clear whether iGEM really represents research or science. And second because of its strong use of engineering and technical metaphors in language and communication, pretending life can be engineered and becomes controllable like machines. This was seen to contrast with the role of emergence and evolution, neglecting or ousting potential limits of control. It was also suggested that such language is actually used to drive research project and attract funding. Various participants felt that this is an issue that can be found throughout the synbio field. Such strategic use of words was seen as contrasting with intellectual honesty, finally suggested to be an important foundation for responsible representation in RRI.
4. Monitoring, Observation and Regulation – Collective Experimentation and Social Learning
This session aimed at discussing and exploring possibilities for translating knowledge and uncertainty into responsible decision making and governance processes. Points of departure were existing governance structures and societal analysis by the social sciences that may represent collective or ‘real-world’ experimentation on emerging technologies.
As a possible ‘prototypic’ model, Eleonore Pauwels (Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, Washington D.C.) presented “Trading zones“ as a set of methods for collaborations between different “epistemic cultures”, meaning collaborations across disciplines and sectors, with the goal to address the uncertain and complex challenges posed by synthetic biology. The primary aim in this model is not to reach a consensus among participants, but to develop a common language between scientists from different disciplines (such as synbio and ecology research) as well as various more upstream and downstream actors. This should allow to unveil potential zones of uncertainty and allow mutual learning in a kind of co-evolution process.
Discussion around the trading zone model focused on the way this concept could involve and foster communication with societal actors other than scientists, and how it could contribute to “real” governance solutions in practice. A major topic of discussion here was how to transfer knowledge to civil society and empower it (or its organizations) to build up their own expertise, in order to participate in scientific and political debates. This included suggestions for structures, incentives or collaborations with governments. These issues led the discussion to other possible schemes or models that may contribute to a ‘responsible’ governance process. Ideas ranged from web-based decentralization strategies of knowledge, data and communication that could allow to open up discussions; to participation of civil society in research funding and councils of regulatory agencies; to systematic observation mechanisms based on ‘institutions for permanent real-time vigilance’ for more robust research processes and innovation systems. Especially these latter ‘observation mechanisms / institutions’ let to questions of legitimacy (who can / should observe or analyze?; how independent could they be?) and to suggestions that such observation would not suffice, but would have to be coupled to political decision making processes.
Based on the previous sessions, a final discussion round dealt with the question of how to go on in a mutual learning process to ‘responsible research and innovation’ in synbio. This discussion brought up very basic issues that should be considered in future discussions on RRI and synbio. These included questions as to what such mutual learning should be for: Could / should it go beyond a merely enabling process for society / stakeholder to engage in debates? What can its role in political decisions be? Who will actually decide on what is good or bad in research and development (R&D) processes? Furthermore, what is the role of ethical issues and limits (related to notions of ‘life’, or genetic identity of organisms) in this process rather than procedural questions, and who will discuss them?
From the basic nature of these questions and (open) issues, as well as discussions in the four workshop sessions related to practicability and possible governance schemes, it appears that RRI is a concept that is still rather vague, and difficult to relate to the practice of R&D as well as policy. This seemed to be true for both academic researchers –though maybe less so for researchers from STS / accompanying research— and all other societal actors (such as corporate actors or civil society) among participants. Thus this workshop on pre-conditions for RRI in synbio may suggest that questions of RRI need to be discussed related to more concrete issues in synbio or R&D processes, and in the context of more specific political conditions (e.g. certain science policy / research funding contexts, or regulatory / policy bodies). | https://www.synenergene.eu/resource/summary-report-workshop-%E2%80%9Cresponsible-research-and-innovation-synthetic-biology%E2%80%9D-darmstadt.html |
27 September 2018
The OECD is moving ahead with its work on Artificial Intelligence (AI) towards developing a Council Recommendation in the course of 2019 and creating an AI observatory as a pillar of the second phase of the Going Digital project.
On 24-25 September, the first meeting of the AI expert Group at the OECD (AIGO) was held in Paris. It will be followed by other meetings in the next months. The AIGO has multi-stakeholder membership and brings together experts who have been nominated by OECD delegations and advisory committees (including the TUAC) as well as a handful of invited experts. TUAC was represented through its Secretariat, Anna Byhovskaya and by UNI Global Union, Christina Colclough. The group is asked to contribute to the scope and content of the OECD principles on AI – which are expected to range from safeguarding core democratic and societal values, to operational parameters for AI systems, to guidelines for policy frameworks.
At both, the national and regional level (including the EU level) such multi-stakeholder discussions are currently underway. The implications of an increasing and wider use of AI, combined with other technologies will be far reaching on jobs and on workers – from changing work patterns, to data control, to the replacement of tasks. Yet, many opportunities and challenges of AI and its scope can still not be fully grasped as its development and spread take place at an unprecedented speed.
For TUAC, building in safeguards into design, development and the use of AI will be crucial, not least on employment aspects. Many policy proposals start and end with education and training when it comes to societal impacts. Collective bargaining or just transition funds are not on the radar in some of these debates, yet.
Public policy needs to look into the economic, social including labour market, ethical and legal aspects of AI as several risks arise. At the same time, it is important to keep the balance between applying and revising existing standards and regulatory frameworks. The TUAC had published a first set of priorities in November 2017 (https://tuac.org/news/shaping-introduction-ai-benefit/ ) and will flash these out further: | https://tuac.org/news/artificial-intelligence-ai-the-oecd-starts-discussing-general-and-policy-principles/ |
Artificial intelligence (AI) can be a driver for productivity and economic growth in Europe. The new technology can also help addressing some of the most pressing societal challenges.
However, there is a fair risk that Europe will lose its competitive edge with the United States and China in the global race for AI leadership. The European Commission has already adopted a “Communication on Artificial Intelligence for Europe” and established the AI High-Level Expert Group in order to join forces and enable real progress on AI in Europe. At the EIF dinner debate on AI we would to discuss especially three topics:
- How can private and public sector mobilize significant AI investment in Europe that enables us to compete with the US and China?
- What regulatory framework do we need in Europe to provide legal certainty for AI investments, to establish a fully functioning single market for AI products and services and to address the risks related to AI?
- And what kind of guidelines and safeguards do we need to put in place to ensure that AI development in Europe will respect European values and ethical standards? | https://www.internetforum.eu/events/1036-the-third-way-how-europe-can-succeed-against-china-and-the-us-in-the-global-race-for-ai-leadership.html |
We introduce our students to current and future challenges in the areas of marketing and global management through practical and research-based teaching and continuing education. In doing so, we use proven, modern teaching methods to help our students see learning as a constructive, lifelong process.
At the heart of our research are questions that aim to create added business value on the one hand, and offer larger-scale societal benefits or counteract social issues on the other. The current research focus areas of the marketing subject-area group are as follows:
Product innovations and technology
We are researching client-side and user-side acceptance of and/or resistance to new technologies (e.g. digital/smart/radical/sustainable innovations), products and business models, so that they are able to deliver the greatest benefit to society. In addition, we are also examining what impact the use of new technologies (e.g. AI-based products and services) has on consumer behaviour.
Customer behaviour in digital contexts
We are investigating how customers make decisions in digital contexts (e.g. e-commerce, social media) and what the implications are for marketing by socially responsible businesses (e.g. branding).
Digital brand management
We are finding out how to manage brands digitally as part of different life cycles, e.g. which platforms should be utilised, what requirements brand ambassadors should meet and what services they should offer, and how the output should be measured. In doing so, we (still?) consider the digital and analogue worlds as a single entity.
Entrepreneurial marketing
We address specific questions relating to marketing newly founded businesses, in particular how product innovations can be marketed effectively at an early stage, e.g. via crowdfunding.
Marketing ethics
Across all of our topics, we take the customer perception of marketing tools into account, for example the influences and effects of the perception of modern marketing tools (decision architecture, dark patterns, etc.) as manipulative or unethical. We are developing guidelines for how to use these tools ethically.
Global Management
Living and working in an interconnected world requires new management approaches to international and global business practices. Yet billions are potentially lost every year because we ignore the expectations of people in foreign cultures, and the way that they do business.
Our team, Global Management, concentrates on developing measures that address the organizational goals when expanding internationally, such as
- Global strategic expansion with live-case companies
- International management
- Developing global mindsets and cultural intelligence
Concerning global competence development, we refer to the OECD definition, which states that globally competent individuals are able to «address local, global, and intercultural issues, understand and appreciate diverse perspectives and worldviews, interact successfully and respectfully with others, and act responsibly with respect to the sustainability of collective well-being.»
Our current research involves: | https://www.bfh.ch/en/research/research-areas/institut-marketing-and-global-management/skills/ |
As we move towards 2020, the Universidad de Monterrey will endeavor to continue developing as an educational community that stands out for promoting an academic culture of excellence and furthermore, for encouraging its members to make a commitment to integrity and to adhere to humanistic values. We are a community united by the common aspiration of contributing to the construction of a sustainable society through knowledge and the spirit of service. More Information (PDF).
Become familiar with the three pillars that define the general guidelines of the UDEM’s Vision for 2020.
In order to maximize the potential and development of its students, the Universidad de Monterrey will promote a curricular model that urges the utmost academic rigor and promotes an interdisciplinary education. To achieve this, the UDEM plans to reinforce the excellence of its teaching body.
The institution will innovate in its learning models, in the academic programs it offers, and in its services at the level of global pedagogical trends in order to broaden the horizons of both the institution and its students.
In a similar manner, the UDEM will strengthen its programs of investigation and extension by uniting with national and international networks and organizations. This will allow us to multiply the academic services we offer businesses, government bodies, and civil society.
Integral formation should be the common thread to all university activities by strengthening all the dimensions of person growth, urging the development of life skills, and promoting intense citizen participation.
This formation will allow the member of our community to be social responsible and active. They will be able to interact with the leaders of social change in national and international organizations.
Furthermore, we will expand and extend the initiative that open up intercultural experiences to the university community, both on and off campus. This will allow us to enrich our perspective and find new ways to transcend through service.
Being firmly committed to promote a proactive and innovative environmental and social consciousness, the Universidad de Monterrey will optimize the use of its technological tools, extension programs, centers of integral formation, and consulting services to establish strategic alliances in the business community and in governmental and social institutions in order to develop new product and services.
Similarly, guided by its Master Development Plan, the UDEM will strengthen it operating systems by supplying its systems with vanguard technology, by offering certification programs to the general public, and by continuing to innovate in the construction of infrastructure in accord with global standards of sustainability and flexibility. | http://www.udem.edu.mx/Eng/Somos-UDEM/Pages/Mision.aspx |
Ecological and Societal Transformation
In the fourth research focus – "Ecological and Societal Transformation" – the focus is on how society deals with local and global change processes. Which interdependencies are to be observed in particular in connection with sustainability? How are the processes controlled and influenced? To get answers to these and similar questions, this research focus examines specific economic, legal and ethical implications and technological developments. In order to implement inter- and transdisciplinary work usefully, models and methods of knowledge integration and management approaches are developed for corresponding projects.
Research topics
Global dimensions of sustainability
Act locally – think globally. This slogan puts it in a nutshell that every local and regional action is complex and can bring a global impact with it – and therefore, an international viewpoint is necessary. At the conceptual level therefore, methods for the identification and evaluation of interactions between various transformation processes and relevant socio-environmental contexts are developed and applied. Other methods are comparative research and intercultural reflection. If biofuels are introduced, for example, in Central Europe, then the above mentioned approach would not only conceptualize a regional or national life cycle assessment but would take the global consequences under closer investigation: Does the increased demand for energy-rich plant materials lead to an appropriate cultivation in other regions of the world? Which influences would this have on the food supply in these countries? And which environmental impacts would be associated with it?
Sustainability management
The implementation of sustainability strategies can lead to conflicts. Therefore, economic and business research takes the actors involved, the arenas – meaning the locations of the implementation – and the implementation processes as a whole into consideration. How can possible conflicts between sustainability and organizational individual logic or specific goals be avoided or resolved? How can the goals of sustainable development be pursued in the long term if they are not initially supported by the involved actors due to lack of knowledge, possible risks and the uncertainty of their consequences?
Economy and sustainability
Economic analyses are often limited to working with scarce resources to find the most efficient and fastest way. An "Economy of Sustainability" cannot stop there but must contribute to inter- and intra-generational distribution issues. A look at the history of sustainability can help: The term was founded in 1713 in forestry and at that time aimed to manage the forest in such a manner that it can ensure the supply of the population with wood as a raw material in the long run – i.e. sustainably. However, since trees are harvestable only decades, partly even centuries after planting, sustainable management here always means planning over several generations. Transferred to the modern concept of sustainability, this means taking the overall economic growth, the creation of sustainability standards, the choice of appropriate strategies for resource use and the configuration of institutions into consideration.
Politics and sustainability
How can political conflicts over the allocation, the protection and use of natural resources be dealt with and resolved? Which role can participation and deliberation play? How do political instruments in environmental policy work, how did they originate, how are they used and how do they work? How important is the expertise in the sustainable development policy, in particular the tension between effective policy advice and democratic inclusiveness? And last but not least: How does our society deal with risks and uncertainty?
The research topic "Policy and Sustainability" deals with such questions of policy frameworks and standards in the implementation of sustainability strategies.
Law and sustainability
From a legal perspective, the overall architecture of the energy system, the degree of decentralization and centralization as well as the normative, precise allocation of responsibilities are issues yet to be fundamentally clarified. The legal framework for future supply structures has been created only rudimentarily and requires a legally informed jurisprudential analysis, which will be developed in this research focus by an interdisciplinary research group.
Transformation of socio-technical systems
How can socio-technical systems, i.e. systems involving people and technology, be transformed sustainably? An example of such as system is the energy industry, which has, both in management and in technology, focused on large power plants for the central energy supply for a long time. If the energy industry now switches to regenerative and decentralized production, then it does not suffice to replace the technology or relevant actors. The industry has to change in its system – socio-technically. In this research area, approaches from innovation and transition research are linked with approaches from political science, geography, institutional economics, socio-economics and social science technology research. Through this, a sociotheoretically better funded understanding of socio-technical transitions shall be developed in order to arrive at concrete starting points for a proactive approach.
Methods and approaches of inter- and transdisciplinary knowledge generation
Sustainability research combines economic, ecological, scientific and humanistic methods. Consequently, it presupposes a combination and integration of different theoretical framing, methodological approaches and empirical knowledge. How can processes be developed that generate systematic transformation of knowledge? Which methods and transdisciplinary knowledge integration are suitable for sustainability research? And which participatory processes involving key players and management approaches are useful for inter- and transdisciplinary projects? Such basic methodological questions are necessary in order to establish sustainability as a research area. | https://www.leistungszentrum-nachhaltigkeit.de/en/themen/ecological-and-societal-transformation/ |
Technical Standards in Blockchain
Applying technical and legislative standards to decentralized and open-source networks like distributed ledgers and blockchains undoubtedly presents challenges, but it’s not impossible to achieve.
In this article, we will be discussing the state of technical standards in the blockchain industry. With every new technology, standard requirements arise because they help ensure safety, reliability, and contribute to the advancement of innovation. Technical standards are formal documents that establish consistent technical criteria, methods, and practices, developed through an accredited consensus process. They contain technical specifications and other precise criteria designed to be used consistently as a rule, guideline, or definition.
Applying technical and legislative standards to decentralized and open-source networks like distributed ledgers and blockchains undoubtedly presents challenges, but it’s not impossible to achieve. Decentralization means there is no central entity responsible for developing, delivering, and monitoring standards and their implementation. However, there already exists a system in place that experienced the same path before and could help define some guidelines. That’s the Internet, a “loosely-organized international collaboration of autonomous, interconnected networks, supports communication through voluntary adherence to open protocols and procedures defined by Internet Standards”, as defined by IETF, the premier Internet standards organization.
Just like the Internet, blockchain is an evolving system and network of participants who continuously contribute to its design and implementation. Creating new standards and improving the existing ones is an ongoing effort and the Internet can set a precious precedent in leveraging the standard-setting process of blockchain and DLT technologies. Due to the nature of blockchains that have emerged in different types and with different protocols, standardization could be the result of a highly fragmented industry where individual participants or entities make use of the technology in isolation from other organizations. The ultimate result could be a slower adoption by businesses and a confusing framework that leaves little space to further innovation incentives. That’s why businesses and authorities alike need to meet on common grounds to help the technology thrive and, at the same time, provide users and customers with the trust guaranteed by quality standards.
A few organizations have worked over the years to create these processes but never had a complete catalog of such practices been created before. Now, the World Economic Forum has tracked down the leading blockchain standard organizations and published “The Global Standards Mapping Initiative”, to bring some clarity around technical, regulatory, and governance models of blockchains. The study focuses on two major components: Technical Standards and Legislation taking into consideration the different jurisdictions, the different types of blockchain, and the different types of industries that are transformed by blockchain technology.
The Global Standards Mapping Initiative (GSMI), which is based upon in-depth literature reviews and technical interviews and observations of the major players, represents an unprecedented effort to map and analyze the current framework. It includes data from over 30 technical standard-setting entities, 185 jurisdictions, and nearly 400 industry groups and attempts to offer an overview of the current landscape to:
1) provide grounds to establish some clarity in terminology, as it remains inconsistent;
2) identify gaps and areas of overlap;
3) identify inconsistency across geography, expertise, and role.
The mapping is expected to help blockchain service providers, policymakers, and standard-setting organizations who should be able to rely on the produced standard-setting activities and the implementation of technical standards.
Major organizations considered:
- The IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, USA) provides guidelines on the Internet of things (IoT); cryptocurrency exchange and payment; tokens; energy; digital assets;
- The ISO (The International Organization for Standardization, Switzerland) focuses on security and identity;
- The BSI (The British Standards Institution, UK) and the GDF (Global Digital Finance, UK) deal with DLT requirements;
- The CESI (The China Electronics Standardization Institute, China) works on tokens and security;
- The DCSA (The Digital Container Shipping Association, Netherlands) encourages interoperability within the container shipping industry through digitalization and standardization;
- The ITU-T (The International Telecommunication Union Telecommunications, Switzerland) ensures the production of standards in security, IoT, identity, and DLT requirements.
Protocol-specific standard processes have also been implemented in a decentralized manner through “improvement proposals”. These are managed by the developer community and often facilitated through the open-source platform GitHub.
Overview of the current landscape.
A. Terminology
Inconsistency in defining concepts and key aspects of blockchain might represent an issue even in the adoption timeline of the technology since terminology is the basis for all further standard-setting activities. Terminology variance appears even in the definition of blockchain itself, therefore, it becomes necessary to ensure that language and intended use are precise, consistent and that the standards addressed to their intended audience are as clear as possible.
B. Gaps and overlaps
Major efforts have been focused on identifying gaps and overlaps. Collaborations among entities, users, consumers should always be promoted as a way to mitigate the impact of gaps and overlaps in the current framework. It would help harmonize terminology and working definitions; provide a sequence of standard development; minimize redundancies and maximize the potential for boosting interoperability.
The top areas of overlap are:
- Security: due to the existence of different types of blockchains, consistency in security management of cryptographic assets in cryptocurrency exchanges, protection of customer assets, and security for DLT data access and sharing management systems should be ensured.
- Internet of Things: technical standards should converge on the interoperability between IoT devices, hardware, and blockchain network protocols.
- Identity: user key management for blockchain and distributed ledger technologies should be a primary focus of standard-setting organizations.
- DLT requirements: they should include the definition of hardware and software requirements and Data formats.
- DLT taxonomy/terminology: it should cover the definition of types, functions, components, user interactions, and use cases of blockchain.
The top gap categories are outlined as follows:
- When to apply DLT: Assessment of DLT types, usefulness, and relevant risks for a business;
- Core technical elements: Assessment of off-chain networks (e.g. Lightning), consensus algorithms, DLT interoperability.
- DLT performance tests: standards on technical, functional, and security performance tests are currently not provided while they should be performed on DLT platforms, along with procedural recommendations.
- Related verticals: standard-setting organizations have only started exploring connections to industry verticals like education, sustainable development, construction management, and land registries. However, more efforts in these areas are expected in the coming years.
Unequal representation of geographical areas
Currently, most of the standard-setting organizations and activities are based in Europe, North America, and China. So far, it has been proven difficult to include a more global view whereas ensuring a diverse and comprehensive representation is critical to preserving the integrity of standards. For an industry that is cross-border by nature, standards should not be intended for the generation of particular products, philosophies, or geopolitical interests but take into consideration varied cultural interpretations and contexts.
Inconsistency across expertise and consumer representation
Given that blockchain involves different disciplines like software, cryptography, and economics, diverse expertise is needed in the standards development process. It’s, therefore, advisable to ensure rigorous coordination and collaboration among standard-setting organizations. The role of consumers in an open-source environment is rather peculiar as often service users are also contributors to protocol-oriented standards. However, consumer protection, exclusion, or even exploitation remain major concerns even for transparent and accessible platforms like GitHub.
Key Recommendations for standard-setting entities
The paper goes on to recommend standard-setting organizations identify and carefully consider that discussion about standardization in some areas of the technology may be premature. Some standards might even be unnecessary and setting standards too early may discourage innovation or lead to adverse incentives. They should also always consider the crucial role of decentralization when creating, planning, and implementing standards. Education on the best techniques for standards implementation should be continuously encouraged as standards will ultimately be beneficial when learned, understood, and implemented.
For entities adopting technical standards
Entities are encouraged to follow the ongoing standard-setting activities and the evolving landscape or risk being left behind in important developments in cryptography, security, or interoperability. The entire paper has emphasized how much collaboration with other organizations is an essential requirement to plan a comprehensive standard-setting landscape. Indeed, collaborative ecosystems like industry consortiums are more likely to identify and tackle gaps and overlaps in the landscape, other than help minimize redundancies.
Intellectual property concerns
As highlighted in a previous article there are four methods of formal intellectual property rights protection: patents, copyrights, trademarks, and trade secrets. With regard to standardization, patents represent the main challenge especially in open blockchains like Bitcoin and Ethereum where the open and public participation of the network might be a hurdle in standard-setting. Therefore, when creating IP ownership standards, entities should consider the risk of violating patents owned by participants and set clear specifications to avoid any issue.
Conclusion
According to American financial services company Moody’s, 2021 will be the year of blockchain standardization, paving the way to real cost-and-time-saving benefits via faster data availability, elimination of transaction parties, and automation.
“Standardization would improve interoperability across systems and market participants, but also reduce counterparty concentration, operational and legal/regulatory risks for transactions that use blockchain technology,” said Frank Cerveny, VP-Senior Research Analyst at the company.
For a technology that is still considered a highly uncertain market, this could be the turning point for its full legitimization and the much-needed interoperability across the whole ecosystem. It would help overcome the typical fragmentation that has slowed down adoption and innovation.
BLOCK.CO is an active participant in the open blockchain ecosystem and will follow closely and contribute to future developments in the standard-setting processes. we are re-evaluating compliance with all standardization efforts that are in alignment with our design principles. We still feel that the adoption of these standards will take years to be fruitful, but we will update appropriately to be compliant. We are even adding mechanisms to re-issue existing certificates with the new standards when they are mature enough to be useful.
Stay tuned for the next article with more insights about blockchain technology, its use, and implications by following us on our social media channels.
For more info, contact BLOCK.CO directly or email at [email protected].
Tel +357 70007828
Get the latest from BLOCK.CO, like and follow us on social media: | https://blog.block.co/technical-standards-in-blockchain/ |
NEW YORK – Heritable human genome editing (HHGE) isn't yet safe or effective enough to be used in human embryos, and if or when any nation does allow its use, it should be limited to the prevention of serious monogenic diseases, the International Commission on the Clinical Use of Human Germline Genome Editing said in a report released on Thursday.
The commission — which is made up of representatives from the US National Academy of Medicine (NAM), the US National Academy of Sciences (NAS), and the Royal Society of the UK — convened in May 2019 in the wake of the controversy over the work of He Jiankui, the Chinese scientist who shocked the world in November 2018 when he announced that he had edited the germlines of twin embryos. He was widely condemned by the global scientific community for violating scientific principles and ethical norms.
The commission was charged with identifying the scientific, medical, and ethical requirements that should be considered before genome editing research can be applied to the clinic, if society concludes that HHGE applications are acceptable. At the panel's first meeting in August 2019, NAM President Victor Dzau said that although germline genome editing is a technological breakthrough with transformative potential for medicine, it's controversial because the use of gene editing in embryos would produce permanent alterations that would be passed down to further generations.
He also noted at the time that the scientific and ethical issues surrounding germline editing are linked, and that several problems would have to be solved before the technology could be considered usable in the clinic — for example, identifying appropriate protocols for assessing on- and off-target effects and long-term side effects; assessing mosaicism; assessing potential benefits and harms to a potential child; designing appropriate protocols to obtain consent from patients; and creating mechanisms for long-term monitoring of children who are edited.
In its new report, the commission noted that it didn't seek to make judgements about whetherclinical uses of a safe and effective HHGE methodology should be permitted at some point. Rather, the commissioners sought to determine whether the safety and efficacy of genome editing methodologies are or could be sufficiently well developed to permit responsible clinical use of HHGE. They also aimed to identify initial potential applications of HHGE for which a responsible clinical translational pathway can currently be defined, and to delineate the necessary elements of such a translational pathway.
They also outlined what they believe to be necessary national and international mechanisms for appropriate scientific governance of HHGE that would allow for whistleblowing on rogue scientists or countries seeking to perform germline genome editing in unsafe or unethical ways.
In a press conference to discuss the report, commission Cochair and University of Oxford Professor of Genetics Kay Davies said that the commission considered the technical, scientific, medical, and regulatory requirements, "as well as the societal and ethical issues that are inextricably linked to these requirements," but was not charged "with addressing broader societal ethical issues of HHGE." She noted that these issues, among others, are expected to be part of a broader report on genome editing issues being written by a World Health Organization panel.
"The key messages from the report are, first, no clinical use of HHGE should be considered until it has been clearly established that it is possible to efficiently and reliably make precise genomic changes without undesired changes. And we clearly recommend that there are a lot of gaps in our knowledge and further research is necessary," Davies said. "Secondly, before any country decides to approve the use of HHGE, there should be national and international mechanisms to ensure that the preclinical requirements have been met for initial responsible use, and any clinical use of HHGE should proceed cautiously with initial use restricted to a limited set of circumstances."
Eleven recommendations
The report specifically outlined 11 recommendations. First, the commission said, "No attempt to establish a pregnancy with a human embryo that has undergone genome editing should proceed unless and until it has been clearly established that it is possible to efficiently and reliably make precise genomic changes without undesired changes in human embryos. These criteria have not yet been met and further research and review would be necessary to meet them."
Second, the commission said that societies around the world need to engage in extensive dialogue not only about the scientific and medical considerations of HHGE, but also about the ethical and social issues that will arise if use of the technology becomes more widespread. In its introduction to the report, the commission acknowledged the deep societal inequities laid starkly bare by the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the recent civil uprisings calling for social justice, and warned against the use of HHGE in ways that would widen the gaps of bias and discrimination.
For its third recommendation, the commission said that HHGE should proceed "incrementally," and that there should always be a clear threshold for permitted uses based on whether a responsible translational pathway can be and has been clearly defined for evaluating the safety and efficacy of the proposed use.
The fourth recommendation laid out four criteria for initial uses of HHGE, should a country decide to permit them: to limit it to the correction of serious monogenic diseases; to limit it to changing a pathogenic genetic variant known to be responsible for the serious monogenic disease to a sequence that is common in the relevant population and that is known not to be disease-causing; that no embryos without the disease-causing genotype will be subjected to genome editing; and to limit HHGE to situations in which prospective parents have no or poor options for having a genetically related child that doesn't have the serious monogenic disease.
Specifically, the commission broke down diseases into categories ranging from A to F. Diseases in category A are cases in which all of the prospective parents' children would inherit the disease-causing genotype for a serious monogenic disease. In category B, some but not all of the prospective children would inherit the pathogenic genotype for a serious monogenic disease. Category C encompasses cases involving other monogenic conditions with less serious impact, category D encompasses polygenic diseases, and category E encompasses cases involving other applications of HHGE, including changes that would enhance or introduce new traits or attempt to eliminate certain diseases from the human population. Finally, they classified cases in category F as special circumstances of monogenic conditions that cause infertility.
Commissioner Michele Ramsay, director and research chair of the Sydney Brenner Institute for
Molecular Bioscience, said that this recommendation was based on the question of where the science is in understanding the relationship between a genetic variant and disease, and asking what the other options are for correcting the disease.
"The initial uses would have similar criteria to what is used for other new medical procedures," she said. "For example, organ transplants were first made [available] for patients who were the most severely affected, who then had the most to gain and the least to lose, because if they didn't have the transplant, their deaths would be inevitable."
She said the recommendations basically boiled down to restricting initial uses of HHGE to category A cases as well as a subset of category B in which prospective children would have a 25 percent or less chance of being unaffected by the disease, and if the parents had gone through at least once unsuccessful cycle of IVF and genetic testing.
These are people most likely to be found in founder populations, such as the Afrikaners of South Africa, or in populations where consanguineous marriage is common. Because of these requirements, there would be very few cases worldwide that would fit the criteria for initial use, Ramsay said, and international cooperation would be needed to get the affected couples to labs or hospitals in countries with the necessary technology to administer treatment, if they wanted it.
In Group A, there may be fewer than 20 families worldwide that would be affected, and they may not all want HHGE. Even with the expansion to the subcategory of group B, that still only includes a few thousand people across the world, the commissioners estimated.
Importantly, added commission Cochair and Rockefeller University President Richard Lifton, "One of our concerns is medical hubris." The commission wanted to emphasize that the initial use of HHGE should be reserved for applications in which all the consequences are known. With a well-studied monogenic disease, the chances of causing unintended consequences through genome editing are significantly reduced compared to changes intended to affect a polygenic disorder or to increase muscle mass to improve athletic performance, for example.
Further, Lifton said, there are certain diseases in which a patient will almost certainly have the disease if they have the associated gene, but other alleles at the same loci can modify the severity of the disease. In other illnesses, the disease gene requires a second gene or environmental cofactor for the disease to manifest. In comparison, there is a long list of monogenic diseases where penetrance is sufficiently high and editing would be beneficial to the prospective child, he added — all of these points were taken into account when the panel was considering its recommendations.
Davies also noted that while more than 4,000 single-gene disorders have been recorded in the literature, the problem is the variation in expression, which is why it's so important to limit HHGE to instances in which we know exactly how a monogenic disease will express itself in a certain family.
Ensuring safety and precision
Fifth, the commission said, before any attempt to establish a pregnancy with an embryo that has undergone genome editing, preclinical evidence must demonstrate that HHGE can be performed with sufficiently high efficiency and precision to be clinically useful. For initial uses of the technology, preclinical evidence of safety and efficacy should be based on the study of a significant cohort of edited human embryos and should demonstrate that the process has the ability to generate suitable numbers of embryos that have the intended edits with no off-target effects and no mosaicism, are of suitable clinical grade to establish a pregnancy, and have aneuploidy rates no higher than expected based on standard assisted reproductive technology procedures.
The commission also recommended that any proposal for the initial clinical use of HHGE should meet the criteria for preclinical evidence set forth in the previous recommendation, and should include plans for evaluating embryos prior to transfer to check for off-target effects. If regulatory approval for embryo transfer is granted after such analysis, "monitoring during a resulting pregnancy and long-term follow up of resulting children and adults is vital," the report added.
According to commissioner and Chinese Academy of Sciences Professor Haoyi Wang, a large part of the reason why the criteria for safe and efficient HHGE have not yet been met is because the current technology for assessing both on-target and off-target effects isn't sufficiently accurate to warrant use on human embryos. Research teams need to show that HHGE methods can reach high specificity and sensitivity without mosaicism, which means establishing robust clinical evaluation techniques to evaluate the possibility of unintended consequences in one or a few cells in edited human embryos.
He also noted the need for improved genotyping technology that can be used to sequence embryos at the single-cell level, without which it wouldn't be possible to reliably evaluate the effects of any genome editing technology.
Wang emphasized that although CRISPR was being used by the commission as an example of genome editing technology, the recommendations laid out in the report apply to all genome editing methodologies, including zinc finger nucleases, TALENs, or any possible enzyme constructs that might be invented in the future. He added that base editing and prime editing have been shown in research studies to be very promising avenues for efficient embryonic editing as well, but that without robust genotyping technology to go along with safe and efficacious HHGE technology, it wouldn't be possible to use HHGE in the clinic.
According to the report, research should also continue into the development of methods to produce functional human gametes from cultured stem cells. Generating large numbers of stem cell-derived gametes would provide a further option for prospective parents to avoid the inheritance of disease. However, the report also noted that such technology would raise medical, scientific, and ethical considerations of its own that must be considered.
Regulatory oversight
Eighth, the commission said that any country in which the clinical use of HHGE is being considered should have mechanisms and competent regulatory bodies to ensure that individuals conducting HHGE-related activities adhere to established principles of human rights, bioethics, and global governance; that the clinical pathway for HHGE incorporates best practices from related technologies such as mitochondrial replacement techniques, preimplantation genetic testing, and somatic genome editing; that decision-making is informed by findings from independent international assessments of progress in scientific research and the safety and efficacy of HHGE; that the norms of responsible scientific conduct by individual investigators and laboratories are enforced; and that reports of deviations from established guidelines are received and reviewed, and sanctions are imposed where appropriate. The commission also emphasized the need for transparency at all times.
The report further said an International Scientific Advisory Panel (ISAP) should be established with clear roles and responsibilities before any clinical use of HHGE is undertaken, with a diverse, multidisciplinary membership of independent experts who can assess scientific evidence of safety and efficacy of both genome editing and associated assisted reproductive technologies. The ISAP could provide regular updates on advances in HHGE technologies, assess whether preclinical requirements have been met for clinical use, review data on clinical outcomes, and provide input and advice on any responsible translational pathways.
Beyond the ISAP, the commission said, an international body with appropriate standing and diverse expertise and experience should then be formed in order to evaluate and make recommendations concerning any proposed new uses for HHGE. This international body would clearly define each proposed new class of use and its limitations, convene ongoing discussions on the societal issues surrounding new uses, and provide responsible translational pathways for new uses of HHGE.
And finally, the commission recommended that the establishment of an international mechanism through which concerned parties could blow the whistle on research or conduct of HHGE that deviate from established guidelines or recommended standards to relevant national authorities or the public.
Lifton suggested the World Anti-Doping Agency as one possible model for this international body that could be used to keep rogue scientists and countries in check. | https://www.genomeweb.com/policy-legislation/international-commission-deems-germline-genome-editing-not-yet-safe-human-embryos |
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The guidance is intended to steer the department’s expanding AI portfolio and reassure the public that military leaders take concerns about bias, transparency and accountability seriously.
The Pentagon’s tech advisory board on Thursday laid out five key principles that department leaders should prioritize to ensure military artificial intelligence systems adhere to ethical standards.
In its much-anticipated AI ethics report, the Defense Innovation Board also recommended a dozen technical and organizational measures that would help lay the groundwork for those more abstract ideals. The guidance is intended to inform the Pentagon’s expanding portfolio of AI projects and reassure the public, including potential partners in Silicon Valley, that military leaders are taking ethical concerns surrounding the tech seriously.
The report presents “an opportunity to lead a global dialogue [around AI] founded in the basics of who we are and how we operate as a country and as a department, and where we go from there,” Michael McQuade, Defense Innovation Board member and vice president for research at Carnegie Mellon University, said during a public meeting at Georgetown University. “We do need to provide clarity to people who will use these systems, and we need to provide clarity to the public so that they understand how, when, why and where the department will use AI.”
Pentagon leaders see expanding artificial intelligence capabilities as a key part of their tech agenda in the coming years, and those efforts are only expected to ramp up as department gets its Joint AI Center off the ground and begins standing up its enterprise cloud solution. As officials gear up to deploy the tech in both combat and back-office operations, the board’s recommendations are meant to help them avoid any unintended consequences.
The guidance is rooted in more than a year of discussions with technologists in government, industry and academia. They also take into account existing doctrines governing military ethics, like the U.S. Constitution, international treaties and the Pentagon’s Law of War.
The report provides a high-level blueprint for military deployments of artificial intelligence and addresses some general shortcomings of a technology that’s still in its infancy. The guidance is distilled into five principles:
- Human beings should exercise appropriate levels of judgment and remain responsible for the development, deployment, use, and outcomes of department AI systems.
- Defense should take deliberate steps to avoid unintended bias in the development and deployment of combat or non-combat AI systems that would inadvertently cause harm to persons.
- The department’s AI engineering discipline should be sufficiently advanced such that technical experts possess an appropriate understanding of the technology, development processes, and operational methods of its AI systems, including transparent and auditable methodologies, data sources, and design procedure and documentation.
- The department’s AI systems should have an explicit, well-defined domain of use, and the safety, security, and robustness of such systems should be tested and assured across their entire life cycle within that domain of use.
- The department’s AI systems should be designed and engineered to fulfill their intended function while possessing the ability to detect and avoid unintended harm or disruption, and disengage or deactivate deployed systems that demonstrate unintended escalatory or other behavior.
The report also proposed a dozen specific policies that would put the Pentagon’s efforts on the right path. Specifically, the board recommended increasing investment in standards development, workforce programs and AI security applications, and formalizing channels for exploring the ethical implications of the tech across the department, among other measures.
The Defense Innovation Board serves only as an advisory group, so its report carries no binding provisions. Going forward, Pentagon leaders will decide whether to enact the board’s recommendations into concrete policy. | https://www.nextgov.com/emerging-tech/2019/10/defense-innovation-board-lays-out-5-key-principles-ethical-ai/161008/ |
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Responsible Leadership in Rising Economies
Hosted by IEDC-Bled School of Management, Postgraduate studies, this specialized conference was held 23-25 Oct. 2019, in Bled, Slovenia, in collaboration with the following Divisions and Interest Groups of the Academy of Management: Management Education and Development, Organizational Behavior, Organizations and the Natural Environment, Social Issues in Management, and Strategic Management.
An online photo album with 50 pictures is also available.
View the Conference Proceedings.
Conference Theme
Responsible Leadership in Rising Economies Responsible Leadership is the topic of much debate in both academic and practitioner circles. Critics have pointed out that management education and scholarship often fail to develop the critical, creative, and socially relevant and responsive mindsets that are required to transform businesses and society, and to solve global challenges while being locally responsive.
This AOM specialized conference looked at what “responsible leadership” means in the context of a rapidly changing world, particularly in rising and transforming economies. We also explored how the scholarly management community, in collaboration with businesses, policy makers, NGOs, media, and other stakeholders interested in the new role of business in society, could best support the development of responsible management and sustainable innovation.
Conference attendees had the opportunity to network in a global environment, witness first-hand how old and new come together in the rising economies of Central and Eastern Europe, as well as experience the charming hospitality of one of Europe’s greenest destinations, surrounded by enchanting natural scenery. Lake Bled is considered one of the most beautiful lakes in the world and IEDC-Bled School of Management, Postgraduate studies is one of the leaders in innovative management education worldwide.
Conference Tracks
TRACK 1: Implications for Management Education (MED) This track explored how the development of responsible management and sustainable innovation can be supported by designing modes of learning that challenge fundamental assumptions about leadership and responsibility. Responsible Management continues to receive prominence both as a field of research and practice, as it centers on managerial learning and how such learning relates to change and innovation for sustainability, responsibility and ethics. It is also fast emerging as a critical approach to leading that seeks to make a difference in addressing global environmental and societal challenges. Illustrative questions that we week to address focus on how leadership and responsibility are intertwined, both respectively and collectively. How are they developed? How might professionalism be redefined if responsible management and leadership are intended to guide conduct and associated actions? What are the explicit and implicit constraints, possibilities and consequences generated by organizational learning environments that facilitate and impede responsible management practices and sustainable innovation? How do organizations contribute or respond to a need for responsible leadership and which ethical dilemmas arise as a result? Which ideologies and strategies are used to further and legitimate responsible leadership? What are the main methodological issues when researching responsible leadership and leaders? Which existing theories best inform our understanding of reshaped landscapes of the modern learning environment? To what extent are we in need of a new learning and leadership theory?
TRACK 2: Responsible Leadership and Organizational Behavior (OB) This track theme, with an emphasis on rising economies, broadly examined the impact of responsible leadership on individuals and groups within an organizational context. The track welcomed submissions from researchers that explore such questions as: How and why do people become responsible leaders? How can organizations foster the development of such leaders? How do responsible leaders influence employee attitudes and behavior? How do responsible leaders shape the way in which employees work and collaborate with internal (e.g., teams) and external stakeholders? To what extent does responsible leadership contribute to “doing good” (e.g., promoting citizenship behaviors) vis-à-vis “avoiding harm” (e.g., reducing counterproductive work behaviors)? How does responsible leadership influence organizational performance and what are the various processes through which this occurs? Does the influence of responsible leadership on organizational, team and employee outcomes differ as a result of cultural, institutional and organizational factors? Do levels of responsible leadership vary across cultures and industries and, if so, why does this occur? How might we best conceptualize and measure responsible leadership? Does responsible leadership help companies to attract and retain talent, and if so, why? When might responsible leadership not always lead to desired outcomes?
TRACK 3: Responsible and Sustainable Innovation (ONE) The track theme sought submissions broadly engaged with responsible and sustainable innovation. Contributions from adjacent fields of research (social innovation, eco-innovation, social entrepreneurship, innovation management, innovation systems, etc.) were welcomed. We particularly encouraged submissions of both scholarly and practical relevance, addressing such questions as: How do responsible and sustainable innovation link up with corporate sustainability and Corporate Social Responsibility? How can principles of sustainability and responsibility be applied to innovation and innovation management, especially in the context of radical innovation? How do concepts of responsible and sustainable innovation relate to well established business approaches? Is there a business case for responsible and sustainable innovation? Which practices and strategies do organizations apply to achieve innovation that reduces potential negative impacts and enhances positive impacts on society and the natural environment? How should responsible and sustainable innovation performance be measured? Which tools and methods can be applied to achieve more responsible and sustainable innovation? How can established approaches, such as co-creation, citizen and user engagement, design thinking and open innovation, be adapted to enable responsible and sustainable innovation? How should organizations deal with potential conflicts of interest and ambiguity in responsible and sustainable innovation? What types of conflict may arise within responsible and sustainable innovation processes (e.g. openness and inclusion vs. intellectual property)? How do companies and related actors resolve such conflicts? How can innovation governance enable more responsible/sustainable innovation? What role do networks, multi- stakeholder initiatives and other forms of collaboration among organizations play in fostering responsible and sustainable innovation?
TRACK 4: Transformative Ethics, Governance, and Stakeholder Horizons for Advancing Leadership and Responsibility (SIM) This track theme challenged participants to go beyond established paradigms of business in society relationships, including individual and organizational ethics, corporate and systemic governance, and stakeholder relationships, to explore and generate next-generation theories, mechanisms, and applications that support responsible management and sustainable innovation in dynamic rising economy contexts. Wicked problems threatening societal well-being are also opportunities for reimagining the role and responsibility of leadership and business to advance social transformation and sustainable development. Embedded within this context, areas of focus might include such considerations as: What paradigm shifts are needed to promote issues such as human rights and dignity, ecological protection, community well-being, and societal flourishing as pillars of responsible leadership? What key dimensions of responsibility intersect with pillars of social progress and environmental protection unique to rising economies? How can we understand the role, influence, structure, accountability, and interactions of different types and levels of actors, including governance, necessary for responsible leadership? How is the articulation of or adherence to moral norms, values, and principles relevant to leadership responsibility and healthy economic transformation? What business and organizing trends may be harnessed as beneficial, or avoided as harmful, to the development of robust firm-environment interactions and responsible leadership? In what ways might social innovation transform the potential scope and impact of responsible leadership?
TRACK 5: Strategic Management and Sustainable Development (STR) This track theme sought to understand how various players—from start-ups and established firms, and nonprofit and for-profit organizations, to the finance and investing community—can develop innovative solutions to mitigate market failures and have a positive social impact, while growing and sustaining their operations over time. We particularly encourage submissions related to emerging economies, focusing on such questions as: Which governance mechanisms encourage responsible corporate behavior, the adoption of longer time horizons, and corporate actions aligned with long-term societal goals (such as the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals)? What are the opportunities and challenges of crowd sourcing, technological innovations, and financial innovations to help mitigate market failures and have a positive impact on society, the natural environment, and the economy? What is the role of corporate political responsibility―especially in absence of government leadership―and non-market strategy in shaping government policies to reach sustainable outcomes at the societal level? What are their implications for firm performance? What role and impact do social movements and shareholder engagement have in influencing strategic decision-making processes? What are needed improvements in the assessment, disclosure, and standardization of non-financial metrics? What role could inter-organizational relationships of non-profit, for-profit, and hybrid organizations play in developing innovative and sustainable solutions to overcome grand challenges faced by emerging (and other) economies? What are the implications of societal issues―such as increased obesity, food scarcity, forced migration, discrimination, social and economic exclusion, and climate-change risks―on firms’ competitive strategy and their inter-organizational relationships with non-profit, for-profit, and hybrid organizations?
Attendance:
Over 200 attendees came together from more than 45 countries for 3 days of presentations, Professional Development Workshops, and Panel Discussions. Attendees had the unique opportunity to meet editors from AOM’s 6 journals and receive feedback and guidance on their manuscripts for submission to an Academy Journal. Responsible Leadership in Rising Economies was held in Bled, Slovenia from 23–25 October 2019.
View the Conference Program here:
Wednesday | Thursday | Friday
Conference Organizers
- Danica Purg, IEDC-Bled School of Management
- Anthony Buono, Bentley University
- Drikus Kriek, IEDC-Bled School of Management
- Rok Ramšak, IEDC-Bled School of Management
- Barbara Vilfan, IEDC-Bled School of Management
Sponsors, Contributors, and Supporters
Signature Sponsor
The Donahue Center for Business Ethics & Social Responsibility
The Donahue Center for Business Ethics & Social Responsibility, in the Manning School of Business at the University of Massachusetts Lowell, was established through the generosity of Nancy and Richard Donahue with the mission to enhance our collective understanding and application of the value of doing well by doing good. The focus of the Donahue Center, a university center of excellence, is to expand education in ethics and social responsibility by advancing initiatives and programs to support student learning, faculty teaching and research, and the application of ethical awareness and responsible decision-making in business and organizing. The Donahue Center empowers transformational change by supporting the advancement and application of techniques and tools that help students build individual and collective capacities for acting knowledgeably, responsibly, and sustainably–ethically–one interaction and decision at a time.
Institutional Contributors
Bentley University
Bentley University is one of the nation’s leading business schools, dedicated to preparing a new kind of business leader with the deep technical skills, broad global perspective, and high ethical standards required to make a difference in an ever-changing world. To achieve these goals, the university infuses an advanced business curriculum with the richness of a liberal arts education, blending the breadth and technological strength of a large university with the values and student focus of a small college. The university enrolls approximately 4,200 full-time undergraduate and 1,200 graduate students on a classic New England campus just minutes from Boston. Bentley is accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC), AACSB International (The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business), and the European Quality Improvement System (EQUIS).
CEEMAN
CEEMAN is an international management development association established in 1993 with the aim of accelerating the growth in quality of management development in Central and Eastern Europe. Now it is a global network of management development institutions interested in quality of education and innovations in this field, as well as in the broad area of subjects related to change, with close to 200 members from 45 countries in Europe, North America, Latin America, Africa, and Asia.
WISE
The World Institute for Sustainability and Ethics in Rising Economies (WISE) is a collaboration of four centres of excellence which address the most relevant business challenges of today from a truly global perspective by bridging local entrepreneurship with global thought leadership. With offices in Germany, South Africa, and China and headquartered at IEDC-Bled School of Management, Postgraduate studies, WISE aims to serve professionals in the field of sustainable business (encompassing business ethics, CSR and sustainability) within rising economies through practice relevant research, education and networks. WISE activities are proudly sponsored by NLB and Luka Koper.
Conference Supporter
RAE-Revista de Administracao de Empresas
RAE-Revista de Administracao de Empresas (RAE - Journal of Business Management) is published by FGV´s Sao Paulo School of Business Administration since 1961, and it has had a historical role in building the academic field of Administration in Brazil. A pioneer publication since it was created, RAE has played a prominent role in the business academic community in Brazil to this day, standing out for its high quality and its academic rigor. It publishes original articles reviewed through the double blind review system, offering a generalist approach in Administration.
The Impact Factor (IF) of RAE increased in international indexers such as JCR, Scopus, SciELO and Redib. In the Journal Citation Reports (JCR), the increase was over 70% according to the latest ranking released by Clarivate Analytics (June 2019), up from 0.404 (2017) to 0.701 (2018). This ranks RAE among Brazil’s top ten journals indexed in the WoS/SSCI database. | https://pace.aom.org/events/specialized-conferences/past-specialized-conferences/slovenia-responsible-leadership-conference |
Daniel Schiff, PhD was born and raised in Atlanta, GA, and completed his PhD at the Georgia Institute of Technology in the School of Public Policy, where he studied the governance and social implications of artificial intelligence. Daniel is currently an Assistant Professor of Technology Policy at Purdue University's Department of Political Science and is currently on industry leave serving as Lead for Responsible AI at JP Morgan Chase & Co.
(For up to date information, please see https://danielschiff.com/)
As a policy scientist with a background in philosophy, Daniel's studies the formal and informal governance of AI through policy and industry, as well as AI's social and ethical implications in domains like education, manufacturing, finance, and criminal justice. His interdisciplinary and mixed methods research addresses topics such as industry standards and organizational practices for AI ethics, public and elite opinion and influence dynamics in the policy process, the development of social responsibility attitudes amongst future computing and engineering professionals, and the role of the public in governing emerging technologies. Much of his work and publications have been interdisciplinary in theory and method, involving collaborations with philosophers, computer scientists, political scientists, and other technical and social science scholars. Daniel's work lies at the intersection of policy, technology, and society, with special attention to social and ethical implications for historically marginalized and vulnerable groups.
At Purdue, Daniel is co-director of GRAIL, the Governance and Responsible AI Lab, where he focuses on fostering research collaborations to study AI's social, policy, and ethical implications. His work also includes the development of interdisciplinary coursework focused on technology, policy, and ethics, and he maintains a key interest in engaging with members of the public, stakeholders in civil society and industry, and policymakers.
Previously, Daniel served as the Director of Research, Evaluation, and Planning at the Philadelphia Education Fund. His work emphasized school- and district-level policy and program strategies for urban contexts. In particular, Daniel's research and policy efforts focused on teaching and learning, dropout prevention, college and career readiness, and science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM).He studied Philosophy at Princeton University, focusing on robotics and intelligent systems and AI ethics, before completing a Master’s in Social Policy at the University of Pennsylvania, and a PhD in Public Policy from the Georgia Institute of Technology.
He has published in venues such as Public Administration, Technology in Society, AI & Society, the International Journal of AI in Education, IEEE Transactions on Technology & Society, the Journal of Engineering Education, the AMA Journal of Medical Ethics, and Nanotechnology and can be reached at [email protected] or @dan_schiff.
Past and present interests/projects include:
- The landscape of global AI ethics codes, principles, and policy strategies
- How competing stakeholders and issue frames surrounding AI are shaping AI policy agenda-setting
- The impact of automation and AI on worker well-being
- Development of social responsibility attitudes amongst STEM undergraduates
- Public and elite attitudes toward AI in government services (e.g., child welfare and criminal justice)
- The impact of misinformation about misinformation on politician support and trust in media
- An agony-based distance approach to identification of coalition preferences in organizations
- How AI policy strategies internationally address the implications of AI for education
- The social and policy implications of AI-based virtual teaching assistants
- The role of teachers in intelligent tutoring systems
- Regulation of autonomous vehicles
- Graduate experience and workforce outcomes of people in ethically contentious fields
- Implications of AI for healthcare ethics
- PhD Public Policy, Georgia Institute of Technology
- MS Social Policy, University of Pennsylvania
- AB Philosophy, Princeton University
Distinctions: | https://spp.gatech.edu/people/person/daniel-schiff |
They have a moral obligation to the South African people in this area for many reasons. First, they have an obligation to make certain that they can participate in the global economy to give their citizens the same chances for advancement as other nations. Secondly, they have a moral obligation to do everything possible to keep their citizens safe.
When one discusses the topic of security in Information and Communication Technology (ICT), much of the discussion focuses on the technology itself. Currently, the South African banking industry is attempting to establish standards that represent best practices in information security (Tshinu, Botha, and Herselman, 2008). These measures currently focus on the technological aspects of information security. However, the development of industry-wide best practices must take all sources of vulnerability into consideration, including the moral and ethical responsibility to keep information safe.
Therefore, the development of best practices cannot ignore the human factor in security and the division of responsibility between the banking institutions and the banking customers. This research will help it professionals in the banking industry to focus on all of the factors that affect information security, including human factor. The human factor cannot be ignored in the development of standards that pose a solution to the problems regarding information security in the South African banking system. One of the key issues is the shifting of responsibility in crime preventions. The citizens want to feel safe and as if they do not have to worry about their personal information. However, banks cannot do it without them. The citizens must take on a greater responsibility and help banks to fulfill their moral responsibility to keep their information safe. This research will argue that crime prevention is everyone's moral and ethical responsibility.
The scope of the problem is huge and affects all players in the banking industry. The size of the thefts that have occurred are overwhelming. In July of 2009, an SMS scandal involving Vodacom customers amounted in a multimillion-rand SMS authentication scam (the Star, 2009). This scam was one of the largest of its kind and demonstrates that even advanced SMS authentication processes are still vulnerable. They are a step above the username and password systems, but this crime demonstrates that even these systems are still vulnerable.
This scam was carried out using email and phishing to get the customer to divulge their username and password. The scammers masqueraded as a trustworthy source that fooled many customers. In this case, the customer was the one who took actions that caused the crime. If the banks are doing everything possible to prevent phishing sites, the question could be raised as to if they responsible when a customer voluntarily provides the phisher with information that leads to theft. The incidents of cyber crime that are occurring in South Africa are massive, both in the number of them that are occurring and in the amount of rands that are being compromised. This would be similar to a question of whether someone else is responsible if a person breaks into a house using a door that was left unlocked intentionally by the occupant. In these circumstances should the insurance pay. In many cases, they do not. So why should someone else pay for damage caused by information provided to a phisher? These are the moral and ethical questions that must be asked in order for South Africa to be ready for the leap into the global market. The scope of the problem makes it an important topic for study. The scope of the problem and the need to bring South Africa up to global standards is a key reason for the conduct of this study.
3. THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK
The theoretical framework is a group of unifying ideas that will govern the research process. The key guiding principle of...
It will focus on the need to balance the technological aspects of IS with the human factors. It will provide guidelines for the development of best practices that can be used by the South African banking industry to improve information security across the entire sector. It will address the questions of moral and ethical responsibility as outlined in the previous sections. The theoretical framework of the study is based on the guiding principle that increasing awareness regarding personal information, combined with the necessary technological advances will provide the best solution to improving information security in South Africa.
4. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Research into the field of information security has the goal of tracking current moral and ethical issues and responses, as well as providing guidance as to how to improve security in the future. It will focus on who should be responsible for cybercrime prevention and the moral and ethical issues of responsibility in cybercrime. IS security can be a difficult topic from a research perspective. One of the key reasons is that we only know about cyber crime when someone gets caught. It is difficult to determine if new policies, educational programs, or technology are actually having an effect on a reduction in cyber crime, or if criminals are simply getting better at avoiding detection. From a research perspective, this aspect of the phenomenon makes it a difficult topic to study.
In addition to this difficulty, it is difficult to attach causality to new programs, as there are many factors that could affect rises or falls in cyber crime that are not related to the element bring researched. The purpose of this research study is to explore the moral and ethical issues of information security in South Africa.
We discussed that information security is a combination of technology and education. The human factor and the need to keep personal information private were found to be a key factors in the prevention of information theft. Therefore, this study will use a survey methodology to explore the knowledge level and daily practices regarding information security in the South African people. It will also explore their use of and knowledge of available technology to help prevent cyber crime from occurring. It will address their feelings about their part in the moral and ethical responsibility to do their part to prevent cybercrime. It will address how they feel their banks are fulfilling their moral and ethical obligations to do as much as they can to prevent cybercrime. It will also explore cultural aspects of South African that could affect the feeling of who is responsible for the prevention of cybercrime. One example of these cultural dimension is the feeling of individuality vs. As communal perspective on crime prevention.
The purpose of the research is not only to gain insight into the current state of the situation, but also to offer suggestions for improvement in the future. Therefore, the survey will explore the potential effectiveness of programs that may help to improve password security in the future. The research takes into account the multiple factors that were found to be a factor in curbing cyber crime in the banking industry in South Africa, particularly regarding online banking and the moral and ethical obligation to prevent cybercrime.
The study will address the moral issues involved in information security from the user end of security. The sharing of passwords and usernames, or at least the failure to take proper precautions to protect them is believed to be a key component in the ability to protect online bank accounts. The ease with which phishers can obtain usernames and passwords through spoof sites, or through offering some small token in exchange for usernames and passwords is disturbing (Cawley, 2010). The end user was found to be responsible for security breeches more than technology. Therefore, this research methodology will focus on improving information security from the perspective of the end user. It will focus on the need to instill a sense of responsibility for their own cyber safety from the perspective of the end user.
The development of policies and better technology to curb cyber crime is an important element in improving online security in the South African banking industry. However, they can only go so far when the end users are willingly sharing passwords and refusing to take on their moral share of the responsibility. The end user has little, if any, control over the types of security measures that are being used by banks to protect their accounts. That does not mean that end users do not need to have a basic knowledge of these systems. End users have a moral responsibility to have a basic knowledge of the technological measures and policies that will help to protect their account. This will allow them to choose their online banking institutions wisely. The survey methodology to be used in this research study will allow the researcher to explore end user knowledge regarding protecting their online accounts from a technological and personal…
REFERENCES
Anderson, R. & Moore, T. 2006. "The Economics of Information Security." Science [Online] 314 (5799), pp.610-613, October 27, 2006. Available at:
http://www.cl.cam.ac.uk/~rja14/Papers/toulouse-summary.pdf (Accessed June 20, 2010).
Anderson, R. & Moore, T. 2007. "The Economics of Information Security: A Survey and Open Questions." Fourth Bi-annual Conference on the Economics of the Software and Internet Industries. January 19-20, 2007: Toulouse, France. [Online] Available at:
http://www.cl.cam.ac.uk/~rja14/Papers/toulouse-summary.pdf (Accessed June 20, 2010). | https://www.paperdue.com/essay/information-system-on-ethical-and-9999 |
While taking collective efforts for further growth and development of the cyberspace international community must also ensure mitigation of the increasing incidences of malicious use of ICTs in cyberspace which are posing risks to whole spectrum of users from individuals to States”. Carrying on with her views on the subject expressed in the Pakistan’s policy statement yesterday at the Genral Assembly, the need for balance was stressed by Minister of State for IT, Mrs. Anusha Rahman Khan during her various engagements and panel discussions during the High Level Meeting of the UN General Assembly in New York which is reviewing the outcomes of World Summit on Information Society (WSIS) process over the past decade, says a press release received here today from New York.
“Rights of Citizens provided by law in offline world must be protected online as well and the global community needs to agree on minimum standards of protection for human dignity particularly for women and children being the most vulnerable communities of the cyberspace”. This was the major focus of the Minster’s panel discussions at two separate events conducted by the ITU “Enabling a trusted connected world” and the UN Women forum “Empowerment in the digital age” on the sidelines of WSIS 10 where the Minister participated as a panelist. Anusha Rahman urged the global community that: “The concerns over safety and security of internet potentially impede the objective of accelerated development and affect the confidence of people in using applications and services offered to traverse the cyberspace. The growing menace has serious implications for international peace and security. The diversity of threats and motives of spiteful and rogue actors in cyberspace increase the risk manifold. Attacks against critical infrastructure and information systems is a growing global menace and that dark side of internet needs to be dealt collectively through collaborative efforts. We, as responsible members of the global community must ensure that nefarious elements do not operate in cyberspace to further their designs”.
Minister also emphasized the need for a well structured debate among nations to achieve tangible outcomes on these important areas in her remarks at the session held by Counter Terrorism Committee of the UN relating to abuse of internet platforms and social media by criminal elements. | http://pid.gov.pk/site/press_detail/6512 |
Future Information you can also find at the Workshop page.
The full video of the session you can find here, the transcript can be found here.
DC IoT Chair person/ Moderator: Avri Doria, USA, civil society
Contributors (in order of speaking):
- Maarten Botterman, Netherlands, Business
Setting the scene: looking back from the future
- Hosein Badran, ISOC Egypt, technical community
Contribution: Balancing IoT benefits and IoT concerns in developing economies
- Vint Cerf, USA, Google, technical community
Contribution: observation from a high level perspective on IoT and the Internet
- Narelle Clark, ACCAN, ISOC Board member, civil society
Contribution: Consumer right dimension
- Hiroshi Esaki, Japan, University of Tokyo, ISOC Board member, technical community
Contribution: Development and implementation of IoT in Asia Pacific, emphasis on technology perspective and domotics
- Ram Mohan, India, Afilias, ICANN Board member, business
Contribution: IoT and the future if Internet
- Rolf Weber, Switzerland, academia
Contribution: Legal issues issue to be considered
Kuo Wei Wu, Taiwan, research institute, ICANN Board member
Contribution: IoT, privacy and security
- Wolfgang Kleinwaechter, Germany, University of Aarhus, ICANN Board member, academia
Contribution: IoT in historic perspective
Panel on IOT-Meeting at the Ninth Annual IGF 2014
Summary
As a result of earlier meetings of the Dynamic Coalition in Berlin and Washington in 2014, this meeting was framed as an opportunity to work towards an Action Plan with a focus on identifying “treasures and mines” that come with the Internet of Things. All speakers agreed that the IoT is developing as we speak, and currently mainly driven from economic and business perspectives, without sufficient attention for the potential downsides that can be much better addressed when taken into account from the outset. In order to ensure IoT development is informed and guided by societal choices, it is important all stakeholders are aware and active to ensure IoT technology and services development and deployment is done in a sustainable way.
It was recognised that the trend is towards all objects getting smart, eventually. And as many objects are mobile and/or portable, there is a high need to be able to connect wherever they are in the world. Whereas standards remain important in this on all levels of the OSI model, we will be moving towards data centred networks. In this, the Internet, and IoT which is part of it, is in practice a network of networks in which fragmentation is to be avoided. Towards the future it will be key to consider aspects of privacy, security, ethics, and spectrum, and standards that take both social and economic sustainability of networks into account: networks should be developed in a way people want (people centric values) and in such a way that upgrades, changes of services providers and new applications are possible and affordable.
The discussion in the meeting was very energetic with more than 50 people from all parts of the world and all stakeholder groups in the room. There was a good interaction between the panel and the audience. Unfortunately there was no interest from any remote participants. Participants agreed to contribute towards an action plan over the coming year, with the aim to identify the opportunities and challenges, as well as a clear identification of governance aspects at global level to be addressed at the 10th IGF in 2015.
Panel – issues discussed
Going back to the 3rd IGF in Hydrabad (2008), the Internet of Things has been subject to debate during the IGF, as it was considered by multiple stakeholders as one of the “game changers” towards the future of the Internet. With the formal inauguration of the Dynamic Coalition during the IGF in Nairobi (2011) this relevance was confirmed, and the discussions between a wide range of stakeholders has continued, since.
Today, we are at a point where the Internet of Things (or: IoT) is widely recognized to as “inevitable” and developing with increased speed – though in a fragmented way and with limited accountability. Smart environments are going to be the next big thing, in fact is has started already. Smart meters, smart cars, smart TV and all the little additional things we can do with our smart phone by using smart apps. The technology is long used by other industries already, like the logistic industry or wholesale and retail. But still we know so little about the ethical and privacy implications this development will have on our daily life. We also do not have established policies relating to accountability and transparency with which the processes for storing and using the data collected in IoT will be treated. We are also still discovering the legal implications of IoT.
With a clear calling for further introduction of IoT for different reasons, the importance of ensuring that it evolves in a way people want is also imminent. In the IGF context, the development aspects of IoT are also a serious concern. Hence the work of the Dynamic Coaltion on IoT: these concerns need to be identified and well understood at global level. In this we can think of privacy concerns, security concerns, ethics, and also subjects as spectrum and standards require a global platform to be addressed comprehensively, as “things” will be used all over the world, and in addition, many things will be mobile or portable.
Hosein Badran pointed at the economic and environmental necessity of IoT introduction, and the opportunity even more so in emerging economies to address challenges like food production and distribution, irrigation, and the usage of oil (actually subsidized in some countries). He also called for putting a framework in place for collection and usage of some data. There are needs for filling the vacuum and building applications consumers use and getting to know and feel the benefit of using.
Vint Cerf confirmed this, and pointed out that it would be important to identify the properties we wanted to exhibit for things: what kind of common properties should we want? He expressed his worries about a number of subjects. First, it would be important to protect things against unintended use (for instance: “controlling the neighbours things, as they obey to the same commands”). We really need to have strong access controls. Next: standards are key, as they allow third parties to build devices for you. There are many standards, such as IPSO (Internet Protocol Smart Objects) and also some that you never considered to be related before as they are not persé ICT standards. “At some point”, he said: “all objects will be smart”. And we better get it right: “Just imagine the headline: Bank of America attacked by some hundred thousand refrigerators”.
In addition, he seconded the mention of spectrum as something to deal consciously with. We will need a better use of the spectrum than today. High frequency bandwidth, intelligent use of spectrum, and where possible near-field-communication (NFC) are important in this.
Narelle Clark focused on consumer rights – giving an overview of the widely accepted 8 consumer rights outlining where shortfalls currently exist in the IoT context. Currently many rights are not being taken into account due to a lack of standardisation, information, compliance and the disposable nature of many devices. She pleaded for ensuring that control of the IoT environment would be with the users, with proper consumer protection, especially the rights to safety, information and redress and clear rights on use of data on individuals. In order to exercise all rights, consumers will need to be alert and aware, and there need to be ways to identify who to complain to, or eventually: who would be liable for specific use. This was widely applauded.
Narelle also seconded the need to consider our current use of spectrum, and later pointed to the inherent nature of IoT devices as having low capacity in many ways and therefore only capable of lightweight security, privacy and feature capability.
From a more technical/architectural perspective, Hiroshi Esaki pointed out that we are moving towards data centric networks, as data is the point where value is generated. Key in such an environment is security, and identity. And while building up this network as part of the Internet, we know the Internet is intended for multiple purposes, so we should seek to take that into account when designing IoT environments: to do it in such a flexible way that it can even accommodate uses that have not been foreseen, yet.
The technology has lots to offer for smart buildings, for instance. In combination with LED lights, IoT can create a working and living environment that is eco-friendly, and safe, and convenient … for instance also using as location (and direction) device. The challenge is that the traditional building industry is not always aware of the new possibilities, combining innovations from different sectors.
Ram Mohan focused on a specific aspect that had not been discussed, yet: all these devices are operated by software, and as we will talk about billions of devices it will be crucial to consider how we will be able to keep this software up-to-date in a simple, affordable way. In this we also need to consider the use of embedded devices. In the long run, it is inevitable that we will discover, for instance, security vulnerabilities that require updates. Or new use that wasn’t foreseen before may be enabled by software updates rather than “thing” replacement.If we don’t, we may be facing massive attacks using objects that cannot be dealt with using the current mitigation models.
Another important security aspect is that with “connected Things” there are new end points for physical attacks, as well. It would be annoying if someone sets the thermostat in your house on extreme high – or low – levels, for instance. And it can become life threatening when one considers insulin pumps, pace makers, etc.
At enterprise level, most attention is focused on the data element. There is a focus on volume, velocity, and structure of data that is coming in, and taking good care of data storage, data analysis and data protection is and will be even more so a critical issue for all business when considering the ongoing growth of data collectors.
With all this, it is important to consider law as a useful and necessary part of this new environment. Rolf Weber warned against the illusion that we don’t need legal norms for cyberspace: cyberspace has it specifics, and proper law can prevent that technology and business models go into the wrong direction. Foremost the challenges where law will need to play a role will be in the field of data protection and the field of security. Next to that, we have Human Rights to protect, and responsibility on corporate and societal level that should be clear. And of course there is the anti-trust problems. SO there is a clear invite not to forget about how law can help keeping on track.
Another issue is related to the way we design and manufacture “things” in the world today. Kuo Wei Wu pointed out that much can be gained by bringing designers and manufacturers together. Nowadays, they seldom meet, and designers describe in very fine detail what needs to be done – not benefiting from the experience of the manufacturer.
Playfully, he pointed at the fact that the RFID root server was much less subject to scrutiny than the DNS. He also calls for clarity on data ownership: what part is public, what can be touched by the service provider, and what is “mine”.
Avri Doria invited participants to come in on the points raised, and took a number of comments before turning to the panel again.
Rudolf van der Berg (OECD) commented that he was very pleased with a clear mention of consumer rights, and announced that the OECD’s Consumer Policy Commission is currently drafting a chapter on IoT for the upcoming Digital Economy Outlook. He also pointed out that it will be important to consider standards from a perspective of global trade: how to make sure that systems can be sold across the world. A global harmonised framework for this is currently missing.
Whereas “things’ don’t need names, as such, to be easily memorable, things need identifiers, too. Peter Dengate Thrush asks for the possible role of DNS in IoT. Some participants felt there would be a role, as the uniqueness of DNS is guaranteed, yet machines can work with numbers etc. as well as with names. It was recognised that there was not a clear perspective on this, yet. Mr. Agarwal further reiterated that there is a real need for unique identifiers recognisable across borders – for instance also SIM cards. Now – as there are multiple sources for identifiers – how are we going to have a collaborative approach? Ram Mohan points out that interoperability is a prerequisite for things to talk together, and much is to do there, as well. Related to this, Alexander Climberg raised that he would be more worried if there would be global unique identifiers, especially when they are fixed. And also extended that worry to the privacy aspect related to the use of IPv6 – as it is possible to de-randomize numbers nowadays.
Robert Pepper came back to the standards question, expanding … pointing out that there are many different standards that now interrelate more and more. It is not just about ICT. Think of devices in smart cars: inevitably they relate to safety standards, etc. So – how do they interrelate? Time to also take this on board in IETF and other standards meetings.
Hiroshi Esaki pointed out that interoperability can be complemented by gateways, and is not always needed across systems. More remarks were made about binding addresses to devices, unbinding them, and how this all works – or could work better, in the future that will contain many devices.
At this point, Vint Cerf raised some points that had been missing, so far: “One of them is safety. We talked about security but I think safety is going to be even more important. You don’t want devices that turn out to put you at risk, physical risk, potentially. So that’s one point. Second thing is wearables have the property that they are both mobile and portable. There’s one of them. I’m not wearing my Google glass right now because I loaned it to one of my engineers. But these are coming and we have to factor that into our architectural design. The last point I wanted to remind you about is liability. And what obligations the maneuverers of these things might have. It gets a little scary. I think about this with the Google self driving car. The first time there’s an accident who is liable? Is it the programmer? Is it the company? Is it something else. I think the machine to machine communication and Internet enabled machines will invoke some of that issue as well.”
In addition to this, Arda Gerkens pointed at the need for addressing the ethical question. Whereas this was touched upon, in particular when talking about consumers rights and data protection, there is a call to be proactive from an ethical stance.
Further on the human factor, one of the participants asked whether people were ready for this, emotionally. Sandra Hofenrichter raised the concern that as humans we would become too dependent on our “intelligent surroundings”, not being able to serve our own basic needs without an “enhanced environment” anymore. Let’s make sure we continue to be able to choose “not to be connected”: “The engineers should always at least consider if someone was choosing to go the old fashioned way still be able to by a refrigerator that is not able to track the bank of a America.”
In a final round, the “committed contributors” (those speaking from the front of the room) were invited to share a closing remark: one comment on one thing:
Narelle Clark: Let’s ensure a “right to turn it off” (next to the “right to be forgotten”);
Hiroshi Esaki: liability is the door stop up and beyond legislation.
Ram Mohan: consider “smart waste”, markets of used MAC addresses, and the danger of apparently trustworthy things that turn out to be “Trojan horses” but maybe “Trojan mites” is a better word.
Hosein Badran: in particular the “overlapping standards” are a clear thing to address – hoping IETF will pick this up. And very much reiterated the use of IoT for emerging economies. Not only to better the standard of living for humans but basically being able to help them live and support and necessities in terms of reducing subsidies, availability of food, availability of water for irrigation and drink.
Kuo Wei Wu: it is time we should consider the development lifecycle together with the security, ethical, and liability issue – this will be fundamental to bring things forward.
Vint Cerf: remote diagnostics may be a useful tool to help a user figure out what is not working; how to better use the environment (and info from devices in that environment) in case of emergencies.
Rolf Weber: Technologies are going to grow and to evolve over time so representatives of social sciences have to see it to that they have accompany technology.
Maarten Botterman: We cannot hide behind law that is not applicable – we will need to do what we do in a responsible way. Liability is a good stick behind the door in this – where law doesn’t apply you are still responsible for what you do!
The last word was given to Wolfgang Kleinwaechter, who was one of the originators of the Dynamic Coalition on the Internet of Things, recognising the DC on IoT is a great place for identifying issues at an early time and stimulate discussion across silos where stakeholders are sitting. He concluded with a SWOT observation. IoT is full with promise, and its Strength lies in the wealth of opportunities, both those we see already, and those services we are not even thinking of yet. Weakness: lies in the fact that we still know so little about it, with a danger of unintended consequences that may be harmful. Opportunity: lies in the promise how technology can make our lives easier and help ensure and enhance the environmental sustainability of our world. The thread: is that we lose control over the technology, with great reduction of privacy as we know it, and possibly control over our lives.
DC business
Following this, a final word was given by Avri Doria, as current Chair of the DC and moderator of the session. She thanked all participants and contributors for the rich debate. Following this session, Avri confirms her commitment to set up a WIKI for DC IoT, and announces that we will continue to work on a paper that is online, to which all members of the DC IoT mail list will be invited as well.
At this point Avri proposes Maarten Botterman to take the Chair for the coming period: a proposal supported by her previous Chair: Wolfgang Kleinwaechter. There are no hands raised against this, and people present express their support. Maarten accepts the Chair, thanking Avri and people present for the honor, and expressing his commitment to work with the DC to further the debate over the coming year.
Action Items
- Release a new revision of the DC IOT discussion paper taking into account the discussions held at IGF2014 on Internet of Things;
- Schedule a set of event for the coming year to discuss the paper further, prior to IGF2015;
- Develop the wiki to: | https://www.iot-dynamic-coalition.org/dc-iot-meetings-at-igf/9th-igf/ |
Research expands knowledge. Research explores new knowledge. Research solves problems, creates understanding, and provides rich connections between the academic world, the private sector, communities, and governments. Research is in the DNA of the University of Waterloo, both within and across its many Departments, Faculties, Centres, and Institutes.
Waterloo research spans the continuum from fundamental, curiosity-based inquiry to the practical applications of new knowledge. It is conducted in both a discipline-specific manner and by inter-and multidisciplinary teams. A strong spirit of entrepreneurship underpins this research, giving rise not only to the development of new technologies, but their application and commercialization.
Waterloo’s research strengths are deliberately aligned with important global challenges. This is in recognition of the critical role that technology coupled with reflective scholarship will play in meeting these challenges and understanding their human dimensions. Discoveries heralding transformative disruption that benefits society are a hallmark of Waterloo research.
Fundamental thematic areas
Developing technologies for the future
Innovative technologies are transforming the way we work, live and play. Researchers at Waterloo are not only creating these new technologies, they are probing the nature of human interaction with technology, uncovering the benefits it heralds as well as exposing and mitigating the risks it poses.
Sub-themes
- Advancements in big and small manufacturing
- Autonomous systems for independence
- Cybersecurity, cryptography and privacy
- Intelligent systems and attendant paradigm shifts
- Light and sound for improved vision and imaging
- Technologies for connectedness
- The quantum-nano revolution
Pushing the frontiers of knowledge
The very big and the very small shape humanity. Waterloo researchers are seeking to understand how. They are exploring the cosmos, probing the genetic code and the limits of complexity, discovering what shapes the interactions of humans with each other and the planet. They are searching for answers, for theoretical proof, for knowledge.
Sub-themes
- Abstraction, inference and proof
- Classical and quantum information
- Foundational principles and their application
- Genetics and the origins of life
- Knowledge discovery and representation
- Limits of complexity and emergent phenomena
- Origin and composition of the universe
- The building blocks of matter
Understanding and enhancing human experience
Waterloo researchers are exploring opportunities for social, artistic and cultural innovation in a rapidly changing world and the challenges this poses. They are looking for connection and commonality. They are exploring and promoting scholarship in the area of Indigenous culture. They are analyzing how technology and innovation can help knit humanity, with all its diversity, closer together.
Sub-themes
- Communication, technology and culture
- Creative and scholarly innovation
- Design of and experience with interactive media
- Ethics, governance and politics
- Human-centered technology
- Identity: inclusivity, diversity, and equity
- Risks, crises and conflicts of our time
- Social impact of science and technology
Accelerating sustainability
Through deliberate alignment of research strengths with global challenges, Waterloo is accelerating the development of technology and novel practices for enhancement of environmental sustainability. This research is guiding the formulation of principles, policies and paradigm shifts in global environmental governance for achieving local and regional sustainability outcomes.
Sub-themes
- Integrated ecosystems approach to managing the natural environment
- Clean and affordable energy
- Clean technology and responsible production
- Climate-resilient and low-carbon society
- Sustainable cities, buildings and infrastructure
- Sustainable water management
Advancing health and wellbeing
Waterloo is poised to make major advances at the interface between technology and health. For example, new technologies being developed by Waterloo researchers have the potential to revolutionize the collection and interpretation of health data. This is complemented by innovative research on the social determinants of health, including healthy aging, lifestyles, and substance-use, that is giving rise to new paradigms for population health.
Sub-themes
- Biomedical/social determinants of health
- Health care delivery
- Health informatics and health technologies
- Aging
- Neuroscience
- Mental health
- Population health and health systems for communities
- Vision science
- Pharmaceutical science
Advancing research for global impact
To maximize global impact, Waterloo has aligned its thematic research strengths with opportunities for new discoveries that are likely to shape approaches to global challenges. In doing so, the institution continues to build on established strengths in fundamental research, engage in applied research, and take a leadership role in commercializing new technology. That solutions to global challenges will be both technology-based and informed by an increased understanding of their human dimensions has prompted mobilization of complementary research strengths in several fields in the quest to develop and implement these solutions.
Quantum science, nanotechnology, connectivity and telecommunications
Pioneering basic and applied research in: quantum and materials science, quantum computing and quantum simulation for understanding physics and materials, nanotechnology, digital media, and telecommunications, is pushing the frontiers of knowledge and giving rise to new technologies. Waterloo researchers are also examining human interaction with these technologies and their potential for transformative impact on industrial, social, artistic, environmental and cultural landscapes. Developments that are having a transformative impact include:
- new quantum sensors with enhanced sensitivity
- smart functional materials
- advances in quantum security
- new developments in photonics
- nano sensors and electronics for lab-on-a-chip
- advances in network and satellite communication enabling increased connectivity and future expansion of the Internet of Things
- emerging technologies for social innovation
- social and ethical impacts of connectivity
Water, energy and climate: sustainability, security, infrastructure
Waterloo research is facilitating the transition to a climate-resilient, low-carbon sustainable society. A cornerstone objective is sustainable use and management of space, land, water, and energy on a global scale. Developments that are having a transformative impact include:
- nanotechnologies for the delivery of clean water
- environmental and resource economics and governance and the formulation of sustainable land and water-management policies
- next generation batteries, fuel cells and smart-grid infrastructure for the provision of clean, affordable, low-carbon energy
- digital and remote sensing technologies for environmental monitoring of air, land, water and the stratosphere, providing information that will shape pivotal environmental policies
- new paradigms of architectural and urban design for enhanced sustainability of cities, buildings and infrastructure
Information technology and its impact, including intelligent systems, human-machine interfaces, cybersecurity, privacy and data science
Artificial intelligence and machine learning are enabling Waterloo researchers to develop systems that are ushering in a new era of automated, intelligent transportation. The attendant challenges will test the mettle of human/machine interfaces. Social scientists are studying the impact of these intelligent systems on the transportation industry and on domestic and international job markets. Developments that are having a transformative impact include:
- autonomous scale cars with novel sensors enabling robust navigation without human inputs
- smart systems for hybrid and electric vehicles
- network and operational security for internet-connected systems and data
- quantum-safe cryptography
- blockchain technology for secure data storage, financial transactions and asset management
- societal implications of cyber risk, including cyber terrorism and global security
- ethical considerations of the applications of artificial intelligence
Robotics and advanced manufacturing
Through innovative research encompassing the use of advanced materials, advanced robotics and mechatronics, Waterloo is developing next-generation additive manufacturing. Robotics research at Waterloo is both fundamental and applied in nature and runs the gamut from designing robots for the service industry to those able to defuse land mines or perform surgery. New developments that are having a transformative impact include:
- human-robot interaction including its impact on cognitive function and development
- robot-assisted full cycle manufacturing in a factory setting
- custom-product development using next-generation additive manufacturing
- autonomous robots for detecting structural defects in bridges
- human-centered robotics and machine learning
Health technologies
New technologies with the potential to reshape aspects of medicine are being developed at Waterloo. Research on the social determinants of health including healthy aging, tobacco control and substance use is having population-scale impacts. Development and deployment of digital health systems for improving population health are enhancing health - care outcomes. Enhanced understanding of human response to technical and policy interventions is helping to stem viral spreads and mitigate their impact on the most vulnerable. New developments that are having a transformative impact include:
- wearable devices for monitoring indices of health
- next generation contact lenses with drug-delivery potential
- soft-robotics for ocular treatment and surgery
- nanoparticles for targeted drug delivery
- high resolution imaging technology
Research enhancement goals
The Office of Research has identified the following as key research priorities, as articulated in the University’s Strategic Plan. These priorities emerged through the many consultations that were held for the development of the University’s Strategic Plan. There were also additional, extensive consultations held simultaneously within the Office of Research. These additional consultations, involving researchers and leaders from across the Waterloo community including, Deans, Associate Deans Research, Executive Directors of Centres and Institutes, Department Chairs, Research Chairs, students, the Innovation Ecosystem Council, the Research Equity Diversity and Inclusion Council, research staff across campus, external stakeholders, and others, enabled a detailed focus on identification of drivers of research excellence at the institution.
The following tangible goals with their specific objectives will serve to enhance disciplinary and interdisciplinary research strengths and marshal these strengths to solve increasingly complex real-world problems. These goals will serve to support the University’s Strategic Plan, as well as the Research Strategic Plan.
The Office of Research is committed to supporting activities related to these goals and objectives as they are pursued within the Faculties and other organizational units across the institution, including in the Office of Research itself.
Enhance research excellenceObjectives
Accelerate the research enterprise
- Attract and retain high-quality faculty
- Foster interdisciplinary collaboration through meaningful interactions and exchange of ideas across disciplinary boundaries
- Seize opportunities to lead in new and emerging research areas
- Develop sustainable support for the acquisition, maintenance and operation of state-of-the-art major equipment and shared facilities
- Explore opportunities to create cross-Faculty interdisciplinary research teams
- Incentivize strategic joint cross-Faculty appointments
- Address barriers to pursuing interdisciplinary research including funding constraints, narrow definitions of merit, and lack of space for co-locating researchers from different Faculties in cross-disciplinary communities
Adapt academic programming
- Increase opportunities for diversified research experiences and participation in interdisciplinary research teams for graduate and undergraduate students
- Develop more flexible graduate programs including interdisciplinary and team Masters degrees
Fully implement equity, diversity and inclusivity across the research enterpriseObjectives
Support the culture
- Promote and support a culture of equity, diversity and inclusivity to ensure a dynamic research environment with different perspectives, fresh ideas and new approaches
- Ensure the research environment is equitable, welcoming and one in which everyone can flourish
- Promote and support Indigenous approaches to research including Indigenous ways of knowing
- Work with the Equity Office, Faculties and Departments to ensure broad awareness and implementation of the principles of equity, diversity and inclusion
- Foster a research and innovation ecosystem that attracts and retains outstanding, diverse faculty members who will enable Waterloo to thrive in a global setting
Educate for change
- Revise and expand unconscious bias, equity, diversity and inclusion training
- Increase accountability for improving representation of the Four Designated Groups (FDGs)
- Review policies and procedures regularly to ensure they continue to reflect equity, diversity and inclusion principles
Reinforce Waterlooo's distinctive brand of preeminence in innovation, entrepreneurship and knowledge mobilizationObjectives
Maximize impact
- Enhance the collective impact of Waterloo innovation and commercialization hubs: Velocity, the Conrad School of Entrepreneurship and Business, the Accelerator Center and WatCo
- Support the creation of new companies and the commercialization of transformative research
- Celebrate the innovation and entrepreneurship successes of faculty, alumni and students
- Provide opportunities for co-op students to present work-term projects and experiences related to innovation and commercialization
- Establish a fund to assist students and faculty with a strong entrepreneurial inclination to commercialize their IP
- Review strategies and procedures for enhancing innovation and commercialization of research on a regular basis and be nimble in adjusting as needed
- Adjust policies and procedures to ensure that performance criteria for tenure, promotion and salary adjustments for faculty include commercialization activity where appropriate
Support industry
- Engage with strategic business sectors of competitive importance to Canada where interdisciplinary research teams can help resolve problems of common interest
- Increase private-sector partnerships and develop new technologies that will enhance the competitiveness and innovation of Canadian business
- Spearhead policy development for new technologies at municipal, provincial and federal levels of government
- Share industry partnership prospects to build enhanced value for the partner, create incentives and opportunities for teamwork across the institution, and support Waterloo’s innovation goals
- Establish interdisciplinary capstone projects to enable students to gain interdisciplinary research experience
Enhance the global impact and reputation of Waterloo researchObjectives
Increase capacity to lead globally
- Increase research capacity, particularly Research Chairs, broadly across the Institution to seize leadership in new and emerging research areas
- Increase and diversify research funding
- Encourage the pursuit of “Big Research Problems” of major societal importance requiring an interdisciplinary approach
- Engage in research that threads technology and its impact into projects rooted in the social sciences and humanities
Share results
- Encourage and support knowledge translation to inform business decisions, policy development by all levels of government, and members of society at large
- Promote awareness of Waterloo research achievements by encouraging publication in highly ranked dissemination venues and nominating faculty for national and international awards and honours
- Seize the opportunity for international leadership in the development and implementation of technologies at the interface between the physical sciences/engineering and medicine
Strengthen national and global research partnershipsObjectives
Enhance connections
- Enhance Waterloo’s dynamic innovation ecosystem by connecting with global institutions and global-change initiatives
- Enhance digital connectivity in support of collaborative national and international research
- Provide incentives to enhance the global mobility of researchers (faculty, post-doctoral fellows, graduate students)
Deepen relationships
- Strengthen formal collaborations with research arms of government
- Increase the number and scope of national and international industry/business research collaborations through Faculty-based initiatives and through the Gateway for Enterprises to Discover Innovation
- Establish and invest significantly in a limited number of international research partnerships in areas where Waterloo has recognized strengths
About the Artwork
The conceptual art on our Strategic Plan website reflects Waterloo’s culture — one that welcomes change, chance and the great promise of human-machine interaction. Using data from our community, Matt DesLauriers, a Canadian artist and creative coder, developed four works of digital art to highlight Waterloo’s new vision and themes for action. Each time you interact with this digital art, you generate a unique image that represents the countless ways we interact with computers for a better world.
Waterloo is a comprehensive, research–intensive university with a worldwide reputation. This artwork is a visualization of research publications listed in an InCites data set. When you click or tap and hold, new art will be generated from a random subset of most–cited publications. Each rectangular cell is mapped to a single publication. The colour coincides to the Waterloo faculty and the height is related to the citation’s impact. | https://uwaterloo.ca/research-strategic-plan/ |
Chapter Excerpt: Launching and Sustaining Modernization Initiatives
This is an excerpt of Chapter 15 from the new book, Information Systems Transformation: Architecture-Driven Modernization Case Studies, authored by William M. Ulrich and Philip H. Newcomb, published by Morgan Kaufmann. For more info, please visit the book's website. Safari Books Online subscribers can access the book here. This chapter discusses various aspects of launching and sustaining modernization initiatives, including a discussion of pitfalls to avoid, modernization principles, tool and service strategies, where to start, and what to expect from modernization in the future.
Download Chapter 15: Launching and Sustaining Modernization Initiatives
Chapter Excerpt
WHERE TO START
The question as to where an organization should start with a modernization effort is quite common. Much of modernization is common sense, assuming one has a foundational understanding of the general concepts, principles, disciplines, and scenarios. This foundation assumes that IT management and architects have educated themselves on the topic of modernization and engaged external resources to extend this baseline knowledge as required. Here are some areas to focus on when beginning your modernization journey.
Assessing Requirements
Modernization is driven by specific business and IT needs. Determining requirements involves examining business and IT plans, identifying executive priorities, and examining the business and IT environment to see what needs to change. This process is not uncommon at most organizations, but the difference from an architecture-driven modernization point of view is that the requirements are viewed through a transformational perspective. All strategies should be viewed as an issue of how to get from where we are to where we need to go. This requires articulating not just the target business and IT architecture but exposing the as-is business architecture and IT architecture along with articulating a transition strategy to incrementally achieve the to-be version.
Assessing Appetite
The knowledge of and appetite for modernization may be very low at your organization. This may require some education of management and architecture teams. On the other hand, moving forward with a modernization strategy may require soft-selling some of these ideas by building on small victories. Addressing user interface modernization can build small victories with the business communities. As this occurs, modernization analysts can begin looking at an SOA scenario or addressing consolidation concerns through modernization as a common sense way to meeting business challenges. The concept of modernization itself could remain as a behind-the-scenes concept. The best way to determine an approach is to assess the appetite for modernization without overselling it as a panacea.
Download the chapter to read the rest. | https://searchapparchitecture.techtarget.com/feature/Chapter-Excerpt-Launching-and-Sustaining-Modernization-Initiatives |
The method is a structured framework for the delivery of consulting services, with a focus on workgroup dynamics. It contains consistent approaches and techniques that enable the provision of rapid and impactful solutions to our clients.
There are five key elements of our Darwin Ecosystem Method:
Innovation Impact
Agile Development
Solution Deployment
Resilience Management
Project Management.
Our Darwin Ecosystem Method is flexible since it is a set of tools which can be used for any client engagement, large or small, and it is able to:
bring awareness of disruptive computing innovations and “best practices” from industry leaders
focus on the rapid realization of business value
support the provision of a full spectrum of services, from opportunity identification through to solution delivery
address the management of organizational change required for the successful implementation of new practices driven by technology
This element tackles information process reengineering in the context of introducing a solution that addresses your needs to improve the value proposition related to awareness, discovery, and/or innovative solutions for your organization. We define Innovation Impact as rethinking and redesigning business processes and/or customer-facing solutions to achieve breakthrough improvements with enabling technology. It includes topics such as:
refinement of the targeted value proposition
stakeholders identification buy-in, and workshop facilitation
process oriented thinking readiness; incorporating the aspects of technology, processes and team into the solution
modeling and assessing current processes with the value proposition as the key target
breakthrough design to ensure adoption and effective implementation
effective use of technology to enable information consumption, communication, interaction and analytic process improvement
successful process implementation and its measurements
initial project engagement framework and risk assessment with value proposition preliminary validation
Agile Development is defined as jointly building business solutions with our client. It includes concepts such as combined project teams, structured evolutionary development, and managing risk through the user experience life-cycles and baseline measurements.
Objectives include:
accelerate the learning curve
deliver maximum business and technical value quickly
ensure smooth solution deployment
ensure maximum skills transfer
The concept of Agile Iterative Prototyping is presented using the 80/20 rule (presenting 80% of a solution early has more business value than 100% six months later). The team building session topics include:
prototype planning
building the right team for Agile Development
keeping the “structure” in Agile Iterative Prototyping
successful risk management
issues of project scale
This element describes a process to establish a scalable technical infrastructure to support the implementation of business solutions. This component uses our knowledge to present experience-based metrics for deployment planning.
Key concepts presented here include “Think big, start small”, synchronized deployment, sustainable operation and support structure.
Objectives of an effective deployment should be:
deploy enterprise-wide global systems efficiently and cost-effectively
deliver business value early and often
leverage existing investment, while creating and deploying new solutions
create sustainable operational and support structures
position IT for possibility of “reinventing itself” and for providing additional service such as cloud computing
The method addresses topics relating to planning issues, architectural issues, operations and support considerations. It provides tools to enable up-front planning in each technical focus area, enable alignment with business needs analysis.
Darwin Ecosystem’s operating principle is “If you do it right, you’ll save money. Start wrong and there’ll be expensive fixes needed.”
Resilience Management aims at enabling the rapid, effective, and positive implementation of change. The intention is to enable the acceptance and success of new business systems by managing the people aspects of change. Concepts presented include a constant focus on “people issues”, and skills transfer at all levels. Key messages are that change must be planned and facilitated, people issues must be actively managed, and client management understands they have a specific role to perform – you can’t just let change happen.
Typical awareness and innovative solution transformation issues are discussed:
overcoming the challenges of sharing and interpreting data
accepting that unstructured information is not perfect
reduction of the chasm in grasping complex analytics as a requirement to understand Big Data value and insight
preventing clashes with incompatible corporate cultures
individuals are now responsible for getting the information they need
Other aspects covered include measurements and incentives and selection of (client) team members. The following critical success factors are emphasized:
insist on active, continuous client participation
the need for total management commitment
exploit every opportunity to communicate
This element is not only a project management methodology. Project management today needs to be stated as making money, or going out of business by managing the inherent conflicts of time and money.
Objectives of this module are:
achieve the client’s engagement objectives
ensure client satisfaction
contribute to relationship growth and management
maximize quality of consulting services
assure engagement profitability
allow more effective business management
This element focuses on deliverables, joint empowered project teams, and the art (leadership versus management, consult to agreement, etc.) and science (cost containment, the 80/20 rule, etc.).
We use proven tools to conduct every aspect of Project Management, which include:
deliverables and quality assurance
project status reporting
minutes of meetings
discussions
accountabilities and deadlines
metrics by deliverable
change management
using Web-based project management tools
Our Professional Services define the benefits of our Darwin Ecosystem Method by: | https://darwinecosystem.com/professional-services/ |
The purpose of this research paper is to outlines important and high level differences between the formal research and business proposals and several applications in business for both. There are differences and similarities that include the definition of the issue and the written approach to resolution. This research paper will highlight and discuss some of the commonalities and differences of formal research and a business proposal, as well as outlying how to apply each in the business environment. Both concepts are crucial and very important and there quite a bit of unfamiliarity of the business proposal and at what point is required or should be used and necessary. In addition, this paper will highlight the steps of formal research and a business proposal and how each theory works independently and in combination.
”Formal Research” v. “Business Proposal”
Formal research is a method of carefully conducting an investigation of a specific issue at hand which requires answers and prepares to deliver an optimal solution. Formal research tends to formally test and demonstrate hypothesis; whereas a business proposal is a recommendation of a detailed investigation and its purpose is to arrive at an optimal resolution or path for the specific issue at hand or situation. A The Business Proposal should always include a general description of the issue or task at hand, provide a general approach or resolution, an overall schedule or timeline, pros and cons, and budget outlining expenses. Although, business proposals and formal research are two completely unique documents, in corporate America each has its own defined purpose. According to Sekaran (2010), formal research is development one or more answer to a specific issue problem at hand, which will require careful study and analysis of the circumstances presented; whereas a business proposal is used for as a sale pitch or tool by managers to clearly define a particular idea in simple way. A business proposal is a way to provide precise details as to the task at hand and how it will work, provide an overall schedule or timeline, pros and cons, and budget outlining expenses. The business proposal should be a solid powerful sales pitch, persuasive and clear and convincing to the audience to concur with the proposal. Managers must clearly be able to differentiate between the two processes. In formal research a manager will identify a process to search for an optimal solution and the main objective to inform through logical resources, whereas business proposal is a method of gathering data and deliver a clear proposal about the specific idea to convince and persuade. The common word among formal research and business proposal is research which is simply the process of gathering information after an in depth study of the circumstances to resolve an issue (Sekaran and Bougie, 2010, p. 2). The two documents are often intertwined by the business manager and sometimes they are used interchangeably. When indeed, they are two distinct and different types of business documentation and information or data. It is obvious in the fast and ubiquitous business environment there are an enormous amount of issues that may arise on a daily basis and a business manager must be able to systematically, diligently, critically, objectively, and logically carry out effective processes and solid results. Managers must first decide what type of research is needed to begin the decision-making process and should clearly identify what type of research is required, either basic or applied research. Basic research a manager must clearly identify the understanding of the situation at hand within the organization; while applied research is required on a precise issue which the manager would...
References: * Allegretto, 2005; Davis & Steen, 2003; Drezner, 2004; Faber, 2005; Iroegbu, 2007; Kobayashi-Hillary, 2004; Lacity & Willcocks, 2001; O’Meara 2003; Shao & David, 2007; Thottam, 2003).
* A simple proposal formula. Online, Captureplanning.com. Retrieved March 29, 2011 from http://www.captureplanning.com/articles/11562.cfm
* Impact of HR Outsourcing on Business Performance by Ruth Mayhew, Demand Media.
Online Retrieved from http://smallbusiness.chron.com/impact-hr-outsourcing-business-performance-2505.html
* Oshima, M., Kao, T., & Tower, J. (2005). Achieving post-outsourcing Success. Human Resource Planning, 28(2), 7-11. Retrieved from Business Source Complete database. | https://www.studymode.com/essays/Formal-Research-1618028.html |
While large, international conferences such as SxSw, ISTE and Edmodocon, require potential presenters to complete an online application process detailing the title, description, standards, and outcomes of a proposed session, all conference proposals must have a strong idea and concise wording. As American author and communication expert, Dianna Booher stated, “If you can’t write your message in a sentence, you can’t say it in an hour.” You don’t need to literally write your session proposal in one sentence, but having a well-thought out and well-written proposal will effectively and efficiently communicate your ideas and objectives to those who are reading submissions.
On what topic will you present?
Consider how you can put a new spin on an old concept, showcasing a unique use of an instructional tool or methodology. Start with the big picture by examining the purpose, audience, and scale of the conference to focus your conference proposal topic. What is the subject area, grade-level, and range of the attendees of this conference? You wouldn’t, for example, submit a proposal exclusively on elementary mathematical concepts to the National Council of Teachers of English, but you could submit a proposal on cross-curricular instruction where English Language Arts teachers across all grade-levels incorporate other content areas into their classes. Additionally, some conferences expect proposals to align with a provided theme. If the conference theme is “Innovative Leadership” you wouldn’t want to propose a session on “old school” behavior management techniques nor would you want to propose a session on how to learn the basics of word processing. Likewise, if a conference, such as EduCon, features authentic conversations and debates, you wouldn’t want to submit a proposal that is presenter-centered and audience-passive. Your proposal should be broad enough to reach a wide spectrum of audience members, but focused on a specific theme or concept. If you limit your proposal to a specific subject area or grade, you are limiting your potential audience. Rather than concentrating on a specific subject area, instead focus on skills or concepts that can be incorporated into any subject area and grade. The greater the intended audience, the greater the appeal of your proposed session.
While I’m an Edmodo Certified Trainer, many of my conference presentations go beyond the scope of a basic tutorial of a “How to Use Edmodo” presentation. When Liz Calderwood and I presented at Edmodocon 2013, we focused on how Edmodo can be used in a blended or flipped BYOD classroom. While Edmodocon didn’t necessarily have a theme, we decided to pun on the word “flipped” and centered our session proposal on the theme of gymnastics:
Classroom Gymnastics: Flipping, BYOD, & Blended Learning with Edmodo
Session description *5-7 sentences about what you will present
How can teachers implement technology in the classroom when not in a 1:1 environment? The Classroom Gymnastics session will show teachers how to blend Edmodo, free BYOD, and 1:1 (when you can be) to create a classroom routine that accommodates all learners. This paperless-flipped approach is based on the idea of not reinventing the wheel, but taking previously designed paper lessons and making them digital using Edmodo, various free BYOD apps and web 2.0 tools. By using Edmodo as the hub to facilitate synchronous and asynchronous classroom practices and assessments, successful flipped instruction and collaborative learning are easily achieved in the main class page and in small groups. Students and teachers will flip, spin, and cartwheel using Edmodo as part of their learning routine.
Who is the intended audience? *Ex: Science teachers, Elementary teachers, etc.
All subject areas, middle & high school teachers
How will this benefit educators? *
Attending the Classroom Gymnastics session, educators will benefit by being provided with solutions for the problem of not being a 1:1 classroom. Budget constraints prevent many districts from implementing a 1:1 technology program, and educators will take away from this session innovative teaching techniques, formative and summative assessments, and instructional design that can be implemented in any middle or high school classroom for any subject.
Do some research on the conference prior to writing your proposal, then after you have written your proposal on a saved document, close-read your wording. Since Edmodocon is an Edmodo-centric conference, using Edmodo had to be at the forefront of our session, but If you were to examine the proposal above, notice how many educational buzzwords are also included: 1:1, BYOD, synchronous, asynchronous, technology, facilitate, web 2.0 tools, etc. And while the wording seems focused on the educational trends of blended and flipped learning, the focus really is on providing participants with actionable items and practical application of using Edmodo in a specific learning context.
What are your expectations for audience participation?
During our session for Edmodocon 2013, attendees were not meant to be passive listeners. Liz and I shared the techniques that we use with our students, provided student exemplars (with prior permission), and asked attendees to participate in the Edmodo group created for our session by acting as students and posting their session work to the group. As you craft your session proposal, think about how you expect attendees to participate and include that information. In addition to what you will share with attendees during the session, you need to include what folks should take away from your session. You don’t have to share all of the nitty-gritty details in your proposal, but you should provide a clue as to the benefits and learning outcomes of your session.
Additional Tips and Tricks
Even though proposals are often submitted via online forms, write and save drafts of your proposals in a separate document, including the questions asked on the form. Not only will this prevent your writing from getting lost if you accidentally close the browser, but it will also allow you to reuse session proposals for other conferences. I have a Google Doc of all the session proposals I’ve written over the years and will copy/paste and edit as needed. This document also gives me space to reflect on the session (if it is selected) and write down notes as to what went well and what needed to be improved.
The last, but certainly not least, thing to write for your proposal is the title. I recommend starting your titles with words from the beginning of the alphabet so that when your session is selected it may be listed first among the conference session descriptions. Another idea is to use all capitalized words (sparingly) and punctuation marks to visually grab the reader’s attention. The wording of your title should be intriguing, as well as give a clue as to the content of your session. Here are a few of my session titles, some are better than others:
- Classroom Gymnastics: Flipped and Blended Learning with BYOD
- Flipping the English Language Arts Classroom
- Technology Tools to Flip Reading
- Collaborating on a Digital Curriculum: Strategies for Creating, Sharing, & Housing
- STOP BLEEDING RED INK: Collaborative and Paperless Assessment Techniques
- Leveraging the Power of Digital Literacy
- Wear Your Thinking cAPPS
- All Together Now– Using Edmodo Groups to Foster Student Community and Collaboration
When writing your session proposal, ask yourself the basic questions of Who? What? Where? Why? How? Your answers will ensure that you have a well-written proposal that meets the word count and content specifications. And, of course, don’t forget to spellcheck!
If you have any questions or tips and tricks you’d like to share, please comment!
But what if, you are full of self doubt and one of your questions after reading this post is What if I’m not good enough to present at a conference? Let me give you this to consider: | https://blog.edmodo.com/2016/09/01/the-anatomy-of-a-well-written-conference-proposal/ |
Neighborhood energy concepts can enable new paths for higher energy efficiency and renewable energies at the local level by taking an integrated view of energy generation, consumption and decentralized infrastructure. For example, multi-building solutions for heat supply can be developed on site, or locally generated solar power can be jointly stored. Cross-sector concepts can also be implemented at the neighborhood level to optimize the interaction between the electricity, heating and mobility sectors.
In this way, neighborhood concepts make an important contribution to a participation-oriented transformation of the local energy system. The 'Energiewendebauen' funding priority of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy includes a large number of projects and real laboratories that design, develop, test and research innovative energy concepts at the neighborhood level.
The scientific accompanying research ‘Energiewendebauen’ aims to evaluate the results of the research and demonstration projects and to conduct in-depth scientific studies that are relevant for the implementation of the energy transition and the design of future funding programs. The aim of the accompanying research in the neighborhoods module is to evaluate the experiences and results from the projects and real laboratories in the area of neighborhoods in a superordinate manner and to disseminate them in a manner appropriate to the target group. The intention is to promote the implementation of innovative neighborhood projects and to support the public sector in the orientation of its research programs.
The IÖW is working on two focal points in the project: On the one hand, barriers and success factors for neighborhood projects are investigated and successful approaches and business models identified. Municipalities play an important role in this. On the other hand, the project is examining the economic consequences of innovative neighborhood solutions. The aim is to differentiate between distribution effects, for example between tenants and landlords or operators and users, and regional economic effects. The work should contribute to a better acceptance and feasibility of climate-neutral neighborhood solutions. | https://www.ioew.de/en/project-single/wissenschaftliche_begleitforschung_energiewendebauen_modul_quartiere |
Latest news about research and innovation policy in the European Union.
- New EU R&D programme aims for EUR 100 billion
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The European Commission continued its detailed proposals for the EU's next long-term budget Thursday, announcing the new Horizon Europe programme of EUR 100 billion for research and innovation.
- Horizon Europe - the next research and innovation framework programme
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For the next long-term EU budget 2021-2027, the Commission is proposing EUR 100 billion for research and innovation. The new Horizon Europe programme will build on the achievements of the previous research and innovation programme (Horizon 2020) and keep the EU at the forefront of global research and innovation. What went into the Commission's proposal for Horizon Europe, legal framework, factsheets, reports and timeline
- Horizon Europe: Innovation Council needs adequate budget to deliver
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Europe's SMEs very much welcome the strong focus on innovation in today’s Commission proposal of for Horizon Europe, the next framework programme for Research and Innovation.
- EU mulls upgrade to rules on machinery safety, product liability
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With a view to ensuring that legislation keeps up with emerging digital technologies and innovative products, the Commission published evaluation reports Monday on EU machinery safety and product liability rules.
- Europe's artificial intelligence efforts set for EUR 1.5bn boost
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The EU is to boost investment in artificial intelligence by EUR 1.5 bn, the EU Commission announced on Wednesday, as part of a package of measures to boost Europe's competitiveness in the field of AI.
- Artificial Intelligence
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In a Communication on Artificial Intelligence for Europe, the European Commission proposed on 25 April a European approach to make the most out of the opportunities offered by artificial intelligence (AI), while addressing the new challenges AI brings. Building on European values, the Commission is proposing a three-pronged approach: increasing public and private investments; preparing for socio-economic changes brought about by AI; and ensuring an appropriate ethical and legal framework.
- EUR 2.1 billion funding boost for European startups
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The EU Commission and European Investment Fund launched a Venture Capital Funds-of-Funds programme Tuesday to boost investment in innovative start-up and scale-up companies.
- Fintech action plan to boost innovation in financial services
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Europe should become a global hub for FinTech innovation, the Commission said Thursday as it unveiled a plan to harness opportunities offered by technology-enabled innovation in financial services.
- Financial Technology (FinTech) Action Plan
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On 8 March, the European Commission unveiled an Action Plan on how to harness the opportunities presented by technology-enabled innovation in financial services (FinTech).
- MEPs call for worldwide ban on animal testing of cosmetics
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The EU should launch a diplomatic drive for a worldwide ban on the animal testing of cosmetics before 2023, the European Parliament's Environment Committee said on Tuesday.
- Commission boost for European blockchain effort
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The Commission gave its backing Thursday to efforts to develop blockchain technology, with the launch of an EU Blockchain Observatory for a technology seen as an economy 'gamechanger'.
- Blockchain Technologies
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The European Commission aims to develop a common approach on Blockchain technology for the EU in the international arena. Blockchain may bring great improvements for the European industry - from start-ups to large corporates, administrations and citizens. It can enable the provision of more efficient services and the emergence of new ones by: improving business processes in governments, companies and organisations; enabling new distributed business and interaction models based on direct peer-to-peer exchanges without the need for centralised platforms or intermediaries.
- EU plans first 'Counterfeit and Piracy' watch list
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As part of EU plans for an intellectual property enforcement system, the European Commission launched Wednesday a public consultation to establish a first worldwide 'Counterfeit and Piracy' watch list.
- Brussels looks to boost health technology cooperation
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A proposal to boost cooperation amongst EU Member States for assessing health technology will boost innovation and improve the competitiveness of Europe's medical industry, says the Commission.
- Qualcomm hit with EUR 997 m EU fine for Apple deals
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Brussels fined Qualcomm EUR 997m Wednesday for abusing its market dominance in LTE baseband chipsets, paying billions of US dollars to a key customer, Apple, so that it would not buy from rivals.
- EU looks to spend EUR 1bn on supercomputer plan
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The European Commission unveiled Thursday its plans to invest jointly with the EU's Member States up to EUR 1 billion in building a world-class European supercomputers infrastructure.
- High-Performance Computing and EuroHPC initiative
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The European Commission unveiled today its plans to invest jointly with the Member States in building a world-class European supercomputers infrastructure.
- Intellectual Property Rights Enforcement
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The European Commission presented on 29 November 2017 measures to ensure that intellectual property rights are well protected, thereby encouraging European companies, in particular SMEs and start-ups, to invest in innovation and creativity.
- MedTech Europe: Brexit deal must ensure continued access to needed medtech
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MedTech Europe, the trade association representing the medical technology industry, wants negotiators to be highly sensitive to the impact of Brexit to patients and the SME-based medical technology industry. The association calls for effective arrangements that will mitigate potential risks to patients’ access or to the competitiveness of the sector on both sides of the channel.
- Paris is Europe's most innovative city 2017
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The city of Paris was awarded the 2017 European Capital of Innovation Tuesday, with a prize of EUR 1,000,000 granted under the EU's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme.
- Horizon 2020 Work Programme from 2018 to 2020
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The European Commission announced on 27 October how it will spend €30 billion of the EU research and innovation funding programme Horizon 2020 during 2018-2020, including €2.7 billion to kick-start a European Innovation Council.
- EUR 30bn earmarked for EU research projects 2018-2020
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The EU announced its work programme for research and innovation funding over the period 2018-2020 Friday, with EUR 30 billion earmarked for supporting scientific excellence under Horizon 2020.
- Opposition to Monsanto bio-piracy patent on soybeans rejected
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The European Patent Office (EPO) rejected on 11 October the opposition filed by 'No Patents on Seeds!' against the Monsanto patent EP 2134870.
- Standard Essential Patents and the Quest for Faster Diffusion of Technology
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Standard-essential patents (SEPs) have been critical to the ICT revolution. SEPs have allowed for the fast rates of innovation diffusion that the world has witnessed in the past 25 years. Yet the SEP system is under pressure. It suffers from a smoldering crisis of confidence as costly legal disputes across several international jurisdictions have caused unpredictable frictions in the markets for standardized technologies. Regulators in several parts of the world are now considering actions that seek to overcome obscurities in the SEP system. Asymmetric information is at the very heart of current problems in the market for SEPs, and all too often resembles a market dominated by a “confusopoly” with little transparency about products, quality and prices. In this paper, we will discuss ideas and concepts for what could be done to maintain a balanced and trusted system that supports technological innovation and at the same time conforms to economic efficiency.
- EC fintech consultation response: New technology, but same rules must apply
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Insurance Europe responded to the European Commission’s consultation on "Fintech: a more competitive and innovative European financial sector". | https://www.eubusiness.com/topics/research/aggregator/folder_listing?b_start:int=50&-C= |
Understanding the legal environment in which businesses operate is a critical component of success for all business leaders and decision-makers.
The Legal Environment of Business by Ryan H. Pace introduces fundamental legal topics relating to the U.S. Constitution, ethics, dispute resolution, crimes, torts, property, contracts, business entities, securities, agency, employment discrimination, debtor-creditor relationships, negotiable instruments, administrative process, environment, wills and trusts, insurance, and more.
Author(s): Christopher Pieper
New Edition Now Available!
What is sociology? Will I like it? Does it matter in the world? Can it help me?
Author(s): Wally J Bartfay, Emma Bartfay
We invite you to partake on an exciting learning journey related to public health theory, practice, policy making and research in Canada and abroad that ranges from Alzheimer’s disease trends to the Zika virus pandemic (A-Z). You will discover on your learning adventure that public health care professionals and workers provide essential health care services for the prevention, promotion and restoration of health for diverse populations across the lifespan; which include public health nurses, physicians, epidemiologists, health promoters and infection control specialists to name but a few.
Author(s): James Jakubow
Psychology: The Scientific Approach introduces students to the dynamic world of psychology. The publication examines the history and methodology of psychology, the basic factors of psychology, combining the basic functions of psychology, and people interacting with people.
Author(s): Robert Elliott
Our World, Our Music relates historical and discipline-specific concepts to students’ existing knowledge gained through cultural participation. It addresses past and present, Western and non-Western societies and cultures, examining music in particular, the arts in general, and the societies that support them within a given culture. Students develop analytical and critical thinking skills through structured listening and global approaches to our world and its people.
Key Concepts
Author(s): Frank Primiani
Processing the Law: A Holistic Approach uses the case study approach to teach textbook concepts. It gives students a total immersive experience in learning not only how the law functions in society, but also what it feels like to resolve a conflict or dispute in a work setting.
Author(s): N Carolina Central Physical Education
This reader-friendly course balances theoretical concepts and labs. It is a practical approach that helps the student build a solid foundation for:
Author(s): Richard N Kahn
Fundamentals of Music: A Modern Approach is the perfect introductory music workbook for high school and college students
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December 14, 2009 — This fall, University of Virginia School of Architecture students used business concepts to develop solutions to architecture-related challenges through two innovative courses: the "Land Development Workshop," a course from the Department of Urban and Environmental Planning in partnership with the Darden School of Business; and a new graduate course in the Department of Architecture, "Design Entrepreneurship."
Both courses culminated earlier this month with student presentations to a panel of academic, industry and thought leaders, several of whom are alumni.
"Design Entrepreneurship" is a pilot course developed and taught by Architecture Dean Kim Tanzer and Warren Buford, director of the School of Architecture Foundation. The course introduces students to the fundamentals of entrepreneurship and the tools for developing concepts into sustainable businesses. A combination of readings, guest lectures by experts and analysis of case studies of successful architecture-related business ventures prepared students to develop business plans in collaboration with alumni mentors and faculty.
"Learning 'entrepreneurial thinking' and how to write a business plan definitely helped me think more broadly about my architecture education and the opportunities and challenges in building a successful business in the context of a University," said Alison Singer, a third-year graduate student in the course who wrote a business plan for sustaining and scaling up the ecoMOD program.
Students also presented plans for a new Summer Design Enrichment Program at the Charlottesville Community Design Center, in collaboration with the Architecture School of; the U.Va. Center for Design + Health, a new public service institute at the Architecture School that incorporates community-based design-build projects; and a new U.Va. Center for Sustainable Development.
The "Land Development Workshop" also included a practicum approach, with an emphasis on real-world engagement, constructive teamwork and interaction with industry experts. The course was a partnership not just between students from different schools and different backgrounds, but also between the local academic, business and civic communities. The students were required to balance profits and market demand with social equity and environmental sustainability.
Students in the course focused on two mixed-use urban infill sites in Charlottesville: the Water Street parking lots, and the First and Main site just off the Downtown Mall. Interdisciplinary student teams were challenged to construct an informed development proposal for the owners of the sites, and to thus assume a leadership role in shaping the future cityscape.
"The timing of this semester's class presented both immense challenge and opportunity," said instructor Cass Kawecki, a U.Va graduate who is now a vice president at CB Richard Ellis, a commercial realty firm. "In an era of widespread distress in the real estate development industry, the students were challenged to find opportunity.
"At the end of the semester, the students presented to a large panel of industry and thought leaders, who were decidedly impressed by their innovative and comprehensive approach."
The workshop included students from both Architecture and Darden schools. Students learned the fundamentals of the land development process, including zoning and entitlement, land valuation, design, finance, construction, estimating and demand forecasting processes.
As students prepared their development proposals for real sites in real time, they were challenged to adapt to the rapidly evolving nature of real estate finance and the capital markets,
environmental sustainability, lifestyle preferences, public process and community engagement.
Tanzer said hopes the courses will become a permanent part of the curriculum.
"With the skills they are learning here, our students are well on their way toward making informed, business-savvy and eco-conscious proposals for how we will live and work as the 21st century progresses," she said. | https://news.virginia.edu/content/courses-explore-real-time-business-and-entrepreneurial-thinking |
- What is the problem you are trying to solve? Why is this the right time to address this problem?
- What are the innovative features, the potential impact, and the significance of the research? How will it be transformative for the field?
- Does the study have clear transformative potential?
- How will successful completion of the aims change the concepts, methods, technologies, treatments, services, or preventative interventions that drive this field?
- How important is the proposed activity to advancing knowledge and understanding within the field?
Innovation
Are the concepts, approaches, or methodologies novel in a broad sense? Are the hypotheses or proposed methodology exceptionally innovative?
Investigator(s)
Are the Principal Investigators (PIs), co-investigators, collaborators, and other researchers well suited to the project? Have they demonstrated a record of accomplishments that have advanced their field(s)? If the project involves multiple PIs, do the investigators have complementary and integrated expertise? Do the past achievements of the PI(s) suggest that the investigator(s) is/are highly innovative and likely to produce high-impact discoveries?
What, if any, is the role of graduate students and/or postdoctoral fellows in the project? Do the PI(s) have suitable experience in supervising trainees in research?
Research Plan
Is the logic of the research plan sufficiently compelling? Is the overall design, methodology, and analyses well-reasoned and appropriate to accomplish the aims of the project? Has the methodology or hypotheses been tested before? Are potential problems addressed? Does the plan include appropriate metrics for assessing success? Does information on the timeline inspire confidence that the PI(s) will be able to complete the project within the budget period?
Are equipment and other physical resources available to the investigators adequate for the project proposed?
Likelihood of Extramural Support
What is the likelihood that the completion of the project will lead to a successful external grant application? Is there a plan for moving from UW2020 funding to external support?
Budget and Period of Support
Is the budget and the requested period of support fully justified and reasonable in relation to the proposed research. Is there departmental or college support for the project?
Criteria used to evaluate equipment and instrumentation
Novelty
Does the equipment/technology bring important new capabilities for campus research? Does the proposal provide an incremental gain over current research infrastructure or an entirely new approach? Does the proposal describe how the new equipment will connect with campus core infrastructure?
Impact
Will the availability of the equipment/technology benefit a substantial number of research programs on campus? Is there strong evidence of faculty interest in using the new resource? Will the availability of the equipment/technology expand the training opportunities for graduate students and postdoctoral fellows? Does the proposal describe multiple research areas or disciplines that will be enhanced?
Budget and Environment
Is the budget and the requested period of support fully justified and reasonable? Will the equipment/technology be placed within an environment that provides appropriate support for its operation and ready availability to campus researchers? Is there an adequate plan, involving commitments from the school, department, or center, and/or cost recovery from users, that will insure the successful continuing operation of the proposed infrastructure? Is the space needed for this equipment described and committed for this purpose? | https://research.wisc.edu/funding/uw2020/criteria/ |
These connections can give students quality insight into the business community, which helps them select a comprehensive thesis topic.
Often times a good conclusion will offer up a new viewpoint or give the reader something to ponder. Identifying and analyzing the types of risks that financial institutions face Finance capstone project lay the groundwork for the remainder of the project.
This is one of the most difficult paragraphs to write since it must integrate all of the previous points in the essay without being a copy of the introduction. Not only is it important to choose a good topic that can easily be written about, even good writing skills do not necessarily indicate that a student will have an easy time with the capstone project.
The student chooses the setting for their research based on Finance capstone project current workplace or another business they are familiar with.
Carefully organized supporting points. Advisers sign off on the project before the students present it to the instructor. At the end of this project, we did not turn in a final report, but rather presented our products and our model to the clients.
At the end of the project, all groups completed and turned in their own reports with their own independent valuations. Students will also learn more about real estate law and construction best practices to verify their developments are current.
This portion of the presentation shows the panel that the student fully understands the scope of the project and implemented the appropriate theories properly. Determining whether a project is feasible and is market ready will be a daily objective as you complete the project.
They will analyze techniques of development from a business outlook. Thesis topics explore the current issues business owners face or traditional industry problems. Usually, students complete an internship or practicum to gain practical experience and knowledge.
Capstone projects explore a problem that is specific to an industry or community. The financial services industry plays a pivotal role in the world economy. The instructor discusses the capstone proposal and assigns an adviser for the project.
Students will review trends in property management. The capstone project builds on the already learned concepts of corporate finances, investments, market instruments and institutions, accounting, and economics. The public does not need to be present for the presentation.
Using knowledge of previous coursework, students will develop their analytical cognition to determine strategies to increase value creation.
The adviser will create deadlines for drafts and revisions. Capstone advisers work within the program or the industry, so they have expert knowledge on relevant topics. To begin the project, we read a bunch of equity research reports. Our friendly support team is looking forward to working with you — feel free to submit your quote request and get an instant quote from our team.
I also learned a great deal about conducting equity research, which will be helpful later in this semester when I have to conduct a similar analysis for my Mergers and Acquisitions course.
Degree candidates may also consult their coworkers or supervisors for assistance with project research. Flexibility, calmness under pressure, and an ability to wade through multiple financial sources in order to get the best for your client is key to completing this project.
Make systematization of notes, and choose the topic. They may use graphs, polls, powerpoints, or other devices. A strong introductory paragraph to set the context and introduce the main point of the paper.
This new feature of the program allows students to apply their newly acquired knowledge and skills in the field, gaining real-world work experience and making career connections. Degree candidates should also network with faculty members because they must choose a faculty member as their thesis adviser.
Before starting their project, students must submit a capstone proposal to their instructor outlining the topic they wish to research.
The thesis committee typically consists of multiple faculty members, including the course instructor, adviser, and an external reviewer. Choose your areas of interests. Finding the next big deal could be the difference between a successful career and failure.
All of the different groups had their own projects for professional clients. Students may work with classmates to finish capstone projects or work by themselves. Preparing students for the global financial industries market, this project prepares students to discover and evaluate the sources of value creation.The capstone project builds on the already learned concepts of corporate finances, investments, market instruments and institutions, accounting, and economics.
Designed to give you real world expertise with advanced stakes; these five projects will leave you better. Capstone Project Examples. All Capstone Business Projects should be completed in a total-organization framework that considers the impact on other departments and on.
Essays - largest database of quality sample essays and research papers on Finance Capstone Project. Find out from two Weatherhead alumni how they completed valuable real-world projects for KeyBank in the MSM-Finance capstone courses.
Jan 11, · Choose the best capstone project topics for MBA finance and start writing! In most project finance cases, lenders will provide project debt for up to about 80% of the facility's installed cost and accept a debt repayment schedule over 8 to 15 years. | http://fycolabujitukuda.mi-centre.com/finance-capstone-project-7559975599.html |
The conclusion is like the final chord in a song. It makes the listener feel that the piece is complete. The same is true for our readers. We. We then become a reliable writer for them, and they are impressed with our presentation.
As said prior, writing a business proposal is classified into three segments. The first part covers the concepts of how to start a business proposal, and the latter part covers making our Proposal, and the final section covers how to conclude the Business Proposal. We have already discussed Part I and PartII. Let us now examine Part III which clearly explains how to complete our business proposal.
PART III
Concluding the Business Proposal
Choose a Suitable Closing. Once we have carefully shaped our closing sentences, there are several ways to end a proposal with an appropriate closing or sign off. We must mainly concentrate on summarizing the Main Point and try to restate the Purpose.
- Past performance
- Categorize the relevant experience. We expect the reader to have assurance on us that we can follow through and implement the business plan correctly and adequately. We should try to show off our previous similar projects and explain the success we achieved.
- Confidentiality
- We might be restricted to share the client information because of confidentiality agreements yet, we can speak about our past experiences in general terms. For a sample, we can write, “Effectively provided Accounting and Payroll Services to 30 mid-sized businesses for the past five years.”
- We are Strong Team
- Define who we will onboard into the project. We may not be able to handle every single thing. In such positions, we need to make them understand who we will hire to assist and also try to tell the Customer, how. Along with this we also need to explain how we will ensure that they are competent. If we are already aware of whom to hire, then we should include their resumes along with the business proposal.
- How we are different.
- Deliberately open up any anticipated opposition if any. Some business proposals might face opposition. For example, if our business proposal is to assist businesses by categorizing which employees they could fire, then we can expect opposition to rising. At the same time, if we propose to construct the company rebrand, then others in that company might obstruct it. Hence, we need to recognize and then counter any predicted opposition as: summarize the expected competitors, discuss the likelihood and raise counterarguments.
- Summarize
- End with a proper conclusion. The conclusion mainly depends not on the objective meaning of the passage, but the emotions aroused by the words. In the conclusion part, we should iterate the benefits of our proposal. We also need to include a deadline for the Customer to respond and hire us.
Nevertheless, some businesses have moved away from deadlines. Hence, we must search for other business proposals used in our industry to see what is standard. Along with this, we must pay attention to encourage the Customer to contact us with appropriate questions and to visit our website if they would like to seek more information about our business and accomplishments.
- References from previous customers
- Include proper references to the business proposal. If we refer to studies or other sources in our proposal, then we should cite them at the end under the references We should format them with proper standards set by the Customer or any APA style as such. This would allow the client to find what we are referring to and double-check that the cited information is accurate or not easily.
- Review, Review, Review
- Revise the business proposal at the end. After completion of the proposal, set the draft aside for a day or two and then review it. Search for typo errors and dropped words. To find out typos and missing words, we can read the document from the beginning to an end before sending out to the larger audience. Read the last sentence and then read the sentence before that.
- Finally
- Finally try to Email Closing Lines with some eye-catchy statements such as “We would be delighted to have you as a customer,” “We look forward to meeting your every need…” “We know our product is a perfect match for your needs…”, etc.
Follow the measures before sending out the proposal
- Pay close attention to the numbers mentioned and make sure they are accurate.
- Review the Request for Proposal (RFP) and any other correspondence.
- Make sure our business proposal is not missing anything requested by the Customer.
- Shorten the proposal, if necessary. In short, let’s connect how Zbizlink supports end-to-end sales and the proposed solution. Single sign-in easy to use, Zbizlink enables you to share relevant content, track buyer deal, quickly produce error-free quotes and automate sales workflows and approvals.
Follow us on LinkedIn and try our Demo here. | https://zbizlink.com/tag/how-to-write-business-proposal/ |
Description: This course invites you to investigate contemporary problems in neurolaw! Neurolaw is a developing discipline at the intersection of law, neuroscience and philosophy. Advocates of neurolaw claim that recent scientific discoveries about the brain, and especially about the nature of human cognition, can be used to advance the goals of the criminal justice system. Some applications cited by neurolaw proponents include more objective ways of assessing people’s true mental capacity and thus their responsibility, more accurate ways of predicting individuals’ propensities to commit crime, and the design of more effective laws due to greater insight into what actually motivates humans to act in different ways. Some proponents of neurolaw even claim that neuroscience conclusively shows that there is no such thing as responsibility, and hence that the law should be radically reformed in a more compassionate anti-retributivist direction that focuses on deterrence, prevention and reform. Students will be introduced to this exciting new interdisciplinary field by examining arguments from advocates and opponents of using neuroscience to inform the criminal law. This will allow students to assess for themselves just how much of what is claimed is hype and science fiction, and how much is supported by the science and the related arguments. Students will work with a group of their peers to develop and execute a research project that contributes contemporary debates on neurolaw. Research projects will be presented in April at the AU Scholars Spring Research Symposium. Project ideas include videos or other digital representations that identify newly explored regions of the brain that are relevant to the criminal law and join the existing scholarly discussion.
Students will develop interdisciplinary research skills in this course by examining both empirical evidence and normative arguments that figure prominently into contemporary debates about the uses and limitations of neuroscience to the criminal law. Specific skills that will be developed include critical inquiry, innovative thinking, and ethical reasoning.
I invite you to check out the following New York Times article to get a sampling of the exciting area of research we will investigate in my course next spring! | http://www.american.edu/learning-communities/auscholars/2017s-neurolaw.cfm |
Oundle Economists through to National Finals of Bank of England Challenge
Published Tuesday 4th of March 2014 10:33:47 AMHaving won the Regional heats back in December, a team of Oundle School Economists have made it through to the National Finals of the 'Bank of England Target 2.0 Challenge' following success at the recent Area finals. They are one of only 6 teams to do so out of a very strong field of 300 schools.
Head of Economics, Mo Tanweer commented, 'This is the first time Oundle has ever made it to the National Finals. The pupils have won £1,000 by doing this, with the top prize of £10,000 up for grabs in the Finals. The team of pupils presented very strongly and answered the panel's questions excellently. They should be rightly proud of their achievement.'
The Challenge requires pupils to act as the Monetary Policy Committee and submit their own proposal for the interest rate and the level of Quantitative Easing the Bank should adopt, in order to hit the 2.0% inflation target. It is judged by members of the actual Bank of England Monetary Policy Committee.
The presenting team comprised: Captain Oli Wood (17); Malayandi Palaniappan (19); Juliette Aliker (18) and Freddie Martin (18).
Oli commented, 'We had to undertake economic research and analysis by examining current economic conditions, and assessing the outlook for the economy and inflation. We then had to present our findings to a panel of judges in competition with other schools in the area and make a monetary policy recommendation with supporting arguments and evidence to achieve the Government's inflation target of 2.0%.
In our presentation we proposed to keep the Bank Rate at 0.5% and maintain the stock of QE asset purchases at £375, due to the fragile recovery in the UK and falling real wages. | https://www.isbi.com/story/1819/oundle-economists-through-to-national-finals-of-bank-of-england-challenge.php |
Tufts Dental Entrepreneurship (TDE) Club Proposal
Mission Statement:
Tufts Dental Entrepreneurship Club is a student-centered and faculty-guided organization that promotes entrepreneurial activity at Tufts Dental. We want to encourage both students and faculty to think up and develop concepts and products that push the boundaries of dentistry. Networking and information sharing between faculty, local entrepreneurs, dental professionals, and students cultivates a culture where original thought and entrepreneurship is encouraged. This community and culture is vital for Tufts to remain at the forefront of dental technology and innovation in the field of dentistry.
Our first year as a club was very successful. We hosted quarterly events where entrepreneurs and investors came to speak at Tufts Dental. They meet with students, discussed their experience, and shared information about the startup industry. Over the course of the year, innovative concepts were presented both by students and faculty members to be vetted and developed by the club. One club member was a finalist in the Tufts $100K New Ventures Competition. Another group of students joined with a local NGO to start a humanitarian program in Guatemala. The club’s activity also may result in Tufts Dental adopting new technology to help students prepare and study for board exams. Lastly, with sound fiscal management, the club operated under budget last year.
Executive Board 2017-2018:
President: Saam Bozorg
Vice President: Ramin Movafaghi
Secretary: Soroush Samimi
Technology Officer: Pouya Namiranian
Treasurer: Nathaniel Reimers
Faculty Advisor: | http://tuftsdentalcentral.com/students-ii/tufts-dental-entrepreneurship-tde/ |
The LICF staff are all Long Islanders bringing to their work a profound knowledge of the region, its 2.8 million people, institutions, and resources. LICF staff have earned college and advanced degrees in business, social work, education, law, marketing, public administration, urban policy, history, and nonprofit management. They bring an understanding of public policy and the ability to see "the big picture," expertise in examining nonprofit credentials and assessing local efforts, and ingenuity to help initiate new and innovative collaborations to resolve regional problems. | http://www.licf.org/AboutUs/OurStaff.aspx |
27 June 2014
On 26 June 2014, the European Commission published a proposal to amend Article 8(4) of the Dublin III Regulation, which determines the Member State responsible for examining the asylum application of an unaccompanied child.
Currently, Article 8(4) provides that, in the absence of a family member elsewhere in the EU, “the Member State responsible shall be that where the unaccompanied minor has lodged his or her application for international protection, provided that it is in the best interests of the minor”.
According to Commissioner Malmström, under the new proposal, which seeks to bring the Dublin Regulation into compliance with the C-648/11 MA & Others judgment of the Court of Justice of the EU, children applying for international protection will have their case examined in the Member State where they have lodged an application and where they are present. A child applicant will remain in that Member State while their claim is being examined, unless this is not in their best interests.
Commissioner Malmström further states that “[t]he proposal, amending the Dublin Regulation, provides legal certainty about the responsibility for examining applications from unaccompanied minors who have no family, siblings or relatives on EU territory. It covers cases when the minor has lodged multiple applications for international protection, including in the Member State where he or she is currently present. Also, it proposes that in cases when a minor is present in a Member State without having lodged an asylum application there, this Member State should provide him/her with the opportunity to lodge an application”.
The European Commission further clarifies that, under the proposed rules, if a child asylum seeker decides not to lodge an application in the Member State where they are present, the Member State responsible for examining the claim should be where their most recent application has been lodged, provided that this is in the best interests of the child. In such cases, the concerned Member States should cooperate in assessing the best interests of the child, in order to jointly establish the Member State responsible and avoid conflicts of interest. The European Commission also states that to facilitate cooperation among Member States and prevent abuse, Member States must inform each other when a State assumes responsibility for examining the application.
The European Commission proposal will now be discussed by the European Parliament and the Council of the EU. Commissioner Malmström has expressed that she hopes an agreement can be reached during the Italian Presidency, which runs from 1 July to the end of December 2014.
This article originally appeared in the ECRE Weekly Bulletin of 27 June 2014.
You can subscribe to the Weekly Bulletin here. | https://ecre.org/european-commission-proposes-to-amend-dublin-iii-regulation-to-clarify-responsible-state-for-examining-the-asylum-claim-of-unaccompanied-children/ |
2. How to use Proposal in a sentence.
3. A Proposal is a formal offer written in response to a specific request or opportunity with a prospective client
4. As the name suggests, it proposes a unique idea or a solution to a client’s problem. Proposals are evaluated on whether they meet a client’s expectations regarding goals, …
5. A Project Proposal is a document which you present to potential sponsors or clients to receive funding or get your project approved
6. Project Proposals contain key information about your project
7. What is a business Proposal? A business Proposal is a document used by a B2B or business-facing company (this may not always be the case) where a seller aims to persuade a prospective buyer into buying their goods or services.
8. A lengthy business Proposal isn't always necessary, especially when you're trying to work with multiple decision-makers
9. This one-page Proposal will help you close contracts faster
10. Electrical Business Proposal Template Supercharge your Proposal process with an electrical business Proposal template.
11. The House has passed the Democrats' massive coronavirus relief package, bringing President Joe Biden's stimulus Proposal one step closer to reality.
12. Find 29 ways to say Proposal, along with antonyms, related words, and example sentences at Thesaurus.com, the world's most trusted free thesaurus.
13. A business Proposal is a formal document that is created by a company and provided to a prospect with the purpose of securing a business agreement
14. It's a common misconception that business Proposals and business plans are the same
15. The Proposal's aim is to sell your product or service, rather than your business itself.
16. A formal suggestion, plan, or idea, often a written one: a Proposal for sth The Senate rejected the Proposal for a rise in Brazil's minimum wage
17. A Proposal to do sth Management has made Proposals to cap overtime
18. Make/put forward/submit a Proposal Nine other firms submitted Proposals …
19. Proposal, overture, proposition refer to something in the nature of an offer
20. A Proposal is a plan, a scheme, an offer to be accepted or rejected: to make Proposals for peace.
21. A term of business Proposal is a written offer from a seller to a prospective sponsor
22. Business Proposals are often a key step in the complex sales process—i.e., whenever a buyer considers more than price in a purchase.
23. A Proposal puts the buyer's requirements in a context that favors the seller's products and services, and educates the buyer about the capabilities of the seller in
24. Don't make it public: If scriptwriters are to be believed, then every wedding Proposal takes place on the street in front of hundreds of people.Unless your partner has said they want a splashy Proposal, it's way easier to make the Proposal an intimate, personal thing.
25. You can’t stop writing Proposals, but you can start using them to make a killer first impression and attract the best clients
26. The E-Commerce Proposal Template helps you grab attention and stand out from competitors… without all the hassle
27. A Proposal is a plan or an idea that is laid out succinctly in a written form
28. However, a Proposal shouldn’t be a jumble of ideas.
29. A Proposal typically is a tool designed to persuade a customer to purchase a product, or to receive funding and backing for a new project or program
30. Used in a majority of industries from corporate America to academia, Proposals come in many forms
31. There are informal and formal Proposals, as well as solicited and unsolicited Proposals.
32. 4 synonyms of Proposal from the Merriam-Webster Thesaurus, plus 29 related words, definitions, and antonyms
33. Proposal: something which is presented for consideration.
34. After the Proposal, announce the good news by sending the link to family and friends
35. Set up a live-stream channel and invite all your friends and family to watch the Proposal in real time from wherever you choose to pop the question
36. From Jonathan Swift's satiric "A Modest Proposal" to the foundations of the United States government and national economy put forth in Benjamin Franklin's "An Economical Project," there is a wide variety of forms a Proposal can take for business and technical writing
37. The most common are the internal, external, sales, and grant Proposals.
38. The MOST INCREDIBLE MARRIAGE Proposal in one video! Marriage is a bond of love which is intended to last our whole lives, and so you really only get one chan
39. To write a Proposal to management, start by stating your idea or problem, such as asking management to change its caterer
40. --Nasdaq today filed a Proposal with the U.S
41. Proposal writing is an important part of doing business in the modern world, Whether you’re selling enterprise-level services, doing business with the government, or work for a nonprofit that’s seeking a grant from a foundation, the right kind of letter paired with a well-written, properly formatted business Proposal is essential.
42. The Proposal is an awful film that relies on every romantic film cliché in the book
43. Proposal management software is designed as an easy way to help sales teams and companies increase sales efficiency and automate the branded Proposal and contract creation process
44. What should a Proposal include? Your Proposal should include media (photos or videos), CPQ functionality, CRM and payment integrations, an opportunity for the
45. The Proposal is a scream buried inside a whisper, basically the kinkiest of all ASMR
46. A business Proposal is a solicited or unsolicited document that contains an offer relating to specific goods or services from one business to another
47. The initial Proposal format is provided by the potential client, who issued the request for Proposal (RFP)
48. To help you plan the perfect Disney Proposal, we turned to Disney expert and wedding planner Rebecca Martens
49. Ahead, Martens outlines Disney’s engagement and Proposal packages, the most
50. Proposal definition: A Proposal is a plan or an idea , often a formal or written one, which is suggested for Meaning, pronunciation, translations and examples
51. The Proposal, an Australian television play based on Chekhov's 1890 play; The Proposal, starring Nick Moran, Jennifer Esposito, and Stephen Lang; The Proposal, 2009 film starring Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds "La propuesta" ("The Proposal"), a short story in the 2014 Argentina anthology film Wild Tales
52. The Proposal sees Sandra Bullock pair with Ryan Reynolds in a romantic comedy that delivers
53. Business Proposal forms to keep your business running smoothly
54. Capture all of those details AND land the job with our most popular business Proposals and job Proposal forms
55. We can help you find the Proposal that's right for your business and personalize it for a high-quality, professional look.
56. The Republican counter-Proposal comes as the House is set to pass a budget resolution this week, the first step toward approving the relief bill through reconciliation
57. Proposal:Activity bot for strategy Proposals, task forces; Proposal:Dump Task forces on this wiki and start real work ourselves; Proposal:AMERIV - InspirationsPlattform; Proposal:Clubs for 0.5 mil
58. & 100 thousand articles Wikipedias/nl; Proposal:Clubs for 0.5 mil
59. & 100 thousand articles Wikipedias/ca; Proposal:Francisez le tableau des 12
60. Choose a project Proposal template from above and get started – the sky is the limit
61. Watch a video about the Project Proposal Template below: View, edit and import the Project Proposal …
62. Proposal Format: The RDC Proposal is designed to effectively summarize your restricted data needs
63. Your completed Proposal should comply with the format outlined in the RDC Proposal format
64. Your Proposal should thoroughly explain your need for restricted variables, your analytic plan, and how you intend to report your results.
In context
A business proposal is a document that’s designed to persuade an organization to buy a product or service. A proposal is usually solicited or unsolicited – meaning, that the purchasing company is either actively seeking proposals that meet a specific need or is reacting to an offer, often from a sales person, to consider a proposal.
Definition of proposal 1 : an act of putting forward or stating something for consideration 1 : an act of stating or putting forward something for consideration Problems led to the proposal of a new law. 2 : something suggested : plan 3 : an offer of marriage
proposal. noun. OPAL W. /prəˈpəʊzl/. /prəˈpəʊzl/. jump to other results. [countable, uncountable] a formal suggestion or plan; the act of making a suggestion. to submit/present/put forward a proposal. to consider/discuss a proposal. | https://useenglishwords.com/proposal/ |
The NICHES+ consortium aimed at continuing and expanding a comprehensive coordination platform for innovative urban transport solutions, building on the successful first <link nc projects projects-details project niches-1.html niches>NICHES project.
Principal aims of the project were:
NICHES+ analysed and promoted twelve innovative concepts in four thematic areas with the support of expert working groups (download overview brochure here in <link file:1099>English, <link file:1100>French, <link file:1101>German, <link file:1102>Polish and <link file:1103>Spanish).
The project organised numerous events on European and national level and enhanced discussion among a wide range of urban transport stakeholders on how to encourage and enable the implementation of the twelve innovative concepts.
The consortium published effective guidance for cities in form of ‘Guidelines for Implementers’ (download via table below) and e-learning modules (access via <link http: www.niches-transport.org>
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WG1: Innovative concepts to enhance accessibility (led by Rupprecht Consult)
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<link file:1104>Concept 1.1:
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<link file:1105>Concept 1.2:
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<link file:1106>Concept 1.3:
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WG2: Efficient planning and use of infrastructure and transport interchanges (led by Transman)
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<link file:1107>Concept 2.1:
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<link file:1108>Concept 2.2.:
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<link file:1109>Concept 2.3:
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WG3: Traffic management centres (led by UNEW)
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<link file:1110>Concept 3.1:
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<link file:1111>Concept 3.2:
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<link file:1112>Concept 3.3:
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WG4: Automated and space efficient transport systems (led by TRG)
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<link file:1113>Concept 4.1:
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<link file:1114>Concept 4.2:
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<link file:1115>Concept 4.3:
The project developed a sound methodology for transferability analysis (download ‘Guidelines for assessing the Transferability of an Innovative Urban Transport Concept’ here). This methodology was successfully tested by the seven Champion Cities that were actively supported by the project to develop implementation scenarios for selected innovative concepts as presented below (for download of illustrated short version click on hyperlinks):
NICHES+ also developed a ‘Study Tour Catalogue’ including 35 good practice examples on urban transport innovation in Europe. The aim of this Study Tour Catalogue is to provide urban transport professionals and local decision makers with an overview of European towns and cities that successfully implemented innovative strategies which have the potential to become mainstream transport solutions (<link file:1125>download the Study Tour Catalogue here).
We were technical coordinator of the NICHES+ project, led Working Group 1 on "Innovative concepts to enhance accessibility" and coordinated the work with the Champion Cities on the implementation scenarios. | https://www.rupprecht-consult.eu/project/niches-1 |
Note: A minimum and maximum length is prescribed for the dissertation. If your dissertation exceeds the upper word limit by more than 10%, the ‘additional’ words may be ignored and the mark awarded may be based on what has been read by the markers. Remember that you must give the word count at the beginning of the final submission.
The following notes explain in a little more detail what is meant by the six criteria listed above. In the Appendix a grading scheme is provided to give you an indication of what would count as a pass, fail, merit and distinction against these criteria. In reaching a final grade for your submission, the markers will look at the balance of achievement across all the criteria. You should note, though, that a dissertation would be unlikely to pass if it failed to achieve a satisfactory standard on more than one of the criteria.
It should be perfectly clear what your dissertation is aiming to investigate. Without this, it is difficult to see how a dissertation could succeed against most of the other criteria. To put this another way, a dissertation should have a clear focus. This is usually best defined in terms of a question which the dissertation is seeking to answer or examine. You are therefore advised to state the aim or purpose of your dissertation by reference to a research question. Having done that, you then need to ensure that the whole of your dissertation is closely tied in to your aim or question, and that you do not digress unduly into issues that are irrelevant to the research problem you are examining. It can be just as important to be clear about which aspects of your subject your dissertation is not examining, as to be clear about what it is examining. If your dissertation has a clear purpose it helps you to avoid losing direction and straying into irrelevant or marginal material. Your dissertation must not only possess a clear purpose, but this purpose must track through the dissertation as a whole, so that the whole of your dissertation coheres around that purpose.
The above has suggested that the purpose of a dissertation is best stated as a question in the singular. But, of course, you may wish to examine more than just one question; you may wish to examine two or even three linked questions. That may be appropriate, as long as the scale of the task remains manageable. And it still needs to be stated clearly. Moreover, if your dissertation is examining a number of questions, you need to make clear at different points in your dissertation which of these questions you are examining.
Not only must the aim or purpose of your dissertation be clear, it must also be justified. This means that you must demonstrate that the topic, and the particular question posed about the topic, is worth examining, or is important to examine. This justification may derive from an examination of the relevant academic or policy literature in which there is a concern about, or debate on, the topic in question. Alternatively, you may wish to advance your own reasoned argument explaining and justifying why the topic is worth examining. Either way, having made clear what your dissertation is examining, you need also to explain to the reader why it deserves to be or needs to be investigated.
Given a clearly stated purpose, together with a justification of that purpose, you need to ensure that the strategy and methods of research you employ are: (a) relevant to that purpose, and (b) likely to be fruitful in yielding results which advance our understanding of or knowledge about the topic in question. This then needs to be discussed carefully in the dissertation. In other words, you need to demonstrate in your dissertation a self-conscious and reflective awareness of the methodological problems of accomplishing your research aim or examining your research question. This involves more than simply describing your research strategy and methods (e.g. “first I did this, then I did that . . .” etc); it involves explaining and justifying your research strategy. Indeed, to achieve a high standard against this criterion, a dissertation would have to explain and justify its research strategy and methods in comparison with other, competing strategies and methods which might have been employed to investigate the topic in question. Further,a masters dissertation should show an awareness of any possible shortcomings of the research strategy and methods adopted, and hence an appropriate degree of caution about what can be concluded from the research.
In many cases, the research strategy will entail a substantial element of ‘primary’ information gathering. But, as noted in the first section of this guide, other kinds of dissertation are also perfectly possible. For example a dissertation could be based on analysing or re-analysing data sets or other empirical information that has already been collected for other purposes (e.g. Census data; statistics on house completions or house sales). Before embarking on this kind of dissertation you would need to ascertain early on that such material was available in a usable form. A dissertation could also focus on conceptual or theoretical development of some kind, i.e. seeking to unravel significant conceptual or theoretical issues (eg ‘what is ‘legibility’ as applied to urban spaces?’ ‘what are ‘hidden needs’ in relation to housing?’). For this, the research strategy would involve the critical analysis of various texts in which the concepts in question are used. Yet another type of dissertation would be one seeking to address questions that are methodologically very challenging, where the focus would be on exploring research design issues (‘how might this be investigated?’), without going on to execute fully the research design. A design-based or problem-based dissertation is also possible. So, be aware of the different types of dissertation that can be done, make sure you are clear about what type you are embarking on, and ensure you give careful thought to the research design issues raised by the type of study you are doing.
Whether your dissertation is based mainly on a detailed review of secondary sources (e.g. official reports or published research) or involves substantial primary investigation (e.g. interviews, questionnaires or design projects carried out by yourself) or design activity, it is not enough just to lay out the material you have collected. You need to present and analyse it in a methodical and systematic way. And you need to include some commentary that shows you have reflected critically on these findings, i.e. thought about what they show in relation to your research question. To achieve a high standard against this criterion a dissertation would have to exhibit conceptual and analytical sophistication in both summarising and analysing the findings.
There is a difference between reporting the findings of a piece of research, and drawing conclusions from these findings. Given some research findings, the business of drawing conclusions from these findings involves some further assessment of what these findings show, what is (or is not) important about these findings, and so on. In other words, drawing conclusions from research involves weighing and assessing findings; it involves considered interpretation and judgement, deliberation and critical reflection. This in turn may require a more extended discussion of different interpretations which might be made of, and hence different conclusions which might be reached from, your findings.
Within this School, most masters dissertations are taken as part of a programme of study concerned with some area of public policy or professional practice. Where this is the case you should attempt to draw out the implications which the conclusions of your dissertation could have for this area of policy or practice. For example, as a result of your work on the dissertation, you might conclude with some criticism of current policy or professional practice, and this should suggest some ways in which this area of policy or practice might be modified (and improved) to meet this criticism. Even some apparently purely theoretical conclusions about how, for example, some phenomenon might be better understood can have practical implications. For example, a geographical study explaining patterns of flooding in a river basin might have implications for planning policy concerned with development on flood plains, and/or for environmental policy more generally. In short, where your dissertation is taken as part of a postgraduate programme which is concerned with some area of policy, planning or professional practice, you should seek to show what practical implications follow from the conclusions reached in your dissertation.
Reference has already been made to the need for the dissertation to have a clear focus and for the different elements to hang together coherently. In addition to this, a dissertation should be clearly written, and otherwise clearly presented (i.e. presented in an attractive or “professional” way). To reach a pass standard, a dissertation should be written in clear, unambiguous, and grammatically correct English prose. If the language is unclear, then the substantive ideas you are dealing with will be unclear.
In addition to its written style, your dissertation should also be clearly laid out; any illustrations used should be of a high quality and located at appropriate places in the text; and any tables or other figures used should likewise clearly set out and located, etc. The standard academic conventions regarding the citing of sources and the listing of references at the end should also be carefully observed. | https://www.drsresearch.org/dissertation-assessment-criteria/ |
FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WOWO): The Allen County Board of Commissioners thinks the recent legislation of eliminating personal property tax on new business equipment wouldn’t be in the best interest of the county.
The Board of Commissioners issued a statement about the legislation and said it’s concerned it would place a tax burden on homeowners. The city council is scheduled to talk about the proposal next week.
“The Board of Commissioners has been examining the proposal recently submitted to the Fort Wayne Common Council for consideration that would eliminate the business property tax that is charged on new non-real-estate-related items owned by businesses,” the Allen County Board of Commissioners said in a statement. “After careful review, the Board has determined the proposal as presented is not in the best interest of the county. The Board is concerned elimination of the tax would shift an unfair property tax burden on to homeowners and other property owners.”
The board also said it would create competition between Allen County and neighboring counties, which would still have the tax in place. But, the board said it is open to further discussions about the proposal.
City Councilman Jason Arp introduced the legislation. He said the government should create a level playing field for businesses. He believes targeted incentives, which he usually opposes, don’t do that.
If the legislation was passed, it could reduce income for local governments by $51 million. | https://www.wowo.com/allen-county-board-of-commissioners-oppose-ending-taxes-on-new-business-equipment/ |
In many careers, you’ll be required to deliver a business presentation to a group at some point. In this lesson, you will learn about the best way to draft a presentation and how to develop the parts of a presentation, and you will explore methods to make a presentation most effective. Building your public speaking skills in the business environment for large and small groups requires a tactical approach and dedicated practice to develop confidence.
Readings, Resources, and Assignments
Required Textbook Readings Chapter 12, “Designing and Delivering Business Presentations”
Multimedia Resources Textbook Companion Web SiteRequired Assignments Project: Presentation
Check Prior Knowledge
What are the important parts of a speech or presentation? Now, think about what makes a speech most effective in reaching an audience in your experience.
Focusing Your Learning
Official Course Competencies
• Plan and participate in an efficient and effective business meeting.
• Prepare and present an oral business presentation using visual aids.
Lesson Objectives
By the end of this lesson, you should be able to:
1. Identify presentation objectives.
2. Compose and develop effective presentations.
3. Evaluate presentation design, strategy, and delivery tactics.
Key Terms
As you read your assignment for this lesson, pay close attention to the key terms and phrases PDF that are listed throughout the chapter. These terms and concepts are important to your understanding of the information provided in the lesson.
Approaching the Objectives
A business presentation is a message with a specific intent and audience. The intent might be an oral briefing, a quick, less-formal message to provide feedback on a business event that staff or leadership needs to know without notice. The intent might also be a more formal presentation where some preparation and advanced thought are required.
Creating an effective presentation requires you to know your audience. Many times, you may think or assume that you know who the audience is, why they want or need to hear the message, and the best way or environment to deliver the message to them. Watch Seven Questions to Knowing Your Audience (1:03) for preliminary questions to help you identify your audience.
A presentation has several parts for conveying an effective message. You should start with an introduction. Your introduction should be informational, inviting, and generate interest. It should provide insight into what your presentation will discuss, make the audience feel welcome and connected to the presenter, and grab their attention to help generate interest.
“7 Excellent Ways to Start a Presentation and Capture Your Audience’s Attention”
This article describes techniques you might use to generate interest in your presentation.
Once you have used one of these techniques to grab the audience’s attention and introduced the topic, it is time to move on to the body of the presentation. The body discusses the topic and makes your chosen points. Your main points should be easy to follow, include relevant facts, and be interesting. However, it is very important to involve the audience and even use humor at times to capture and maintain your audience’s interest. Using humor is great way to create familiarity or to ease a tough crowd. You must be careful to keep the humor appropriate and applicable.
Example: Using Humor
One way to use humor in a presentation is by incorporating a funny visual aid. You might use a photograph like this one below to introduce a topic that you know won’t be well received by your audience: budget review. For example, you might say, “I know this is what you all feel like when you are evaluating your budget overages, but it’s a necessary evil. So let’s discuss those now.”
To bring the points home while making them memorable, you should end your presentation with a closing. Some key ways to make the close effective are to tie your close to the introduction by building on an element in the introduction like the story, quote, or question you initially asked. Also, you should clearly transition from the body to the close to notify the audience that you are moving to close the topic. Some example phrases to move to the close include “in summary,” “to close things up today,” or “in conclusion.”
Now that you’ve learned the parts of a presentation and some methods for making them effective, you will explore visuals and how they can make or break a presentation. Visuals should be appropriate to clarify key points and aid in increasing audience attention. You learned about visuals for proposals in Lesson 11, and some types can be effectively used in presentations, such as graphs. Figure 12.2 on page 211 of your textbook covers ways to design compelling slides. While visuals are helpful, you never want to use too many visuals or complex aids with too much content. This practice can confuse, bore, or distract the audience from the presentation. Also, make sure your visuals have an effective and complementary color scheme and a clean font.
Example: Color Schemes
Using too many colors, like every color in the rainbow, or colors that are difficult to view, such as yellow cursive letters on a white background, can quickly kill a presentation’s effectiveness.
Now that you have created your presentation, you’ll want to consider the best way to deliver your message. Some speakers choose to use a memorized presentation. You can manuscript the presentation and read it word for word. Manuscript presentations are best for something like a statement to the press where no feedback occurs. Impromptu presentations require you to present without time to prepare, such as when your manager asks you to recall the details of a client’s history and current orders. An extemporaneous presentation involves planning, but the contents aren’t written down like in a memorized or manuscript presentation. For example, your manager might ask you to come to a meeting prepared to talk about ideas for a trade show booth to help attract clients. You might think about some ideas and rehearse how you’ll share them with the group but not necessarily write them down.
The content of your message, including the format of your presentation and visuals, is important as is your body language and tone. Watch The Importance of Body Language in Presentations (12:24), which demonstrates the importance of your body language when giving a presentation.
You should practice your presentation so you will be familiar with the content and confident in your delivery. In addition, you should anticipate questions that might arise and allow the audience time to ask those questions. Thinking about today’s business climate, how should you prepare if the audience is culturally diverse or if you are presenting to an audience in another location?
For the culturally diverse crowd, the goal is to simplify the language and learn more about the culture’s communication and cultural preferences. You want to be cognizant of any differences in nonverbal communication between your culture and their culture, adapt your dress to the culture, and solicit feedback to ensure you are understood. For distance presentations or Internet conferencing, be sure to learn the Internet software or service you are using and to connect with the audience by building rapport upfront. This helps keep the audience engaged and feeling connected to the message. Sometimes, you might be presenting in a group with a team of other people. When this happens, you should select only the top performing teams who can contribute; make certain all team members have a common understanding and agree on the purpose of the presentation and its contents.
In this lesson, you’ve learned about the structure and contents of a presentation, and some ways to successfully present ideas and information to others. In the end, you must organize your thoughts, convey ideas clearly, and hold the audience’s attention while doing so. You can do so by considering to whom you are delivering your message and by writing content that will appeal to their needs. These skills can help you communicate well and achieve success in any business field.
Summarizing Your Learning
The following activities are meant to help you practice the concepts that you studied in this lesson and prepare you for the graded assignments. They are not turned in to your instructor.
1. Read the assigned chapter in the textbook.
2. Review the key terms flashcards.
3. Download Audio Summaries from the textbook companion Web site for on-the-go review.
4. Play “Beat the Clock” on the textbook companion Web site to master concepts.
5. Complete the crossword puzzle on the textbook companion Web site to review key terms.
6. Watch the chapter video on the textbook companion Web site to learn about communication issues at a fictitious company.
Assessing Your Learning
Graded Assignments
The following are required assignments for this lesson.
1. Read Chapter 12: “Designing and Delivering Business Presentations.”
2. Complete the Lesson 12 Project: Presentation (30 points).
Select ONE topic from the list below to use for the Lesson 12 Project.
Topics
Select ONE topic from the following list.
A. Proposal to develop a policy to present to leadership that provides up to five paid days annually for volunteer work
B. Proposal to leadership to implement an in-house recycling program
C. Proposal to a local business to enhance the customer experience without increasing costs
D. Proposal to the board of directors to forge a strategic alliance with another company
E. Proposal presented to leadership to extend your company’s domestic retail market into an international market
Project: Presentation
1. Research the topic you selected from the list. Using Microsoft Word, create a 5- to10-minute written speech on the topic you selected, including the benefits related to the proposal you are planning. The speech should be written word for word as you plan to deliver it to your audience. Note in the presentation where you would use three PowerPoint slides as visuals.
2. Create the visuals using PowerPoint. Remember, you must include at least three slides.
3. Place the Word document and the PowerPoint file into a single folder. Zip the folder. Note: You must submit the files together in a zipped folder. They will not be accepted separately.
4. Submit the zipped folder, which is Lesson 12 Project in the Gradebook.
Have You Met The Objectives For This Lesson? | https://www.ukbestessays.com/answers/designing-and-delivering-presentations/ |
Below I’ve tried to provide a brief guide to the most prominent issues in bioethics to aid patients in their understanding of their encounters with medical staff.
Autonomy Defined
When discussed by philosophers, the term “autonomy” can become complicated and difficult to pin down. In its most basic form, however, autonomy is defined as the ability to be “self-legislating.” As a patient, this means you have the right, so long as you are rational, to make all decisions affecting your body and health. Of course, in some rare cases, healthcare providers find a patient’s disagreement over treatment goals to be evidence enough that the patient is, indeed, not rational. For the most part, healthcare providers seek to protect the autonomy of patients.
Advance Directive Defined
An advance directive is a legal document that spells our your healthcare preferences in the event that you are unconscious or otherwise unable to make decisions on your own behalf. Besides stating specific treatment (or non-treatment) goals, an advance directive enables you to name who you would want to make decisions on your behalf when you are unable to make them for yourself.
Informed Consent
Before any healthcare provider gives you treatment, you should know what treatment you are receiving, what the benefits of the treatment might be, any possible side effects and risks, and what alternative treatments are available. As a general rule, with most treatment decisions, doctors and hospitals will go over these details and then ask you to sign a consent form to indicate that you do understand the treatment, risks, and alternatives.
You may not notice that your doctor is seeking your informed consent. Occasionally, providers will go through this information in such an informal manner that patients may not notice they’ve actually just completed a consent process. In one sense, this approach is welcome, as the conversation feels natural and not compelled by policy. Indeed, many providers do provide this information as a natural part of their job, rather than as a policy requirement. However, it is good for patients to be aware that they have received information on which to base their consent before actually agreeing to any treatment plan.
Sometimes stressed providers in a hurry might rush things and simply hand you a form and ask you to sign it. You have a right to a thorough discussion of your treatment, however, and you should postpone your signature until you are certain that you understand the treatment to your satisfaction.
If you are lucky, you may find yourself receiving treatment from a healthcare provider who wishes to go beyond the basic consent process and actively involve you in your healthcare decisions. Providers who engage their patients in an ongoing and thorough conversation to arrive at a mutual decision on what treatments are appropriate are moving beyond mere consent to shared decision-making (SDM). SDM may not always be necessary or even appropriate, but when there are a number of treatment alternatives with various risks and benefits that must be balanced against personal desires and goals, patients involved in SDM are generally grateful for the opportunity.
Refusing Treatment
You have a right to refuse treatment from a doctor. There are some exceptions: you may be unconscious and unable to give consent or you may be mentally incapacitated to the point that you are unable to make decisions for yourself. There are consequences to refusing treatment, however, If you refuse a treatment that your insurance company prefers, you may be denied coverage for other treatments, especially if they are more expensive, or you may be denied coverage for choosing “against medical advice.”
Confidentiality
In the past, patients expected their conversations with doctors to remain private unless the doctor needed to share the information with a nurse or other person who needed it to provide care. Over time, the number of people involved in the care of patients has grown many times over. Now, medical records are stored electronically and shared with hospital staff, pharmacies, medical laboratories, and even technology companies who store and manage data for the healthcare industry. While information is only shared with those who have some role in your healthcare, the number of people who potentially have access to your information is larger than you might imagine. Most doctors and other providers want to limit access to your information as much as you do, and a candid conversation with them about your privacy will most likely be welcomed.
Our interactions with doctors are special and sometimes take on the quality of a confessional. We sometimes must share with doctors our most embarrassing moments and habits. Before revealing something too uncomfortable, you might ask the doctor about what absolutely must be recorded on an electronic health record and how the number of people who will see it.
Conflicts of Interest
Healthcare providers receive payments and other incentives from pharmaceutical and device manufacturers seeking to promote their products. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing in every instance, but it helps to be aware of different ways doctors make a profit. For example, some doctors own or partially own clinics that conduct medical tests, and ordering medical tests for patients increases their income. As part of the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare), the Open Payments Act (previously the Sunshine Act) requires that industry to report and make available to the public information regarding payments to doctors.
Surrogate Decision Making
In the event that you are unconscious or otherwise unable to make treatments for yourself, providers will seek surrogates to make medical decisions on your behalf. Usually, this will fall to the closest living relative, which can create controversy in some cases. If there is someone you wish to be your surrogate over other choices, you may be well advised to express this wish in writing before a problem arises. This is commonly done through an advance directive (see definition above).
Experimental Treatment
You may find yourself in a situation where your doctor has nothing more to offer you but tells you of a drug trial for an experimental drug. It may seem the doctor is recommending the experimental drug, but you should clarify what the doctor really feels about the opportunity. When facing serious illness or death, fear can drive us to cling to the “best hope” out there, but you will want to get as much information as possible before agreeing to enroll. First, all lifesaving drugs were once experimental treatments, so the possibility of receiving great benefit from the drug trial does exist. On the other hand, some experimental treatments are not expected to provide therapeutic benefit and may pose risks to your comfort and health. You should not assume untested drugs are either safe or effective. Even if the drug offers you no hope of prolonged life and comes with considerable discomfort, you may wish to enter the trial in order to help the progress of medical knowledge. For some, the knowledge that they contributed to knowledge of their condition helps them feel their illness and death was not in vain.
Futility
Just as you have a right to refuse treatment, doctors sometimes have a right to refuse to offer it. The most common conflict arises when patients or their families want a treatment that doctors deem to be “futile.” When providers say a treatment is “futile,” they may mean one of two things: 1. The treatment will do nothing for the medical problem (e.g., a head bandage will do nothing to help a broken arm). 2. A treatment may do what it is intended (such as lower cholesterol), but a patient’s condition is so bad that treating the condition is a waste of time (if someone is dying from organ failure, why waste time treating blood pressure?).
The question of futility sometimes creates conflict between healthcare providers and patients or loved ones at the end of life. Families and loved ones may want to continue treatments that providers see as pointless based on the current state of the patient, who is likely in the active process of dying. Some patients and families are wary of agreeing to end treatment, as they fear it will lead to neglect. When signing an agreement to suspend treatment, you may wish to specify what types of care you want to continue (i.e, you may want to specify that the patient will continue to receive comfort care, pain medication, clean bandages, feeding, liquids, and so on).
End of Life
When you are in the final stages of life, you may wish to pursue aggressive treatment to prolong your life as much as possible, you may wish to preserve your dignity as much as possible, or you may wish to promote your comfort to the greatest extent possible. If you are conscious and rational, you can make these decisions based on consultation with healthcare providers or those you most trust. If you are not conscious, decisions regarding your care will be left to surrogate decision makers. If you have stated your treatment preferences and named your preferred surrogates through an advance directive, it will be easier for both your healthcare providers and your loved ones to follow your wishes. | https://ethicsbeyondcompliance.com/bioethics-for-patients/ |
Medical Malpractice and Informed Consent
Before you undergo any medical procedure or treatment, the health care provider must obtain your permission before proceeding. They have a requirement to let you know the benefits and risks of the procedure, so you can make an informed decision about whether you approve. Let’s explore the purpose of informed consent and how failure to obtain informed consent is a form of medical malpractice:
Patient Autonomy
As a patient, you have a legal and ethical right to make decisions about your own body and health. No doctor or health care provider may perform medical, surgical, or investigative treatment without your informed consent. Health care providers must inform the patient about the benefits, risks, and exact procedure or treatment such as:
• Physical examination (touching of the body)
• Drawing blood
• Injecting vaccines
• Radiation exposure
• Medications and drug interactions
Health care providers are obliged to provide good advice, but patients have the option of accepting or rejecting the advice. Doctors, nurses, dentists, paramedics, and other health care providers have a legal and ethical responsibility to inform patients – failing to do so may amount to medical malpractice.
Express or Implied Consent
Consent can either be express (verbal or written) or implied. In the case of risky procedures or procedures where intent may be misinterpreted (such a physical exam involving intimate areas of the body), health care providers are advised to obtain express consent.
Valid Consent
In order for consent to be regarded as valid, the following conditions must apply:
• The patient consents voluntarily. The patient has freedom to consent to or reject any treatment option. Consent is provided of the patient’s own volition, with no coercion or duress.
• The patient has the mental capacity to provide consent. They must be capable of understanding the effects of the treatment (and risks of refusing treatment).
• The patient has been properly informed.
Informed Consent
In Canada, health care providers should inform patients of the diagnosis. If the diagnosis is uncertain (for example, if it is likely condition A but could be condition B), this must be explained. Health care providers must explain the proposed treatments, explain the chances of success, and reveal the potential risks. They must explain alternative treatments (if available), and the risks of those alternatives. Finally, healthcare providers must also explain the risks of rejecting treatment.
If your health care provider(s) failed to obtain informed consent for any investigation or treatment, this might fall under the category of medical malpractice. If you are a victim of medical malpractice, a medical malpractice lawyer in Ottawa can help you determine if you have a viable case and get you the compensation you are owed. | https://www.mullowney.com/medical-malpractice-and-informed-consent/ |
Ethics Case Study Jerry has the credentials to write a prescription and to authorize a refill. In this circumstance, although Jerry has the medical training that allows him to make requests for medication and refills, Jerry should not put in the refill or authorize a new script. Jerry should take the patients information and make sure this information is correct. Once confirmed Jerry could have this authorized by the Doctor and contact the patient as to what will take place. The patient may be on a time constraint but this liability is much more important to weigh.
As a nurse it is important to make sure that tasks are being delegated appropriately to UAPs and they understand when they need to report problems of concern to the nurse. The CNA in Mr. J’s scenario did not take the reddened area on the spine seriously and reapplied the restraints and left Mr. J on his back after toileting. The nurse knows that areas of breakdown occur over bony prominences and the area of breakdown discovered should cause concern to the CNA as well as the nurse. With this not being reported to the nurse, no measures to prevent this from worsening can be implemented. Oftentimes a diet is used not only to complement treatment but respecting individual’s religious beliefs.
In the article by Garrett, Baillie, McGeehan, and Garrett (2010), the health care professional’s obligation is to “provide the health care information and leadership to ensure that this distribution is accomplished in ways that allow the goals of health care to be achieved” (p. 71). Although the physician informed Ms. Selbstmord of the lifestyle changes she needed in order to improve her condition, he failed to inform her of other important treatment options. The physician decided against prescribing Ms. Selbstmord a medication for asthma because of the side effects that would result. However, the principle of double effect of nonmaleficence would suggest that improvement of her asthma by the medication would create more good than the harm of the side effects so it should have been given as an option for the patient to decide. If the health care professional would have provided Ms. Selbstmord of all of the options for treatment and their consequences, it would become Ms. Selbstmord’s responsibility if whether or not her condition improved or worsened.
This form requires health professionals to document both how they have come to the conclusion that the patient lacks the capacity to make this particular healthcare decision, and why the proposed treatment would be in the patient’s best interests. It also allows the involvement of those close to the patient in making this healthcare decision to be documented. The development of these forms does not change the current position on when written, as opposed to oral, consent to treatment is necessary. It is a matter of local determination what form of consent is appropriate for individual procedures, within the broad guidelines set out in the model consent
The informed consent presents the treatment information in an understandable manner in an effort to avoid any misunderstandings leading to a possible delay in care. A lack of understanding opens the door to further communication between the physician and the patient or their appointed surrogate. If the patient has not appointed a surrogate, health care professionals cannot treat a patient against their will unless the courts have appointed a health care surrogate. However, when the wishes of a patient conflict with the decision of their surrogate, the health care provider should revert to their institution’s policy or court intervention. When
Therefore, to protect them, they are kept away from mainstream society and excluded. * Rights: The medical model of disability believes that medical professionals know best. This means that therefore the rights of the individual are seen as unimportant and are pushed aside to follow the opinion of the medical professionals. * Autonomy: Decisions in health and social care services for people with disabilities are usually made by carers or medical professionals, as they feel they know what is best for the individual. Therefore, autonomy is not an important principle in the medical model.
A DNR order is when a patient states that they do not want for the doctors to try and bring them back to life after they have stopped breathing on their own. A living will is a document that is completed by the patient so that they are able to make the final healthcare decisions before they become incompetent to say so. The durable power of attorney for healthcare is the legal document that tells which person or persons the patient has appointed to make healthcare decisions for them after they have become incompetent to do so for themselves. 3. What is the purpose of the Uniform Anatomical Gift Act?
This nurse should have requested assistance from a nursing supervisor when the physician failed to acknowledge the patient’s right to self determination by stating “No” when the physician wished to intubate him as well as acknowledging that this patient had an advanced directive. This nurse also failed, when she initially spoke with the DPOA, to notify him that the patient had an advanced directive and she should have taken steps to notify him of this as soon as she realized that she had made a
Modifiers help with duplicate billing and unbundling of codes. The coder must understand professional courtesy and discounts to uninsured or low income patients. Professional courtesy is when the doctor may not charge for services to other doctors or their family. This is not allowed because health insurance deductibles and co-pays must be paid. When giving discounts the system used to determine who gets the discount should be documented in the compliance plan. | https://www.antiessays.com/free-essays/Electrocardiograph-733694.html |
Ensure that you inform the patient about the potential consequences and see if a translator is arranged to speak for them if they cannot understand. You have to make sure he understood about the possible consequences of refusing treatment and medication.
Table of contents
- what can a nurse do if a patient refuses treatment?
- what should you do if your patient refuses care?
- what is the best course of action if a patient refuses treatment?
- what steps should be taken by the nurse when a client refuses therapy?
- how should the nurse respond to a client who is refusing medication?
- does the patient have the right to refuse treatment?
- when can you accept a patient’s refusal of care?
- is it ever ethical to treat someone who refuses treatment?
- what can you do if someone refuses medical treatment?
- what is it called when a patient refuses treatment?
- what can you do if a client refuses therapy?
What Can A Nurse Do If A Patient Refuses Treatment?
For nursing staff, the client has a right to refuse medication, meaning the nurse is only permitted to recommend, suggest, encourage, or warn them about this move. In order to understand a nurse’s actions should be able to see how the nurse responds to the patient’s refusal.
What Should You Do If Your Patient Refuses Care?
Charges for refusing to provide treatment are made so the doctor may promote the best interest of the patient, but may not impose medical restrictions on them in the limited time-frame permitted under law. Unless you give consent and a refusal without asking for it, that form of consent is voluntary.
What Is The Best Course Of Action If A Patient Refuses Treatment?
In situation where a patient refuses to consent to a course of action you consider appropriate and in the best interests of that patient, you will have a duty to explain to the patient why those options are recommended and what may become of the treated body if those outcomes don’t occur.
What Steps Should Be Taken By The Nurse When A Client Refuses Therapy?
How Should The Nurse Respond To A Client Who Is Refusing Medication?
Does The Patient Have The Right To Refuse Treatment?
By having your informed consent, you are giving us this option. A participant who refuses treatment must exercise his/her right to refuse services to be part of a participation program. Patient-determined directives (PDDs) in the Patient Self-Determination Act (PSADA) are the basis for opposing life-support treatment at the end of life.
When Can You Accept A Patient’S Refusal Of Care?
The patient has the right to accept or refuse what healthcare providers will, nor will they do, when the patient is provided adequate information about treatment options offered by a health provider.
Is It Ever Ethical To Treat Someone Who Refuses Treatment?
Despite the right to refuse treatment of competent patients, some refuse to cooperate. In addition to the autonomy principle, the government likewise supports the idea. The law behind statutes, regulations and cases. Some adults may refuse care based on what may potentially save or prolong their patients’ lives if they possess the necessary skills.
What Can You Do If Someone Refuses Medical Treatment?
What Is It Called When A Patient Refuses Treatment?
An encyclopedia that is available to the public for free is Wikipedia. An informed refusal is a decision not to follow the treatment made by someone on the basis of an understanding of the facts and implications.
What Can You Do If A Client Refuses Therapy? | https://www.excel-medical.com/what-should-the-nurse-do-if-the-patient-refuses-care/ |
Informed consent is defined as the knowledgeable and voluntary agreement given by a patient. Informed consent protects patient autonomy and endorses trust between the medical community and the patient. If a patient knows that they are lied to, or not told the entire truth, the patient will lose confidence in the medical community as a whole (Eval, 2011). If this non-education does happen, then the patient will not be able to make choices about the end of their life, medially or financially (Piper, nd). Personal integrity is gained when informed consent is used, as the person is making their own choices, not having their family or others make choices on their behalf, when the patient is excluded for the education of the disease (Eval, 2011).
Atul Gawande in his article “Whose body is it, anyway?” introduced couple of cases, which discussed a controversial topic, doctors dealing with patients and making important medical decisions. These are difficult decisions in which people might have life or death choices. Who should make the important decisions, patients or doctors? Patients don’t usually know what is better for their health and while making their decisions, they might ignore or don’t know the possible side effects and consequences of these decisions.
The doctors failed to use a properly consenting patient, neglected Charlie’s emotional state, and failed to conduct proper research. If Charlie had a caretaker who could give consent on his behalf, similar to a minor, an operation of this sort could be ethical. Moreover, it could be ethical if the doctors’ research and further develop their theory before using a human test subject, and pay close attention to Charlie’s emotional and mental health. However, Charlie’s operation was performed without these precautions and guidelines, and he suffers greatly in the
Discuss the ethical implications of “medical necessity” in patient care. Ethical Implications of Medical Necessity When it comes to medical necessity can often refers to the determination that is made for the insurance purposes. For example, If the patient has a condition that is chronic or terminal, the treatment could be considered medically necessary whether then the patient can afford the treatment or not. Networked doctors may face ethical dilemmas when recommending treatment or specialist referrals. When it comes to medical necessities it can be controversial, it can be the use of marijuana when there can be others that are more a moral ethical in which it can be in manage care and network providers.
The ethical principle of autonomy provides for respect for the patient’s autonomy to make decisions and choices concerning their life and death. Respecting the patient’s autonomy goes against the principles of beneficence and non-maleficence. There also exists the issue of religious beliefs the patient, family, or the caretaker holds, with which the caretaker has to grapple. The caretaker thus faces issues of fidelity to patient welfare by not abandoning the patient or their family, compassionate provision of pain relief methods, and the moral precept to neither hasten death nor prolong life.
INFROMED CONSENT ARE PATIENTS TRULY INFORMED??? Informed consent gives a competent patient the freewill to make his decisions about his health after getting informed adequately about the procedure, its alternatives, pros &cons and uncertainties related the procedure and its alternatives. Above all the patient’s consent must be voluntary and without any kind of pressure whatsoever. There are few fundamental question
Informed consent is the process by which the treating health care provider discloses appropriate information to a competent patient so that the patient may make a voluntary choice to accept or refuse treatment. (Appelbaum, 2007)1 It originates from the legal and ethical right the patient has to direct what happens to her body and from the ethical duty of the physician to involve the patient in her health care. In order for the consent to be valid, the patient must be competent to take the particular decision; have received sufficient information to make a decision; and not be acting under stress.2,3
In the study “Assessing the quality of informed consent in a resource-limited setting: A cross-sectional study,” researchers investigated the process of obtaining informed consent in clinical and public health research. The method of the study utilized interviews, in which research participants were asked a series of questions after they had been through informed consent procedures. 600 participants were interviewed, and the results show that 5.9% believed that they were not given enough information before deciding to participate. Only 5.7% of the participants said that they had not signed a consent form before making the decision to participate. Interestingly, 33.7% reported that they were not aware of their power to withdraw from participation
This essay uses the book“ The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks” by Rebecca Skloot to investigate the requirements of informed consent ,by informing the patients through every steps Henrietta’s story is an example on informed consent. On one hand theorists such as, Dale Keigner argue that informed consent should be notified by the doctor to the patient and the patient should be knowledge on the proceeding that the doctors will maintain. On the other hand , Lewis Soloman contends that the doctors should be able to take any specimens from the patient after operating without consent for scientific reasons and research. . He also asserted that doctors should be able to deduct any specimen that will be able to help in the science research. Others maintain
For instance, the practitioners are obligated to constantly inform the participants about plans that pertains to interventions (Reamer, 1987). In addition, it is essential for informed consent to include the following: “What is done, the reasons for doing it, clients must be capable of providing consent, they must have the right to refuse or withdraw consent, and their decisions must be based on adequate information” (Kirk & Wakefield, 1997, p. 275). One of the most dehumanizing incidents that occur is the researchers prohibit the participants’ self-determination. For example, the men were compliant with receiving treatment and to be examined by the physicians.
It examines and evaluates the decision making process integrating ethical principals. Advance practice nurses must be aware there are ethical consequences for decisions that are made. This core competency addresses the need for ethically sound solutions to be applied to complex issues. During this course ethical principles of decision making was addressed in the case studies. For example, a patient became pregnant and contracted a sexually transmitted infection from her estranged spouse.
Consent is patients’ rights because they have right to know what is happening to their life which is fundamental value in professional practice (Department of Health (DH), 2001). Dougherty and Lister (2015) state that consent is a patient’s rights to refuse or to accept a treatment. However, Dimond (2010) said that consent is a voluntarily decision which can be given orally, verbally, written or implied for example if you ask a patient to take their blood pressure and they offer their arm. Eyal (2012) also states that consent promote trust in medical procedures that people may seek and comply with medical advice and participate in medical research. Bok (2013) argues that there are problems with the trust-promoting as many patients give consent despite being to some extent distrustful.
Medicine has changed in ways over the years that one might have never thought twice about having anything like that happen to them. People today have increased their knowledge overall about their health situations and how to treat themselves. Patients are stepping up and making decisions about their healthcare choices each day with physicians. And in this process it has turned out to be so important for people to understand what is truly being done before medical treatment is given. We have talked this semester about informed consent and how important it is that our patients understand the meaning of what they are having done.
Ethical Issues in Healthcare There are many ethical issues facing health care at any time and it is impossible to say definitively which is the most pressing or the most important. Health care professionals are expected to base their practice on a set of ethical principles, including truthfulness, beneficence, nonmaleficence, justice, and confidentiality. Ethical issues can arise, however, when a l professional is called upon to act in opposition to personal values or in cases where the values of patient, health care worker, and sponsoring institution conflict. The following issues are presented in no order. Neonatal Ethics Neonates are babies within their first twenty-eight days of life. | https://www.ipl.org/essay/Informed-Consent-Ethics-And-Ethical-Dilemmas-In-FCFAK8YZN6 |
Medical ethics is trying to do the right thing while achieving the best possible outcome for every patient. Principles and theories in medical ethics apply to just about every problem or situation. The interesting part of ethics is the discussion. How will you choose to balance the basic ethical principles so your patients receive the best care in any situation?
Basic Principles of Medical Ethics
There are four basic principles of medical ethics. Each addresses a value that arises in interactions between providers and patients. The principles address the issue of fairness, honesty, and respect for fellow human beings.
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Autonomy: People have the right to control what happens to their bodies. This principle simply means that an informed, competent adult patient can refuse or accept treatments, drugs, and surgeries according to their wishes. People have the right to control what happens to their bodies because they are free and rational. And these decisions must be respected by everyone, even if those decisions aren’t in the best interest of the patient.
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Beneficence: All healthcare providers must strive to improve their patient’s health, to do the most good for the patient in every situation. But what is good for one patient may not be good for another, so each situation should be considered individually. And other values that might conflict with beneficence may need to be considered.
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Nonmaleficence: “First, do no harm” is the bedrock of medical ethics. In every situation, healthcare providers should avoid causing harm to their patients. You should also be aware of the doctrine of double effect, where a treatment intended for good unintentionally causes harm. This doctrine helps you make difficult decisions about whether actions with double effects can be undertaken.
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Justice: The fourth principle demands that you should try to be as fair as possible when offering treatments to patients and allocating scarce medical resources. You should be able to justify your actions in every situation.
Helping Medical Patients Reach Informed Consent
Informed consent is an overarching point in medical ethics; yet reaching informed consent can be difficult. Providers need to be sure patients understand their conditions and the options for treatment before any procedure begins. You can do this by initiating a conversation, asking questions, and communicating clearly. Here are some additional tips:
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Carefully describe the diagnosis and possible treatments.
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Allow time for questions.
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Use written forms describing procedures and go through them together.
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Listen carefully to patient questions and statements.
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Ask for feedback.
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Avoid medical jargon when describing treatments.
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Ask your patient to explain the situation to you in their own words.
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Be aware of religious or cultural differences that may affect understanding.
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Request an interpreter, if necessary.
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Document the conversation in the patient’s chart.
Reviewing Ethics and Common Controversies in Medicine
Ethical principles are fine in theory, but putting them into practice is more difficult. Every situation is different, and ethical issues in medicine should be approached on a case-by-case basis. These are some common controversies, and how principles of medical ethics are applied to help solve them.
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Abortion: Autonomy and nonmaleficence come into conflict in this issue. How much right does a woman have over her body, and how does that right balance with the rights of the fetus? Are there some cases when a therapeutic abortion is ethically mandated?
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Physician-assisted suicide: If we respect autonomy, can we deny a patient’s request to die? Should doctors, traditionally committed to prolonging life, be involved in assisted suicide? How can providers honor the conflicting requirements of nonmaleficence, beneficence, and autonomy at the same time with this issue?
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Conflicts of interest: For informed consent and patient autonomy to mean something, providers must tell patients what matters to their decision, including the potential for conflicts of interest, such as provider relationships with drug companies. Here, truthfulness is a primary ethical issue.
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Relief of suffering at the end of life: To honor the principle of beneficence, providers should try to relieve suffering at to the best of their ability. However, some of the drugs that relieve suffering at the end of life can also hasten death. The double-effect rule helps you make decisions in these difficult situations.
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Medical mistakes: Mistakes happen in all walks of life. But medical mistakes have the potential for hurting people and thereby violating the principle of nonmaleficence. Learning how to prevent mistakes, openly reporting mistakes, and learning from mistakes help you to respect the principles of nonmaleficence, justice, and beneficence.
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Confidentiality: All four principles play a part in this issue. Can a patient’s medical information be kept confidential in the electronic age? When can confidentiality be breached? And who is allowed access to confidential information?
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Healthcare rationing: Justice is the principle that applies in this issue. How can we fairly allocate limited healthcare resources to as many people as possible, without limiting resources to those who currently have them? Is it possible to reach a bare minimum of care for all?
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Stem cell and genetic research: The frontiers of medicine exist in research. How can we balance beneficence and justice if embryos must be destroyed to perhaps find cures for devastating diseases? Should a patient know everything there is to know about his health and potential health risks? And can research be harmful to some in order to benefit many? | https://www.dummies.com/health/medical-ethics-for-dummies-cheat-sheet/ |
Use the search to find what you are looking for
Both doctor and patient should feel comfortable exchanging information (e.g. about symptoms and treatment side effects) and working together to make treatment decisions. This applies to your GP and the hospital doctor.
Every doctor-patient relationship evolves and requires time and effort for both parties. There are countless reasons why tensions could arise in a doctor-patient relationship. You might feel that your doctor isn’t listening to your concerns, won’t answer your questions or doesn’t take your fears seriously. If it is the case, don’t be afraid to tell your doctor that you feel unable to address certain issues with him or her; that you don’t understand their medical language; or that you are not getting enough time to discuss your problems. For those who are uncomfortable approaching the doctor directly with a problem, ask a nurse or relative to talk to the doctor on your behalf.
Whilst some relationships may not be easy, ask yourself whether the doctor’s expertise outweighs a disappointing manner? Most doctors want to do the right thing, and should respond well but if you continually feel that you are not getting what you need, consider asking for a new doctor. Particularly with a complex conditon such as CUP, it is perfectly acceptable to ask for a ‘second opinion’. ‘Choice’ is an integral part of the NHS Constitution.
To get the best service, you need to take a proactive role in your own healthcare and your relationship with your doctors.
Some work by the Consumer Liaison Group of the National Cancer Research Institute in 2014 identifies what all cancer patients want:
Informed consent is a very important principal in the medical profession’s dealings with the patient. This is particularly relevant in relation to treatment and trials where the clinician should ensure he or she has informed consent from the patient. In non emergency situations, written informed consent is generally required before many medical procedures, such as surgery, biopsies, endoscopy, and radiographic procedures.
The doctor must explain to the patient the diagnosis, the nature of the procedure, including the risks involved and the chances of success, and the alternative methods of treatment that are available. Nurses or other members of the health care team may be involved in filling out the consent form and witnessing the signature of the patient. In medical research, the patient must be informed that the procedure is experimental and that the patient may withdraw consent at any time. In addition, the person signing the consent form must be informed of the risks and benefits of the experimental procedure and of alternative treatments.
Consent is voluntary agreement with an action proposed by another. Consent is an act of reason; the person giving consent must be of sufficient mental capacity and be in possession of all essential information in order to give valid consent. A person who is an infant, is mentally incompetent, or is under the influence of drugs is incapable of giving consent. Consent must also be free of coercion or fraud.
Informed consent is consent of a patient or other recipient of services based on the principles of autonomy and privacy; this has become the requirement at the center of morally valid decision making in health care and research. Seven criteria define informed consent: (1) competence to understand and to decide, (2) voluntary decision making, (3) disclosure of material information, (4) recommendation of a plan, (5) comprehension of terms 3 and 4, (6) decision in favor of a plan, and (7) authorization of the plan. A person gives informed consent only if all of these criteria are met. If all of the criteria are met except that the person rejects the plan, that person makes an informed refusal.
Definitions from the Miller-Keane Encyclopedia and Dictionary of Medicine, Nursing, and Allied Health, Seventh Edition. (2003).
Understanding is the key to making informed decisions and this does not develop from the hospital just ‘dumping’ information on patients. The doctor needs to communicate information in a way the patient understands; and, to act ethically, he or she needs to believe that a patient is making an informed choice based on understanding. | https://cupfoundjo.org/treatment/doctor-patient-relationships |
1. To be informed of the patient’s bill of rights, by being offered a written copy of this document and given a written or verbal explanation of your rights in terms you can understand. We will make efforts to have a written copy in the patient’s primary language or large print available upon request. If translation is unavailable, an interpreting service will be used.
2. To be informed of services available in this facility, of the names and professional status of the personnel providing and/or responsible for the patient’s care, and of fees and related charges, including the payment, fee deposit and refund policy of the facility and any charges for services not covered by sources of third-party payment or not covered by the facility’s basic rate.
3. To be informed if the facility has authorized other health care and educational institutions to participate in the patient’s treatment. The patient also shall have a right to know the identity and function of these institutions, and to refuse to allow their participation in the patient’s treatment.
4. To receive, in terms the patient understands, an explanation of his or her recommended treatment, risk(s) of the treatment, expected results and reasonable diagnostic alternatives. If the patient is not capable of understanding the information, the explanation shall be provided to his or her next of kin or guardian and documented in the patient’s medical record.
5. Except in an emergency, to be informed of alternatives to a proposed psychotropic medication or surgical procedure and associated risks and possible complications of a proposed psychotropic medication or surgical procedure.
6. To participate in the planning of your own care and treatment, and to refuse medication and treatment.
7. To be included in experimental research only when you give written consent to such participation, or when a guardian gives such consent in accordance with law, rule and regulation. You may refuse to participate in experimental research, including the investigation of new drugs and medical devices.
8. To be informed of the patient complaint process and voice grievances or recommend changes in policies and services to facility personnel, the governing authority, and/or outside representatives of the patient’s choice either individually or as a group, and free from restraint, interference, coercion, discrimination, or reprisal.
9. To be free from mental and physical abuse, neglect, exploitation, coercion, manipulation, sexual abuse and sexual assault and free from use of restraints unless they are authorized by a physician for a limited period of time to protect the patient or others from injury. Drugs and other medications shall not be used for discipline of patients or for convenience of facility personnel. Personal property of patients shall be preserved at all times while in custody of the Clinic.
10. To confidential treatment of information about the patient. Information in the patient’s medical record and financial record shall not be released to anyone outside the facility without the patient’s approval, unless another health care facility to which the patient was transferred requires the information, or unless the release of the information is required and permitted by law, a third-party payment contract, or a peer review, or unless the information is needed by the State Department of health for statutorily authorized purposes. The facility may release data about the patient for studies containing aggregated statistics when the patient’s identity is masked. The patient has the right, upon written request, to review his or her own medical record.
11. To be treated with courtesy, consideration, respect, and recognition of the patient’s dignity, individuality, and right to privacy, including, but not limited to, auditory and visual privacy. The patient’s privacy shall also be respected when facility personnel are discussing the patient.
12. To not be required to work for the facility unless the work is part of the patient’s treatment and is performed voluntarily by the patient. Such work shall be in accordance with local, State, and Federal laws and rules.
13. To exercise civil and religious liberties, including the right to independent personal decisions. No religious beliefs or practices, or any attendance at religious services, shall be imposed upon any patient.
14. To treatment and medical services without discrimination based on race, age, religion, national origin, sex, sexual preferences, handicap, diagnosis, ability to pay or deprived of any constitutional, civil and/or legal rights solely because of receiving services from the facility.
15. To consent to photographs before the patient is photographed, except that a patient may be photographed when admitted to an outpatient treatment center for identification and administrative purposes.
16. To receive a referral to another health care institution if the outpatient treatment center is not authorized or not able to provide physical health services or behavioral health services needed by the patient.
17. To refuse or withdraw consent for treatment before treatment is initiated.
NOTICE TO PATIENT
The Patient Self Determination Act of 1990 (The PSDA) is a Federal law which imposes on the state and providers of health care such as hospitals, nursing homes, hospices, home health agencies, and prepaid health care organizations certain requirements concerning advance directives and an individual’s right under state law to make decisions concerning medical care.
Under the law, you have the right to make health care decisions for yourself. A patient must consent to any treatment or care received. Generally, if you are a competent adult, you can give this consent for yourself. For you to give this consent, you should be told what the recommended procedure is, why it is recommended, what risks are involved with the procedure, and what the alternatives are.
If you are not able to make your own health care decisions, your advance directives can be used. The PSDA defines an advance directive as a written instruction, such as an Individual Instruction or Power of Attorney for Health Care, recognized under State law and relating to the provisions of health care when the individual is incapacitated.
An Individual Instruction is a written directive concerning a health care decision.
A Power of Attorney for Health Care (PAHC) is a document through which you designate someone as your agent to make health care decisions for you if you are unable to make such decisions. The PAHC comes into play when you cannot make a health care decision, either because of permanent or temporary illness or injury. The PAHC must specifically authorize your agent to make health care decisions for you and must contain the standard language set out in the law.
If you are unable to make a decision and have not given or prepared individual instructions or a PAHC, you may designate an adult of your choice, called a surrogate, to make health care decisions for you. If you do not appoint a surrogate, the members of your family may make decisions for you.
For more information on Health Care Decisions visit: http://www.hcdecisions.org
This webpage, hosted by the U.S. Living Will Registry, provides a state-by-state list, with links to state specific websites that provide free advance directive forms. https://uslwr.com/formslist.shtm
This webpage, provided by the American Bar Association provides a great tool kit, which contains a variety of self-help worksheets, suggestions, and resources. There are 10 tools in all, each clearly labeled and user- friendly. The tool kit does not create a formal advance directive for you. Instead, it helps you do the much harder job of discovering, clarifying, and communicating what is important to you in the face of serious illness.
http://americanbar.org/groups/law_aging/resources/consumer_s_toolkit_for_health_care_advance_planning.html
MODERN VASCULAR ADVANCE DIRECTIVE POLICY
All patients have the right to participate in their own health care decisions and to make Advance Directives or to execute Powers of Attorney that authorize others to make decisions on their behalf based on the patient’s expressed wishes when the patient is unable to make decisions or unable to communicate decisions Modern Vascular, respects and upholds those rights.
However, unlike in an acute care hospital setting, Modern Vascular, does not routinely perform “high risk” procedures. While no surgery is without risk, the procedures performed in this facility are considered to be of minimal risk. You will discuss the specifics of your procedure with your physician who can answer your questions as to its risk, your expected recovery, and care after your surgery.
Therefore, it is our policy, regardless of the contents of any Advance Directive or instructions from a health care surrogate or attorney-in-fact, that if an adverse event occurs during your treatment at this facility, we will initiate resuscitative or other stabilizing measures and transfer you to an acute care hospital for further evaluation. At the acute care hospital further treatments or withdrawal of treatment measures already begun will be ordered in accordance with your wishes, Advance Directive, or health care power of Attorney. Your agreement with this facility’s policy will not revoke or invalidate any current health care directive or health care power of attorney. | https://modernvascular.com/patient-rights/ |
In the Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot, the author demonstrates the harsh realities that many African Americans faced in the medical and scientific field during the mid 20th century. The author shows the unjust practices of this time period through interviews with the Lacks family and medical professionals. These harsh realities are proven when Skloot talks to Henrietta’s family. Henrietta’s husband, Day, explains how they took samples from Henrietta’s body without consent when Skloot writes, “Day clenched his remaining three teeth. "I didn't sign no papers," he said. "I just told them they could do a topsy. Nothing else, Them doctors never said nuthin about keeping her alive in no tubes or growin no cells. All they told
Removing Henrietta’s cells without her consent seems to be a very rare scenario and this can tell how the medical community mistreats the Black Americans. A woman of black America origin, Rebecca Skloot managed to surface other different stories of maltreatment directed to the African American community. Blacks in America were taken as people with unequal rights even in a situation like this that talked about right to life. She explained horrific experiences on experimentation of African Americans, stories that were enhanced by fear seen in Henrietta’s relatives refusing to visit hospitals even for necessary treatment. In this regard, the paper will give a response to the immortal life of Henrietta Lacks.
Faden and Beauchamp discuss two definitions of informed consent, which are labeled sense1 and sense2. First, sense1 informed consent is defined as “autonomous authorization”. (Vaughn, p. 191). The key aspect of sense1 is that the patient has the autonomy to consent, or refuse consent. Faden and Beauchamp state four defining characteristics of sense1 informed consent: complete understanding of the consent, individual desire for the consent, intent to consent, and authorizing consent.
The book The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, written by Rebecca Skloot and examines the life of Henrietta Lacks and her peculiar situation with her mysterious cells. This paper will focus on chapter two in the novel and how it becomes the most important part of the book when it comes to understanding Henrietta’s life story. Chapter two is called “Clover (1920-1942)”, the chapter itself dissects the early life of Henrietta and the challenges she had growing up. In this chapter, it goes over the gender, economic, and racial obstacles that greatly impacted her. It is important to understand the socio-economic conditions that led Henrietta to be treated less than human.
Consent is patients’ rights because they have right to know what is happening to their life which is fundamental value in professional practice (Department of Health (DH), 2001). Dougherty and Lister (2015) state that consent is a patient’s rights to refuse or to accept a treatment. However, Dimond (2010) said that consent is a voluntarily decision which can be given orally, verbally, written or implied for example if you ask a patient to take their blood pressure and they offer their arm. Eyal (2012) also states that consent promote trust in medical procedures that people may seek and comply with medical advice and participate in medical research. Bok (2013) argues that there are problems with the trust-promoting as many patients give consent despite being to some extent distrustful.
Medicine has changed in ways over the years that one might have never thought twice about having anything like that happen to them. People today have increased their knowledge overall about their health situations and how to treat themselves. Patients are stepping up and making decisions about their healthcare choices each day with physicians. And in this process it has turned out to be so important for people to understand what is truly being done before medical treatment is given. We have talked this semester about informed consent and how important it is that our patients understand the meaning of what they are having done.
Informed consent is the process by which the treating health care provider discloses appropriate information to a competent patient so that the patient may make a voluntary choice to accept or refuse treatment. (Appelbaum, 2007)1 It originates from the legal and ethical right the patient has to direct what happens to her body and from the ethical duty of the physician to involve the patient in her health care. In order for the consent to be valid, the patient must be competent to take the particular decision; have received sufficient information to make a decision; and not be acting under stress.2,3 This may be an issue if consent is obtained upon the day of surgery. Most patients will have firmly decided to proceed for surgery. However,
I first heard about Henrietta Lacks story after noticing and advertisement of Oprah Winfrey directing or possibly playing the role of Ms. Lacks. Reading the caption underneath the picture posted I decided to inquire more about the Henrietta Lacks. Ms. Lacks was an African American woman who found out in 1951 after a biopsy, Lacks was diagnosed with cervical cancer. The manifestation of the tumor was unlike anything that had ever been seen by the examining gynecologist Dr. Howard Jones. Henrietta Lacks was treated at the segregated John Hopkins Hospital with radium tube inserted and sewn into her body, a standard treatment at that time sewn in her body.
Informed consent is defined as the knowledgeable and voluntary agreement given by a patient. Informed consent protects patient autonomy and endorses trust between the medical community and the patient. If a patient knows that they are lied to, or not told the entire truth, the patient will lose confidence in the medical community as a whole (Eval, 2011). If this non-education does happen, then the patient will not be able to make choices about the end of their life, medially or financially (Piper, nd). Personal integrity is gained when informed consent is used, as the person is making their own choices, not having their family or others make choices on their behalf, when the patient is excluded for the education of the disease (Eval, 2011).
Informed consent must never be assumed. On the other side of the spectrum, informed refusal is the patient's right to deny any of the services recommended. From a legal standpoint, it is important to always document informed consent and refusal to avoid any legal
By Jonas Wilson, Ing. Med. Patient Informed Consent and Anesthesiology Informed consent may be defined as the process whereby a patient has the right to reject or accept therapy after being provided with information about the benefits and risks of that therapy. In more direct terms, informed consent is formulated on the legal and moral grounds of patient autonomy.
In class autonomy was defined as rational individuals being permitted to be self determining. Everybody that is deemed rational has the freedom of choice, especially when it comes to their body and free will. Medical physicians need to honor the patient’s rights and confidentiality in order to prevent violation the patient’s autonomy. To do this the physician always needs to tell the truth, list all options and potential outcomes, and know that the patient has the right to say no. Patient’s can’t be forced into treatment or misinformed.
Here, the patient’s autonomy, human rights, informed refusal and consent come into play (Appelbaum, 2007). Informed consent can be defined as a situation where a patient that is undoubtedly informed wants to participate in the choices and decisions that are being made about his or her health while informed refusal, on the other hand, happens when the risks appertaining to a certain mode of treatment or the treatment itself are rejected based on the risks they pose to the patient’s health and wellbeing in general (Appelbaum, 2007). In such a case, the ethical aspects of deontology and consequentialism are to be explored before the process of decision making
Henrietta Lacks was a thirty-one year old African American who had five kids and married her cousin David Lacks. Henrietta was diagnosed with cervical cancer, the doctors never informed Mrs. Lacks that her cells were to be tested on. The Lacks family was certainly not advised that Henrietta 's cells were growing at an incredible rate. Because of this, the cancer cells were shipped and bought across the world. The last 8 months of Henrietta’s death became a piece of history nobody would ever want to forget.
1. Scientists never found what makes Henrietta's cancerous cells different from other cells. 2. Her story is not important in the terms of how the cells were used, because it has no impact on it. | https://www.ipl.org/essay/Lacks-By-Henrietta-Lacks-Essay-Questions-F3F9HDMENDTV |
The ‘right to the truth’ involves disclosing all the pertinent facts to a patient so that an informed decision can be made. However, this concept of a ‘right to the truth’ entails certain ambiguities, especially since it is difficult to apply the concept in medical practice based mainly on current evidence-based data that are probabilistic in nature. Furthermore, in some situations, the doctor is confronted with a moral dilemma, caught between the necessity to inform the patient (principle of autonomy) and the desire to ensure the patient's well-being by minimising suffering (principle of beneficence). To comply with the principle of beneficence as well as the principle of non-maleficence ‘to do no harm’, the doctor may then feel obliged to turn to ‘therapeutic privilege’, using lies or deception to preserve the patient's hope, and psychological and moral integrity, as well as his self-image and dignity. There is no easy answer to such a moral dilemma. This article will propose a process that can fit into reflective practice, allowing the doctor to decide if the use of therapeutic privilege is justified when he is faced with these kinds of conflicting circumstances. We will present the conflict arising in practice in the context of the various theoretical orientations in ethics, and then we will suggest an approach for a ‘practice of truth’. Last, we will situate this reflective method in the broader clinical context of medical practice viewed as a dialogic process.
- Healthcare ethics
- informed consent
- therapeutic privilege
- medical consultations
- philosophy of the health professions
- truth disclosure
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- Healthcare ethics
- informed consent
- therapeutic privilege
- medical consultations
- philosophy of the health professions
- truth disclosure
Over the years, the concept of the ‘right to the truth’ has become well established in medical ethical practice. This concept was first used in debates over the patient's right to know the doctor's diagnosis regardless of its seriousness, and then later expanded to the broader concept of informed consent. Currently, informed consent requires the doctor to disclose ‘any facts which are necessary to form the basis of an intelligent consent by the patient to the proposed treatment’.1 Thereafter, ‘facts which are necessary’ were characterised. Thus, informed consent requires disclosure of: (1) the diagnosis; (2) the nature and purpose of the proposed intervention; (3) the probable risks and benefits associated with the intervention; (4) alternatives to the proposed intervention, including the risks and benefits associated with each option; as well as (5) the consequences of refusal or non-intervention. This therefore implies that the right to the truth involves informing the patient of all the facts so that an informed decision can be made. In practice, however, regardless of the interpretation given the application of this concept poses major difficulties.
First, the very idea of a ‘right to the truth’ is not without a certain amount of ambiguity. Especially in the context of constantly evolving medical knowledge and practice, what meaning should be attributed to the word ‘truth’? In particular, are we really dealing with the ‘truth’ when evidence-based medicine is expressed in terms of probabilities rather than absolutes? How can probabilities be reconciled with the patient's own world of truth, his hopes and expectations, especially if the data lean towards the ‘unlikely’? Furthermore, this constantly evolving research-based evidence reflects only our current state of knowledge, whereas new research could easily suggest a more recent ‘truth’. Despite undeniable scientific advances, the uncertainty inherent in medical practice persists because of the ‘incomplete state of medical knowledge’, coupled with the difficulties of mastering clinical reasoning.2 3 Thus, the nature of the problem, the varying presentations of the clinical picture, the limits of the patient's narrative, the multiple biases of the various clinical reasoning strategies,4 the ever-expanding body of medical knowledge, as well as the finite nature of human rationality, explain an unavoidable element of uncertainty in medical decisions and numerous obstacles for medical judgement that aims for the ‘truth’.
Although truth telling has been the subject of many reviews over the years, few have specifically addressed the challenges of its application in daily clinical practice by non-ethicists. This is what we intend to focus on in this paper. We can therefore appreciate that applying the rule of informed consent arising from the principle of autonomy can never be considered a simple technicality. The ‘necessary facts’, whether pertaining to the diagnosis, the interventions or the prognosis, are not simply rational data. Nor are they used at face value. The ‘necessary facts’ discerned in the doctor's scientific world are transmitted to the patient as ‘information’ that may raise different ‘issues’ for him. They are part of a process where parties, the patient and the doctor, have a different perception and understanding, and where emotion colours how the ‘facts’ are interpreted. In such a situation, mutual trust plays an essential function in the decision-making process. In many situations, however, the doctor is torn between the need to provide the patient with information so that considered independent decisions can be made and the desire to ensure the patient's well-being by minimising suffering. Thus the imperative of patient autonomy would seem to conflict with the principle of beneficence. If beneficence is seen as a principle that is inherent in the practice of medicine, the doctor may then feel obliged to step back from the rule of informed consent, resort to ‘therapeutic privilege’,i and to withhold a certain piece of information, for example. In these situations, the doctor has to decide between two ethical duties.
This article proposes a reflective process that can be useful at different stages of medical training and practice. Thus, the process we propose can provide a framework that medical students, residents-in-training and doctors may use to analyse the complex interactions they will engage in or be witness to. Medical teachers can also use this framework to teach the underlying principles that should guide physicians facing such a conflict in duties to decide whether the use of therapeutic privilege is justified in the context of a consultation.
Ethical traditions and limits in practice
In his book The ethics of communication, Michael Parker describes two major traditions to which the various approaches in ethics can be linked.5 One is consequentialism, in which the moral value of an action is based primarily on its consequences. A good deed is one that results in maximum good, taking into account the interests of all parties involved. Therefore according to this tradition, conduct such as using euphemisms, being ambiguous or evasive, omitting facts and even lying can be morally justified so long as it promotes the patient's well-being. The principle of maximising good explicitly involves the principle of non-maleficence, which implies avoiding negative consequences for the patient.
The second tradition, deontologism, is based on duty, as defined by moral law. An act is moral not because of its usefulness but because it fulfils the ‘You must’ imperative. Therefore actions have an intrinsic moral value of their own which are independent of their consequences. For example, some acts, such as lying, are inherently and intrinsically immoral and therefore forbidden, even if their consequences may entail a greater good or prevent a wrong. According to this ethical concept, it would always be wrong, or immoral, to lie to a patient regardless of the end results. Thus deontologism seems to favour unconditional application of the rule of informed consent.ii
When faced with certain complex clinical contexts, physicians wonder about the most appropriate ethical conduct. Is it now the time to tell this depressed patient about his cancer? Should I talk about this possible side effect or that risk since it could potentially lead the patient to refuse a medically necessary treatment? Should I discuss the prognosis when I know that it might precipitate an anxiety reaction? Should I withhold certain facts, or present them in a more favourable light? In other words, can I lie to my patient? The physician's judgement is based on clinical context as well as personal and professional values. Even if his convictions do not coincide with a formalistic deontologism, should the physician ‘convert’ to consequentialism to resolve the impasse? Is there a practical compromise between these two opposed ethical points of view? According to sociologist Max Weber,6 nothing and especially not reason (ie, scientific rationality) can turn us in favour of consequentialism or deontologism. Following Weber, these ethical positions are complementary, and only in concert do they produce the ‘true human being’.6 In terms of the conflict described between respect for the patient's autonomy based on the rule of informed consent and concern for beneficence, the physician must try to reconcile his obligations to the patient with the moral requirement to tell the truth.
A possible reconciliation between ethics and practice
In his article ‘Can deceiving patients be morally acceptable’, Daniel K. Sokol proposes a process that helps to decide if deceiving a patient is morally permissible.7 We believe this approach is useful in moving beyond the differences between consequentialism and deontologism. It is an introspective process that examines the different steps of a possible rationale to justify an exception to the basic principle of ‘You must not lie’ in the particular circumstances of a clinical encounter. In practice, it comes down to justifying the use of ‘therapeutic privilege’ either through lies, by deliberately deviating from what is considered as the truth and/or affirming what the doctor knows to be false, or through deception, by deliberately altering the truth about medical facts that matter for patient's decisions, without flagrant lying. Let us take as an example the discovery of a serious illness, such as cancer, in a severely depressed patient. Lies would include situations where the doctor knowingly hides the facts from the patient (Patient: ‘Is it serious, Doctor?’ Doctor: ‘No, you are worrying over nothing.’iii). Deception covers situations in which the doctor answers the patient's questions indirectly (Patient: ‘Is it serious, Doctor?’ Doctor: ‘Don't worry; we will look after you.’). Deception also includes intentionally using either complex medical jargon or its opposite, oversimplifying the information given. In both cases, deception occurs when the patient is unable to grasp the scope of the situation or is led to believe a misrepresentation of the situation. In the following text, we use the words ‘lies’ and ‘deception’, as previously explained, to avoid ambiguity.
The model we present builds on the method and arguments of Sokol, to which we have added our own insights. It is meant to help the systematic application of ethical principles by clinicians in daily practice. Furthermore, it is important to underline that this method is designed specifically for a medical encounter based on both a dialogue and a reflective process.
A process justifying the possible use of therapeutic privilege
It is important to consider the nature of the information presented to the patient. We suggest taking into consideration not only the nature of the information being transmitted, the urgency of the clinical situation but also the nature, seriousness and reliability of the information being withheld. What also needs to be determined is if the physician has acted responsibly when transmitting biased or altered information to the patient.8
Therefore, one must be sure that the information shared with the patient hides or significantly modifies the known facts (see Step 1 in Figure 1).
If, after careful consideration, your answer to the first question is ‘yes’, then you must examine the reasons why you choose to depart from the facts. Is the decision not to present the facts accurately likely to increase the patient's well-being significantly or prevent significant suffering? (Step 2). The use of therapeutic privilege can be considered only if it is for the patient's good, and benefit. Expecting a foreseeable reaction of sadness, anger or despair from the patient that would make the physician uncomfortable or embarrassed, because he does not know how to respond, can never justify use of the therapeutic privilege option.9 In such circumstances, the physician would be acting out of personal interest. Valid reasons for using therapeutic privilege could include, among others:
To allow the patient to come to terms with events, both factually and emotionally;
To prevent decision-making at a time of relative incapacity precipitated by overwhelming anxiety or stress;
To prevent physical or psychological harm, for example, to prevent severe psychological distress;
To preserve hope;
To maintain the patient's long-term autonomy.
In answering these questions, the physician must put into perspective both the good and the potential harm caused. So, is the justification for modifying the truth likely to produce a greater good for the patient, or will it at least result in less harm? One must realise that when one resorts to therapeutic privilege, one is performing an action that: (1) denies the patient's right to know and does not respect the patient's autonomy; and (2) may result in the patient making poor decisions based on this altered information.
Not only must you have good reasons for this course of action, but you must also be confident that there is a reasonable likelihood that your patient will believe you. If what you say is not credible, you can expect it to have a negative impact such as the patient's loss of trust, and this is more likely to eventually result in greater harm. Therefore one must be sure that the benefits of withholding information outweigh the disadvantages. Does the benefit of transmitting ‘biased’ or ‘altered’ information surpass the detrimental consequences of denying a patient's right to know the ‘truth’? (Step 3). In addition to a loss of trust, the following are some other examples of negative consequences if the patient discovers the truth otherwise:
A loss of trust in the healthcare system;
The precipitation of emotional distress or shock: consternation, and discouragement;
A feeling of anger at having been betrayed;
Patient disappointment with no apparent benefit to compensate it.
Consequently you must be sure that there is no other way to proceed that would show greater respect for the patient's right to be informed and would avoid potentially negative consequences for the patient. In other words, is there any other possible course of action that would have greater respect for the patient's right to know? (Step 4).
If these steps support your view, you must ask yourself if your patient would agree with such a practice, particularly for him. Do you know what the patient's point of view is about the importance of the information you want to hide or alter? (Step 5). The evaluation of the importance of certain pieces of information may differ depending on who (physician or patient) evaluates. But if you believe that you understand the patient's point of view, after talking to the patient for example, then the legitimacy of the decision is improved. There is no simple indicator that will let you know if the patient would share your point of view. In the case of a chronic illness when you have the opportunity to see the patient repeatedly over a prolonged period of time, the easiest way would be to ask the patient clearly at the start of your relationship. The question could be phrased as ‘Do you always want to know everything about your condition?’ or ‘Will you allow me the freedom to decide when to give you news that could be unpleasant?’ Similarly, resorting to family or a person the patient trusts who can tell you about the patient's character and probable reactions can legitimise withholding information. But that is only possible if you have your patient's permission to discuss health matters with specific third parties. It is not unusual for the patient to authorise a trusted person to take part in discussions about his or her health. However, you must be careful as those close to the patient may adopt an overly protective attitude at the expense of the patient's autonomy.
Last, not only must you be comfortable with your decision, but you must also be confident that it is thoroughly based on legitimate arguments. A simple test of your conviction would be to ask yourself if you would be prepared to defend your decision publicly, before the College of Physicians and Surgeons or in court, in the event of a complaint (Step 6).
The use of this method presupposes that the doctor feels it would not be in the patient's interest to follow usual procedure. In a practice setting, this must remain an exceptional situation. This process should not be considered an option for every medical encounter. Thus, for example, in a context free of all ambiguity, during an occasional consultation for ‘minor’ problems such as bronchitis, urinary tract infections or even appendicitis, providing information on diagnosis and treatment entails no particular requirements. In the course of these consultations, providing information is a one-time event that will not likely recur. Deceiving the patient would be unacceptable if rectification of the information is not possible sooner or later. In the context of an on-going medical follow-up for a more complex problem such as a chronic or terminal illness, providing information is no longer a one-time event. In those circumstances, opportunities for dialogue and encounters increase and provide an occasion to communicate information gradually, make adjustments and modifications, and repeat important information in different ways. Revealing diagnoses such as diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis and cancer involves serious issues, including a radical change in the patient's perception of his future. The doctor can often anticipate the patient's reaction to the communication of such diagnoses. Shock, anger, confusion and any other emotions brought on by the news affects the patient's ability to absorb, concentrate and reason. Therefore, providing information about a diagnosis and the proposed treatment obliges the doctor to make a judgement about the best manner in which to proceed.
Therapeutic privilege and the context of a dialogical and reflective process
Impersonal application of the concepts of autonomy and informed consent without regard for the context distances an act from its true aims. A doctor cannot bluntly reveal an important diagnosis or deliver information in bulk under the pretext of truth, efficiency or a lack of time. The doctor should bear in mind important extrinsic factors that are likely to require adjustments when dealing with the patient as a whole person. Cultural aspects, among others, still play a very significant role with regard to what should and should not be divulged to the patient.10 In addition, research shows poor retention and comprehension of information given during a single interview, with only about 50% of the information retained.11 Furthermore, the patient's effort to understand resembles more a process rather than a discrete action, especially when faced with a serious diagnosis. In addition, the Canadian Council on Learning12 estimates that 55% of the Canadian population do not attain a health literacy level that would enable them to obtain, process and understand basic health information and access the services they need to make informed decisions about their health. These examples represent a very incomplete picture of factors limiting patient understanding of information that physicians must take into consideration when presenting health-related facts. However, by respecting a patient's progress through the complex decision-making process that takes into account each person's abilities and limitations, the doctor–patient relationship can become a tool to involve patients in a dialogue about their health and encourage them to become active participants in the process of understanding and managing a treatment strategy.
Thus physicians should be encouraged to adopt a ‘pragmatic’ approach that we believe is particularly suited to chronic illnesses. Information should be provided in a context that is adapted to each patient. First, the physician begins the dialogue about diagnosis based on the urgency of the situation, of course, but based also on the patient's emotional state and cognitive abilities at the time. Later, when the patient is ready, the doctor then adds new elements into the discussion, bearing in mind the experience the patient has acquired since the last conversation. Thereby the doctor initiates a dialogue with the patient that is intended to expand the patient's understanding of his illness (reaching the ‘truth’). Each new encounter encourages an on-going decision-making process and the diversity of the exchanges allows for a more complete understanding of the illness and consequently supports acceptance and continuation of treatment over time, which can often be difficult. Deliberately delivering relevant information at the most appropriate moment based on the patient's receptiveness does not betray the patient's ‘right to the truth’. The doctor adopts a dynamic process that not only provides information, but also guides the patient, helps with decision-making and supports the decision. However, this process does not exclude unusual situations where, even though there is no obvious incapacity, the doctor feels the patient is incapable of properly assimilating the information. Withholding the truth or part of the truth, omitting or altering certain significant pieces of information, represents a breach of the normal rules of conduct. Then the pragmatic process carries reflection, with the patient, beyond the usual framework. At such times, the reflective model presented here can give the doctor the support required to think through and resolve the dilemma.
Conclusion
In a clinical setting, reporting information without regard for the special conditions of each particular doctor–patient encounter reflects neither the spirit nor the letter of this conception of the truth. A true medical relationship requires that the doctor consider the limits inherent in the therapeutic process and the circumstances and limitations of each patient. A relationship based on meaningful dialogue allows the doctor to determine these limits and adjust the conversation to the specific capacities and needs of each patient. The reflective process allows the doctor to reconcile responsibility and duty, demonstrating the complexity of this role. We believe that striving to ‘tell the whole truth’ in a single encounter simply to comply with the law deviates from the spirit of the rule. This avoids the assessment of the patient's particular level of health literacy, cognitive capacity or emotional state, for example, to understand data from research, its applicability to his own situation and its retention. If the objective is to have the patient understand the situation, the necessary discussion should be limited to what the patient is able to understand and remember. Only an iterative process, where the doctor uses dialogue to help develop the patient's understanding, will allow the patient to be truly fully ‘informed’. This iterative process is possible and helps develop a more complete understanding of the patient with chronic illness, so there can be a reasonably accurate response to the question ‘Would my patient agree with my strategy?’ In consultations, where everything transpires in a single interview, given the avalanche of information, an informed decision is probably highly improbable for a significant number of patients. Unable to make a personal decision, the patient is often reduced to blindly trusting the doctor, which happens to varying degrees with any expert. Last, to assume that the patient's decision is based firmly on a complete understanding of the issues and without outside influence is neither realistic nor achievable and ultimately underestimates significantly the finitude of human beings.
Acknowledgments
The authors would like to acknowledge Dr Allan Barsauskas who reviewed previous versions of this manuscript. They would also like to thank Dr Geneviève Piché and Ms Christelle Cassan for editing this manuscript and preparing it for publication.
Footnotes
Competing interests None.
Provenance and peer review Not commissioned; externally peer reviewed.
↵i ‘Therapeutic privilege’ constitutes one of the exceptions to informed consent.
↵ii In fact, the usual presentation of the deontological tradition that provides no place for consequences probably constitutes an injustice to this tradition. As the philosopher John Rawls, who presented his theory of justice as fairness as a deontological theory, pointed out in A Theory of Justice (Oxford University Press, 1972), all ethical doctrines worth of our attention take consequences into account in judging rightness. One which did not would simply be irrational, crazy.
↵iii Tolstoy's book The Death of Ivan Illyich provides an exemplary illustration of this type of strategy.
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All doctors swear to do no harm, but not all doctors live up to that promise.
That’s a terrifying thought. After all, we entrust our doctors to make informed decisions to protect our health, decisions that we don’t have the medical knowledge to make on our own.
Unfortunately, not all doctors make the right call, and that has serious consequences for their patients. Here are five common examples of medical malpractice to watch out for.
1. Misdiagnosis
After years of medical training, you would think that doctors would know how to properly diagnose a condition.
And yet, 12 million Americans are misdiagnosed every single year.
Commonly misdiagnosed conditions include a few things you’ve heard of, such as:
- Cancer
- Heart attacks
- Stroke
- Thyroid conditions
- Lyme disease
- Celiac disease
- Pulmonary embolism
What often happens is that your doctor diagnoses you with one condition when you actually have another. For example, diagnosing the flu when you really have Lyme disease. However, misdiagnosis also includes failure to diagnose.
Either way, the consequences of incorrect or absent treatment can significantly alter the course of your illness and recovery. Some conditions may be allowed to get significantly worse simply because a doctor failed to diagnose it properly the first time, changing your treatment options and recovery chances.
Imagine what would happen if your doctor misdiagnosed cancer, and that cancer was allowed to progress while you were treated for a condition you didn’t have.
2. Delayed Diagnosis
Another common issue in medical malpractice is delayed diagnosis, which is closely related to misdiagnosis.
This usually occurs when a doctor misdiagnoses or fails to diagnose a condition. The condition is allowed to worsen in the meantime, with detrimental consequences for the patient’s health–especially for severe health problems like cancer.
In order to prove misdiagnosis or delayed diagnosis is negligence, you have to prove:
- That a doctor-patient relationship existed
- That the doctor did not provide care that an equally-qualified, reasonably competent doctor would have in the same circumstances
- The doctor’s negligence directly resulted in injury to the patient
- That injury resulted in legal damages for which the patient can sue
This can be somewhat tricky in cases like cancer. If, for example, a patient dies of cancer and their doctor’s diagnosis was delayed, it can be difficult to prove that their death was the result of the doctor’s negligence as opposed to cancer.
This is why it’s important to work with personal injury lawyers to help guide you through the process.
3. Medication Errors
It’s scary to think that 64.55% of nurses have made medication errors in the course of their careers. This is actually one of the most common mistakes made by new nurses.
And yet, the patients are the ones who suffer the consequences.
However, doctors and other medical professionals can be liable for medication errors just as much as nurses. Determining responsibility is typically a question of where the medication error occurred and what type of error it was.
Common medication errors include:
- Irresponsible prescribing
- Inaccurate prescribing
- Over-prescribing
- Writing incorrect or illegible prescriptions
- Dispensing the wrong drug, the wrong strength, the wrong components, the wrong packaging, etc.
- Taking the wrong dose, the wrong frequency, the wrong duration, etc.
- Poor monitoring of medication therapy
- Failure to consider a patient’s medical history when prescribing medication
- Failure to account for allergies when prescribing medication
Doctors are typically liable for errors in the prescribing process. Nurses and the hospitals employing them are typically liable for errors during administration.
4. Surgical Errors
Some of the most obvious incidents of malpractice are surgical errors. That’s a frightening thought, considering that you’re unconscious and being cut open to have your internal organs and muscles exposed. This is a delicate process, which is why surgeons undergo nearly 10 years of training to learn how to do it.
And yet, more than 4,000 preventable surgical mistakes occur each year.
Common surgical errors include:
- Operating on the wrong part of the body
- Operating on the wrong patient
- Performing the wrong procedure
- Using nonsterile surgical equipment
- Failure to control bleeding
- Leaving medical equipment inside a patient
- Improper care before or after surgery
- Unsafe procedures during surgery resulting in significant harm to the patient
Surgical errors usually happen due to:
- Incorrectly reading the patient’s chart
- Neglecting to review medical instructions
- Clearing a patient for the wrong surgery
- Incompetence
- Improper work processes
- Poor preoperative planning
- Poor communication
- Fatigue
- Neglect
- Drugs/alcohol
Sometimes the mistakes are minor, an unpleasant experience that will eventually become an interesting story. But sometimes, the consequences of these errors can affect a patient for the rest of their life.
5. Anesthesia Errors
Many people spend more time worrying about surgical complications than anesthesia. But there’s a reason why anesthesiologists are highly trained specialists whose sole job is administering anesthesia.
Anesthesia is highly risky regardless of the surgery, which is why surgeons don’t administer anesthesia. Think about it — you’re receiving drugs that will knock you unconscious, prevent you from feeling the pain that would otherwise wake you up immediately, and keep you unconscious while doctors cut you open.
There’s a significant risk, for example, that anesthesia could lower your breathing rate so much that you simply stop breathing altogether. Too much anesthesia can easily result in significant brain damage or death, as well as major internal damage if your anesthesiologist fails to properly monitor your vitals.
In many ways, anesthesia errors are more dangerous than surgical errors simply because it’s quite easy for a minor mistake to cause serious brain damage.
See Yourself in These Examples of Medical Malpractice?
If you recognize your own story in these examples of medical malpractice, the first thing to do is take a deep breath. Don’t panic. There are ways of handling the issue, no matter how large the mistake.
Get in touch with an attorney right away. While a lawsuit can’t erase the consequences of a doctor’s mistake, it can provide you with an easier road to recovery, and every little boost matters.
Need more tips to take charge of your health? Make sure to check out our blog for more. | https://www.tastefulspace.com/blog/2019/10/23/5-examples-of-medical-malpractice-you-need-to-know-about/ |
6.1 The year 2016 saw two significant decisions. In Hii Chii Kok v Ooi Peng Jin London Lucien1 (“Hii Chii Kok”), the High Court considered questions of informed consent and non-delegable duty (“NDD”) in a medical negligence action. In Singapore Medical Council v Wong Him Choon2 (“Wong Him Choon”), the Court of Three Judges allowed an appeal by the Singapore Medical Council (“SMC”) against the decision of a disciplinary tribunal (“DT”) to acquit a medical practitioner of professional misconduct. The medical practitioner had been charged with inappropriately: giving a patient insufficient hospitalisation leave; and certifying the patient to be fit to perform light duties. The Court of Three Judges also made several observations in the process.
6.2 The decision in Hii Chii Kok considered the impact of two significant UK Supreme Court's (“UKSC”) decisions on the issues of informed consent and NDD in the healthcare context. This case involved claims in medical negligence for lack of informed consent in a decision to opt for Whipple surgery, and in the post-operative care received. The plaintiff had also brought claims against the National Cancer Centre Singapore (“NCCS”) for breach of a non-delegable duty in relation to the surgery and post-operative care and, alternatively, on the basis of vicarious liability.
6.3 In Montgomery v Lanarkshire Health Board3 (“Montgomery”), UKSC departed from the decision in Sidaway v Board of Governors of the Bethlem Royal Hospital4 (“Sidaway”) that a comprehensive duty of care was owed in relation to diagnosis, advice, and treatment on the basis of the Bolam test.5 For reasons of changed social and legal conditions, the court held that a patient's right to make his own decisions regarding whether to accept medical advice required that the standard of care in rendering medical advice ought to be assessed on the basis of what the reasonable patient was likely to attach significance to, or did in fact place importance on. Adherence to a responsible body of medical opinion on the matters to be disclosed was no longer acceptable in discharging a doctor's duty of care.
6.4 The court in Hii Chi Kok6 made clear that the Sidaway standard for medical advice remains the law in the light of the Court of Appeal's decision in Khoo James v Gunapathy d/o Muniandy7 (“Gunapathy”), although the Court of Appeal had expressly left the question of the merits of a doctrine of informed consent open.8 This assessment has been the consistent line taken at the High Court level.9 Interestingly, the court in Hii Chii Kok went on to analyse Montgomery and considered that, even if the reasonable patient standard were to apply, the defendant had comprehensively disclosed and explained the various alternatives and risks associated with Whipple surgery via his comprehensive written communications with the plaintiff.10 This had more than reasonably enabled the plaintiff to make an informed decision to choose an “aggressive” treatment strategy in relation to his symptoms. This course was perhaps taken in anticipation that on appeal, the issue of departing from Gunapathy (and its preference for a comprehensive Bolam-based duty) was ripe for reconsideration.
6.5 Should Gunapathy be reconsidered in Singapore, in so far as it relates to the issue of what amounts to reasonable medical advice? Earlier High Court decisions had dismissed contrary English decisions like Pearce v United Bristol Healthcare NHS Trust11 because they reflected human rights considerations instantiated by the European
6.6 This reversal of Bolam's fortunes in relation to medical advice can only be fully understood by recognising the significantly changed social and legal circumstances in the UK that their Supreme Court highlighted, human rights being only one of them. For one, the court recognised that patients today, having far better access to and capability of handling medical information, are regarded as rights holders and consumers exercising choice, rather than passive recipients of care.16 Secondly, the UK General Medical Council had itself embraced a basic model of partnership between doctors and patients in its guidance document.17 This guidance recognised a shared model of decision-making where both doctor and patient inputs are necessary to work towards a consensus position that best promotes patient interests – especially in the face of multiple treatment options.18 Finally, UKSC also considered the ECHR jurisprudence that recognises a duty to involve patients in a medical decision, which reinforced its conclusion.19
6.7 Putting the ECHR jurisprudence aside, there have been similar social and professional developments in the Singapore healthcare system that warrant a serious reconsideration of Gunapathy in relation to medical advice. First, healthcare financing in Singapore is ultimately
6.8 Secondly, the National Medical Ethics Committee (“NMEC”) and SMC have both endorsed a partnership model in healthcare decision-making that will be strengthened and legitimised by moving to a legal patient-centred standard of medical advice. In its “Ethical Guidelines for Healthcare Professionals on Clinical Decision-Making in Collaboration with Patients” report of 2012,21 NMEC noted the same social considerations as UKSC that are changing the nature of clinical encounters between doctors and patients, and that the “next step towards better health outcomes has been the involvement of patients in their own medical care, with decisions made in partnership with physicians, rather than by physicians alone”.22 In such a partnership model, NMEC recognised that the patient autonomy is the primary ethical principle at play, although this does not render medicine a mere commodity that patients can adequately handle on their own as many are vulnerable because of their illness.23
6.9 In the same, consistent vein, SMC's latest Ethical Code and Ethical Guidelines: 2016 Edition (“ECEG”), which came into force on 1 January 2017, emphasise much more clearly that an important aspect of the ethic of respecting patient autonomy is ensuring that patients are made aware of:24
… the purpose of tests, treatments or procedures to be performed on them, as well as the benefits, significant limitations, material risks (including those that would be important to patients in their particular circumstances) and possible complications as well as alternatives available to them … [emphasis added]
6.10 It is difficult to see how the ECEG requirements could be fulfilled without considering the perspective of the patient and her goals and circumstances. SMC's accompanying “Handbook on Medical Ethics”25 also endorses the partnership or shared decision-making model, and provides numerous factors to be considered in determining the level-of-risk disclosure.26 This gradual but steady recognition of the importance of respecting patient autonomy in healthcare decision-making has similarly been recognised statutorily: the first step being the setting up of the Advance Medical Directive Act27 framework that empowered patients so minded to refuse in advance extraordinary life sustaining treatment in cases of terminal illness. Subsequently, the enactment of the Mental Capacity Act28 introduced the principles of the presumption of capacity, requirement to take all practicable steps to help persons make their own decisions, and respect for autonomous decisions even if they are “unwise”.29
6.11 Nevertheless, there is legitimate concern that a move to a patient-centred standard will also entail new uncertainty over what counts as material risk that must be disclosed and explained. This can lead to disclosure practices that amount to defensive medicine, entailing additional consultation time that adds to overall healthcare costs without necessarily improving the quality of healthcare decision-making. There are a couple of ways that the law on informed consent may mitigate these downsides. First, as Montgomery makes clear, informed consent is not to be foisted on every patient. It is equally consistent with autonomy for a patient to decline to be engaged with the specifics of risk, alternatives, and choice in medical decision-making, and prefer to defer to their doctor's or family's assessment and recommendations. Montgomery expressly allows for this alternative,30 as
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Deciding what medical care to undertake has recently been a big issue. In Minnesota, Colleen Hauser took away her 13-year old cancer-stricken son Daniel. The patient is supposed to undergo chemotherapy as part of the treating Hodgkin's Lymphoma, but his mother opted for Nemenhah, a holistic medical treatment based upon Native American healing practices.
May 19, the day after Daniel Hauser's doctor said the boy's cancer is worsening and would need chemotherapy, the he and his mother disappeared. After a week, Coleen and her son Daniel voluntarily returned to accept whatever course of treatment a court may order, defense lawyer Jennifer Keller said.
"My understanding is that Colleen intends to abide by whatever orders the court makes and that she wants to put her best case forward for her son to have a chance at alternative treatment," Keller told CNN. "But if the court overrules that, she will abide by the orders of the court."
Should a mother, like Colleen flee because of rejecting the standard medical treatment advised by medical professionals? Or should a court make the decision instead of leaving it to the family's discretion?
How should one decide on a complicated situation? Consider one situation. A nurse and also a mother, someone who, because of her Bible-trained conscience, refuses to accept blood transfusion in accordance to blood abstinence. She is fully aware of the risks of taking in somebody else's blood into here own bloodstream as much as she knows the possible beneficial results. There is an alternative medicine with which she can undergo without having to deal with her conscience. The treatment also has advantages and disadvantages just like the other option.
In many places today, the patient has an inviolable right to decide what treatment he will accept. "The law of informed consent has been based on two premises: (1) that a patient has the right to receive sufficient information to make an informed choice about the treatment recommended; and (2) that the patient may choose to accept or to decline the physician's recommendation. . . Unless patients are viewed as having the right to say no, as well as yes, and even yes with conditions, much of the rationale for informed consent evaporates."-Informed Consent-Legal Theory and Clinical Practice, 1987
"Underlying the necessity for patient consent is the ethical concept of individual autonomy, that decisions about one's own fate should be made by the person involved. The legal ground for requiring consent is that a medical act performed without the patient's consent constitutes battery."-Informed Consent for Blood Transfusion, 1989, U.S.
An unconsented blood transfusion is an extremely serious offense when committed against a devout Jehovah's Witness. Many have compared the act with rape. Such an act must not be sanctioned by the state. - Ethics and Law in Modern Medicine, David M. Vukadinovich, Susan L. Krinsky
Now, wear your medical scrub, and then, decide.
Refusal from any medical treatments, however, has limitations and boundaries that must be determined by the court. When a right to preservation of life is being violated, attempt to commit suicide, or any similar case is seen by the court, other issues are considered. Only after thoroughly studying all evidence will the court decide.
Rastafarianism is another religious organization that has been questioned for their beliefs that hinder medical treatment. To be a Rastafarian is a right; and part of being Rastafarian entails being vegan and practicing faith-healing. | http://trcb.com/legal/civil-rights/rights-on-choosing-medical-care-10491.htm |
Informed consent is defined as: a patient’s knowing choice about treatment or a procedure, made after a physician or other healthcare provider discloses whatever information a reasonably prudent provider in the medical community would provide to a patient regarding the risks involved in the proposed treatment. Black’s Law Dictionary (7th edition, 1999).
The doctrine of informed consent arose in recognition of the value society places on a person’s autonomy and as the primary vehicle by which a person can protect the integrity of his/her body. Missouri common law recognizes the right of individual autonomy over decisions relating to one’s health and welfare. This doctrine is based on the patient’s right to exercise control over his or her body while undergoing treatment, or a procedure, by making an informed choice whether to submit to such treatment or procedure.
Under Missouri law, negligence relating to the failure to provide informed consent is a separate and distinct cause of action from a claim of medical negligence in treatment, or the performance of a procedure. Pursuant to Missouri Statutes and cases, medical negligence is an act or omission of a defendant healthcare provider, failure of the healthcare provider to use that degree of skill and learning ordinarily used under the same or similar circumstances by members of the defendant’s profession, and causation of plaintiff’s injury or death by the failure to use the requisite care.
The elements of an informed consent action are the nondisclosure of the procedure, its risks, or benefits, prior to performing the procedure, and causation between the nondisclosure and the injury. In essence, the issue is whether a reasonable person in plaintiff’s position would have consented to the procedure had a proper disclosure been made.
In 2017, the Missouri Supreme Court held that evidence of informed consent in a case based strictly on medical negligence was irrelevant, and the jury should not consider this evidence in deciding the case. The case was Wilson v. Patel, and the Supreme Court stated that evidence of alleged informed consent could mislead the jury in a medical malpractice case based on negligent performance of care and treatment.
The Supreme Court’s holding that the informed consent documents were irrelevant, essentially prevented the doctor from presenting evidence of his/her disclosure of known risks and complications in the case, and the fact that other medical procedures may be performed if the doctor in his opinion deemed them necessary.
The best practice to minimize the impact of this holding is to always document in the medical records all discussions with the patient and their representatives regarding the procedure, risks, alternatives, benefits, and the necessity of additional procedures. The medical record should contain adequate detail of the discussion and be more than a statement that the procedure, risks, benefits and potential complications were discussed with the patient and the patient has consented to the same.
The medical records should specifically contain a summary of the discussion with the patient, how the patient responded, and any questions that were answered. In so doing, the issue of the discussion of the procedure, risks and benefits is integrated into the medical records in a fashion that is difficult to exclude. It allows the physician to reference his medical records in his defense, if for instance a known complication occurs.
Documentation of these discussions is not so easy to exclude from a lawsuit as a stand-alone Informed Consent document that the patient claims they did not read or review and is therefore irrelevant to the case.
Informed Consent is an essential part of any practice and is critical to preventing a claim of malpractice based on the failure to obtain informed consent. However, informed consent is more than just having a patient sign a document. The medical record itself needs to demonstrate and document the discussions of the procedure, potential outcomes and complications, alternatives, risks, and benefits. | https://www.keystonemutual.com/how-to-make-informed-consent-work-for-you/ |
Mark Miller, C.Ss.R., Ph.D.
Recently I was admitted to a hospital for a minor bit of day surgery. In the midst of the questions that a young clerk asked me in preparation for admittance, I was handed an ‘Informed Consent’ form. As a specialist in medical ethics, I was well aware of the issues around informed consent for any patient receiving medical care. I was not, however, prepared for the low-key paperwork approach to which this critical issue was reduced.
‘Informed consent’ is one of the foundations of modern health care. Not too many years ago medical decisions were assumed to be the prerogative of the physician or surgeon. After all, the doctor was supposed to know what medical treatment was needed by the patient and was assumed therefore to be able to make the proper call, as it were. Thirty years ago, a large majority of doctors, for example, would not tell a patient that he or she had terminal cancer. This was a form of paternalism—the doctor knows best—which was considered acceptable at the time.
However, as medical treatment progressed, particularly through the advent of new technology and drugs, physicians found themselves able to provide many kinds of treatment, some of which would prove only marginally beneficial to a patient. Furthermore, there were times, usually after a patient succumbed despite a rigorous course of treatments, when surviving family members began to wonder if some, or all, of the treatment should have been done at all. Even some patients, while being treated, began to question what was being done to them.
A series of court challenges in the United States and Canada succeeded in re-ordering the physician-patient relationship. Patients who were dying, for example, of lung cancer, found themselves hooked up to ventilators which did their breathing for them. When the discomfort of the ventilator was such that the patient asked for it to be stopped, most physicians refused on the grounds that they would be charged with murder for turning off the machine that kept the patient alive. It was not uncommon then for such patients to feel that they were trapped by the very technology that was supposed to help them but could do no more than prolong their dying and, often, their agony.
To make a long story short, such patients affirmed the right for all of us to refuse any medical treatment at any time, provided we are competent to do so. (That is a legal right. When is the right time to do such a thing is a moral issue.) If a physician or nurse treats a person against his or her will, that health care worker is guilty of assault.
Since most of us go to doctors when we are in need, we might think it rather odd to refuse treatment. Nonetheless, Jehovah’s Witnesses believe that a blood transfusion will keep them from entering heaven and hence refuse what the rest of us take for granted, even in life-threatening situations. The law respects this religious freedom and choice. And all of us may, at one time or another, find that we are faced with refusing a treatment that is either inappropriate or too burdensome, often at the end of our lives.
When individuals are dying and the dying cannot be reversed, treatment decisions become less what medicine can do than what medical care ought to do. Highly invasive surgeries or drug regimens, or even routine uses of ventilators, nutrition and hydration tubes, or antibiotics may well do nothing more than make a person’s dying process an excruciating ordeal. The spiritual process of dying may itself be invaded by a manhandling of a body that is dying anyway. Palliative care, or comfort care, for the dying acknowledges this need to make decisions about allowing a person to die without certain invasive treatments.
The response of the world of medicine to the rights of patients to make their own treatment decisions has been to establish a routine of ensuring informed consent for treatment. Since consent is essential for the doctor to begin treatment (except in emergencies where an unconscious or traumatized patient is assumed to want treatment), part of the admittance protocol is a document asking for written or signed consent to any procedure. This document is needed for minor, routine investigations (from day surgery to the injection of a dye for tests) or for serious, highly invasive treatments (such as cancer surgery or transplants).
In practice, there is no question that the more serious the treatment option, the more carefully a physician or surgeon must explain the procedure to the patient. For, ultimately, it is not just the treatment (which the doctor knows), but the consequences of the treatment (which the patient must live with) which are essential to weighing the benefits and the burdens incurred in accepting the proposed treatment.
What most of us do not realize is that every medical intervention has risks and potentially dire consequences. Surgery, for example, carries unknown, but statistically relevant risks (both debilitating and mortal) from reactions to the anaesthesia, to multiple organ failure, to infection, to human error. Fortunately, modern surgery has been developed to the point where these risks are often tiny, like one in 10,000. However, if you are the one…it can be pretty devastating.
Patients are thus challenged today to take responsibility for what is done to them. Obviously, most of us cannot assess the technical need for or aspects of a particular surgery or treatment. We do depend upon the doctor’s explanation and advice. However, we can ask questions until we do in fact understand what is being proposed and why. That is the key to informed consent. We need to get all the information that will assure us that this is the best option. Of course, one can simply rely on the doctor. But that is to turn over our responsibility somewhat unfairly to the specialist. Morally, we should seek to be comfortable (i.e., mentally prepared) with any proposed course of treatment for two reasons: first, being informed usually brings the patient on side in the treatment (and attitude is often a great part of the battle); and, second, the doctor works with the patient instead of paternalistically for the patient in seeking the best course of action.
Often times there do not seem to be many alternatives to a particular treatment for an ailment. Either the doctor intervenes or the sufferer puts up with the consequences. But there are also consequences to the doctor’s intervention. And there are sometimes unexplored alternatives unless the right questions are asked. The notion of informed consent, while it is sometimes used as little more than a legal protection for the medical personnel, is really an invitation for the patient to be involved in his or her care. It is a challenge to move from being a passive recipient to being a cooperating chooser.
It also means that we have to be realistic about letting go of the myth of all-knowing medicine. To acknowledge the risks—which is what doctors always must do—is to recognize the limitations of medicine, the mortality of the human being, and the unknown factors or potential flaws that may accompany any human choice.
Giving a truly ‘informed consent’ may also help believers turn more understandingly to prayer—for who can know what the right decision is in the mystery of one’s future? Nonetheless, together with the doctors (the informers), we make the best choice we can, for we cannot be exempt from the responsibility of making decisions. | https://redemptorists.ca/bio-ethics/at-times-the-technology-only-prolongs-the-agony |
It is now widely accepted that clinicians should negotiate rather than dictate what is in the best interests of patients.
- informed consent
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Two decades ago it was common for clinicians to minimise the importance of respecting the autonomy of patients in clinical practice and medical research—their ability and need to make plans about the personal consequences of treatment for them and others. Indeed, the word “autonomy” was not in common use in professional guidance about good practice, and most clinicians I met had no clear understanding of its meaning. The idea that patients might have a right to self determination in the context of medical care tended to be swamped by the excessive paternalism characteristic of the medical profession at the time.
In the UK, medical ethics has evolved partly as a critical reaction to such paternalism. Rather than “Doctor knows best”, other slogans now sum up the mood of the time. “Partnership in care” is a favourite of the current government. It is now widely accepted that clinicians should negotiate rather than dictate what is in the best interests of patients.
PROFESSIONAL AND LEGAL REGULATION AND ADVICE
Nowhere is this change of moral opinion clearer than in current professional and legal guidance about obtaining informed consent from competent patients. Professionally, the General Medical Council states that: “Successful relationships between doctors and patients depend on trust. To establish that trust you must respect patients' autonomy—their right to decide whether or not to undergo any medical intervention . . . [They] must be given sufficient information, in a way that they can understand, in order to enable them to make informed decisions about their care.”1 The Council has the power to de-register any clinician found to be in breach of this principle and is more likely to do so in the future than ever before. A wide range of other professional organisations—including the British Medical Association, the Royal Colleges, and the various defence associations—all endorse the same moral principles.2–4 The same can be said of professional and regulatory bodies in other countries.5,6 Several editorials on informed consent in a receut issue of Heart appear to underline and embrace this moral consensus.7–9
The law also endorses the moral importance of respect for autonomy within medicine. To avoid a claim of battery, the consent of patients to treatment must be based on information “in broad terms” about the nature of, and reason for, proposed treatment choices.10 For example, separate consent must be provided for distinct follow on procedures. Patients should be informed about which procedures within a treatment plan are independent and consent obtained for each component therapy, rather than for the plan as if it were as an indistinguishable whole. This will be so, even if refusal of one component may seriously compromise the patient's prospects for recovery.8
Equally, to avoid a claim of negligence, the information disclosed to patients, when obtaining consent, about risks must be “reasonable” in the eyes of the court. Leaving aside breaches of professional duty so obvious that they “speak for themselves”, this has traditionally been determined by the “Bolam test”. The Bolam test is where expert witnesses, nearly always from within the medical profession, are asked to confirm the appropriateness of a particular aspect of medical care. The care is regarded as appropriate if the experts convince the court that a relevant reasonable body of professional opinion would endorse the course of action that was actually taken. In the case of consent the issue would be the amount and accuracy of information disclosed by a doctor and contested by a patient.11 The appropriateness of this will be irrespective of :
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the degree that claimants believe that they were morally entitled to specific information they were not given
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the degree of harm they suffered as a result
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the extent to which their claim for a financial remedy may be supported by public opinion.
Therefore, consent assessed as appropriate by the Bolam test is judged by a “professional standard” which may be judged inappropriate outside the profession if it disregards the patient and is based solely on the views of clinicians.
In the past some patients have not been given the information about therapeutic risks when they clearly should have been, despite the fact that the consent procedure they underwent passed the Bolam test. Such moral breaches of the duty to respect the patient's autonomy have recently led the judiciary to question the relevance of the Bolam test as an appropriate standard for determining what patients should be told about risks. Case law appears to be evolving toward a more patient centred standard of disclosure.12 When faced with a decision about how much information to reveal, the most morally appropriate behaviour is not to speculate about what expert colleagues might do but rather to ask what a “reasonable person” would wish to know in the circumstances of the patient. In practice, this should be interpreted as meaning what clinicians themselves would wish to know in similar circumstances or would want to be communicated to their close friends and relatives.
“The moral and legal acceptability of consent depends upon more than the transmission of appropriate information to patients”
Finally, the moral and legal acceptability of consent depends upon more than the transmission of appropriate information to patients.13 Their choices must not be coerced by members of their health care team or by other third parties (for example, relatives). Equally, patients must be competent to consent: to be able to understand, remember, deliberate about, and believe clinical information given to them about their specific treatment options. Otherwise, consent would lack autonomy since it was made while patients were not in control of their cognitive or emotional capacities. Yet competence is task oriented: patients should not be thought of as either totally competent or incompetent. Judgments about competence to consent should depend on the particular circumstances involved. For example, a child may be competent to consent to a blood test but incompetent to do the same for chemotherapy.
Both professional guidance and legal precedent reinforce these provisions for valid consent. For example, in one famous case, a young adult woman was not allowed to refuse a life-sustaining blood transfusion partly on the grounds that she had been coerced by her mother (a Jehovah's witness).14 In another, a schizophrenic detained under the Mental Health Act was deemed competent to refuse life-sustaining treatment, despite the fact that he was also regarded as incompetent to refuse other psychiatric care.15
In general, therefore, the clinical duty to obtain proper informed consent is now widely believed to be an essential component of good clinical practice.
CAN A PROFESSIONAL BACKLASH BE SUSTAINED?
Some clinicians have found it difficult to embrace this professional and legal consensus. In a recent issue of Heart, Beresford and colleagues argue that their research and that of others confirm that some patients want little or no information about therapeutic risks and that the standard of the disclosure of the reasonable patient should not be applied to them.16 They believe that patients should be asked about how much information they want and given it accordingly. Further, Ågård and colleagues question the appropriateness of striving for high standards of consent within some cardiological research involving acute conditions that potentially compromise competence.17 They argue that in such circumstances, competent patients may feel unable to understand the information they require to give proper consent. Of course, if patients are incompetent then the issue of consent does not arise. Yet with competent patients, who are quite ill, is it not cruel to force information on them that they do not want?
These papers should be understood within a wider context of research confirming that competent patients are sometimes unable to understand clinical information, especially information about risks.18–22 Equally, patients soon forget such information, suggesting that they do not believe it to be of as much moral importance as those who set themselves up as moral defenders of their rights.23 Indeed, some patients explicitly state that they want their clinician/clinical researcher to make the final decision about their care.24 On this basis it might be argued that informed consent is often an illusion, even when clinicians go through the motions of obtaining it, and that more time should be spent instead on the provision of a high standard of technical care and of research.
In my opinion these arguments are flawed on both empirical and moral grounds.25
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Empirical research suggests that the understanding of patients improves with the provision of information structured according their needs and with the use of a variety of strategies for good communication.26 Not surprisingly poor communication may lead to poor understanding.27
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In the context of informed consent, even if memory is poor, this fact in itself does not constitute evidence that reduces the moral importance of relevant information disclosure. Many of us may recall little of the detailed cognitive processes that have accompanied important life decisions. It does not follow that in making such decisions, we did not require the best and most relevant information we could get in order make them. Also, the appearance of poor memory may not reflect reality if its background is communication so poor that it precludes the existence of anything clear to remember. Again, the communication skills of clinical researchers doing this kind of work will be important when conclusions are drawn about good practice.
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The fact that patients may say that they want their clinicians to make final decisions about their care does not mean that they do not want to be involved in it. In fact, such patients may be simply be stating the obvious—that clinicians must still make the final decision to proceed with treatment after informed consent has been given. On the other hand, care should be taken from drawing the wrong conclusions from interviews with distressed and vulnerable patients who, because of their dependence on clinical expertise, may feel intimidated and less than honest about their real feelings.
“Respect for the patient's autonomy in clinical practice is of great moral significance”
Respect for the patient's autonomy in clinical practice is of great moral significance. Our ability as humans to reason, to choose, and to plan ahead helps to differentiate us from animals. This is why respect for these characteristics is so linked to the principle of respect for human dignity. Many people have fought and died to defend this principle and the human right to informed consent that follows from it. Moral concern about the violation of this right by clinicians has informed many recent critiques of medical practice (for example, those relating to relevant events in Bristol and Alder Hey). Not to take this right seriously threatens lasting damage to the medical profession and to the trust that is so important for its success.
Therefore, it may be true that some patients state that they wish little information about treatment, prognosis or risks, especially if they are interviewed in the immediate aftermath of a dramatic clinical intervention. Yet it does not follow from such findings that it is in the best interests of such patients not to be given the information they need to be capable of reasoned choice. Their refusal can itself only be valid if it is properly informed to some minimally accepted level encompassing basic core information about what their refusal will practically mean in the management of their illness.28 Suppose that an operation has serious risks and a patient does not want to know about them. For this refusal to be properly informed, that patient needs at least to understand that his/her proposed treatment does entail significant risks, whatever further details are not revealed. If they are not told this they can have no idea what they are refusing or how their refusal might compromise their best interests. Furthermore, before clinicians take the serious step of minimising disclosure of information to patients, they should ensure that this is what patients actually want, including multiple checks over time and self monitoring as regards the quality of their own communication with the patient. Frightened and anxious patients may well not wish to obtain further information from clinicians on whom they know they clinically depend and they find that they often cannot understand.
CONCLUSION
This article has outlined good practice in obtaining informed consent and discussed its moral and legal foundations. Arguments that question these foundations have been rejected, at least in the terms in which they are usually presented. The real enemy of proper informed consent in medicine is not the inability of adult patients to engage in the process. Rather it is insufficient resources to train clinicians to communicate more successfully with their patients and inadequate staff to allow enough available time for this essential communication to occur.
This conclusion does not mean that incompetent patients who are unable to provide informed consent should not be treated. In life threatening emergencies, the moral and legal doctrine of necessity ensures that appropriate care can be provided.13 As regards elective care, however, the doctrine of informed consent continues to be of moral and professional significance where there is time for consultation with legal proxies of children (that is, those with parental responsibility), with competent children themselves or where competent adults nominate other adults to represent their best interests if they become incompetent.29 In the UK adults cannot act as legal proxies for other adults. However, in discharging the responsibilities to determine the best interests of incompetent adults, it is appropriate for clinicians to consult acceptably nominated representatives. To be effective, such consultation demands a level of disclosure of information, analogous to that pertaining to informed consent. Finally, for the purposes of research involving incompetent patients, “assent” (that is, agreement) should ordinarily be obtained from appropriate relatives in ways approved by an independent research ethics committee.29 Such committees should insist that effective assent depends upon a level of disclosure of information that will—in effect—be the same as it would for obtaining the consent of competent adult patients.
In short, even though it may still not—strictly speaking—be part of UK law, the doctrine of informed consent is morally and professionally here to stay, and watch this space as regards future changes in the law. This doctrine should be taken seriously by all clinicians and medical researchers. Lawyers or accountants could not have a professional relationship with clients who were unwilling or unable to learn and discuss diagnostic and prognostic information about their legal and financial problems. It is widely accepted that the professional goal of such relationships is to enable the client to make legal or financial decisions that optimise their interests and their autonomy. Morally, clinical relationships should be viewed in similar terms.
REFERENCES
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A cornerstone of our healthcare system and its regulations is informed patient consent. The ideal situation is that every patient will always know all the details about every medical treatment, procedure, or prescription their doctor recommends before proceeding with them. However, informed patient consent is not always present when a medical procedure is performed, and it is not always legally necessary.
Lifesaving Procedures Can Be Done Then & There
When a patient gives their truly informed consent, they are first given ample time to discuss and understand recommended medical treatments. It can take some back and forth between a patient and their doctor before the patient feels informed enough to allow or disallow a procedure.
It makes sense, then, that lifesaving procedures in emergency situations would not typically involve informed patient consent. When a patient is brought to an emergency room, medical professionals there are tasked with making on-the-spot decisions about what to do to save that patient’s life and stabilize them. There is hardly enough time to create a complete plan of treatment, so there is no time to explain everything and get the signed consent of the patient.
It is also not unusual for a patient in the emergency room to be unconscious or delirious. There is no possibility in such cases to get a clear response of consent from the patient. Yet this does not legally stop the emergency care professionals from taking whatever action they see fit.
Emotional Fragility or Lack of Mental Capacity
Along the same lines of thinking, a patient who is emotionally fragile and severely distraught may be provided medical care without first given their fully informed consent. If a patient cannot be trusted to make a clear decision due to a lack of clarity or mental capacity, then the responsibility may fall on the medical providers to make those judgment calls for them.
Not every detail needs to be told to a patient who is emotionally fragile, either. Medical providers can choose to omit certain details of treatment that they think would trigger an irrational reaction from the patient given their history. For example, if a patient needs a procedure that includes an injection from a large syringe but they have a phobia of needles, then that step of the procedure could be omitted, assuming the patient would also be unconscious during the administration of the injection. In such cases, it is also assumed that a family member of the patient would be provided the full details of the recommended medical treatments in an aside, creating the chance for a third party to evaluate the situation and potentially interject.
Is Lack of Informed Consent Always Medical Malpractice?
Informed consent is ideal, but it is not always legally required. To this end, there are situations when a medical provider could perform a medical procedure on you without your informed consent and you would not be given an opportunity to sue for medical malpractice.
You should not decide on your own if you have a valid lack of informed consent lawsuit on your hands, though. First, consult with a medical malpractice attorney who is familiar with your state’s laws regarding patient rights and medical liability. They can tell you if your case is worth pursuing. | https://www.rashmueller.com/blog/2020/january/is-informed-patient-consent-always-necessary-bef/ |
Informed consent is based on the moral and legal premise of patient autonomy: You as the patient have the right to make decisions about your own health and medical conditions. You must give your voluntary, informed consent for treatment and for most medical tests and procedures.
A medical consent form is a common form used in the healthcare industry to obtain medical consent for a certain treatment or medical procedure. It includes information about the patient and provides details about the medical treatment or procedure being performed. | https://www.anunciaeninternet.com/consent-for-medical-treatment/ |
A legal document that makes a person’s wishes about healthcare known.
Beneficence
The act of “doing good.”
Case for Consultation
A case requested of the Ethics Committee by a member of the team in search of guidance, advice, or recommendations for health care decision-making.
Case for Review
A case presented to the Ethics Committee for clarification and/or recommendations.
Competent Patient
A patient is considered competent and to have capacity if they can reason, communicate thoughts, make decisions in their best interests, and understand the consequences of their decisions.
Confidentiality
The moral and legal responsibility of ALL medical professionals to protect ALL personal information concerning the patient.
Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care Decisions
A legal document that authorizes a person to make health care decisions for a patient in the event that he or she is not able to make decisions.
Euthanasia
Any intervention performed on a terminally ill or irreversibly injured patient with the intent of causing death to ease suffering.
Futile Medical Treatment
Medical treatments that are not likely to help a patient because of their health status.
Informed Consent
The process of learning about and understanding the purpose, benefits, and potential risks of a medical or surgical intervention and agreeing to receive the intervention.
Living Will
A legal document that lets a person choose what type of medical care they would and would not want if they become unable to make health care decisions for themselves.
Non-Maleficence
The goal of treatments are to improve health and wellness, not harm; “do no harm”.
Paternalism
The act of making decisions about a patient’s care without the knowledge or consent of the patient.
Patient Surrogate
An individual that has the legal authority to make health care decisions on behalf of the patient if they are not able.
Patient Autonomy
The right of a patient to make his or her own decisions about medical treatments. | https://www.bayhealth.org/patients/connection/ethics/terms |
Where do we go when we die? What is the meaning of life? Why do noses run and feet smell? Ever since socks were invented in ancient Greece in the 8th century BC, humans have been pondering another question: why do socks always go missing?
We have all experienced this phenomenon – you open your sock drawer on a stressful morning, try to find a pair of socks, and discover that the ones you have don’t match.
One is fresh out of the pack, the other is already visibly scarred by shoe life. Thinning material in the toe area means an increased risk of holes forming, so it is just a matter of time before the end is nigh. Reaching for another pair isn’t really a solution, as no two socks properly go together – instead you just have a sad pile of lonely, orphaned socks in a variety of colours, lengths and stages of life.
Why do socks disappear?
Hard work in tough conditions such as snow, friction or heat mean that it’s understandable that feet and socks might want to get as far away from each other as possible. Other theories born of childlike imagination are the sock monster, a black hole in the washing machine, or even a washer that eats socks. Billions of socks have been lost since the dawn of time – but only ever one, never a pair. Our only explanation for this puzzle is that someone wants to make things as difficult for us as possible.
A question for science
British scientists have now started investigating sock loss and have discovered something incredible: we lose an average of 15 socks a year. That’s 1,125 socks over a lifetime! As well as looking at the question of where the socks go, scientists have also developed a formula to calculate the probability of individual socks disappearing – the sock loss index.
What is the probability of socks disappearing?
The answers can be found in the ‘Sock Loss Index’. According to this formula, factors such as positivity towards laundry play as much of a role as the quantity of fabric being washed. You can use the ‘Sock Loss Index Calculator’ to work out how many socks you will lose in the future. The formula is:
(L(p x f) + C(t x s)) - (P x A)
- L stands for laundry size (number of people in household x frequency of washes)
- C represents washing complexity (types of washes (e.g. black, white) x number of socks)
- P is positivity towards doing a laundry (from ‘I hate it’ to ‘I love it’)
- A stands for degree of attention, so number of precautions taken before a laundry (such as checking trouser pockets or unrolling socks)
Calculate your sock loss now! Do you lose more socks than average?
Where do lost socks go?
If you throw an even number of socks into the washing machine but fish an uneven number back out, then the offending sock must still be in the machine. Perhaps revenge for an overloaded drum? During the wash, socks creep into the yawning abysses of the laundry drum. The heat and the rotations separate the clothes and cause them to disappear into the wastewater hose.
But not all socks go missing in the washing machine: some pine away behind radiators, get jammed between furniture or slide under the bed. Others sit right at the bottom of the constantly full laundry basket – separated from their partners in the clothing commotion, they don’t always catch the same laundry run. Some even fall helplessly from the clothes line and are abandoned to their fate.
How can we prevent sock loss?
Two are stronger than one, as the inventor of the sock clip might also have thought. However, this is not a foolproof method, as the clips often also go missing – plus, who has the time to join up all of their socks? You can of course run a separate wash just for socks so that you keep total control.
However, despite every precaution you always end up with an orphan sock, and it’s always best to find it a new partner as soon as you can before acute loneliness sets in.
The sockscription - because no-one likes buying socks
BLACKSOCKS has had a proven method of combating sock loss since 1999: receive regular sock deliveries to your door with the sockscription, always the same so that orphaned socks can find a new friend. With the sockscription you receive regular deliveries of new (and always matching) socks posted to your door, allowing you to quickly find new partners for your orphan socks and doing away with the tedium of sorting socks after washing.
You can choose between the original sockscription with multiple deliveries of three pairs of socks, and the extreme sockscription with one 12-pair delivery per year. Subscribe and try it for yourself.
New supplies at the touch of a button
If you suddenly find you have too many orphan socks in your sock drawer, then that means it’s time to order some more. However, most of the time this mental note to buy more socks disappears as fleetingly as it appears. The ‘More’ button makes everything easier: put it in your sock drawer, and all it takes is a double-click to confirm an order and get the socks you urgently need winging their way to your door. It doesn’t get any easier than that.
Many facts prove us right
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When do your socks start to fade?
Faded flowers end up in the compost. Sour milk goes down the drain. And old socks? They normally end up back on our feet. Put them on or chuck them out? Following are a few stages in the life of a sock which should make this decision easier for you.
The truth about Europeans’ socks
Who changes their socks only every couple of days? Who owns the most socks? And who prefers to leave it to mummy to buy socks? BLACKSOCKS knows the answers.
Who invented the sockscription?
The idea arose from an embarrassing meeting and developed into a product, which finally morphed into BLACKSOCKS. While there is now a myriad of product subscriptions available on the internet, the sockscription was the first. | https://www.blacksocks.com/ch/en/sockloss |
From the time Children join the Nursery, they are encouraged to wear the school colours of red, grey and white. This enables them to take pride in their appearance and feel part of the school community. Headwear for religious or cultural reasons – including hijabs and headscarves, should be plain and in school colours: white, red, grey or black.
Girls
Boys
Winter uniform
Grey skirt, tailored trousers or pinafore dress
Grey trousers
White blouse or polo shirt
White, grey or red shirt
Red cardigan, jumper or sweatshirt
Red jumper or sweatshirt
White, grey or red socks or tights
Grey, white socks
Summer Uniform
Red and white checked or striped dress
Short grey trousers
Sandals with enclosed toes
White, red or grey polo shirt
Sun hats are recommended
Sun hats are recommended
We ask that every effort is made to provide dark coloured, well fitted shoes. No trainers or boots please.
P.E. kit (in a named drawstring bag)
White t-shirt
Black shorts
Trainers
Dark tracksuit bottoms may be worn for outside P.E.
Official school clothing is available from:
Brigade (online): | https://www.fieldend-inf.hillingdon.sch.uk/uniform/ |
Archive for the Ragg Socks Category
I finished a new pair of ragg socks knitted from leftover yarn. These multi colored ones I knitted for myself since it has been pretty cold here lately (temperatures down to -18 C). I use socks like these every day during the winter so it is nice to have many pairs.
Here is a picture of the ragg socks. I have used them for a few days so that is why they look a bit old 😉
Some friends of mine are “naming” their baby this weekend. I thought for a long time what I should get them and found out why not knit some warm socks for the baby boy. Ended up with some green ragg socks with a blue and green heel. I just hope they will fit him 🙂
It was amazing how quick it is to knit a pair of baby socks compared to my usual socks for grownups.
Here is a picture of the knitted green baby socks:
I have started on a new knitting project. This time it is a pair of striped ragg socks for a good friend of mine. She often has cold feet so I thought some warm socks would be perfect gift. Hope she will be happy with the socks 🙂
There is nothing special about this socks except that I’m knitting some stripes. The yarn I used is suited for sock knitting and is very strong.
Here is a picture of the hand knitted striped ragg socks:
After weeks of knitting on and off I have finally finished knitting a pair of ragg socks for myself. I wrote about how the first sock turned out to be too small for me and that I wanted to knit them for my friend, but after thinking about how cold me feet were I decided to open up the toe and knit the ragg socks larger. The socks still turned to be a bit too small, but with some wear they will get bigger and I have to wash them carefully for them not to shrink.
Here is a picture of the finished knitted ragg socks:
Five days ago I posted a picture of a ragg sock that I just had started to knit. Yesterday I finished one of the socks (takes a bit time for me to finish a knitting project because I am distracted by so much else), but it turns out my brain did not remember my old sock pattern and the sock turned out to be a bit too small for me. Yeah, I know I should have measured if the sock would fit me while I was knitting, but I was so sure I knew how many rounds I had to knit.
So I’m gonna give away the socks to a friend that has smaller feet. She was happy to get new socks so they are not wasted 🙂
Here is a picture of one of the socks. Just started on the other one.
Winter is getting closer and the air definitely has an autumn feel to it. It is about high time that I start getting ready for the colder seasons.
Today I started on some warm, black socks, or they are black so far. Who knows what kind of colors I will include later on (I love knitting without a strict pattern).
Here is a picture of how much I have knitted on the socks. The little blue spot on the socks is some leftover yarn I found on the floor. True recycling in practice 🙂
Hurray! I finally sold a pair of ragg socks in my Etsy store 🙂
I have been a bit disappointed in Etsy since it took 3 months to sell something, but I haven’t been promoting the store much. My selection in the store wasn’t big with only 3 pairs (2 now) so that might also be a problem.
But I got some inspiration from selling something again so hopefully I will soon have knitted more socks.
Head over to my Etsy store if you want to see the ragg socks I have for sale.
Hope the woman in USA who bought the socks will be happy with them.
Here is a picture of the socks that I sold:
As a follow up to yesterdays post here is another picture of ragg socks that I have knitted.
Most of these ragg socks has been sold on eBay for various prices. The crazy ragg socks with all the different colors definitely fetch the best prices on eBay, but are also way more time consuming to knit than “regular” ragg socks with only a couple types of yarn. | https://knitting.thomaslaupstad.com/category/ragg-socks/ |
It’s easy for socks to go missing, and it’s annoying to have to match up socks. My girlfriend and I have developed two entirely different strategies for dealing with these eventualities.
She owns a good variety of socks which are safety-pinned together anytime they’re not actually on her feet. Her socks do everything paired up. This solves the matching problem and greatly reduces the likelihood any go missing (and at least they do it in pairs). If one should wear out before the other, though, they’re both lost.
My strategy is to own a large number of exactly two styles of socks: black unlabeled athletic ankle socks and black unlabeled athletic crew socks. Sorting is trivial, loss and damage are inconsequential. Wearing mismatched socks is only sometimes necessary on laundry day and is at least unobtrusive. When I notice one type of sock is low, I just go buy another dozen.
What’s your sock strategy?
2007-02-22: My girlfriend would like it to be known that she does not dispose of the surviving complements to worn out socks, they go into a drawer to be potentially matched up with other socks whose mates are lost. This distinction is vital, and I admit my sole culpability in its oversight.
Comments
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Every six months or so I throw out every sock I can find. From there, I go out and pick up a couple packs of new socks. Since all my socks are black, I’m of the same strategy as you. Losing a sock seems to happen still though… which is a shame.
-Ryan
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I pretty much have the same strategy as you, except I am all white socks, and a couple pairs of dress socks. I also own an insane amount of socks since I am a college student who lives off campus- It is not always easy to find time to get to a washer/dryer
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Random socks of many colors…
To aid the sorting problem, I sort by length before matching by color/style. It makes things significantly more efficient. Sock matching is an O(n^2) problem; If my length sort lets me establish 5 partitions of the set of socks, that makes it O((n/5)^2), which is much better. At least it’s better enough that I haven’t felt tempted to throw-out and replace all of my socks.
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wear unmatched socks :-P
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Normal days do not warrant socks. If your office requires shoes, fooey on them.
However, there are plenty of circumstances in which socks are required. Sad, but unavoidable. I am a big fan of bulk purchasing like 10 pair of unimpressive black athletic socks (for padding) for interchangability and loss insurance.
For special occasions (interviews, weddings, etc…) that require slightly more fanciness than standard issue shirt and tie, I like grabbing a $5 pair of dress socks with the intent of using them only once. If they last longer, so be it, but there is no emotional attachment either way. | https://push.cx/2006/sock-strategies |
The second law of thermodynamics states that the total entropy of an isolated system can only increase over time. The increase in entropy accounts for the irreversibility of natural processes, and the asymmetry between future and past.
Everything rots. Decays. Descends into chaos.
And this is why I don’t bother buying 100 of the same socks and just not worry about them matching.
What?
There is always a temptation, when you’re scrambling to find a match to the sock you have in hand, in a rush, to throw them all out, buy a wealth of the same sock, and never have this problem again.
Thus, I own a lot of the same brand and style of white ankle sock. I didn’t quite go all the way in eliminating other socks (especially since I generally prefer black socks that are crew length) but I did stock up, over several trips to Target, in these socks. In my optimism I thought this would make it easier on those rushed mornings to grab two matching socks!
Alas… entropy bested me. Wearing them wears on them. Washing them wears on them. Colors shift over time. So this pair, which has been worn a little more often than that pair, soon doesn’t match if you swap their mates. Each pair carries the character of it’s experience. To add salt to the wound I’m clumsy, and the lost sock that doesn’t make it from the washer to the dryer, or falls in front of the washer before the load even goes in, gets a different experience from it’s dear mated and washed/dried companion. Some of them have holes and are nearly gray socks, some are still crisply white and utterly hale.
The best laid plans of socks and speed end in entropic events that foiled me forever. In fact, the near-but-not-quite similarity actually has now complicated the scramble for socks when I’m rushed and sleepy.
Sigh. | https://thegeeksmeow.com/2017/03/09/entropy-and-socks/ |
Sometime back in November my sewing and crafting focus shifted to gift-making. Now that the holidays are over I'm ready to get back in the saddle with some sewing for the chilly winter weekends. I'm pretty excited to to make these items. A number of them have been on my imaginary list for quite a while. So here it goes. Come back soon to follow along with my progress!
1. Pajama Shorts
Pattern: Lakeside Pajamas from Grainline Studio
For these shorts I'm recycling fabric from a vintage dress.
2. Knitted Socks
Pattern: Meida Socks from Favorite Socks
3. Zippered Sweatshirt
Pattern: Self-drafted
I'm planning to use a rub-off method and/or the book DIY Couture to draft this sweatshirt. For the fabric, I have a Japanese knit in my stash.
4. Leggings
Pattern: Self-drafted
There are a few tutorials out there for making your own leggings pattern and I can't wait to try it out.
5. Striped Top
Pattern: Tessuti Mandy Boat Tee
I have a knit striped fabric in my stash that will be perfect for this top.
6. Triangle Bag
Pattern: Self-drafted
This is another one from my long to-do list. It will be perfect for weekend shopping or toting my latest knitting project.
Related:
Cozy Winter Wardrobe Moodboard
Fall Sewing Posts
Cozy Winter Wardrobe Moodboard
Fall Sewing Posts
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Follow along with me here: | https://www.sewdiy.com/blog/ulalouise.com/2014/01/diy-wardrobe-winter-weekends.html |
Currently on the needles, I have the neglected Stripey Striped Socks, the not-yet-forgotten Napramach, my current traveling sock (I've just realized I've never taken a picture of it, nor of the last pair of socks I finished! Must rectify that.) and the light and airy Dancing Cranes stole.
The stole doesn't need to be finished until the middle of October, but I know it will take a while, so I want to keep up with adding at least a row every day, and preferably two. With around 60 or 90 rows left to work, depending on whether I choose to do three or four pattern repeats, I don't want to risk the chance of not finishing it in time. I do like working on it, but it's a solitary sort of project, and I don't always want to lock myself away to work on it.
The sock will just travel around with me until it's finished - I've almost completed the first of the pair, and then the second will take up residence in my purse. When I'm done with that one, the second Stripey Striped Sock can become my traveling companion if I haven't yet finished it at home. It's not the best sock for the job, but it'll have to do, because I really want it to be done.
Napramach... I actually don't know how long it will take for me to finish this thing! It took me six weeks to make the first half of it, and I seem to be knitting much faster now. Maybe three weeks? Then blocking, crocheting the sides together, and sewing in the lining, and it's done. I'm guessing that my friend has probably forgotten about the bag by now, or if she hasn't forgotten then she's given up hope that I'll ever finish it for her. It will be a nice surprise for her when it's finished - she only knew that I was making a bag for her, but I never told her what it would look like!
The bonus prize of finishing Napramach will be that I'll have most of each of six colourways of Rowan Felted Tweed to play with after the bag is done. I'm thinking of designing a colourwork hat with the leftovers; there should be more than enough, and I already know how nicely the colours go with one another. The second bonus prize will be on my yearly tally, because I'll be able to cross off six balls of yarn from my count! I wonder if I should cross off all six balls, because I bought them specifically for this project? Or do I mark each of them as half-used, since there will be enough to make another project?
The Stripey Striped Socks are close to the heel on the second sock, and I can't seem to find my notes on how many heel stitches I left unworked in the centre of the short-row heel. I think I scribbled them on a tiny piece of paper, not expecting nearly two years to fly by between sock heels. I'll count stitches on the first sock and try to get the second sock as close as I can.
I'm going to love each of these projects when they're done. And I hate having the Stripey Striped Socks and Napramach hanging over my head. I see them and think I ought to put some rows on them, and then I go do something else. It's time to crack down and get these projects done and off the WIPs list so that I can start new things. At the same time, I don't want to burn out on knitting again; I know that's more likely to happen when I'm forcing myself to work on projects that I don't like as much. I'm just going to work steadily on these four projects until they're done, and I won't start anything new until at least both pairs of socks are finished. Then, of course, I'll need a new traveling sock. | https://www.knittingpirate.com/2012/02/16/in-which-the-pirate-sets-goals/ |
Free SHSAT Math Practice Test :
Here we are going to see some practice questions questions for SHSAT exams. Each question paper consists of 20 question. For each questions, you can find solution with detailed explanation.
Free SHSAT Math Practice Test
Question 10 :
The perimeter of a triangle, all of whose sides have integer length, is 19. A possible length for the largest side is
(A) 6 (B) 8 (C) 10 (D) 15 (E) 17
Solution :
The sum of three lengths is given as 19. If the longest side is 10, the sum of the other two sides would be 9, which is impossible.
Hence the longest side must be less than 10. If the longest side is only 6, then the perimeter cannot be more than 18.
So the answer is 8.
Question 11 :
A value of x that satisfies the inequality 2x – 10 > 3x is
(A) -11 (B) -10 (C) -1 (D) 0 (E) 12
Solution :
2x – 10 > 3x
Subtract 2x on both sides, we get
2x - 2x - 10 > 3x - 2x
-10 > x
Hence the answer is -10
Question 12 :
The midpoints of the four sides of square ABCD are joined to form square WXYZ as shown. The area of square WXYZ is 16. The area of triangle YCX is
(A) 4 (B) 2 (C) 1.5 (D) 1 (E) none of these
Solution :
Area of square WXXZ = 16
a2 = 16
a = 4
Base of YCX is = 2, height = 2
Area of triangle YCX = (1/2) ⋅ base ⋅ height
= (1/2) ⋅ 2 ⋅ 2
= 2 square units
Hence the answer is 2 square units.
Question 13 :
The mean of 3 numbers is 7. The mean of 4 other numbers is 8. The mean of 5 other numbers is 11. What is the mean of all 12 numbers?
(A) 4 (B) 4(2/13) (C) 8(2/3) (D) 9 (E) 36
Solution :
Mean of 3 numbers = 7
Sum of 3 numbers/3 = 7
Sum of 3 numbers = 21
Sum of 4 numbers/4 = 8
Sum of 4 numbers = 32
Sum of 5 numbers/5 = 11
Sum of 5 numbers = 55
Mean of 12 numbers = Sum of 12 numbers / 12
= (21 + 32 + 55) / 12
= 108/12
= 9
Question 14 :
There were 20 socks in a drawer. Of these, 8 were blue, 10 were black, and 2 were white. Someone then removed 4 blue socks. If one sock is now drawn at random, what is the probability that it is not white?
(A) 1/10 (B) 9/10 (C) 1/8 (D) 7/8
(E) None of these
Solution :
Number of socks = 20
Number of blue socks = 8 - 4 = 4
umber of black socks = 10
Number of white socks = 2
After removing 4 blue socks, we will have 16 socks.
Probability of getting other than white socks
= (10 + 4)/16
= 14/16
= 7/8
Hence the answer is 7/8.
After having gone through the stuff given above, we hope that the students would have understood, "Free SHSAT Math Practice Test".
Apart from the stuff given in this section "Free SHSAT Math Practice Test", if you need any other stuff in math, please use our google custom search here. | https://www.onlinemath4all.com/free-SHSAT-math-practice-test.html |
# Baseball stirrups
Baseball stirrups, also called stirrup socks or simply stirrups, are socks that are part of a traditional baseball uniform, giving the uniform a distinctive look. Stirrup socks are usually one of a team's traditional colors, and are worn over long socks that are usually white in color. The stirrup sock lacks toe and heel sections, instead having a loop (a stirrup) which fits within the arch of the foot. Over the years, the stirrup loop tended to get longer, exposing more of the white undersock, thus creating a look unique to baseball. Most contemporary players in Major League Baseball (MLB) do not wear stirrup socks, as uniform pants that extend all the way down to the ankle have become increasingly popular since the mid-1990s.
## History
In the early days of the sport, baseball players wore their pant legs low. High socks, and with it, knickerbockers ("knickers"), which were commonly worn by boys in the late 19th century and into the 20th century, were introduced as part of the baseball uniform by the 1869 Cincinnati Red Stockings. They wore red stockings that were displayed prominently with the high pants, true to their name, but it was not until the early 20th century that the stirrup stocking was introduced. In 1905, Nap Lajoie suffered an infected spike wound, attributed to the dye in his socks (fabric color dyes were thought not to be colorfast in those days), that nearly resulted in his leg being amputated. Lajoie's solution to this was to wear white sanitary socks ("sanitaries"), but this posed another problem. The colored sock was difficult to put on with the extra white socks, so another solution came of this: A footless sock with a small arched opening at the bottom, to be called "stirrup" socks, due to their resemblance to stirrup irons used in equestrian events. The less expensive white sock could be changed more frequently. These stirrups were initially meant to mimic the solid-color socks.
Stirrup socks are worn on top of sanitary socks and serve to display team colors, stripes or team logos. For example, for several years the Minnesota Twins wore navy blue stirrups with "TC" on the side (for "Twin Cities") and the Houston Astros wore navy blue stirrup socks with an orange star on the side. The stirrup sock colors were also the basis of team names, including the Cincinnati Red Stockings, Boston Red Sox, and Chicago White Sox.
As the 20th century progressed, players began to wearing their stirrup loops higher and higher. By the 1970s, many players were pulling the stirrup loop so high that only the white sanitary sock and the stirrup loop itself showed, with the rest of the stirrup sock being hidden by their pants. In the 1980s, stirrups finally reached their highest point with some players showing nothing but the vertical lines of their stirrups, sold as "ribbon stirrups". Around the same time, a "two-in-one" sock was created; it mimics the look of a stirrup sock over a white sock, simply being a high white sock with a woven-on colored stripe or stirrup down each side. The minor-league Springfield Cardinals wear a two-in-one version of the traditional St. Louis Cardinals' stirrup sock and sanitary sock combination, which looks very much like the real thing. Another option used by players has been to forego stirrup socks and wear solid-color knee-high socks with knickers.
Stirrup socks were worn by most baseball players until the 1990s, when Major League Baseball (MLB) players began wearing their pants down to the ankles, setting a trend soon picked up by players at all levels, thus returning baseball to its look in the sport's formative years. Also, increasingly lax regulation of uniform codes eventually contributed to many players ignoring the traditional look. As stirrup socks were a recognizable feature of baseball uniforms for more than a century, traditionalists lament the contemporary "low pants" look in baseball uniforms. Today, players wear either their pant legs low, or if wearing high pants, stirrups or solid color stockings.
Some players, such as Chris Archer (MLB debut 2012), Francisco Lindor (MLB debut 2015), and Josh Outman (MLB debut 2008) returned to wearing real stirrup socks over sanitary socks. A trend back to knickers and high socks is also particularly evident among youth and high-school teams.
## Rules
While the Official Baseball Rules are silent on stirrups, some players on a team wearing them while others do not seems to be in violation of Rule 1.11(a)(1), which states "all players on a team shall wear uniforms identical in color, trim and style," as well as Rule 1.11(a)(3), which states "no player whose uniform does not conform to that of his teammates shall be permitted to participate in a game." For many years, teams had enforced rules so that uniforms were worn "uniformly", including the team's socks. For example, Leo Durocher, manager of the Chicago Cubs in the late 1960s, had a measuring stick in the clubhouse. Players were required to match the length of their stirrup loops to the stick at about 4 inches (10 cm), exposing only a small part of the white sanitary sock.
## Other sports
Other sports also use, or have used, stirrup socks, but traditionally wore a white sweat sock over, instead of under, the colored stirrup game sock (e.g. basketball, football, hockey). For many years, American football officials commonly wore black baseball-style stirrups as part of their uniform (in some leagues by the 1980s, this would be replaced by one-piece stockings with the black/white stripes on the top half and a white bottom half) although this was done away with by the early 2010s as black full-length slacks replaced the traditional white knickers. There are still some sock companies manufacturing stirrup socks for baseball and other sports, including Twin City Knitting Company in Conover, North Carolina. | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baseball_Stirrups |
The noise of the day drops away as I make my way to the upstairs studio of Dancehouse. I am one part of an increasingly hushed procession assembled on opening night to experience Sarah-Jane Norman’s The River’s Children (2013), and Take This, For It Is My Body (2010) paired with Heirloom (2013), and Nacera Belaza’s The Shout (2008), presented as part of Melbourne Festival.
Reaching the small landing, I peel away from the line. I remove from my bag a small pair of folded sports socks and hand them to the usher. With an air of quiet solemnity, she pins my socks together with a clear tag. My socks are marked laundry item number two, and I log the particulars of my white laundry on a form pegged to a clipboard. In this context, my washing looks limp and exposed. Beside me, a man hands over an equally unassuming, soft t-shirt. These items, my socks, and his t-shirt, are two of a handful that will be washed in water drawn from the Murray River on Wiradjuri country at Albury with permission of the Albury Aboriginal Lands Council. The usher gently informs me to hand my washing to Norman when I feel comfortable.
And so I enter the darkened landscape of The River’s Children with a pair of socks in my hands; a pair of socks that I can, if I choose, hand over for someone else to wash. In the short distance from the landing to the studio, my limp and humble socks have transformed in status; I am master and Norman my servant, and this is as uncomfortable, possessive and confronting as it sounds. | http://gracialouise.com/blog/2016/10/17/dirty-laundry |
The History of My Socks
I’ve told this story before but I’ve never written it down. So now I will. It’s the story of my socks. Y’see, unlike the rest of the world, I wear two different colored socks. Usually nobody notices such a thing in the wintertime but in the summer, when I were shorts, it tends to stand out as I seem to be the only one doing it. There is no real reason to have the same color sock on each foot but everybody does. It’s not even thought about. Unless someone happens to notice my mismatched ones. Then they say, “Your socks don’t match”. Like that is a surprise to me.
It was late summer in 1988. My last semester in college. Like most college students I didn’t like to do laundry because it meant a couple of hours sitting in a laundry room being bored. Who wants that? So I, like a lot of college students, had a large supply of socks and underwear. About a month’s worth was probably average for a college student. That way you wouldn’t have to do laundry for at least three weeks.
Being a morning person and not a drinker I used to do my laundry on Sunday mornings. I had the run of the laundry room because nobody else was up and around that early. Plus there was no fun to be had at that hour so I didn’t have to miss out on anything to do laundry.
So there I was one Sunday morning. I had just finished washing and drying my clothes and was in the middle of folding them. I had folded most of them and was left with a basket full of socks. A month’s worth of socks is sixty of them and I thought to myself that I could spend the next ten minutes matching and folding socks or I could just not care if my socks matched. I chose the “Just not care if my socks matched” option.
Most of my socks at the time were tube socks. You know, the white ones with colored stripes on the calf. So really the only thing not matching was the colored stripes. I guess they were the training wheels of wearing mismatched socks.
After college I started getting solid color socks. I preferred bright colors because if I was going to mismatch my socks I might as well be obvious about it. Wearing a black and a dark blue sock would make people think that I mismatched them by accident and that was not what I wanted. People feel sorry for you when you mismatch your socks by accident. Who needs their pity?
I went with the bright colors for years. I liked them. After I did laundry they all went into one big pile in my drawer and on any given morning I’d pick the two colors I felt like wearing. It was a system that worked for me. Sometime in the late 1990’s solid, brightly colored socks became hard to find. I don’t know why. Some fancy of fashion I suppose. But that lead me to switching over to wearing one black and one white sock. One strange day that prompted a teenager in a schoolyard I was passing through to yell, “Black and white always look good together”.
My next change in sock color came with a change in wardrobe color. It was sometime in the early 2000’s when I just couldn’t stand to wear any color but green. Red bothered me, blue bothered me, yellow bothered me, purple bothered me, white bothered me, it all bothered me and I have no idea why. I could take some black so I switched my whole wardrobe over to just green and black. Therefore I wore one green sock and one black sock. At some point I even had a hard time finding green socks so I dyed some white socks green. That’s the only time in my life I’ve ever dyed anything.
After about five years of green and black I started to be okay with wearing other colors again. Nowadays I’m back to a full spectrum wardrobe and my socks are back to one white one and one black one. That’s fine with me because black and white are the easiest colors to find men’s socks in. I don’t know what happened to the glory days of the early 90’s when brightly colored socks were easy to find but they are nowhere these days.
After nearly twenty two years of wearing mismatched socks they look completely normal to me. I accidentally wear matching socks about as often as someone else would accidentally wear mismatching ones and when I do it looks odd. I can’t see why both of my socks should be the same color.
People often react oddly to seeing me wear two different color socks. That’s because they have no idea why they wear matching ones. They wear matching ones because that’s what they were taught as children and that’s how the store sells them but it has never entered their mind to give a thought to why. It’s a strange thing. It’s society’s programing at its most basic level. As much variation as there may be in clothing everybody matches their socks. From punk rock to steam punk and from high fashion to low fashion there are matching socks.
So what conclusion have I come to after decades of wearing mismatched socks? Nothing profound really. People don’t want to think about socks at all. If my mismatched socks makes them think for a minute the only thing that comes to their mind is that I’m weird. Then they go right back to not caring about socks as long as they match. | http://radiantcomics.com/the-history-of-my-socks/ |
Lots of striped socks were on display on the Kiwi side of the field at the annual Ross Island Cup, a rugby union match played every year between Mt. Terror Rugby Club (the U.S.) and the Ice Blacks (New Zealand). Most Kiwis went with black/white stripes, but one guy had yellow/black. The U.S. decided to go with solid red socks and lost, 23-0.
It’s warmer here (~35 to 40 degrees) than it is in NYC. The movies show only the miserable weather in Antarctica, but we do alright for ourselves down here in the mid-summer.
Great — next week I’ll be getting frostbite in Minneapolis. Meanwhile, I could be lounging around in the sun and maybe getting a tan in Antarctica. | https://uni-watch.com/2010/01/12/snow-day-in-more-ways-than-one/ |
Baby boys blue knitted set. The top has a diamond pattern with white stripe detail to edges, comes with elasticated shorts to match.
Condor Wide Rib Basic Knee-High Socks in colour LIGHT BLUE.
Condor Ceremony Pattern Cuff Short Socks in colour PEARLY.
Double layer effect top with striped collar and pocket detailing, and buttons at the neck.
Woven yarn dyed striped shorts to match. | https://www.devotedtouch.co.uk/knitted-two-piece.html |
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