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The need for economic supports for Canadian families, like access to affordable universal childcare, has never been greater. Yet a recent report by the Fraser Institute claims that childcare, along with other frivolities such as housing, are not costs to be considered in the total cost of raising children.
Seventy three per cent of mothers in Canada with children under the age of 16 are working mothers, and women still earn on average 30 cents less to the dollar than their male counterparts. The need for economic supports for Canadian families, like access to affordable universal childcare, has never been greater. Yet in The Cost of Raising Children released August 2013 by the Fraser Institute, economist Christopher Sarlo claimed that childcare, along with other frivolities such as housing, are not costs to be considered in the total cost of raising children.
The Fraser Institute report does not provide a more accurate and less subjective accounting of the minimum costs necessary to provide for a child. It excludes real costs required to care for a child in a manner that meets the legal threshold required by Canadian child welfare standards. It mixes cost-based estimates with expenditure-based estimates, in spite of dismissing the latter as they appear in other reports.
The cost of childcare in Canada (with the exception of Quebec) can easily be between $1100 and $1600 a month. Just on that cost alone, for many families the burden of childcare is so great that many parents find it impossible to return to the workforce in a full-time capacity simply because they cannot afford to.
The result is that many parents, the vast majority of whom are women, are prevented from having meaningful careers and from maintaining economic independence -- spending twice the time men do on average in Canada providing childcare.
In some cases, a parent is forced to take lower-waged, part-time work or drop out of the work force all together to save their family the cost of childcare. Seven out of 10 part-time, service industry employees are women and one third of those women report taking part-time, lower-waged work because of a lack of quality and affordable daycare.
The Institute's decision to omit any provision for child care costs is based on their argument that child care is an unnecessary or 'special' added cost. In fact roughly 70 per cent of mothers are working in the paid workforce, and demand for child care continues to grow. Their claim that 'most' Canadian families do not need child care is equally unfounded. While it is true that only 1 in 5 Canadian children has access to a licensed child care space, this is a result of a failure in government policy and not a lack of demand.
Sarlo also implies that housing is not a significant cost factor in his analysis. While acknowledging that some families may need to move from a one bedroom apartment to, perhaps, a two-bedroom apartment, he claims that this can be done within the same cost bracket.
Factors he does not consider are renter markets in urban areas with high cost of living and low availability rates or even the lack of social and subsidized housing available to low-income families. For any parents who have tried to move into more suitable accommodations for a growing family on a fixed income, they know all too well that Sarlo is out of touch with the challenges real Canadian families face.
Implicit in these omissions is the assumption that most Canadian families are wealthy enough to own homes with multiple bedrooms and find it easy to forgo an entire income for several years. Nothing could be further from the truth.
In Canada, women comprise more than half of the labour force and they also comprise more than half of those who live in poverty. Perhaps most shocking is the fact that 53 per cent of single mothers with young children are living below the poverty line. This is unacceptable.
Access to safe and affordable child care would not only be a huge economic relief to Canadian families, but would enable working mothers to make real choices about whether to stay at home or return to work.
Instead of downloading the cost onto families, the federal government should be working with the provinces and territories toward enshrining a universal early learning and child care program in law. The real cost of raising children for Canadian families includes child care, full-time and meaningful employment for parents, and affordable housing. We can and must do better to help parents live in dignity and security. | https://www.huffingtonpost.ca/niki-ashton/fraser-institute-childcare_b_3880702.html?utm_hp_ref=ca-childcare-fraster-institute |
Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned. If I wasn't an elder lemon versed in the politics of childcare for 30 years, I might be taken aback by the negative and even angry reaction by some parents, particularly stay-at-home mothers, to the childcare subsidy scheme announced by Minister for Children Katherine Zappone in last week's Budget.
But many of us have vivid memories of earlier attempts by several governments to grasp this nettle. We remember in particular the savaging of finance minister Charlie McCreevy when, in 1999, he introduced individualisation in the tax code. This was a reform long called for by workforce equality campaigners, particularly for women who worked outside the home. But resistance from women in the home caused consternation at the time and resulted in the introduction of a home carer tax credit. The furore over it chastened policymakers, discouraging them from making divisive distinctions which placed a monetary value on women's work in and outside the home.
As a result, Child Benefit has reliably provided the safe and politically neutral solution for successive governments by indirectly supporting childcare costs. Over three decades of increasing participation of women in the workforce, these costs have long been a source of grievance and an unaddressed policy issue. Any move by government to compensate parents through the tax system for childcare costs inevitably runs into "what about me" claims of the stay-at-home parent who provides this service free and as a matter of choice.
So the dilemma was usually solved or dodged by governments opting for Child Benefit as a cash payment to mothers, regardless of whether they worked. It was less complex and less controversial; a universal cash payment direct to the mother and linked to the children of the family. Expensive and often criticised for not being means tested, Child Benefit has steadily increased to a figure of €2bn last year. But Budget 2017 is the first targeted scheme to fund childcare and make it affordable.
Regrettably, welcome for the scheme was blurred by claims in the media of inequity and discrimination or disregard for women who look after their children in the home. It's a tricky and legitimate argument which ministers struggle with. It also raises the divisive and thorny issue of what's best for children.
By supporting women in the labour force with their childcare costs, are we prioritising or preferring that option for children? Psychologists row in and then the dispute is whether 'outsourcing' childcare to professional crèches is in the best interests of children? Would they not be better off at home in the care of their mothers or grandmothers? By introducing a subsidy, is the State favouring women 'abandoning' their children to join the workforce? Before long, Éamon de Valera's Constitutional genuflection to women in the home in Article 42.1 is thrown in for good measure. At which point, one reaches for the remote in despair.
It would assist the debate if childcare was liberated from the traditional 'women's issues' agenda. These days it is an issue of the workforce, of child welfare and of the proper functioning of families.
Maximum choice is what Irish parents seem to want. So, rather than squabbling and unhelpfully dividing mothers, providing high-quality options for families and children should be the pathway we can all agree upon.
First and foremost, the new policy is about children; giving them the best start in life regardless of their background. International research confirms high-quality childcare brings significant benefits for children and those benefits are greater for children from disadvantaged backgrounds. So it makes sense that the majority of the funding for 2017 is targeted at lower-income families. The scheme targets families living below the poverty line and who experience educational disadvantage.
The policy is also about employment and reducing poverty. The best poverty beater is a job. Affordable childcare allows poorer families to access the labour market. It doesn't force them into the workforce but it gives them choice. According to the CSO, 19pc of people in jobless households are in consistent poverty compared to 8pc of households with one person working and 0.5pc of households with two people working.
To her credit, Ms Zappone has ventured into choppy political waters by increasing State subsidies for childcare, but only for Tusla-registered providers. The scheme will be open to all childcare providers registered with Tusla, including centre-based childcare providers like crèches, preschools and day care centres, but also to childminders. If the State is to subsidise childcare, it is reasonable and correct that services are quality assured. Over 4,500 services are registered with Tusla. It seems only a small percentage of childminders are registered with Tusla, but officials anticipate that many will register in the coming months so as to be included in the scheme.
It is disappointing that such a policy breakthrough was met with resentment by some stay-at-home parents and their advocates. But these families are supported directly by the Government by the home care tax credit, which has been increased to €1,100 per year, and the minister has said she supports an increase in the earnings threshold for this.
It is interesting to note that 96pc of eligible children avail of the ECCE (free preschool scheme) and many stay-at-home parents avail of this. And of course, Child Benefit still applies to all. By targeting lower-income families initially, the minister is hastening slowly and, in my view, sensibly. The subsidy will not cover the full annual cost but it is a genuinely good start. Inevitably there will be calls to increase the subsidy to bring more families into the targeted scheme next year. On top of all this, there is a universal payment for all families with children under three years.
From September of next year, there will be a universal subsidy of up to €80 a month (€960 per year) towards childcare costs on a pro- rata basis.
The move shows what can be done by an individual minister maximising her influence in a key area of public policy. Like free education, or the electoral gender quota, the new childcare subsidy is a long-awaited game-changer for Irish society. | https://www.independent.ie/opinion/columnists/liz-odonnell/stay-at-home-brigades-response-to-childcare-move-is-disappointing-35148847.html |
Supports for Working Families
Improving support for America’s working families with young children has risen to the forefront of the national conversation. The majority of parents are in the labor force, but workplace and government policies haven’t caught up. The science on early childhood development has evolved in recent years, revealing the importance of high-quality care inside and outside the home, yet the share of the federal budget we spend on children is relatively small and shrinking.
The arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 broke open an already fractured care economy. The pandemic spurred historic federal relief packages directed to families with children and childcare providers, including monthly Child Tax Credit payments and a federal paid leave program; these programs are now expired.
As we emerge from the pandemic, there has been a significant labor shortage (particularly acute in the childcare sector), working parents reconsidering their employment and care priorities, and inflationary pressures, all of which are adding to the squeeze on families. Finding ways to better support families has risen in salience among the general public alongside greater interest from policymakers, private sector, and philanthropic leaders.
In an attempt to alleviate pressure, we have seen historic efforts by states and localities to fill gaps and innovate, such as creating new departments dedicated to early childhood or experimenting with three-stream funding (state, employer, and employee) for childcare costs. Additionally, innovations are being led by civil society and, in some cases, by employers aiming to support and retain workers, especially those with young kids.
This brings us to the critical moment we find ourselves in today.
We have a significant opportunity for political, business, and nonprofit leaders across the ideological spectrum to step back and thoughtfully reassess what types of long-term investments and policies are best for working families and what success would look like to make it easier to raise children while working in America. Now is the time to look at how we, as a nation, can create realistic choices for families around quality childcare options, or make it easier and affordable for a new parent to take a break from the workforce while children are young.
There is incredible power to relational capital and bringing different perspectives to the table to discuss seemingly intractable issues through the Convergence process. There is real work to do to build alignment and consensus but there exists significantly more overlap and shared principles to be uncovered if the right space is held for the group to engage. A well-conceived table consisting of cross-partisan, cross-sectoral individuals can contribute both through specific recommendations and strategies as well as through impacts to the public debate by lifting up inclusive framing that moves away from well-grooved talking points to centering around families’ needs.
The Assessment on Supports for Working Families is the first phase of a multi-year project seeking to build actionable solutions and unlikely alliances so that American families can flourish. We hope to accomplish these goals and move forward toward building consensus around solutions to intractable issues in the Dialogue phase.
For more information about the project, please contact:
Mariah Levison, Chief Program Officer
[email protected]
To invest in this project, please contact: | https://convergencepolicy.org/latest-projects/supports-for-working-families/ |
Cost is currently the biggest bar to providers accessing the training they so desperately need. Since the extended, 30-hour ‘free’ childcare offer rolled out in September 2017, it has been well documented that current Government funding levels do not cover the cost of continuing professional development or qualifications which provide essential, ongoing development of practice. The longer this situation continues, the greater the skills deficit becomes.
To many it appears that the 30-hour offer is prioritising quantity of places above quality of care and education. While skilled, well-trained practitioners are needed to ensure the extended offer delivers high quality care, providers are struggling to afford the wage bills for those who are well qualified. At the same time they cannot afford to upskill existing staff.
As qualified staff become fewer on the ground, and able to command higher salaries, providers have a battle to recruit and maintain the staff they need to deliver 30 hour entitlement.
According to Purnima Tanuku, chief executive of NDNA, many of its members are genuinely concerned that they won't be able to deliver 30 hours if numbers of qualified staff continue to drop.
According to the NDNA, many of its members are genuinely concerned that they won't be able to deliver 30 hours of funded childcare if numbers of qualified staff continue to drop.
Meanwhile there is a small chink of light at the end of the tunnel. The recent approval of the long-awaited Level 3 Apprenticeship Standard promises to provide a boost to the number of Level 3 practitioners coming through the pipeline, and it is hoped this will be swiftly followed by a Level 2 standard.
Where are the training gaps?
Independent early years research group Ceeda recently produced the About Early Years Sector Skills Survey, based on 2018 data, which provides a detailed insight into workforce challenges, based on research with 557 childcare providers employing 8,511 staff.
The survey covers qualification levels and trends, sector pay, staff turnover, internal skills gaps and workforce development.
The biggest gaps in sector specific skills – experienced by more than one in five settings were:
- Knowledge of stages of development (26 per cent)
- Methods and practice of supporting children's learning (27 per cent)
- Observation, assessment and planning (26 per cent)
- Understanding and managing children's behaviour (22 per cent)
- Identifying and supporting children with special educational needs (19 per cent)
- Establishing good relationships with parents (17 per cent).
Gaps were highest for staff at Level 2 or below, but only slightly higher than at Level 3.
Demand for SEND experience
With more than 200,000 parents now accessing the 30-hour offer according to latest figures from the Department for Education (DfE), early years settings are welcoming many more children who have a wide variety of special education needs and disabilities. It is particularly concerning that many settings say they lack the skills to support these children.
Mike Abbott, operations director at London Early Years Foundation (LEYF) Nurseries, corroborates the requirement for practitioners to both identify and support children with a wide range of special needs.
‘There does seem to be an additional demand on our special needs skills and expertise since the start of 30 hours and we're currently recruiting a specific SEND manager to work alongside our SENCOs across all nurseries in our group,’ he says.
‘When it comes to language provision, there are inevitably more children coming to us with additional language requirements now, especially as many of our nurseries are in very diverse ethnic communities also rated as most deprived, such as Hackney, Stoke Newington and Dagenham. And with over 300 languages spoken across London schools, communication training in this area needs to be ongoing and increased as required.’
Settings are working together to undertake group training
As a ‘training-led organisation’ and not-for-profit, charitable social enterprise, LEYF says it has to make sure it invests the money it spends on staff training wisely. ‘We then reinvest all profit back into the business,’ Mr Abbott says.
‘Our Learning and Development Team ensures all nursery staff benefit from at least 32 hours of professional development each year, using a combination of internal and external trainers and facilitators. We always ensure our staff are inducted properly which is even more important now with the 30 hours offer, as we recognise the fact that to retain staff we need to offer ongoing training and progression opportunities.’
LEYF runs seven training days a year but is planning to increase this. ‘Our goal is for 50 per cent of our new leaders to come from within the organisation,’ says Mr Abbott. ‘Our Aspiring Leaders Programme provides staff with their Level 3 Award in Leadership and Management, and many of them have already progressed from Apprentice to Nursery Manager and beyond.’
LEYF also now offers a Foundation degree course from The University of Wolverhampton, which follows its teaching methods, known as the LEYF higher education staff development programme, and which launched in September last year.
He adds: ‘We use a combination of training methods at LEYF including online training, outside training coming to us to cover specific areas such as first aid, along with three permanently employed staff trainers who help run action learning sessions, which involve working on “real life” challenges, using the skills and knowledge of our leaders as support for learners to develop the thinking skills of an effective leader.’
Trainer's view
Owner of Bright Kids Nursery Group, Tricia Wellings, uses her long experience to advise on training. She has worked in early years for more than 19 years, during which time she gained her NNEB, BA (Hons) in Early Educations Studies, Early Years Teacher Status and more recently PTLLS, CTLLS and A1 Assessors award.
She also runs early years training company MBK Training, which delivers business support workshops to support settings delivering the 30 hours. These not only look at all aspects of running a childcare business but include training on how to ensure the 30 hours is sustainable.
‘Training needs in the sector have grown since the withdrawal of subsidised or free training from local authorities,’ she says. ‘The changing expectations of Ofsted have also created a need for staff teams to be better trained in all aspects of their jobs. This will also be the case when the new Education Inspection Framework comes into force in September, with its greater emphasis on speech and language and SEND provision.’
The company's original business funding course was developed from sharing the ideas that were being used in Bright Kids with other business owners in a training forum, and this was then extended when the local authorities said they wanted a more detailed business support workshop. This now includes working on a company vision, understanding legislation, place planning and financial analysis for 30 hours, understanding customers' needs, knowing your numbers, marketing and partnership working. According to Ms Wellings, when it comes to accessing training, there is a trend towards more online learning. ‘We are also seeing settings joining together in small networks in order to make training more affordable,’ she says. ‘But the fact is that many settings are not accessing enough training, or are trying to do it themselves and this ultimately impacts on their overall quality as the input of external training is shown to have a positive effect.
‘There may be one or two courses that the local authority can put on if they have received funds from a specific initiative but in general there is little of this. Our business support workshops have been funded from such a pot of money, which was provided to help support the roll out of the 30 hours. Despite the cut-backs, it is important for providers stay tuned to what may be on offer locally.’ www.mbktraining.co.uk
Assessing individual setting needs
Training needs vary widely between settings, depending on their location, size, staff team and child cohorts. At Childcare Works, which works with providers and local authorities on the implementation of 30 hours, partner James Hempsall has tailored his training to meet the individual needs of settings who are working hard to deliver the 30 hours sustainably.
‘Business planning may be standard across all sectors but the modelling element for each may be different,’ he says. ‘For example, childminders' ratios are one major difference, as are the training requirements of specific local authorities, taking into account the number of children with English as a second language. This may make language support training a priority. Also, the number of SEND children on roll will impact the number of staff needing specialist SEND training.’
He says that full day providers are experts at offering flexibility whereas schools and sessional providers may need to think very differently if they are to consider some of the day-to-day practicalities and risks associated with moving from a traditional am/pm model, to one of longer days and increased flexibility across a week or year.
‘This could lead to an increase in staff, with induction training becoming the main focus,’ he says. ‘Also there is a need to ensure there are always enough practitioners trained in child protection awareness and health and safety.’ He cites a specific example of tailoring training to meet specific sector needs as Childcare Works' recent programme of events, ‘Making the 30 hour offer work for disabled children and children with SEN’.
‘The aim of these was to improve knowledge of what high quality SEND provision looks like and to support settings in knowing where to go for help, such as how to use the Disability Access Fund or access funding via inclusion funding,’ explains Mr Hempsall. ‘The events were a direct response to the increased need for SEN training resulting from the 30 hours. We found many settings were recognising this was an increasingly important area that needed addressing.’
Key points
- DfE findings show some settings are feeling ‘overwhelmed’ by demand for SEND places but feel under-trained to cope
- In some instances, settings are joining together to form small networks in order to make training more affordable
- The Government published an early years workforce strategy in March 2017 which outlines a series of measures aimed to attract new joiners to the sector, as well as retain and develop existing members of the workforce, but according to Ceeda the skills gap continues to widen
- The case for prioritising quality over quantity of childcare places remains strong
- Responses to the consultation on the proposed 2019 education inspection framework are now being considered by the DfE. | https://www.earlyyearseducator.co.uk/features/article/30-hours-trying-to-keep-the-focus-on-high-quality |
How some programmes are taking a market systems approach to developing childcare services
Meet Robinah.
Robinah lives in a small town outside of Kampala. She is 24 years old and has two young children. On an average day, she wakes up at around 6am and begins preparing breakfast for her family. She then spends time getting her children ready for the day ahead, before carrying them with her to the local market where she has a stall. Throughout her day, she balances her paid work with caring for her children: watching over them, preparing lunch for them, feeding them – all while attending to her customers.
Robinah leaves her stall early to head back home and prepare dinner for the household before bathing the children, serving them dinner and cleaning the dishes. Finally, she prepares her children for bed. A rare period of calm allows her to wash herself, pray and get some rest – before repeating it all again the next day.
In many ways, Robinah’s day is relatable for women across the world who - even before the COVID-19 pandemic - were performing more than three-quarters of all unpaid care work: equating to roughly 12.5 billion hours of unpaid care work done by women every single day.
Whilst there is increasing recognition of unpaid care work and its impact on women’s economic empowerment (WEE), there remains little practical guidance on how to foster its reduction and redistribution among society.
One step to achieving this is through the provision of childcare services, which shift care responsibilities away from mothers and other unpaid carers to paid caregivers. In turn, this can contribute to the economic empowerment of women through improved access to labour market opportunities and greater agency over manageable workloads.
The ILO Lab has looked at programmes taking a market systems approach to developing childcare services, exploring the different ways that they have addressed the issue as well as the key lessons learned for implementation.
Three approaches
Based on the programmes researched, three approaches to addressing childcare emerged:
- Looking at the market for childcare services
This approach, as taken by the LIWAY project in Ethiopia, considers childcare services as its own system, analysing the core market for childcare as well as the wider ecosystem surrounding it to understand where the key constraints to further development of the market lie. LIWAY’s analysis of the childcare market system in Addis Ababa uncovered a number of key constraints including:
- a scarce supply of qualified caregivers
- a lack of affordable physical infrastructure for childcare centres
- limited access to finance to cover the costs of setting up a childcare business.
Their holistic analysis allowed the programme to tackle some of these key constraints of the childcare market by addressing their root causes - which lay outside of the core market - and facilitate its development.
- Influencing policy
Facilitating improvements in the formation and, importantly, the implementation of laws, regulations and standards by the state. Influencing policy can enhance childcare in two ways: quality and provision. The quality of childcare can be improved through effective regulation and licensing, while its provision can be boosted through publicly funded childcare centres or public subsidies to lower the cost of private childcare services for end users. The latter was addressed by the ALCP project in Georgia, which identified women’s exclusion from local decision-making processes as a key cross-cutting constraint in their project focusing on the livestock market system. Working with municipal government actors, the project facilitated increased female participation in village meetings, which subsequently enabled the allocation of municipal funds to establish publicly funded kindergartens.
- Making the business case to enterprises
This is about establishing a convincing argument for why it is in employers’ interests to support childcare for their employees. This could be based on recruitment, retention, productivity or CSR, amongst others. In turn, employers can support childcare through private subsidies, public-private partnerships and on-site childcare centres. The Market Development Facility (MDF) project in Pakistan took this approach in their leather sector portfolio after identifying a skilled labour constraint in the industry. MDF partnered with a large shoe manufacturer in Punjab to test the business case for hiring and upskilling female workers, based on business benefits for recruitment and retention. Attracting young female workers in this socially conservative context required a separate working space for them as well as on-site childcare - both of which were provided through a cost-sharing arrangement between the project and the company.
Eight lessons
From these programmes’ experiences, eight key lessons can be drawn:
- Unpack the childcare market system: this is a practical starting point for identifying the obstacles to developing the market for childcare services.
- Cities as more mature markets: their high population densities make them promising areas for market-based childcare solutions.
- Public sector incentives matter: as a key player in the childcare market system, it’s important to understand government’s motivational drivers and play to them.
- Gender analysis critical: this is how issues such as unpaid care work and lack of childcare services can be identified as barriers to economic development.
- Holistic understanding of WEE: look beyond employment or income generation to capture the full effects of childcare services on women’s economic empowerment.
- Female workforce a key entry point: the business case for employer-supported childcare is most compelling for companies with a large (current or future) female workforce.
- Working with lead firms has pros and cons: they are often most willing to pilot new ideas but this can come at the expense of adoption by smaller firms, which limits wider systems change.
- Social norms matter: simply providing access to childcare is not sufficient if prevailing customs mean that communities are not comfortable using these services.
Key takeaways
Childcare services have the potential to alleviate the burden of unpaid care work for women and substantially contribute to women’s economic empowerment. The market systems approach can yield opportunities to facilitate improvements in both childcare provision and quality - based on the approaches and lessons outlined above.
As a relatively new phenomenon, there has been some reluctance from both donors and implementers to engage directly in childcare services. Rather than shy away from this sector, projects should not be afraid to test promising initiatives and scale up those that are successful.
Ultimately, developing childcare services has the potential to enhance quality of care and education for children, provide greater labour market opportunities for mothers and create additional decent jobs in the care economy: a triple-win for society.
The ILO Lab is committed to exploring this promising area of work further; we hope you will join us as we push for greater gender equality in the world of work through developing the childcare market system. | https://beamexchange.org/community/blogs/2020/8/27/childcare-and-womens-economic-empowerment/ |
EDUCATION IS THE MOST POWERFUL WEAPON.
As a mother of two daughters in primary school, I believe the legislature should stop their repeated attacks on public education; increase revenues allocated to improve daily maintenance and operations; increase teacher pay; and either create or increase capital funding to provide all of our students with proper books and access to technology. Now more than ever, we must increase our education revenue due to the growth of mental health issues and continued shortage of behavior specialists, all of which has been exacerbated by the pandemic. I would firmly promote a public-private partnership between regional teaching colleges, universities, and local school districts to address the shortage of substitute teachers. We should work closely with our state secretary of education, local and regional education leaders and school districts to safely keep our schools open.
PROTECTING ARIZONA WORKERS
LIVING WAGE.
As a product of a union raised family, Arizonans need quality paying jobs that provide upward mobility. I will advocate for better healthcare, safe working environment, union development and the right to organize. To prepare Arizonan's workforce for today's economy, we must create more competitive pay structures that reflect inflation. We must attract companies that provide good benefits. We should provide more labor training programs to share with students and young professionals.
ENVIRONMENT
PURE WATER & CLEAN AIR
Arizona’s clean air and sustainable water crises are priorities for our district, state and the nation. I will be a strong advocate for policies that achieve water sustainability and groundwater management. Arizona must focus on a green economy and a green administration.
AFFORDABLE HOUSING
GOOD LIFE YOU CAN AFFORD.
As a previous director for Arizona Fair Housing, I am acutely aware that we must increase our state’s minimum wage. Additionally, home prices and rent have increased due to a combination of increased land costs, growing labor costs, supply chain shortages, and zoning approvals for apartments and affordable housing - all of which must be addressed through both private and public efforts. Housing discrimination is on the rise in group homes. Arizona must invest in affordable housing options for working families as quickly as possible.
VOTER PROTECTION RIGHTS
ELECTIONS BELONG TO THE PEOPLE.
The Maricopa County Recorder's Office has conducted fair and secure elections.
The Arizona Senate’s embarrassing, Republican-led "audit" of the 2020 election was not only an act of voter suppression, but an insult to Arizona voters and an immense waste of taxpayers’ dollars. I will fight against voter suppression bills and work to make voting easier while maintaining and improving election integrity for all Arizonans. I will work to keep Vote By Mail. With proof of residency and citizenship, I will work to keep Same Day Registration on Election Day.
HEALTH CARE
HEALTH CARE IS A HUMAN RIGHT.
Just as I fought for every American veteran to have access to healthcare worldwide, I will continue the fight for every Arizonan to have quality, accessible and affordable health care. I will work to protect reproductive rights, children's health care, and expand funding and access for behavioral and mental health. Arizonan families should have healthcare coverage despite legal or financial barriers.
CIVIL RIGHTS
STOP HATE.
As a lifelong advocate of diversity, equity and inclusion, I will defend legislation that expands equal treatment under the law for every individual - no matter ethnicity, creed, color or orientation. I plan to review and repeal existing or proposed discrimination statutes to ensure protection of our treasured, and often hard-won, civil rights. We must address decades of systematic mistreatment of people of color (Asian Americans, Black, Hispanics/Latinos and Indigenous Americans) in Arizona.
UNIVERSAL CHILDCARE
IT'S PAST TIME THAT WE INVEST IN UNIVERSAL CHILDCARE
When it comes to taking care of our kids, Arizona’s families are stuck between a rock and a hard place. Childcare is essential: it provides stability, supports our children’s development, and allows parents to provide for their families. Unfortunately, childcare has become increasingly inaccessible in Arizona, with less childcare workers and rising costs. It’s past time that we invest in universal childcare.
Existing nonprofit programs and scholarships help families access more affordable childcare, and we should invest in and expand those options for all families across the state. We have an excellent childcare system for our military service members, and we can replicate the model in Arizona.
Inconsistent childcare, unaffordable childcare, or no childcare at all: all make it hard for working parents or those looking for jobs. For our communities right here in Legislative District 11, where our average household income is $35,000 per year and rent averages $24,000 a year, paying thousands of dollars in childcare every year may be almost impossible.
By the U.S. Department of Health Services’ standards, only 8.7% of families in Arizona have “affordable” infant care. If existing child care organizations and workers were subsidized by our state, capping costs at 7% of a family’s income, as recommended by the Department:
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A typical Arizona family would have an additional 15% annual income (post-child care) for other necessities.
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29,532 more parents would have the option to work.
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Arizona’s economy would expand with $3 billion of new economic activity.
If elected to the Arizona State Senate, I would support:
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Guaranteed, affordable childcare for all families, capped at no more than 7% of household income.
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Increased salaries, benefits, and access to a union for all childcare workers, who have been leaving the field at higher rates since the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Ensuring diverse, inclusive options with standards for high quality care.
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Coordination with all relevant stakeholders when crafting childcare policy, including parents, childcare workers, unions, and other providers.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM
Our criminal justice system is full of policies and practices that are flawed, outdated, and burdening our taxpayers.
Arizona has the 5th highest imprisonment rate in the country and as taxpayers, we spent over $1 billion a year just on the prison system. While many other states around the country work to reduce rates of imprisonment, Arizona’s has grown every year since 2000. In that time, the number of people incarcerated for non-violent offenses grew by 80%.
We owe our children a safe space free from violence, but when they are targeted, harassed, or criminalized at school, no one benefits.
It's clear: we’re criminalizing and imprisoning too many members of our communities over relatively trivial matters instead of finding evidence-based solutions to reduce crime and recidivism. In 2020, Arizona voters passed Prop 207, a promising first step in addressing the unnecessary criminalization of minor drug offenses.
As State Senator, I would support fair, data-driven reforms that will have an immediate benefit to families across Arizona, including:
● The legislature should strictly regulate the role of School Resource Officers (SROs). SROs were created to protect students from internal or external threats. SRO’s should never be used to enforce school discipline, provide counseling, and/or be a substitute for trained professional staff. | https://www.caveroforaz.com/priorities |
We would like to begin with a personal anecdote.
When Meagan was in graduate school, she was working a full-time job as a café and catering manager at an athletic club, taking a full courseload, and working 10 hours a week as a graduate research assistant (GRA) for a professor at Georgia State University. That’s more than 40 hours per week of full time work, 12 hours of weekly classes, and 10 hours for the research position, plus homework time. During this time she was also a single mom to a pre-school age son. Meagan was able to succeed in school while maintaining her full-time job, but this was only because, for two years, her son’s grandmother either paid for or provided childcare. Meagan didn’t make enough money to afford the nearly $1,200 a month that full-time childcare cost in her area, even with the full-time job and a stipend for her GRA work. And, with more than 60 committed hours every week for work and education, she certainly didn’t have the time to watch her son all day. In other words, had Meagan not been fortunate enough to have someone who was both willing and able to provide care for her son, she may well not have succeeded.
Meagan’s situation is not unique. There are thousands of parents and guardians who need to provide for their children while working full time (or more than full time at two or three separate jobs). Many of them also want to further their education, earn credentials, or take advantage of other opportunities that will help them get ahead and improve their quality of life. However, most parents do not have a family member who can provide or pay for childcare. Without free and reliable childcare, Meagan would likely have had to choose caring for her child over advancing her career and education, and she would not be here sharing this story now.
Millions of American parents and caregivers lack access to affordable childcare and early childhood education (ECE). That deficiency, which prevents many adults from taking advantage of opportunities to advance, creates an enormous drag on the country’s economic potential. Childcare is not just a family issue, it is a major workforce and economic issue. Without it, many people either cannot advance their careers or even enter the workforce at all. According to the First Five Years Fund, “access to stable, high-quality child care helps parents improve their labor productivity by increasing work hours, missing fewer workdays, and pursuing further education.”
Parents of infants and toddlers are not the only beneficiaries of reliable childcare. Working parents of school-age children often need care that extends beyond school hours. Now, as the Senior Analyst for Research and Policy at the Southern Education Foundation, Meagan works a 9-to-5 job with a 30+ minute commute each way. Her son’s elementary school day only lasts 6.5 hours, but she needs at least 10 hours of childcare per day. The other 3.5 hours of care cost her around $450 a month – a price unattainably high for many working parents and one that she likely can only afford now because she was able to take advantage of the opportunity to advance her career in the past.
Low wage earners, individuals in rural areas, and workers whose hours extend outside of the traditional 9-to-5 workday are most likely to have difficulty accessing childcare. According to the Center for American Progress, in 2018, more than half of the U.S. population lived in childcare deserts – areas with more than 50 children under age five that either have no childcare providers or have more than three times as many children as licensed childcare slots. Childcare deserts occur more frequently in Hispanic communities, in rural areas, and in urban communities with incomes in the bottom quintile – nearly 60 percent of each of these populations live in such areas. The number of Americans with limited access to care options has grown due to the pandemic, during which thousands of childcare centers closed their doors because of decreasing enrollments, staffing issues, and rising costs associated with increased health and safety protocols.
Even when early childhood programming is available, it can be prohibitively expensive. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services asserts that affordable childcare should account for no more than seven percent of a working family’s pre-tax income, but by 2020, infant childcare cost the average American family 16 percent of their pre-tax income. Black and Hispanic workers, who on average are paid less than their equally qualified White peers, spend, on average 22 and 18 percent, respectively of their family’s income on childcare.
Sadly, subsidizing childcare is not the solution for every family. If the government were to subsidize care so that it cost just seven percent of the U.S. median income, only 14 percent of families could afford it at their current income level.
In addition to being a race equity issue, a socio-economic equity issue, and a workforce issue, ECE is a gender equity issue: Research shows that when childcare is inaccessible or unaffordable, it is more often women who reduce work hours, forego promotions, or leave their jobs to care for children. Data from the pandemic makes this clear – between March and August 2021, nearly a third of women with children under 18 left their jobs to become primary caregivers, some permanently, compared with only one in ten men. Black and Hispanic women are even more likely to be impacted by inadequate childcare situations; not only are they more often breadwinners in their homes and more likely to be single parents, but they were also less likely than their White counterparts to be able to work from home during the pandemic.
Socio-economic and gender disparities are not only produced by our inadequate childcare system, however; they also exist within it. It is likely common knowledge by now that childcare workers are undervalued and deeply underpaid; and these workers are most often women (95 percent), and frequently women of color (38 percent are Black or Latinx, nearly double the prevalence of women of color in the United States population). In 2019, the median hourly wage for childcare workers was 13 dollars or less in every state. In the three lowest-paying states it was less than nine dollars. It is also worth noting that the undervaluing of childcare workers has historic underpinnings dating back to slavery and the Jim Crow era, when Black women were forced to raise children other than their own. It also stems from gender discrimination in the workforce, and the general undervaluing – and underpaying – of industries and occupations predominantly worked by Black people and by women. You can read more about race and gender discrimination in the workforce here and here.
The takeaway here: the system is broken, as it has been for a long time, and this causes major equity issues for both children and adults. Children with access to high-quality childcare and early childhood education experiences do better later in life. They are more likely to be academically prepared for Kindergarten and future grades. They are less likely to repeat a grade and more likely to graduate from high school. ECE has also been shown to reduce rates of depression and tobacco use later in life, meaning early learning experiences are also a public health issue. Perhaps most importantly, early learning experiences can help mitigate the harmful effects of childhood stress and poverty – one of the most reliable predictors of future student success. Finally, children who attend high-quality ECE programs are more likely to be employed and to earn higher wages later in life.
Childcare is a race issue. It is a socio-economic issue. It is a gender issue. It is a workforce issue. It is a public health issue. The effects of inadequate childcare and ECE on both parents and children, and the patterns in who has access to quality care and who does not, make many of these issues generational issues as well.
It would cost a great deal of money over a long period of time to build and maintain a system that works for all Americans, but the current cost of ignoring this failing system cannot be overstated. In 2019 alone, states lost between $479 million and $3.47 billion each in unrealized economic activity due to inadequate childcare. One study found that inadequate childcare costs the nation approximately $57 billion a year. That is not even to mention the individual returns for parents like Meagan who can continue to work and pursue further education when they have reliable childcare, but simply cannot without it, or the children like her son who are better prepared for elementary school academics and have the opportunity to practice social skills before entering the classroom. With the returns on investment so powerful, and the costs of doing nothing so steep, we as a nation must address this issue in a meaningful and permanent way.
The following are a few recommendations for policymakers to consider as they evaluate the costs and benefits of providing high-quality, affordable childcare and ECE to all children. If you’d like to read more on this subject, see the Southern Education Foundation’s Economic Vitality and Education in the South report.
- Expand access to free high-quality early childhood and free prekindergarten programs.
- Sustainably fund ECE programs based on fixed costs and annual enrollment numbers rather than attendance records, which change throughout the year.
- Ensure that all students receive a high-quality, developmentally appropriate curriculum and expand the use of appropriate, culturally responsive developmental assessments, and use reliable tools to identify struggling children at an earlier age.
- Use subsidies to reimburse childcare centers based on operating costs and real costs associated with providing quality care.
- Dedicate additional financial support to help centers meet quality and equity benchmarks and state licensing requirements.
- Raise wages for childcare workers and early education providers, including home-based providers, and ensure that alternative subsidy calculations include appropriate livable-wage estimations. States can establish minimum wage standards for their childcare system and convene educator wage boards to develop pay scales commensurate with educators’ training and experience.
- Gather a broad group of stakeholders around a unified vision for universal state childcare that provides quality, affordable childcare and early education opportunities to all families.
Meagan Crowe is SEF’s Senior Research & Policy Analyst and the author of the “Economic Vitality and Education in the South” report and Max Altman is SEF’s Director of Research & Policy. | https://southerneducation.org/resources/blog/pre-k-12/childcare-is-a-fill-in-the-blank-issue/ |
From January to May of 2007, the Rice County Growing Up Healthy Campaign conducted twenty-two community dialogs with 161 participants. Twelve of the 90-minute dialogs were in English, seven were in Spanish, and three were in Somali. Participants were asked to identify what they worry about most with regards to the health and safety of their children, what they would like to see changed to alleviate these worries, and asked to give feedback on specific existing programs and services within the county that serve families with young children. During the summer of 2008, the Rice County Growing Up Healthy Community Leaders and service providers participated in similar conversations.
Over the course of these community dialogs many diverse issues were raised, but a number of common themes emerged. Topics that were discussed most frequently included:
Ø Health: Specifically the barriers that come when one lacks insurance
Ø Safety: Community members are concerned about youth having safe places to play, child abduction, and traffic safety
Ø Access to resources and services: Many participants expressed a lack of knowledge of what services and resources are available, difficulty navigating services/resources, lack of transportation to services, the need for more activities for children, and the problem of stigmatization of those who do access resources
Other topics that were brought up at multiple meetings included the lack of affordable housing and affordable childcare, as well as issues immigrants face including fear of deportation and accessing resources. Multiple groups mentioned a need for better understanding among diverse groups and cultural trainings.
Group participants also discussed solutions to community issues, including more safety education, a greater police presence, childcare co-ops, indoor space for recreation in the winter months, and many other suggestions.
Growing Up Healthy is now looking at ways to bring the community together to address these issues. As we move through the fall and winter months, opportunities to take action and make positive community change will be identified. Please stay posted! | https://growinguphealthy.org/2008/09/24/improving-health-by-building-connections-between-families/ |
An experiment was conducted to assess phonetic evidence for categorically distinct prosodic structures associated with two types of relative clauses in English. Non-restrictive relative clauses (NRRCs) and restrictive relative clauses (RRCs) have been argued to be typically produced with different prosodic phrase structures.
To test whether there is evidence for this, productions of the two relative clauses were elicited. A wide range of variation in speech rate was elicited by using a moving visual analogue which cued participants for rate variation. Acoustic and articulatory data were collected from twelve participants. We assessed whether the functional relations between speech rate and various phonetic measures at phrase boundaries differed by syntactic context. In addition, linear and sigmoidal models were fit to each of the articulatory and acoustic measures within each syntactic context, and the corrected Akaike Information Criterion (AICc) was used to determine whether the sigmoidal model provides a substantially better fit than the linear model.
Although most of the phonetic measures showed a significant difference between the two syntactic structures, which provides some evidence for distinct prosodic categories, the non-linearity analyses in both structures showed weak evidence for categorical variation in prosodic structure. | https://conf.ling.cornell.edu/node/282 |
How is a chicken related to a dog?
10/17/2017
There are as many ways to categorize animals as there are animals themselves. However, in biology some ways give us a better understanding of relatedness among animals. Homologous structures and DNA similarities are clear evidence of common origins among animals. Analogous structures and geographic speciation are ways we can establish differences among organisms. All of these tools help us understand the tree of life, with all living organisms sharing a singular origin, that has been branching into more and more complex organisms over the last 3.5 Billion years!
10/18/2017 11:10:50 am
They both have loungs
Reply
Mr.Powell
10/19/2017 12:54:25 pm
Yes! Animals that have shared structures like lungs exhibit more evolutionary relatedness than animals with dissimilar structures.
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Leave a Reply.
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Author
Mr. Powell is a High School Science Teacher in Western Colorado. | http://www.mrpowellscience.com/home/how-is-a-chicken-related-to-a-dog |
Molecular Biologist Richard Henderson on new protein structures, experiments with electron cryomicroscopy, and aquaporin
Membrane proteins are the most important component in membranes, all the various types of membranes such are in and around cells. The two components of a membrane are the lipids and the proteins. The proteins essentially do all of the difficult and most important tasks. Originally it was thought that these proteins – this is a Singer and Nicolson model of the membrane – are simply floating around in a sea of lipids that didn’t do very much. Now it’s actually known that there are positive functions for some of the lipids. For the purpose of this talk I’m going to focus on the proteins, which actually carry out many of the individual tasks, hundreds of thousands of different tasks in the cell membrane. Each one of them, different membrane protein has a different function and carries out different tasks in the membrane: transporting small molecules in and out of the membrane, transporting big molecules like proteins in and out of the membrane, signaling from the inside to the outside of the cell, or from the outside to the inside of the cell. So, they have a very important role and understanding how proteins are built, their structure and how they function in doing their different tasks is the key to understanding how membranes work and how cells work.
It turned out – this was their hypothesis – that soon after this the structure of myoglobin was solved experimentally, and it was shown to be composed entirely of alpha-helical stretches, exactly the alpha helix with a heme group, which is the red oxygen binding pigment in the center of it. A little bit later other structures came along lysozyme, chymotrypsin. Now there are hundred thousand sets of coordinates deposited in the protein data bank with tens of thousands of different protein structures, and they all have alpha helix and beta sheets in them. That’s all of proteins. Membrane proteins in the 70’s were unknown. Many people were wondering how it would be. In a membrane you have this lipid bilayer, it’s a hydrophobic barrier between the inside and outside of the cell, so you have to get protein molecules either on the lipid or particularly extending through the lipids – transmembrane proteins.
One idea was that you cannot have the parts of the protein that need to interact with water interacting with a lipid bilayer. That means that in a protein molecule you have a polypeptide chain, there are components of the polypeptide that must be solvated by water. So, you have a peptide bond, you have an NH-group, and you have a carbonyl group. So, you have the peptide bond with NHCO and these are the two moieties that are involved in alpha helix and beta sheet. If you have a beta-sheet, all the hydrogen bonds are satisfied inside the beta-sheet. If you have an alpha helix, all these hydrogen bonds between the NH and CO are in the alpha helix. It was a reasonable hypothesis.
Most recently the electron cryomicroscopy method has been improved technically by better microscopes and detectors. Now you can determine structures of membrane proteins and other proteins without ever making a crystal, without doing electron crystallography, without doing x-ray crystallography. Now there are increasing numbers of quite important membrane protein structures being determined by these newer methods. Now we have a situation where in the protein data bank, which is the depository for all the protein structures and nucleic acid structures, and ribonucleoprotein structures – all the different proteins and structures in biology – there are now a hundred thousands of these deposited. It would take you a long time just to look at them all and of these one hundred thousands probably a few thousand are membrane protein structures. Still we may have knowledge of perhaps the three-dimensional structures of half the proteins in the world, either as a 3D-image of the structure itself or some related, similar, homologous structure.
In summary then, having started with nothing, we now have a knowledge of thousands of different membrane protein structures: beta barrel structures, alpha-helical structures, and then there are a few that are hybrids of the two, and then there’s just the occasional special membrane protein, for example aquaporin, which has a function of allowing water molecules to pass through all cells, but particularly in the red blood cells, controls the size and osmotic pressure. That has a very special arrangement of the polypeptide, where one of the strands of the protein goes in and turns around halfway through the membrane and comes back, and a similar one from the other side. There are perhaps a very small number of ultra special membrane proteins that do not fit into these categories. That’s because they have a particular function. I would say now we have a really excellent idea about membrane protein structure and this knowledge permeates the thinking of all the people in biology who are studying different aspects of biology. | http://serious-science.org/membrane-protein-9013 |
From a biological perspective, humans are animals, as we share quite a few anatomical and physiological similarities with them—however, enough differences to exist to separate us from other animals. We shall explore these differences between human and animals.
Difference Between Humans and Animals
Following are some of the important difference between humans and animals:
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Humans
|Animals|
|Humans belong to the species “Homo sapiens”||
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Animals cover a number of species.
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Humans are omnivores.
|Most animals are either herbivores or carnivores. Animals like bears are omnivores.|
|The average human brain weighs 1.2 kgs||
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Brain size varies across species – with the largest ones weighing in at 6.92 kgs (blue whales) and the smallest ever belonging to the ragworm, measuring just under 180 micrometres across (equal to the width of a human hair)
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Just like animals, humans are also driven by instincts. However, we can also reason.
|Animals are primarily driven by instincts.|
|Modern humans are bipedal.||
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Most vertebrates are quadrupedal, i.e., they walk on four legs. Few animals such as snakes crawl. The aquatic organisms have fins to swim.
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Humans have “true language” to express themselves.
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Animals communicate with each other; however, none have the complexity nor
the expressiveness of the human language.
Thus, we see how humans and animals are different from each other.
Anatomically, humans are quite similar to most other animals as we share a common body structure. For instance, the hand of a bat and the hand of a human are considered homologous as a result of shared ancestry. Explore more details here: Homologous and Analogous Structures
Also Read:
For more information on the difference between humans and animals or any other differences, keep visiting BYJU’S website. | https://byjus.com/biology/difference-between-humans-and-animals/ |
Crystal structures of DNA Holliday junctions: Effects of sequence, ions, and drugs.
DNA recombination was first recognized as a means to introduce genetic diversity in cells. More recently, the mechanism of recombination has become implicated as an important cellular mechanism to repair or replicate through DNA lesions, and hyperactive recombination has been associated with BloomÕs Syndrome. All of these processes undergo a mechanism analogous to that proposed by Holliday in 1964 for homologous recombination, and involve a four-stranded intermediate in which DNA strands cross-over between two homologous duplexes to effect an exchange of genetic material. The structure of the four-way holliday junction has only recently been solved by single crystal X-ray diffraction. A comparison of the 2.1-2.2 ? resolution structures of d(CCGGGACCGG) and d(CCGGTACCGG) defines the sequence and the common intramolecular interactions that help to stabilize Holliday junctions. In addition, the structures of the psoralen cross-linked sequences d(CCGGTACCGG) and d(CCGCTAGCGG) contrast the effects of this chemotheraputic agent on a sequence stabilized versus a drug-induced junction. Finally, the high resolution (1.5 ?) structure of d(CCGGTACm5CGG) reveals how cytosine methylation affects the overall structure, the intramolecular interactions, and the distribution of cations around the Holliday junction.
P. Shing Ho, Brandt F. Eichman, and Jeffrey M. Vargason,
Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331, USA. | https://www.jbsdonline.com/c3009/c4009/crystal-structures-dna-holliday-junctions-effects-of-sequence-ions-and-drugs-p10355.html |
The Chicago Latino Theater Alliance (CLATA) is committed to enticing, fostering and showcasing new thought provoking works of emerging Latino playwrights, while preserving and promoting the best works of classic and contemporary artists, to inspire a cross-cultural audience.
CLATA works to showcase existing and new thought provoking U.S. Latino playwrights, actors and directors primarily in Chicago, along with national and international counterparts. CLATA strives to preserve cultural heritage and serve as a conduit to promote and identify new and exciting works.
Our goals are to create a permanent home for Chicago’s Latino theater groups and companies. To create the country’s leading international Latino theater festival with an emphasis on showcasing local Latino theater artists and companies. CLATA also aims to provide technical and professional support for Chicago’s Latino theater groups and companies. | https://clata.org/en/mission |
outreach programme ensured this audience was diverse.
Using a ground-breaking database of recovered narratives of Latin
American women during the Wars of Independence,
The production of hand-knitting is of key economic and cultural
importance in Scotland. University
of Glasgow research on the history of hand-knitting has: helped to enhance
a significant textiles
collection at Shetland Museum and Archives (~88,000 visitors each year)
and contributed to the
growth of public interest in and understanding of this craft activity and
its history. Glasgow research
has also informed the work of contemporary knitwear designers who have
found inspiration in the
traditional designs and colour ways and has engaged the wider public,
promoting greater
appreciation of the cultural significance of hand-knitting and its role in
the rural economy of the past
and present.
Research into seventeenth-century Quaker writings conducted at
Loughborough University by
Prof. Elaine Hobby and Dr Catie Gill has enriched the cultural and
spiritual lives of modern-day
Quakers, and that of others interested in the Quaker movement. This has
been achieved both
through their involvement in an advisory capacity at Woodbrooke, Europe's
only Quaker Study
Centre, since the mid-1990s, and through their working together to produce
a booklet and audio
materials that are being distributed by the Quaker group Kindlers. The
booklet and its related
recording grew from a workshop that Hobby led for Kindlers in London in
November 2011.
The findings of empirical research conducted by Professor Jim Barry and
Dr Trudie Honour of UEL were shared at two focused capacity building
sessions held in 2008 and 2009 for women leaders in middle and senior
positions of responsibility and decision-making in the public and third
sectors of a number of developing countries. Workshops were attended by
women from Albania, Bahrain, Brazil, Burma, Cambodia, Cameroon, Ecuador,
Egypt, Ethiopia, Jordan, Kenya, Malaysia, Mexico, Oman, Pakistan,
Philippines, Tunisia, Turkey, and Uzbekistan. Participants considered the
relevance and application of the research findings for their own
countries, and worked together and with the researchers to formulate
potential capacity development implementation strategies for women in
positions of responsibility in those countries.
Research demonstrating the innovative contributions of early women
writers to the cultural, socio-political,
and economic life of their period has enhanced and broadened understanding
of British
and European literary traditions. It has contributed intellectually and
economically to the heritage
industry through Chawton House Library (CHL), a registered charity
promoting early women's
writing, and a range of other public organisations. Key findings of the
research have been used to
reinvigorate secondary school teaching and inspire those who occupy
leadership roles in
education, inform television documentary makers, and enthuse old and new
readers
internationally.
Centre for the History of Women's Education's research, exemplified by
Goodman, had cultural and educational impact in girls' schools and
supported heritage preservation. Girls' schools came to value their
archives from research illustrating they contained unique evidence of
teachers' work and women's lives. Goodman supported successful Heritage
Lottery Funding (HlF) bids for two Centres for the History of Girls'
Education, which delivered consultancy to other schools, impacting on
curriculum development, and providing cultural impact beyond their
schools. Research highlighting the importance of the British Federation of
University Women impacted the preservation of their Library and supported
relocation of their archive.
Dr Julie Gottlieb's research on women's politicization and gender roles
in inter-war British extremist politics has had cultural impact in terms
of the understanding of, and the coming to terms with, often uncomfortable
and traumatic family memories. The personal and contemporary resonances of
this research have led the media and the public, in particular the
descendants of those still affected by the much-stigmatized political
choices of their immediate ancestors, to become closely engaged with her
work, serving to recover and understand overlooked histories. Of the
audiences of hundreds who have heard her in person and hundreds of
thousands who have listened to her on radio, several have contacted her
with information and insights that signify a deeper understanding of the
multi-faceted relationship between women and politics in the aftermath of
suffrage, in particular during the crisis years between the world wars.
Gottlieb's work has provided an opportunity to acknowledge and celebrate
women who have been sidelined in political history, providing a launching
point for public discussion about women's political agency and
representation almost a century after suffrage.
Research into contemporary women's writing that took place in the School
of Cultural Studies and
Humanities at Leeds Metropolitan University between 2000 and 2013 has
contributed to the
continuing personal and professional development of beneficiaries amongst
the public, as well as
postgraduate students significantly beyond the submitting HEI. The
majority of these beneficiaries
have engaged directly with this research in two ways: via the website (the
Contemporary Women's
Writing Association website, or its sister organisation the Postgraduate
Contemporary Women's
Writing Network website) or via a public lecture or event.
The impact of this case study is located in uncovering the contribution
of Margaret Collier to the Anglo-Italian literary and cultural relations
from Risorgimento to Resistance through her individual initiative as well
as her legacy in the literary works and political commitment of her
daughter, Giacinta Galletti, and grand-daughter, Joyce Salvadori. Impact
is achieved through disseminating and promoting the understanding of this
lesser-known intergenerational female legacy nationally and
internationally through publications, conferences, and lectures in public
domains; in translating texts previously available only in Italian; in
broadening the knowledge of nineteenth- and twentieth-century British
literary communities in Italy; and in deepening the understanding of
concepts of nationality, multiculturalism, migration, otherness and
difference. | https://impact.ref.ac.uk/casestudies/Results.aspx?Id=24690 |
At an official ceremony organised by the Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Cairo on Wednesday 20 June, Hanaa Abdel Fattah, Egyptian professor of theatrical arts, theatre director and critic, was awarded Gloria Artis, the Medal for Merit to Culture.
Gloria Artis is awarded by the Polish Ministry of Culture to persons and organizations for exceptional contributions to Polish culture and heritage. The Gloria Artis award is given mostly to Polish citizens who have made distinguished contributions to promoting Polish culture, whether through translations of works, or in theatre, music, film, visual ars etc. Abdel Fattah is among those rare international artists to have received the medal.
The award was handed to Abdel Fattah by Piotr Puchta, Ambassador of Poland, in the presence of Stanislaw Gulinski, Second Secretary responsible for culture affairs, Polish officials and distinguished figures in Egyptian culture. In his speech, the ambassador thanked Abdel Fattah for his work which helped to build a stronger cultural link between the two nations; he invited him to join a committee that will be formed in the next few weeks with a view to enhancing Polish-Egyptian relations on many levels.
For his part Abdel Fattah expressed his appreciation of the award and underlined the importance of Polish culture and its values. He also thanked many Egyptian figures involved in the arts and culture for their cooperation in facilitating his work through the years.
Following his studies in Egypt in early 1970s, Abdel Fattah left to continue his education in Poland. In the over two decades that he spent in the country he studied at the directing department of the State Institute of Theatrical Arts – Theatre Academy (PIST) in Warsaw – the only foreign student to be accepted by this institution in its entire history. He then pursued his PhD in theatre theory from Warsaw University. Abdel Fattah has been actively involved in Polish theatrical and intellectual circles, directing many plays in Warsaw and other cities; The Servant of Two Masters by Carlo Goldoni received the audience’s first prize in 1986.
Abdel Fattah returned to Egypt in the 1990s to continue his work as a theatre director; he started teaching at the Higher Institute of Theatrical Arts in Cairo, where he was also the Head of the Acting and Directing Department in the early 2000s. He still directs regularly in Egypt and Poland.
He has translated numerous Polish theatre works to Arabic, directing a few of them on Egyptian stages. He also brought Egyptian theatre to the stages of Polish theatres, directing Polish actors. Most recently, in 2009, his adaptation of a work by the Egyptian playwright Alfred Farag on the stage of Dramatic Theatre in Bialystok proved a major success. Abdel Fattah is also among the principal initiators of Polish cultural activity in Egypt, overseeing lectures, presentations and workshops.
Abdel Fattah has translated numerous works of Polish poetry and prose into Arabic, and for his “work of promoting Polish culture internationally,” in 2010, he was awarded the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs Culture Award. Abdel Fattah’s other awards from the Polish government include the Polish Literary Syndicate [ZAiKS] Prize and the International Theater Institute (ITI) award for promoting cross-cultural dialogue between Poland and the Arab world.
In 2011, Abdel Fattah was awarded the Appreciation Award in the arts from the Egyptian government for his lifetime’s contribution to culture as director and translator. | https://atimetwaly.com/2012/06/21/egyptian-theatre-director-receives-gloria-artis/ |
Gulliver, Mekaela (2014) Preserving the best: Newfoundland's cultural movement, 1965-1983. Doctoral (PhD) thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.
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[English]
PDF
- Accepted Version
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Available under License - The author retains copyright ownership and moral rights in this thesis. Neither the thesis nor substantial extracts from it may be printed or otherwise reproduced without the author's permission.
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Abstract
This study analyzes the cultural movement in the visual arts, theatre and music that occurred in Newfoundland between 1965 and 1983. Artists from the various artistic genres were influenced by both internal and external factors, and reacted to rapid political changes occurring in Newfoundland and artistic, musical, and theatrical trends that were popular in Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom. Members of the cultural movement reacted against modernization, urbanization, and industrialization that occurred during the period that Joseph Smallwood was Premier. Artists thought several of the choices made by this government led to an erosion of Newfoundland culture, and thus felt they needed to help preserve traditional culture. Yet, while artists viewed themselves as anti-authoritarian, they were aided in their artistic endeavours by institutions such as Memorial University, in particular Extension Service, which encouraged the preservation of heritage and promoted cultural productions. Music was one of the genres that artists used to help preserve the culture they feared was disappearing, and to demonstrate that Newfoundland culture was just as good as that anywhere else. Theatre was also important in the movement, and helped artists bring attention to the political issues they viewed as important. This study examines how Newfoundland artists reacted to a perceived loss of culture and identity. It also demonstrates that cultural developments do not happen in a vacuum and that in order to fully understand the Newfoundland Renaissance it is important to look at all the various cultural aspects that influence or impact a society. | https://research.library.mun.ca/8227/ |
Being an international school, ACS Athens is enriched in diverse cultural heritage, ethics and traditions. To empower my students with global knowledge and make them more appropriately aware citizens, I decided to produce a United Nations Show. My main purpose for putting on the show was to showcase the unity, the diversity, and cultural appreciation we all demonstrate on a daily basis in our classrooms. Building a multicultural society takes time. Just as successive waves of migration helped shape our multicultural heritage over generations, so do the virtues of mutual respect and acceptance develop over time. Education is a catalyst for this understanding. It was Mark Twain who said, ‘If you think knowledge is dangerous, try ignorance.’ It’s a message that underlines the critical role that schools play in our community.
As key influencers, educators raise awareness and advance knowledge and understanding about cultural and religious diversity; our schools can be harbingers of social harmony. By promoting knowledge of people’s cultures and inclusive attitudes, educators can help prepare students for their roles and responsibilities as global citizens with an appreciation of the inherent benefits of cultural, linguistic and religious diversity.
As an educator, I decided that a great way to showcase this behavior and attitude and simultaneously empower my students to transform their global thinking was to unite and build cultural bridges through folk dances and songs. Therefore, the United Nations Show was created, and students were taught that diversity is different individuals valuing each other regardless of skin, intellect, talents, or years. They gained knowledge and insight into various cultural ethnicities, and they all gained an appreciation of all the unique individuals that surround them on a daily basis.
In conclusion, my United Nations Show, “Building Bridges,” empowered the students with the knowledge needed to be honorable, global and respectful citizens of our diverse school community and of the world. It taught them that we are all unique in our own special way and that diversity should bloom in everyday life, and not be hindered by reality, but rather blossom by the greatness of love. | http://www.g-morfosis.gr/faculty-leadership/the-elementary-school-un-show-2013/ |
Gov. Dennis Daugaard has proclaimed May as Archaeology & Historic Preservation Month in South Dakota.
“South Dakota’s cultural heritage is rich and diverse as represented by thousands of historical sites, historic buildings, and landscapes that have been discovered and recorded throughout our state,” Gov. Daugaard said in the proclamation. “Public appreciation and understanding is the foundation of preserving South Dakota’s past for future generations.”
This year’s theme, See! Save! Celebrate!, encourages people to See! the historic beauty of their local communities. If a site is found to be neglected and deteriorating, invest the time to research how to Save! it. Then, take time to Celebrate! all the efforts that have been made to retain historic authenticity in local sites and preserve their stories.
“This annual celebration serves as a showcase for local communities to honor their past and help build their future.” said Jay D. Vogt, director of the South Dakota State Historical Society. “It brings historic preservation to the forefront of our daily lives by emphasizing the vital importance of protecting our nation’s history and heightens public awareness of the destruction to historical sites due to neglect and demolition.”
Activities across South Dakota are listed on the State Historical Society’s online calendar of events at history.sd.gov. This calendar highlights educational programs in the areas of archaeology, preservation and history from across the state and beyond throughout the year. If you would like to submit an event to be posted on the calendar, a form is available on the website calendar page.
For more information on this annual celebration or other historic preservation programs, contact the State Historic Preservation Office at the Cultural Heritage Center, 900 Governors Drive, Pierre, SD 57501-2217; telephone (605) 773-3458, e-mail [email protected], or visit the website history.sd.gov/preservation.
The South Dakota State Historical Society is a division of the Department of Tourism and State Development and strives to help the state meet the goals of the 2010 Initiative by enhancing history as a tool for economic development and cultural tourism. The society, an Affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution, is headquartered at the South Dakota Cultural Heritage Center in Pierre. The center houses the society’s world-class museum, the archives, and the historic preservation, publishing and administrative/development offices. Call (605) 773-3458 or visit history.sd.gov for more information. The society also has an archaeology office in Rapid City; call (605) 394-1936 for more information. | https://www.sdhsf.org/news_events/news_articles.html/article/2013/05/24/gov-daugaard-proclaims-may-archaeology-historic-preservation-month- |
While a wealth of empirical studies with varying perspectives illustrates the importance of acculturation among immigrants, little is known about their enculturative experiences in multicultural contexts. Despite highlighting the psychological, sociocultural, and intercultural benefits of integration orientation (intermixing the cultural repertoire from heritage culture and mainstream culture), cross-cultural studies tend to focus more on learning and adopting the host culture at the cost of immigrants’ heritage culture. By adopting a culture learning approach and an ecological framework, this study explored the lived enculturative experiences of young Pakistani students in Hong Kong. The phenomenographic analysis of sixteen semi-structured interviews underscores the various ways young people learn about their heritage culture across socialization contexts. The study calls for a paradigm shift in studying immigrants’ adaptation and wellbeing, highlights the importance of enculturation, and discusses the potential educational policy and practice implications across multicultural contexts in the globalized world. Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. | https://repository.eduhk.hk/en/publications/enculturation-of-immigrants-in-multicultural-contexts-a-case-of-y |
We are a non-profit organization focusing on diversity and integration-related issues within the UK. We also work in conjunction with the police, Army, Royal Navy, Air-Force, Fire and Rescue, Ambulance services and others to ensure the Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) are well represented in these organizations. This is by promoting diversity and equality for all in accordance with the Equality Act 2010, as we believe that a society that embraces equality and values diversity will help to enable everyone to feel involved and included in the society – especially in employment sectors.
At Diversity Watch, we promote cultural awareness in schools as a mechanism that schools can use to promote cross-cultural integration and peaceful co-existence among children from diverse cultures. This also enables us to preserve and maintain our cultural heritage as we are committed to making a difference and promoting equal opportunities amongst societies, and we aim to create safe and healthy communities who are thriving and co-existing, no matter their race or creed. | https://diversitywatch.uk/ |
Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen,
Selamat Pagi! (슬라맛 빠기)
(Greetings)
It is my pleasure to welcome you to the “ASEAN-Korea Tourism Capacity Building Workshop” on Promoting Melaka as an attractive Cultural Heritage Destination.
Before I begin, allow me to express my heartfelt gratitude to the Ministry of Tourism, Arts, and Culture (MOTAC), specially to Secretary General Datuk Rashidi bin Hasbullah, for co-organizing this event. To our distinguished speakers who have traveled from Korea, and all of you who are here, thank you for joining us.
(Introduction of the workshop)
Yesterday, I visited several historical places in Melaka city. From Jonker Street to Stadthuys, I could experience the historical and cultural value that this city has.
It was a great opportunity for me to understand the strong potentials as an attractive tourism destination in Malaysia.
As emphasized in the ASEAN Tourism Strategic Plan, human resource development is central to enhancing tourism competitiveness in the region.
In this regard, the ASEAN-Korea Centre has been conducting this Tourism Capacity-Building Workshop since 2009 to enhance the capabilities of tourism professionals all over ASEAN and deepen their understanding of Korean tourists.
For this Workshop, we will focus on this beautiful cultural heritage of Melaka to help preserve its cultural value and promote it as an attractive cultural destination to Koreans.
Recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage in 2008, Melaka has become one of the most favorable destinations after Penang, Kuala Lumpur, and Selangor. This historically significant city itself is a remarkable tourism destination that offers great potential.
(Korean-Malaysia relations on Tourism Industry)
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Tourism in Malaysia is increasingly becoming more vibrant. According to data, the industry’s contribution to Malaysian GDP in 2017 was more than 13%. It is forecasted that this figure will rise by 4.3% by then end of 2018. Furthermore, Malaysia is gaining more popularity as a tourist destination, specially, among Koreans. The number of Korean travelers to the country grew by 5% from 420,000 in 2015 to 445,000 in 2016. In the first half of 2018, an average of 70 flights per month flew from Korea to Malaysia.
Against this backdrop, your role as professionals in increasing the competitiveness of the Malaysian tourism industry could not be emphasized enough.
Throughout this Workshop, you will be able to obtain useful information and gain different perspectives on Korean travelers and recent tourism trends. You will be given insights on how to preserve this cultural heritage and promote it as an attractive tourism destination. You will also be provided with recent Korean tourism market trends, tangible business opportunities, and strategies to attract more tourists to come to Melaka.
I hope that you take advantage of this opportunity to enhance your capability, develop feasible business strategies, and form a strong network among yourselves.
(CTU Programs to Support Malaysian Tourism Industry)
In addition to today’s Workshop, the ASEAN-Korea Centre has been making efforts to strengthen the mutually beneficial partnership between Korea and Malaysia. This year, the Centre conducted the ASEAN-Korea Tourism Investment Seminar in cooperation with MOTAC to attract investments from Korean stakeholders to ASEAN countries.
This coming November, the Centre will be hosting the ASEAN Culinary Festival under the theme of Gastronomy Tourism. The Festival will feature various delicacies as well as promote tourism destinations in Malaysia and other ASEAN Member States to the Korean public.
(Conclusion)
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Before I conclude, please let me express my appreciation to all of you once again for being here with us today. I hope all of us will gain valuable experience and knowledge from this Workshop.
Terima Kasih! (뜨리마 까시)! I wish you all a productive day. | https://www.aseankorea.org/eng/New_Media/speech_view.asp?page=3&BOA_GUBUN=98&BOA_NUM=13636 |
The West Kowloon Cultural District Authority (WKCDA) announces the opening of the first landmark performing arts venue, the Xiqu Centre, at the West Kowloon Cultural District (West Kowloon) on 20 January 2019. Conveniently located at the junction of Canton Road and Austin Road West in Tsim Sha Tsui, the Xiqu Centre is designed to be a world-class platform for the conservation, promotion and development of Cantonese opera and other genres of xiqu (Chinese traditional theatre) in Hong Kong and beyond. In addition to presenting quality programmes, its mission is to promote the development of new repertory, reseach, education, training and exchanges, as well as holding professional development programmes to help nurture young talent.
The building’s striking design, created by Bing Thom Architects (now Revery Architecture) and Ronald Lu and Partners, was inspired by traditional Chinese lanterns and blends traditional and contemporary elements to reflect the evolving nature of the art form. Stepping through the main entrance, shaped to resemble parted stage curtains, visitors are led directly into a fully open and lively atrium with a raised podium and space for presenting a variety of performances and exhibitions.
Henry Tang Ying-yen, Chairman of the WKCDA Board said, “The year 2019 commemorates the 10th anniversary of Cantonese opera’s addition to the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. The opening of the Xiqu Centre will be conducive to developing a locally-rooted xiqu network that has a regional impact with an important role in international arts development. It also demonstrates West Kowloon’s commitment to facilitating and enhancing cultural exchange and cooperation among Hong Kong, Mainland China and beyond, with arts and culture spreading across the city and Chinese culture promoting to the rest of the world.”
Duncan Pescod, Chief Executive Officer of the WKCDA added, “The opening of the Xiqu Centre is a defining moment in the history of the West Kowloon development and will be a benchmark for venues designed to showcase traditional theatre. It also underlines the great importance WKCDA attaches to supporting the development of all forms of Chinese opera in Hong Kong, in particular Cantonese opera.”
Following the official opening ceremony on 20 January 2019, WKCDA is privileged to present the Cantonese opera classic, The Reincarnation of Red Plum, under the artistic curation of Cantonese opera great, Dr Pak Suet-sin. With performance by established and emerging Cantonese opera artists, The Reincarnation of Red Plum celebrates the 60th anniversary of its premiere and marks the commencement of a three-month Opening Season. Ballot application will be open online at www.westkowloon.hk from 10am on 16 October to 9pm on 28 October 2018. It is also available in person at the Xiqu Centre ticket office.
Thereafter, a series of Spring Festival Showcase by the Hong Kong Cantonese Opera Chamber of Commerce will be presented in February 2019 to continue West Kowloon’s initiative of promoting xiqu during Lunar New Year. The Opening Season will be concluded by a master selection of excerpts from award-winning artists of the renowned China Theatre Association Plum Blossom Award Art Troupe in March 2019.
At the Tea House Theatre, Cantonese Opera and Tea, directed and curated by Cantonese opera virtuoso, Law Ka-ying, and performed by the Tea House Rising Stars Troupe will be introduced to audiences new to Chinese traditional theatre, offering an intimate viewing experience with traditional tea and dim sum served during the performance.
As part of the opening programme, the Xiqu Centre will also present a special screening series, showcasing some of the most iconic xiqu films produced over the past 80 years. Alongside the xiqu performances, there will be a comprehensive programme of guided tours, talks, workshops and a special school programme.
Louis Yu Kwok-lit, Executive Director, Performing Arts, WKCDA said, “The Reincarnation of Red Plum is the household Cantonese opera, with a star-studded cast of three generations of Cantonese opera artists. This programme is a celeberation and the best demonstration of the Xiqu Centre’s mission to preserve and nurture our cultural heritage and promote it to the world. With various programme line-up during the opening, I am confident that the Xiqu Centre will be able to attract a wide range of audiences.”
Before the opening of the Xiqu Centre, a stage dedication by the Chinese Artists Association of Hong Kong with two specially selected pieces ── Birthday of the God of Venus and Prime Minister of Six States, will be staged on 30 December 2018 to mark the start of use of the Grand Theatre in accordance with the customary practice of the xiqu sector. The Stage Dedication Day will be followed by a week of Open Days with an array of free programmes designed to allow the public to participate in the final stages as West Kowloon prepares for the operations of the Xiqu Centre.
For details, please visit our website https://www.westkowloon.hk.
Remarks
About West Kowloon Cultural District
Located on Hong Kong’s Victoria Harbour, West Kowloon Cultural District is one of the largest cultural projects in the world. Its vision is to create a vibrant new cultural quarter for Hong Kong. With a complex of theatres, performance spaces and museums, the West Kowloon Cultural District will produce and host world-class exhibitions, performances and cultural events, as well as provide 23 hectares of public open space, including a two-kilometre waterfront promenade. | https://account.westkowloon.hk/en/the-authority/newsroom/the-first-landmark-venue-at-west-kowloon-the-xiqu-centre-opens-its-doors-in-january-2019/ |
Dubai Culture & Arts Authority (Dubai Culture), the Emirate’s dedicated entity for culture and heritage, organised a panel discussion with the lead team of the participating theatre groups in the run-up to the ninth edition of the ‘Dubai Festival for Youth Theatre’. The discussion was aimed at encouraging creative standards among the emerging artists and promoting the heritage of Arab theatre.
The discussion covered topics such as preparing the registration form, presenting it properly and submitting it within the set deadline. It also addressed the importance of participants putting the best efforts to attain professional standards and in spreading a culture of positivity through performing arts. It focused on encouraging young talents to take an active participation in the ‘Dubai Festival for Youth Theatre,’ which aims to be a fundamental platform that supports the brightest youth talent in the country.
The event was attended by representatives from participating groups in the ninth edition of the ‘Dubai Festival for Youth Theatre’ including Al Ahli Dubai Theatre; Dubai Folklore Theatre; Ras Al Khaimah National Theatre; Khorfakkan Arts Theatre; Modern Theatre; Eyal Zayed Theatre; Baniyas Theatre; Dibba Al Hisn Theatre; and Youth Theatre & Arts.
The ‘Dubai Festival for Youth Theatre’ is one of the largest celebrations of theatre in the region. It reflects the commitment of Dubai Culture to strengthen and preserve one of the oldest art forms, by providing upcoming talent with a platform to showcase their skills to a wider audience.
Dubai Culture plays a pivotal role in driving awareness of and strengthening Emirati heritage and national identity and is committed to cultivating the cultural landscape of Dubai by building on its rich Arabian heritage, nurturing and promoting talent, and encouraging intercultural dialogue between the city’s communities’ as well as, contributing to the social initiatives that benefit UAE nationals and residents alike. | https://dubaiculture.gov.ae/en/Media/Press-Releases/Pages/hosts_panel_discussion.aspx |
Mexico is home to many beautiful and unique towns that are rich in history, culture, and architecture. Among these towns, there is a special category known as “Pueblos Magicos,” or “Magic Towns,” which have been designated by the Mexican government for their cultural and historical significance. In this guide, we’ll take a closer look at Mexico’s Pueblos Magicos and explore some of the most popular and lesser-known towns in the country.
What are Pueblos Magicos?
Pueblos Magicos are towns in Mexico that have been designated as such by the federal government for their cultural and historical significance. In order to be considered a Pueblo Magico, a town must meet certain criteria, including having a rich cultural heritage, unique traditions, and important historical landmarks or architecture.
The Pueblo Magico program was established in 2001 with the goal of promoting tourism in Mexico’s smaller towns and cities, and to showcase the rich cultural and historical heritage of these places. There are currently over 120 Pueblos Magicos in Mexico, each with its own unique charm and character.
Popular Pueblos Magicos
Some of the most popular Pueblos Magicos in Mexico include San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato, and Taxco. San Miguel de Allende is a beautiful town in the state of Guanajuato, known for its Spanish colonial architecture, vibrant cultural scene, and stunning natural beauty. Guanajuato, the capital of the state of Guanajuato, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site with a rich history and culture, including a vibrant arts scene and a unique network of underground tunnels. Taxco, in the state of Guerrero, is known for its silver mining history and beautiful colonial architecture, and is a popular destination for shopping and sightseeing.
Lesser-known Pueblos Magicos
There are many lesser-known Pueblos Magicos in Mexico that are equally charming and unique. Real de Catorce, in the state of San Luis Potosi, is a small town with a rich history and a vibrant arts and culture scene. Bacalar, in the state of Quintana Roo, is known for its beautiful lagoon and natural beauty, and is a popular destination for eco-tourism and outdoor recreation. Tlalpujahua, in the state of Michoacan, is a historic mining town with a rich cultural heritage and stunning architecture.
How to Get to Pueblos Magicos
Getting to Pueblos Magicos can be a challenge, as many of these towns are located off the beaten path and are not easily accessible by public transportation. However, there are several ways to get to these towns, including driving, taking a bus, or hiring a tour guide. If you’re driving, be sure to familiarize yourself with the roads and highways in the area, and take extra care when driving on narrow or winding roads. If you’re taking a bus, be sure to check the schedules and routes in advance, as some towns may only have limited bus service. Hiring a tour guide can be a great option for those who want to explore the area in depth and learn more about the local culture and history.
Mexico’s Pueblo Magicos
Conclusion
Mexico’s Pueblos Magicos are a testament to the country’s rich cultural and historical heritage, and offer travelers a unique opportunity to explore some of the lesser-known towns and cities in the country. Whether you’re interested in history, architecture, arts and culture, or natural beauty, there is a Pueblo Magico in Mexico that is sure to capture your heart and imagination. So why not pack your bags and embark on a journey to explore the charm and beauty of Mexico’s Pueblos Magicos? | https://www.resortsinmexico.com/pueblos-magicos-a-guide-to-mexicos-magic-towns/ |
The EU workshop we hosted last week over the 16th and 17th November 2022 was exciting, interesting and above all a great success! Over the two days, we gained a small insight into the difficulties the citizens of Ukraine have, unfortunately, on a daily basis. The first day started in the basement instead of the classroom, with the alarm going off loudly, because of an aerial attack. This was a normality for most after being shelled the previous day. Nevertheless, the students of the National University of Life and Environmental Sciences Of Ukraine (Факультет землевпорядкування НУБіП ) were curious, eager and anxious, all at the same time, to learn all about drone technology.
Klara V Lisinski, our EU Project Manager, loved that we were able to showcase drones, outside of tools of destruction, horror and pain, but as tools for revival and salvation to save cultural heritage, in our case Jewish cultural heritage by using drones and 3D mapping. Our chief of these projects, Kyiv Office Director, Alexander Bessarab was also present, and highlighted the importance of using this technology in the field of Jewish heritage preservation. After that the two day workshop was held by Ukrainian drone experts Tetiana Kondratenko and Hlib Lisovyi, who gave an intensive crash course on UAV data processing.
We hope that training young people on this topic will help preserve Ukraine’s rich Jewish cultural heritage for generations to come by contributing to the understanding that Jewish heritage is a vital part of our joint European heritage which must be cared for by all. Truly great two days, something we shall definitely try to repeat! | https://www.esjf-surveys.org/esjf-workshop-on-drone-technology-in-kyiv-was-a-great-success-despite-on-going-war/ |
The training course “Promoting nature, culture and World Heritage in the Lake Ohrid region” in the framework of the project “Towards strengthened governance of the shared transboundary natural and cultural heritage of the Lake Ohrid region” will take place in Pogradec and Tushemisht, Albania, on 10 and 11 May 2016.
The training course aims to provide participants with the necessary tools and approaches available for the promotion and interpretation of assets of collective importance to humankind, whilst increasing appreciation of shared heritage values among existing and new audiences in a way that enhances the achievement of the shared management objectives for the heritage place. The training will also contribute indirectly to progress in the management planning process in view of the proposed Albanian extension to the World Heritage property “Natural and cultural heritage of the Ohrid region” (the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia) with ideas that will address the need to build unique narratives around a common identity for this potential mixed (nature/culture) transboundary World Heritage property. In accordance with the 2011 World Heritage Capacity Building Strategy, the training strives to achieve broader capacity building of heritage practitioners, institutions, organizations, communities and networks for heritage management and conservation in the Lake Ohrid region through people-centred changes.
The training will offer conceptual background, case studies and group exercises dedicated to the entire Lake Ohrid region and participants will be able to gain good understanding of the role of cultural and natural heritage in sustainable development, sustainable tourism, audience development, data gathering and strategic planning. It will have a focus on the particular demands of a mixed (natural and cultural) transboundary site. | https://whc.unesco.org/en/events/1306 |
From the emerging world of “big data” comes a new era of personalized medicine that is transforming health care by analyzing, designing, implementing, and evaluating information and communication systems that enhance individual and population health outcomes, improve patient care, and strengthen the clinician-patient relationship.
In the past, clinicians relied on their personal and colleagues’ experiences to treat patients with the same disease – forming “mental models” of each disease. Today, instead of relying on a few case studies, clinicians can capitalize on the wealth of patient data available in the electronic health record to construct detailed mechanistic and statistical models of disease. These models will provide accurate predictions on the health status of patients and will guide decisions regarding their care. The result – more positive health outcomes, fewer medical errors, reduced costs, and patient care that is safe, efficient, effective, timely, patient-centered, and equitable. The infrastructure for personalized medicine will importantly foster accelerated research related to healthcare to improve treatments and find new cures.
The field of Computational Healthcare enables personalized medicine and exists at the interface of biomedical signal processing, computational modeling, machine learning, and health informatics – all exploiting electronic health record (EHR) data, physiological time-series data, genomics, etc. Research in Computational Healthcare at the ICM addresses questions such as: | https://icm.jhu.edu/research-areas-2/computational-healthcare/ |
Over the past decade, advancements in next generation sequencing technology have placed personalized genomic medicine upon horizon. Understanding the likelihood of disease causing mutations in complex diseases as pathogenic or neutral remains as a major task and even impossible in the structural context because of its time consuming and expensive experiments. Among the various diseases causing mutations, single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) play a vital role in defining individual's susceptibility to disease and drug response. Understanding the genotype-phenotype relationship through SNPs is the first and most important step in drug research and development. Detailed understanding of the effect of SNPs on patient drug response is a key factor in the establishment of personalized medicine. In this paper, we represent a computational pipeline in anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) for SNP-centred study by the application of in silico prediction methods, molecular docking, and molecular dynamics simulation approaches. Combination of computational methods provides a way in understanding the impact of deleterious mutations in altering the protein drug targets and eventually leading to variable patient's drug response. We hope this rapid and cost effective pipeline will also serve as a bridge to connect the clinicians and in silico resources in tailoring treatments to the patients' specific genotype. | https://scholars.hkbu.edu.hk/en/publications/integrating-in-silico-prediction-methods-molecular-docking-and-mo-2 |
Here we review some of the key areas for medical advances over the next 20 years, including pharmaceutical and surgical innovation and regenerative medicine. Technological advances are explored in our information technology pages.
Key messages
- Pharmaceutical innovation could provide new treatment for common diseases
Innovation in drug discovery, genetics, biotechnology, material sciences and bioinformatics has already improved treatments for conditions such as HIV, cancer and heart disease and offers hope of better treatments for neurodegenerative diseases.
- Advances in diagnostics, devices and robotics could improve outcomes
Developments in diagnostics and drug delivery could reduce drug errors, increase compliance and improve efficacy.
- Precision medicine could revolutionise our ability to predict, preventand treat a range of conditions
Low-cost genetic sequencing, genome mapping, biomarker tests, and targeted drugs and treatments will enable professionals to provide tailored health information and create personalised treatments to improve patient outcomes.
- Regenerative medicine shows potential but wide-scale benefits remain elusive
Despite advances in stem cell transplantation, cell reprogramming and synthetic and artificial organs, effective and safe regenerative therapies remain elusive and expensive and have yet to be realised on a wide scale.
- Technological advances could transform interactions between professionals and patients
Professionals can already hold consultations with, monitor and deliver care to patients at home using home-based remote technologies and video conferencing. This trend is likely to continue. In the future, medical 'apps' for mobile phones will also allow patients to access their medical records, make appointments and seek personalised health information and support.
- Budget constraints may limit the ability of the NHS to support and benefit from medical innovation
There is a real risk that medical advances could fuel demand for care. Innovations can extend the range of patients eligible for treatment, and so increase overall activity.
Key uncertainties
Uncertainties about the nature and speed of medical advances could impact on the trends in health and social care. For example, in the past forecasts have been over-optimistic about xeno-transplantation and gene therapy, while underestimating the speed and impact of breakthroughs in CT scanning and minimally invasive surgery.
- Interplay between technology, evidence and affordability
Budgetary constraints could act as a major barrier in the adoption of new medical technologies. However, a more evidence-based approach targeting resources at interventions which have the greatest benefit could release resources for investment elsewhere.
- Rate of adoption
Rates of adoption of new medical technologies can be highly variable. Uptake can be particularly slow if it requires a new pathway of care to support it, such as in telecare.
- Technological interdependencies
Biomarkers may have the potential to enable clinicians to diagnose and treat conditions much more effectively, tailoring therapies to the individual. However, this technology is heavily reliant upon advances in other fields, including molecular biology and genomics. This type of interdependency could affect the rate at which developments move into clinical use. | https://www.kingsfund.org.uk/projects/time-think-differently/trends-medical-advances |
Multiple myeloma is an incurable cancer of bone marrow plasma cells with a median overall survival of 5 years. With newly approved drugs to treat this disease over the last decade, physicians are afforded more opportunities to tailor treatment to individual patients and thereby improve survival outcomes and quality of life. However, since the optimal sequence of therapy is unknown, selecting a treatment that will result in the most effective outcome for each individual patient is challenging. To understand patients’ treatment responses, we develop an econometric model – the Hidden Markov model, to systematically identify changes in patients’ risk levels. Based on a fine-grained clinical dataset from Seattle Cancer Care Alliance (Seattle, WA) that includes patient-level cytogenetic information, we find that, other than the manifestation of cytogenetic features, previous exposure to certain drugs also affect patients’ underlying risk levels. The effectiveness of different treatments varies significantly among patients, which calls for personalized treatment recommendations.
We then formulate the treatment recommendation problem as a Bayesian contextual bandit, which sequentially selects treatments based on contextual information about patients and therapies, with the goal of maximizing overall survival outcomes. Facing the difficulty of evaluating the performance of the policy without field experiments in medical practice, we integrate the structural econometric model into bandit optimization and generate counterfactuals to support the theoretical exploration/exploitation framework with empirical evidence. Compared with clinical practices and benchmark strategies, our method suggests a rise in overall survival outcomes, with higher improvement for aging or high-risk patients with more complications. | https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3405082 |
In the area of patient safety and quality improvement, public and professional stakeholders increasingly demand accountability to ensure quality improvement. EBP therefore integrates research evidence with clinical expertise, promotes individualization of care through patient preferences being incorporated into it, and reduces uncertainty regarding medical science.
Table of contents
- how has evidence based medicine improved patient care?
- does evidence based practice improve outcomes?
- why is evidence based research important in healthcare?
- what are the benefits of evidence based research?
- what are the advantages of evidence-based practice?
- why is evidence based medicine important in healthcare?
- why does ebp improve patient outcomes?
- how does evidence based practice improve patient safety?
- how does ebp improve patient outcomes?
- what is evidence-based research in health care?
- why is research important for evidence-based practice?
- how is evidence-based practice used in healthcare?
How Has Evidence Based Medicine Improved Patient Care?
Aimed at achieving stomach-based medicine process. patient and physician decision-making based on evidence that is applicable to their clinical expertise; allow health-care policy decision-makers to frame and implement wise decisions with greater rigor and assist researchers in developing, implementing, and disseminating high-quality studies with the right skill set.
Does Evidence Based Practice Improve Outcomes?
Having a body can empower a health professional as they deal with symptoms associated with burn-out. It may require specialized skills, however research has shown that providers can lead to higher patient outcomes by implementing evidence-based care.
Why Is Evidence Based Research Important In Healthcare?
It is important to consider EBP for providing the best care for patients, which is aimed at improving their quality of life. Providing relevant evidence when choosing funds for health care services contributes to ensuring that appropriate resource allocation is made and the use of health resources is maintained.
What Are The Benefits Of Evidence Based Research?
What Are The Advantages Of Evidence-Based Practice?
Collaborating with other clinicians helps increase the quality and depth of your care, reduces the costs associated with your treatment, and improves the health of you and your family.
Why Is Evidence Based Medicine Important In Healthcare?
Clinical data that can be used to inform treatment of patients, to make sure outcomes are consistent across treatments, and to set standard standards of care can be applied to physician practice in order to drive quality and accountability standards.
Why Does Ebp Improve Patient Outcomes?
It aims at improving medical care to standardize practices based on scientific evidence and reducing illogical variation in care, which is considered a risk factor for health outcomes. Today, an increasing level of public and professional accountability is driving the creation of evidence-based practice.
How Does Evidence Based Practice Improve Patient Safety?
Clinical and Patient Safety Impacts of Evidence-Based Practice. A collaborative approach is promoted by using EBP. A reduction in variation of health care occurs when all providers base their decisions on recent evidence.
How Does Ebp Improve Patient Outcomes?
Nurses can take advantage of EBP to keep up on updates to patient care protocols. Nurse leaders, knowing this helps them build an action plan that improves the likelihood of patient recovery.
What Is Evidence-Based Research In Health Care?
A data set that is evidence-based provides patients with information based on sound research rather than opinion. Therefore, you need a number of sources – usually published articles in medical journals and in electronic format – to determine the results, conclusions, and evidence needed for a valid study (or a good example of one).
Why Is Research Important For Evidence-Based Practice?
Nurses have access to the scientific data that allows them to make well-founded diagnoses thanks to EBP in the workplace. Nursing professionals are protected from harmful effects due to EBP. With EBP, nurses can determine whether diagnostic tests or treatments are effective by evaluating research.
How Is Evidence-Based Practice Used In Healthcare?
The practice of evidence-based decision making is a method of incorporating the highest ethical standards into decisions related to healthcare, guided by clinical expertise and patient values. Since every research project must include research, this EBP is structured in such a way. | https://www.excel-medical.com/how-evidence-based-research-has-improved-patient-outcomes-and-care-essay/ |
Design for Patients and Families
We will care for people in a compassionate and personalized way,
wherever they are, whenever they need us.
Statement of Importance:
Historically, the processes of health care have been designed around the health care enterprise. It is clear that engagement and outcomes improve when the processes of health care are designed around the needs of patients and their lifestyles. We will iteratively redesign health care to touch our patients and their families continuously, whenever or wherever they need us, with the aim of addressing their needs within the flow of their daily lives. Furthermore, defining personalized care offers us a clear competitive advantage—it builds a reservoir of positive memories that over time can generate loyalty.
Capabilities to Enhance:
- Our collaborative culture to be inclusive and to express empathy and compassion in all interactions
- Incorporating empathy mapping into VUMC lean events.
- Training VUMC community in unconscious bias (UCB) and added UCB-sensitive metrics to patient satisfaction surveys.
- Developing VUMC-wide climate policies and processes on uncivil behavior and how to respond. Programs rolled out and in process include sexual harassment and Patients’ Rights and Responsibilities.
- Coordination of clinical teams and systems to close gaps in care and set a new bar for safety, reliability, and effectiveness
- Developing and scaling consistent processes to improve quality, experience, and cost for defined patient populations. Examples include population health pay for performance (P4P) metrics and adult enterprise value bundles.
- Developing processes to identify and communicate the patient’s health team, their role in the team, their relationship to one another, and their status (on/off).
- Developing processes to capture administrative and patient-reported data digitally in the right workflow, from the right person, at the right time, and make the data accessible with the right context in eStar and My Health at Vanderbilt (MHAV).
- Developing processes to create shared care plans collaboratively with the patient. They may include the patient’s goals, needs and preferences, and track past challenges and future goals for treatment and well-being.
- Developing processes to leverage predictive analytics and artificial intelligence to embed validated, predictive process and decision support into VUMC workflows to improve safety, efficiency, and alter the course of disease or preserve health.
- Developing process to leverage pragmatic effectiveness trials to design, test, and deploy interventions in real-world operational settings with feedback and update loops.
- The structure of the Patient Care Centers (PCCs) to coordinate multidisciplinary care for conditions managed by VUMC
- Refining the PCC structure, decisions rights, and management processes.
- Convening stakeholders to develop a strategy and structure for adult Davidson county primary care.
- Developing a VUMC standard for integrated practice units, patient-centered structures to care for a cluster of conditions that require a multi-specialty team to improve outcomes and reduce cost. Examples include Medicine PCC - Eskind diabetes center; Women’s Health PCC - Fetal Center, Maternal Cardiac Clinic, Coagulopathy Clinic, Polycystic Ovary Syndrome, DNA Diagnostic Center.
- Opportunities for community stakeholders and patients to participate in research and learn how to improve their health and engage as partners in their care
- Developing the Person-centeredness of Research Scale to assess the degree to which research reflects the needs, values, and priorities of patients, families, and communities.
- Developing the Community Engagement Studio Toolkit (pdf).
- Launching the NIH’s All of Us Research Program Engagement Core to include participants as partners in the oversight, governance design and implementation to ensure it is inclusive, relevant and culturally sensitive to diverse communities and everyday people.
- Personalized medicine to integrate social, behavioral and environmental factors with the full range of molecular characteristics
- Framing the concepts of The Vanderbilt Inventory, a repository of all data sets needed to support whole person precision medicine, and Whole Person Visual Risk Displays to help clinicians and patients assess options.
- Convening the Clinical Genomics Strategy Session to identify the path forward toward a vision where all clinicians at VUMC have the ability to counsel and, as needed, refer their patients regarding germ-line risk and drug selection.
- Population health by engaging in cross-sector community partnerships to improve community health and well-being
- Convening the Community Health Worker Collaborative, a group of organizations focused on advancing the Community Health Worker (CHW) profession in Tennessee facilitated by the Meharry-Vanderbilt Alliance (MVA).
- Engaging with health departments and other non-profit hospitals, federally qualified health centers and community organizations for collaborative Community Health Needs Assessment.
Capabilities to Develop:
- Self-service tools for health improvement, access to care, and engagement in care.
- Working to enroll all VUMC patients in MHAV to increase patient engagement with their care teams.
- Implementing online scheduling for return appointments.
- Launching Vanderbilt Health On Call, a Medical Center innovation that uses a smartphone app allowing patients in Davidson County to order a $149 home visit from a Vanderbilt nurse practitioner.
- Accessible regionally integrated patient-centered health care systems to bring Vanderbilt to people where they are
- Operating and providing clinical services at 14 retail Vanderbilt Health clinics within Walgreens stores located across Middle Tennessee on Nov. 14, 2017 (more), and managing over 120 walk-in and urgent care centers in central Tennessee.
Expanding the Vanderbilt Health Affiliate Network (VHAN) to more than 6700 clinicians in 13 health systems with 67 hospitals in five states, caring for over 350,000 people through partnerships with insurers.
Implementing telehealth to provide access to care and consultation remotely. Programs include real-time unscheduled visits for acute illnesses or injuries, transmission of still images from the patient’s location to a specialist for diagnosis and treatment, clinician to patient encounter allowing the patient to be in a different location than the clinician, and system to system services for another entity that wants to buy VUMC services (more).
- Operating and providing clinical services at 14 retail Vanderbilt Health clinics within Walgreens stores located across Middle Tennessee on Nov. 14, 2017 (more), and managing over 120 walk-in and urgent care centers in central Tennessee.
- Systems of care with the right levels of clinician, integration of behavioral health, and mode of interaction
- Restructuring primary care teams and roles so that each member practices at the top of their license to improve clinician and patient satisfaction and throughput.
- Gaining agreement to develop infrastructure to provide continuum of Population Health Primary Care Specialty Care, leveraging precision medicine and predictive services for automated risk assessment of early intervention.
- Engaging in strategic planning for behavioral health and gained agreement to embed behavioral health in 1° care, meet the millennial desire for “care now,” align incentives for patients and clinicians, incorporate technology, and practice an interprofessional and interdisciplinary approach to care and learning (more).
- Clinical integration across VHAN, including quality improvement, information technology connectivity and contracting
- Facilitating clinical integration across the VHAN and providing service to support other networks.
- Developing four Medicare Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs). The Vanderbilt Medical Group is a participant in the Middle Tennessee ACO.
- Systems to measure and respond to social, behavioral and environmental factors; individual values and goals; and outcomes that matter to patients and families
- Incorporating Patient Reported Outcome Measures (PROMs) into VUMC systems of measurement to include patients’ perspectives of their health, enhance real-time shared decision-making, and improve the quality, outcomes, and value of care. Medicine PCC piloted adult inflammatory bowel disease, Surgery PCC piloted advanced prostate cancer, and Childrens PVV piloted asthma. Each PCC will implement PROMS as part of the system of measurement for at least one condition by December 2021.
- Care systems engineered to provide a consistent high-value experience based upon understanding patient and family
- Engaging in a collaborative patient-centered process to develop a vision and path forward to set a new bar for welcoming patients to VUMC wherever they touch us. The vision is that patients will feel as if each visit flows smoothly from access through the clinic visit, and will experience personalized care regarding technology, mobility and communication (including language, identification, relationships and goals of care), with maximal autonomy and preferences (including proximity); staff and providers will leverage technology, even if behind the scenes, maximizing efficiency and accuracy.
- Working with the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to implement an Oncology Care Model that incorporates extended hours to care for patients, patient navigators to help guide patients through the health system, palliative care, psychosocial support, and hospice counseling.
- Broadening the VUMC initiative to ensure dignified, personalized end of life care to include improving communication about goals of care, including goals for end of life.
- Ways to engage all stakeholders to improve patient and family experience
- Engaging VUMC’s patient and family advisory councils in the early stages of planning.
- Launching “Defining Personalized Care-Elevating Our Culture of Service” to provide the coaching, knowledge and skills we need across the VUMC work force to deliver exceptional service with every interaction. A new learning segment is rolling out each quarter. | https://www.vumc.org/strategy/design-patients-and-families |
Precision medicine, the paradigm of improving clinical care through data driven approaches to tailoring treatment to the individual, is an important area of statistical and biomedical research. Individualized treatment rules (ITR's) formalize precision medicine as mappings from the space of patient covariates to the set of available treatments or, equivalently, as mappings which identify covariate-defined subgroups for which different treatments should be applied. ITR's are thus an important tool to improve patient outcomes through utilizing biomarkers to target treatment. Machine learning has become an increasingly utilized and evolving methodology for ITR discovery, and we discuss recent progress in this area and present examples in type I diabetes and bipolar disorder. Some theoretical guarantees are also presented. | http://stat.psu.edu/Events/2017-seminars-colloquia/michael-r-kosorok |
The five main objectives of this three-hour workshop are to: 1. Explore the difference between an ordinary treatment and an exceptional treatment experience. 2. Learn tools, techniques, and a variety of adjunctive modalities that you can implement immediately to create an exceptional experience for your patients. 3. Become aware that incorporating many of these modalities into your treatments has been clinically proven to improve patient outcomes and increase patient satisfaction. 4. Gain valuable ways to objectively measure treatment progress and approach patient care with a collective mindfulness. 5. Have an exceptional experience during the lecture through demonstration, practice, and group discussion. Join Dr. East Haradin for this fun, interactive three-hour workshop which will explore specific ways you can take your treatments to the next level by providing exceptional treatment experiences rather than just plain treatments. By doing so you will not only improve patient satisfaction and treatment outcomes, you will have the potential to increase the value, and price, of your treatments. Dr. Haradin will share with you the key components of an exceptional treatment experience, including: 1. A prepared practitioner: ways you can practice mindfulness, prevent burn out and work from your highest potential. 2. Tools, techniques, and adjunctive modalities you can include in your treatments to make them extraordinary. 3. The use of objective measurements. 4. A collective and mindful approach to patient care. Woven into the workshop will be hands-on-practice and experience of many of the tools, techniques, and modalities explored.
East Haradin
With a commitment to helping others actualize their full potential and wellbeing, Dr. East Haradin has been a licensed acupuncturist and practitioner of integrative medicine since 1999. In addition to a private practice, she shares her passion for this medicine as a professor, and clinical supervisor, at the Pacific College of Oriental Medicine in San Diego, California. In 2008, she created a special outreach program at the Family Recover Center in Oceanside, California, where residential and day-treatment patients receive acupuncture in group and private settings. Her education includes a BA in Business, a MA in Traditional Oriental Medicine and a Doctorate of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (DAOM. Her private practice has been held within several different settings and has focused on the use of Traditional Oriental Medicine and nutrition for the treatment of sports therapy, fertility, anti-aging/longevity, and over-all well-being. For several years she has worked with patients at the San Diego Fertility Center, offering pre/post Assisted Reproductive Therapy (ART) treatments. In 2013, she joined the Mind Body Medical Group at the Chopra Center in Carlsbad, California, as a specialist offering acupuncture. In 2010, East founded Gem Elixirz,TM a company offering unique aromatherapy products that combine the power of aromatherapy and gemstones for the purpose of transformative healing and well-being. East is also an approved Continuing Education Provider for the California Acupuncture board, holding various workshops on subjects such as: Incorporating Aromatherapy into your Practice & Life, Bringing Magic to your Treatments, and Ageless – Ancient and Modern Day Secrets to Longevity & Facial Rejuvenation. A native to Southern California, she enjoys inspiring others by teaching fitness classes (group fitness certified since 1995), surfing, running, biking, snowboarding/skiing, SCUBA, triathlons (IRONMAN finisher Arizona - 2008), yoga, meditation and traveling abroad. https://www.eastharadin.com/
View the 2018 conference schedule at a glance. The full 2018 program brochure is coming soon. | https://pacificsymposium.org/2018-courses/?courses=118 |
What is Integrative Healthcare?
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Integrative healthcare is a trending term that has been used in the medical setting for the past two decades. Also referred to as comprehensive health, integrative healthcare is an approach to medicine and overall health that keeps the patient in the center of all care processes and options. Rather than one practice care model, integrative health combines alternative care, western medicine, eastern medicine and complementary medicine to achieve the best possible results for the patient.
According to The Institute for Integrative Health (TIIH), integrative health can be defined as "A state of well being in mind, body and spirit that reflects the individual, community and population." There are numerous published research studies to support the theory that when the entire being is treated, patient outcomes and satisfaction in care improves. In an integrative model, healthcare clinicians work together, rather than in silos, to address all aspects of the plan of care being delivered.
RELATED: Holistic Nursing Careers
Conventional medicine in the western world includes care provided by medical doctors, doctors of osteopath, physical therapists and registered nurses, for example. Doctors of homeopath, acupuncture, acupressure, biofeedback, chiropractic care, and reflexology are all examples of alternative medicine. Complementary medicine includes combining non-mainstream, or alternative, practices with conventional medicine traditionally used in the western world. When non-mainstream medicine is used in place of conventional medicine, it is considered an alternative medicine approach to care.
As many as 30% of Americans admit to using natural products in place of medicinal treatments, such as herbs or probiotics to treat ailments. Yoga or Tai Chi movements are other common practices that focus on breathing with mind, body, and spirit considerations. Many conventional medical practices are encouraging the use of these non-traditional methods to improve patient outcomes.
RELATED: What Advanced Certifications Are Available for Nurses?
For example, in an integrated medical care model, a patient may see an acupuncturist and a doctor of osteopath for back pain. A pregnant woman may attend workshops on meditation and biofeedback as recommended by her obstetrician. Or a patient with cancer may have massage therapy to relax muscles and ease tension between chemotherapy treatments.
There are many medical practices across the country that advertise as having an "Integrative Care" practice with a variety of conventional and non-conventional practitioners in the same practice. Regardless of how a nurse feels about non-conventional or even traditional medicine, he or she should be aware of the integrative healthcare model in order to educate patients and the public on care options. Integrative health is fast becoming a popular choice for many people.
Holistic Health Nurse FAQs
Holistic nurses and traditional nurses have many similarities as well as differences. Both types of nurses are formally trained and licensed in standards of care and nursing practice. Both can perform bedside care and tasks within their appropriate scope. Passing medications, wound care, assessments, developing a care plan, and evaluating treatment responses are tasks that both traditional and holistic nurses can perform.
However, holistic nurses are typically board-certified in holistic medicine. They bring elements of the mind-body-spirit approach to traditional bedside nursing. They view the patient as a whole, meaning that all elements contribute to the overall health and well-being of a patient. For example, patients with chronic pain may be treated with traditional approaches such as medications, physical therapy, and exercise. However, a holistic nurse may assess psychosocial status, social support, and employ treatments such as acupuncture, massage, aromatherapy, and herbal medicines.
Nurses are all trained, to some extent, to treat patients holistically. However, formally trained holistic nurses take the concept to the next level. Many traditional nurses are constrained by what their organization’s standards of care dictate, but holistic nurses working in an alternative medicine clinic can expand treatments to include holistic medicine.
What's New
Do Women’s Only RN to BSN Programs Exist? | https://www.registerednursing.org/articles/what-integrative-healthcare/ |
Diseases of the pancreas are often very challenging for both patients and doctors as well as pose a considerable burden on healthcare system. Emerging evidence on the importance of shared-decision making in medicine stresses the need to integrate best clinical evidence and patient-reported outcomes to deliver optimal patient care. This paper argues that patient-centered care should no longer be a hermit in management of pancreatic diseases in the 21st century.
1. Introduction
Pancreatic diseases constitute most commonly of acute pancreatitis, chronic pancreatitis, and pancreatic cancer and affect more than 330,000 people each year in the United States alone . The economic burden of acute pancreatitis, the most frequent disease of the pancreas, is estimated in the United States to be $2.6 billion per year for inpatient costs, with the overall hospital mortality rate at 1.0% . Chronic pancreatitis, although far less common than acute pancreatitis, has much worse long-term outcomes with a 50% mortality rate within 20 to 30 years from diagnosis and an increased risk of developing pancreatic cancer . With mortality rate almost equal to the incidence rate due to the rapid fatality in most cases, pancreatic cancer remains one of the worst prognosis malignancies. After colorectal cancer, pancreatic cancer is the next most common gastrointestinal cancer in the United States, affecting over 40,000 people annually .
In recent years, patient-centered care has emerged as an important new paradigm in clinical management in general and care of patients with pancreatic diseases in particular [3, 4]. Nonetheless, patients’ perspectives, values, and preferences are poorly incorporated in clinical decision making. Recent literature highlights the need to integrate evidence-based medicine and patient-reported outcomes in clinical care of patients [3, 5] and the conceptual framework is schematically presented in Figure 1.
2. Fledging Concept of Patient-Centred Care
Recent advances in pancreatic diseases, though often resulting in improved clinical outcomes, have inadvertently created a health care environment in which patients are excluded from important discussions and decision making processes. Complete information transfer from the physician to the patient, about how their problems are being managed and how to navigate through the many diagnostic and treatment options available, is often lacking . Although patient well-being has always been the ultimate objective of medicine, the historical perspective has been to provide a paternalistic, provider-centred model of care. Hippocrates endorsed a way of practice that encouraged “concealing most things from the patient while attending to him… revealing nothing of the patient’s future or present condition” . In 1871, a Boston physician and poet Oliver Holmes also advised that “patient has no more right to all the truth you know than he has to all the medicine in your saddlebags… he should only get so much as is good for him,” essentially reiterating the Hippocratic approach to patient care . However, over the ensuing decades, medicine has become increasingly patient-centred with the emphasis shifting from patient compliance to patient participation.
The concept of medicine being patient-centred has been a constituent of the patients’ rights movement since the 1960s . Patient-centred medicine, as a term, was coined in 1969 by Enid Balint, a British psychoanalyst. However, as a concept, it was brought to light after numerous landmark legal cases had emphasised a patient-centred standard. The Canterbury v. Spence case established the need for informed consent and patient’s right to it . In late 1970s, widely publicised cases such as Quinlan and Cruzan triggered considerable interest in advance directives, following which physicians began to share information with patients and include them and their families in the decision . In the United States, these cases led to the development of Patient Self-determination Act introduced and enacted in 1989 and 1991, respectively. This legislation mandated that healthcare institutes advise patients on their right to accept or decline medical care .
The paradigm of patient-centered care or “narrative medicine” is acquiring increased prominence along with personalized medicine and tailored therapeutics interventions to better manage diseases of the pancreas [12, 13]. The Institute of Medicine defined patient-centered care as “care that is respectful of and responsive to individual patient preferences, needs and values” ensuring that “patient values guide all clinical decisions” . This definition largely coincided with the then modern mores of patient-centered care described by Slack and Kassirer in 1977 and 1983, respectively. While the former urged physicians to recognize patients’ rights to make their own medical decisions, the latter advocated that physicians, setting aside their supreme authority in making life-and-death decisions, should instead undertake “the less glamorous and more time-consuming process of exploring optimal outcomes with the patient” [14, 15].
Nowadays, patient-centered care focuses on assessing and improving patients’ daily health outcomes by taking into account the patients’ own objectives, values, and preferences. These include physical functionality, symptoms, quality of life (QoL), social status, and emotional status, which all fall within “goal-oriented patient care outcomes” . To date, quality of care assessments and health outcomes have not incorporated patient-centeredness. While quality of care has addressed disease-specific care and preventive processes, outcomes measure has concentrated on short- and long-term condition-specific indicators in addition to overall mortality. Unfortunately, these measures and processes are only good for relatively healthy patients with no comorbidities and do not address patients with severe disability, multiple conditions, and/or short life expectancy, which are especially common in chronic pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer . The overall quality of care does not solely depend on disease-specific care processes and, hence, may not accurately reflect the effects of treatments on patients with comorbidities .
An alternative approach to improved care would be to determine a patient’s “individual health goals within or across a variety of dimensions” . This approach is potentially advantageous because of the following reasons:(1)The discussion focuses on individual needs and desires instead of on universal health states.(2)Goal-oriented patient care allows patients with comorbidities to focus on outcomes spanning across several conditions and accordingly align treatments towards common goal(s).(3)This approach helps patients articulate health states important to them and their priority such as a choice between receiving hospice care or aggressive treatment .The goal-oriented patient care thus allows physicians and patients to collaborate on those health states most desired by the patients, agree on treatment measures most suitable to achieve these goals, and monitor their progress.
The concept of patient-centered care, though diametrically different from the established model of “illness-oriented care,” iterates the importance of focusing medical attention on individual patient’s requirements as opposed to the doctor’s . However, not all patient goals may be attainable or realistic. In this case, the physician needs to explain the plausible measures and negotiate with the patient potentially achievable goals . This highlights the need for “shared-decision making” whereby the patient and the clinician coexist in a social, therapeutic, and economic relation of “mutual and highly interwoven prerogatives” . Implementation of patient-centered care will further result in cost-effective management of pancreatic diseases, thereby reducing the burden on healthcare systems. Focusing on the outcomes most desirable to patients may require fewer resources than traditional disease-specific care.
3. Measuring Patient-Reported Outcomes
Moving towards patient-centered care requires the use of quality instruments that adequately capture patient goal elicitation and attainment . The gradual shift towards patient-centered care needs to be vigorously paralleled with application and study of “softer” outcomes such as a patient’s functional status, health-related QoL, and satisfaction.
With the growing importance of patient-centered care, it is imperative to consider patients’ QoL in management of pancreatic diseases. Since the 1980s, it has been increasingly realised that the traditional, biologically based end-points such as morbidity and mortality alone do not adequately represent the potential outcomes of medical interventions. Health status measurement has evolved and broadened the term QoL, to encompass patient experiences regarding functionality, mood, life satisfaction, cognition, and ability to fulfil social, family, and occupational roles . To quote C.A. O’Boyle: “The QoL construct may be viewed as a paradigm shift since it shifts the focus of attention from symptoms to functioning and establishes the primacy, or at least the legitimacy, of the patient perspective” .
The QoL measures aim to describe patient-perceived health and social status of a population, compare interventions, determine the cost and benefits of medical treatments and health policies, and thereby improve the delivery of care . Despite the literature presenting enough evidence in support of the benefits associated with routine assessment of patients’ QoL in clinical practice and research, sufficient empirical evidence is lacking in pancreatic diseases . The QoL questionnaires constitute the commonly administered instrument to measure QoL. QoL is comprised of multiple factors including but not limited to physical limitations, functionality, spiritual beliefs, satisfaction, and psychological well-being. The following subsections detail some of the most commonly used QoL questionnaires.
3.1. The Short-Form 36 Health Survey (SF-36)
The SF-36 questionnaire, developed in the United States, was first administered in the Rand Corporation’s Health Insurance Experiment . Accessible in 120 languages and utilised globally to gauge the health of diverse populations [23–26], it is a measure of patient-perceived health status and has increasingly been classified as the research-validated gold standard . The questionnaire constitutes 35 questions with one transition question assessing patient-perceived change in general health over the past year. The remaining questions are divided into eight categories addressing limitations in physical function, role physical, bodily pain, general health, vitality (fatigue and energy), social functioning, and role emotional and mental health. Scores obtained from these subscales are then summarised into the Physical or Mental Component Summary scores (PCS or MCS, resp.) . The scores are assigned on a scale of 0–100 (0: worst health; 100: best health) and the overall score reflects patient-reported perception of the overall health status .
SF-12 is a succinct version of the original SF-36 questionnaire. It refers solely to the PCS and MCS scores as determinants of QoL. The summary scores are also assigned on a scale of 0–100 with higher scores representing better QoL. Despite being a concise questionnaire, it helps distinguish between patients with chronic medical conditions and those without .
3.2. The European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire (EORTC-QLQ)
Conventionally a cancer-specific QoL tool designed for self-administration , EORTC-QLQ was developed by the EORTC QoL Study Group. It is a reliable and cross-culturally valid instrument (validated across more than 24 countries) which comprises five function-specific and three symptom-specific scales .
The EORTC-QLQ-C30 questionnaire is a revised and improved version of the first-generation EORTC-QLQ-C36 questionnaire developed in 1987 . Lung cancer patients, from Western Europe, Australia, North America, and Japan, were recruited in the initial phase of instrument development and validation given the high incidence and rapid progression of the disease . The C30 questionnaire consists of multi-item and single item scales thereby reflecting the multidimensionality of QoL. The five functional scales asses a patient’s physical functionality, role physical, emotional health, social functioning, and cognitive ability while the three symptom-specific scales assess fatigue, pain, and nausea and vomiting. The questionnaire also incorporates a global health and QoL scale. Additional symptoms reported commonly by cancer patients, such as loss of appetite, diarrhoea, constipation, dyspnoea, and sleep disturbance, and perceived financial impact, are assessed by the remaining single item scales . Scores are recorded on a scale of 0–100 with a high score indicating a higher QoL. The scores are calculated as per the EORTC-QLQ-C30 scoring manual . The EORTC-QLQ-C30 has been translated into eight languages and supplements specific to various cancer types added to make the questionnaire more relevant. These second- and third-generation questionnaires have been widely administered in randomised controlled trials (RCT). For example, the EORTC-QLQ-BR23, developed and validated for breast cancer , was used in an RCT studying effects of resistance exercise on QoL and fatigue in breast cancer patients . Results from the questionnaire were beneficial and showed that QoL was maintained and fatigue mitigated in these patients during chemotherapy . The EORTC-QLQ-STO22, for gastric cancer, was developed and validated as part of a study from 2001 to 2003 . This supplement accounted for gastric cancer-specific symptoms and issues, namely, abdominal dysphagia, reflux, and eating restrictions, as well as chemotherapy and radiation-related symptoms .
One such supplement was developed for patients suffering from pancreatic cancer. The EORTC-QLQ-PAN26 has been used extensively in pancreatic cancer trials. A few examples are the phase III trial comparing gemcitabine to a PEFG infusion or the phase II trial studying gemcitabine versus capecitabine in patients with advanced cholangiocarcinoma and carcinoma of the gallbladder . The PAN26 supplement includes 26 items addressing disease and treatment-related symptoms and associated emotional consequences. The disease and treatment-related symptom scales assess pain, digestive symptoms, flatulence, indigestion, hepatic symptoms, cachexia, altered bowel habits, and side effects. Body image, concern of future health, sexuality, and healthcare satisfaction are assessed by emotional consequences-related scales .
3.3. The Sickness Impact Profile (SIP)
The SIP instrument was developed by Bergner and colleagues in 1981 and is a measure of behavioural changes in patients consequential to a disease. As standardized questionnaire, it constitutes 136 statements categorised into 12 subcategories which assess the dysfunction experienced in day-to-day activities due to a given illness. The physical domain addresses the following three categories: ambulation, body care and movement, and mobility, whereas the psychosocial dimension addresses emotional behaviour, social interaction, communication, and alertness behaviour . SIP further assesses sleep and rest, work, home management, eating habits, recreation, and pastimes. The scores obtained are expressed as a percentage of likely disability (0%: no health-related impairment; 100%: total incapacity). Numerically, a score of 0–10 indicates patients doing well in their life; a score of 10–20 illustrates mild illness-related dysfunctions; and a score of >20 demonstrates evident disability in daily activities .
3.4. The Karnofsky, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) Score, and Rankin Scores
The Karnofsky and Rankin Scores instrument was first developed in 1949 by Karnofsky. While the tool does measure physical ability, it fails to measure a patient’s psychosocial condition. For the physical domain, the score is ranged from 0 to 5 (0: no symptoms and normal activity; 5: severe physical disability and need for continuous nursing support with bed-rest) . The overall score is then converted to a scale of 0–100 (0: death; 100: ability to conduct normal daily physical activities) .
The ECOG score is a widely used performance status scale for evaluating the functional status of a cancer patient . Developed initially in 1960, the score is reported on a scale of 0–4 (0: fully active and able to carry on all predisease performance without restriction; 4: unable to get out of bed) with lower score indicating better performance . The ECOG scale is an important factor in determination of prognosis in numerous malignancies such as breast cancer, small cell lung cancer, ovarian cancer , and pancreatic cancer . The ECOG scale is reliable and valid and can also be used to determine a patient’s eligibility for recruitment into clinical trials .
3.5. The Function Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy (FACIT) Scale Tool
FACIT scale tool differs from the above-mentioned QoL instruments in that it is a collection of several health-related QoL questionnaires with the aim of managing chronic illnesses. The tool was developed in 1987 and includes 27 questions compiled into the following four categories: physical well-being, emotional well-being, social/family well-being, and functional well-being. The FACIT instrument presents over 40 different scales and all measures have undergone a standard scale development and validation methodology . All FACIT scales have been developed such that a high score reflects better QoL in patient .
3.6. The Rosser Disability and Distress Index
The Rosser Disability and Distress Index instrument is based on degree of distress and disability as experienced by the patient. It combines the distress and disability scores in order to provide an accurate level of disease severity. The numeric scale assigns a score of either 0 or 1 (0: severe illness or death; 1: perfect health) . The instrument has been validated in several disease settings .
3.7. The Hospital Anxiety Depression Scale and the Cantril Ladder
The Hospital Anxiety Depression Scale is administered to assess psychiatric disorders in a population of nonpsychiatric patients who have been hospitalized for somatic reasons. Depression, anxiety, and aggression are the three subscales addressed. The Cantril Ladder, on the other hand, comprises two one-question scales that record points on a scale of 1–10. These determine a patient’s life satisfaction at a specific point in time and three years after that. A higher score, as for other QoL tools, indicates better patient outcomes .
3.8. The Gastrointestinal Quality of Life Index
The Gastrointestinal Quality of Life Index, a reliable and validated bilingual (German and English) instrument developed in 1989, was designed to assess QoL in patients with gastrointestinal diseases . The questionnaire constitutes 36 questions with five possible responses for each question. Each individual response is scored on a scale of 0–4 (0: least desirable; 4: most desirable) with all the responses summed to give an overall numerical score on a scale of 0–144. A higher overall score implies better QoL. However, it is not a diagnostic tool and while it can moderately differentiate between healthy individuals and those with gastrointestinal diseases, it does not distinguish between diseases .
3.9. The Abdominal Surgery Impact Scale (ASIS)
The ASIS questionnaire was initially designed to assess short-term QoL following abdominal surgery . The ASIS constitutes of 18 questions (scored on a scale ranging from 1 (strongly agree) to 7 (strongly disagree)) categorised into six domains: physical limitations, functional impairment, pain, visceral function, sleep, and psychological well-being. The score can range from 18 to 126. Cronbach’s alpha was used to measure the internal reliability of the ASIS instrument in acute pancreatitis. The ASIS was found to be reliable for five out of six domains with the reliability coefficient ranging from 0.761 (pain) to 0.911 (functional impairment). Only the visceral function domain had a lower reliability coefficient at 0.691 .
3.10. Izbicki Score
The Izbicki pain score is a validated pain score designed specifically for chronic pancreatitis. The score consists of four questions assessing frequency of pain, pain intensity (VAS score), use of analgesics, and disease-related inability to work. The score is reported on a scale of 0–100 (0: no pain; 100: excruciating pain) [49–51].
3.11. M-ANNHEIM
M-ANNHEIM is a multiple risk factor classification system developed in 2007 . This system helps categorize patients according to the clinical stage, aetiology, and severity of their disease (chronic pancreatitis). The M-ANNHEIM classification system has taken all previous chronic pancreatitis classifications into consideration before developing a standardized classification system accounting for all possible definitions and symptoms. There is one patient-reported subscale included, patient report of pain, where a patient is asked to choose from one of the following options: no pain without therapy, recurrent acute pancreatitis, no pain with therapy, intermittent pain, and continuous pain [52, 53].
4. Conclusion
There is a growing need to integrate patient-reported outcomes and evidence-based medicine to create an environment of shared-decision making and provide optimal patient-centered care, which is essential for quality and economically sustainable health care . Utilising health-related QoL questionnaires to assess patient-reported outcomes and determine patients’ preferences will allow clinicians and patients to embark on a joint venture to shared-decision making. Development and implementation of clinical practice guidelines in the field of pancreatic diseases that formulate recommendations based on both best clinical evidence and patient-reported outcomes could be a step forward in bringing patient-centered care to the fore.
Conflict of Interests
The authors declare that there is no conflict of interests regarding the publication of this paper. | https://www.hindawi.com/journals/grp/2015/459214/ |
The main goal of all healthcare initiatives, regardless of the sector endorsing them, should be to improve patient care. Improving patient care incorporates increasing access, enhancing quality, and reducing costs. In recent years, the healthcare industry has taken positive steps to improving care by promoting a system based on quality over quantity. In this value-based system, providers are paid based on patient outcomes rather than on volume of procedures performed. This model intends to focus on preventative, personalized medicine, and improving overall patient wellness, thereby increasing patient satisfaction and general population health. It also will reduce costs for both patients and providers. Although there are many benefits to the value-based system, and although the healthcare industry is working toward this model, government regulations are obstructing complete reform.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) believes that the Stark Law and Federal Anti-Kickback Statute include policies that prevent the value-based model from moving forward. The Stark Law prohibits physicians from referring patients for certain services paid by Medicare or Medicaid to an entity in which they have a financial relationship. The Anti-Kickback Statute prohibits the exchange of anything of value for referrals for services that are payable by a federal program.
On Wednesday, October 9th, HHS proposed changes to both laws that would better clarify and define their regulations for physicians to fully understand how to participate in value-based arrangements while staying compliant with the laws. The modifications would also protect patients and programs from fraud and abuse. The primary goal of these efforts is to better coordinate care for patients by allowing providers to work together.
Under the proposed rule, the Stark Law would continue to protect against overutilization, but would also make clear that incentives are different in a system that pays for value. For example, outcome-based payment arrangements that reward improvements in patient health would be acceptable. The changes would allow more flexibility for providers and better coordinated care. Patient information sharing would be both allowed and more secure, such as with a primary care physician and a specialty physician. Data analytics systems would be used to better manage patient care between a hospital and physician. These are just some examples of the positive outcomes that could result from the proposed changes.
Ultimately, the HHS’ recommended alterations to the Stark Law and Anti-kickback statute will improve patient care and overall health outcomes using data-sharing, analytics, patient engagement activities, and permitted physician communication. | https://senergene.com/hhs-proposes-stark-law-and-anti-kickback-statute-reforms-to-support-value-based-and-coordinated-care/ |
OBJECTIVES: Pediatric discharge from the inpatient setting is a complex, error-prone process. In this study, we evaluated the outcomes of using a standardized process for hospital discharge of pediatric patients.
METHODS: A 1-year pre- and postintervention pilot study was designed to improve discharge transition of care. The bundle intervention, facilitated by advanced practice providers, included risk identification and intervention. Process and outcome metrics included patient satisfaction measures on the discharge domain (overall discharge, speed of discharge process, whether they felt ready for discharge), use of handouts, scheduling of follow-up appointments, and postdischarge phone call.
RESULTS: Significant improvements were found in all aspects of patient satisfaction, including speed of the discharge process and instructions for discharge, discharge readiness, and the overall discharge process. Length of stay decreased significantly after intervention. The checklist identified ∼4% of discharges without a correct primary care physician. Significant differences were found for scheduled primary care appointment before discharge and patients receiving handouts. The bundle identified risks that may complicate transition of care in approximately half of the patients. Phone communication occurred with almost half of the patients after discharge.
CONCLUSIONS: Integration of an evidence-based discharge checklist can improve processes, increase delivery of patient education, and improve patient and family perceptions of the discharge process. Involvement of key stakeholders, use of evidence-based interventions with local adaptation, and use of a consistent provider responsible for implementation can improve transitions of care.
Facilitating inpatient pediatric discharges from the inpatient to home setting is a multifaceted and complex process.1 Approximately 1 in 5 patients has an adverse event in the discharge process; more than half of these adverse events are preventable.2,3 Miscommunication continues to be a concern in many of the preventable adverse effects.4 Patients’ incomplete understanding of their clinical diagnosis and treatment plan on discharge can also contribute to adverse events after discharge.5 In 2015, local needs assessment, gap analysis, and group consensus on the need for improvement in discharge processes inspired the design of a project at our center. Varied discharge planning tool kits have been promoted as helpful in addressing discharge efficiency,6 reducing readmissions,7 or addressing transitions of care gaps.8,9 Our hospital medicine focus led us to choose to model our interventions after the Society of Hospital Medicine’s pediatric discharge tool kit because it was pediatric specific and included interventions to assess and reduce transition of care risks.10 In this study, we evaluated the outcomes of using a standardized process for hospital discharge of pediatric patients.
Methods
Context
This study was performed from July 2014 to June 2017 on the general inpatient pediatric wards of a children’s hospital within a general hospital. Our children’s hospital is a rural academic center that serves a geographic area that includes West Virginia, western Maryland, southern Pennsylvania, and eastern Ohio, with ∼1500 annual admissions to the pediatric ward (non-ICUs). The primary language spoken is English (98%), and the payor mix is divided as 50% Medicaid and 50% all other payors. The average daily census on the pediatric ward is 15, with an average of 5 daily discharges. The ward patient care team is a traditional model that consists of a trainee or nurse practitioner, attending pediatric hospitalist, and bedside nurse. Multidisciplinary team members, including the pharmacist, care manager, and social worker, are involved in discharge. Existing admission processes included health literacy screening completed by the nursing staff using the Pediatric Caregiver Health Literacy Screening tool.11 Existing discharge processes include securing follow-up postdischarge appointments with the primary care physician (PCP) before discharge and giving disease-specific information to patients’ families via handouts.
Planning the Intervention
A 1-year preintervention (July 2014–June 2015) and a 1-year postintervention (July 2016–June 2017) pilot study was designed to assess rates for readmission, caregiver satisfaction, primary care appointments (scheduled before discharge), and caregiver education before and after implementation of a discharge bundle that included tools (Supplemental Tables 5 and 6) used by advanced practice providers (APPs). The planning phase (July 2015–June 2016) included local self-assessment, background data review, stakeholder buy-in and engagement, multidisciplinary team involvement, process mapping, and shared norming. An interdisciplinary team reviewed evidence-based literature and local processes and created the intervention for the study. Members of the local center for quality outcomes were involved in the initial conceptualization of this project and received results intermittently throughout the project. Local and external mentors, both nurses and physicians with expertise in process improvement and study design, facilitated the implementation. External mentors facilitated phone calls to address barriers and approaches toward team roles and implementation of interventions. This study included all patients admitted to our children’s hospital pediatric ward across all ages (0–21 years).
Improvement Activities
The interventions were focused on the 2 key drivers: (1) use of evidence-based interventions with local adaptation and (2) key stakeholder buy-in, shared norming, and use of a consistent provider responsible for implementation.
Evidence-Based Interventions With Local Adaptation
We adapted core elements of the discharge intervention bundle from the Society of Hospital Medicine PediBOOST tool kit.10 This tool kit contains a set of comprehensive expert-consensus and evidence-based interventions to improve the transition of care of children from the inpatient to outpatient setting. Our bundle included 2 tools that were used to address known gaps in both the process and quality of discharge: a risk assessment and an intervention. These tools incorporated the PediBOOST tool kit with other existing published tools and recommended best practices.8,10,12 The format and acronyms chosen were locally determined by the team to promote engagement in the new process steps. The risk assessment was used to address items such as high-risk medication, socioeconomic barriers, chronic conditions, lack of a PCP, and lack of transportation and was given the acronym DISCHARGE (drugs, individual, socioeconomic, chronic disease, health literacy, acute disease, readmission, general, and equipment) (Table 1). The intervention included tasks completed by APPs and was given the acronym IMPACT (interdisciplinary family meeting; medication review, enhanced; patient education [handouts and videos]; appointments [scheduled before discharge with PCP]; communication [patient call after discharge]; and teach-back, focused) (Table 2). This tool also included a space for PCP identification and documentation in the electronic medical record (EMR) during family-centered rounds (FCRs). In addition to the DISCHARGE risk assessment checklist and the IMPACT intervention, the full discharge bundle also included an intent-to-discharge order set. This order set was created with nursing input and included instructions to schedule appointment and instructions for the nurse to complete relevant teaching. APPs received patient sign-out early in the morning from the overnight staff. Before safety walkrounds and the daily team huddle, APPs reviewed patient data in the EMR. APPs were empowered to expedite the discharge process by entering orders that were in keeping with care plans agreed on in previous rounds, such as changing medications from an intravenous to oral route, stopping or decreasing intravenous fluids, or ordering discharge medication teaching. They performed a quick screening for DISCHARGE risk factors by reviewing the medication list, the literacy screening result, recent admissions and the chronic medical history or problem list, intake questions related to access and insurance, existing or new equipment needs, and the current clinical condition. Items were then reviewed with the team on rounds and modified if needed by team consensus. A given category was noted as having a risk if any 1 of the items was identified in that category. Any risk factor triggered the IMPACT intervention.
Key Stakeholder Buy-in, Shared Norming, and Use of a Consistent Provider Responsible for Implementation
Two APPs who were already an integral part of our team were selected to perform this process because of their consistent schedule and familiarity and continuity with our patient care team. APPs had been hired to perform clinical work and had existing quality goals and acted as liaisons between different rotating members of the team. Because of this expectation for involvement in quality projects, the APPs were a natural fit for this initiative. Team members (including hospitalists, APPs, and residents) were trained via webinars and conference calls (every other month) with an external mentor. The training also included a site visit conducted by the external mentor. The tool was used in paper form during and after FCRs. Existing disease-specific handouts were given out by the discharge nurse. The APPs communicated with the PCP to schedule follow-up appointments, review the hospitalization, and discuss transition of care needs. The APPs also completed the postdischarge phone call 24 to 48 hours after discharge for every patient who was discharged. Phone call scripts included clarification of the diagnosis, medications, follow-up care coordination, and warning signs. The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality postdischarge phone call script was used (available at https://www.ahrq.gov/professionals/systems/hospital/red/toolkit/redtool5.html). A process map of the APP workflow is noted in Fig 1.
Study of the Interventions
Demographic, readmission, and DISCHARGE risk assessment checklist data were entered into a spreadsheet by a research coordinator on a weekly basis. Patient satisfaction measures (readiness for discharge, speed of the discharge process, instructions for the discharge process, and the overall discharge process) were obtained from a selection of Press Ganey survey results.
Measures
Data collected included basic demographic information and process and outcome metrics, including patient satisfaction measures on the discharge domain (the overall discharge process, speed of the discharge process, and readiness for discharge), readmissions, use of handouts, scheduling of follow-up appointments, and the postdischarge phone call. An additional process metric was adherence to our DISCHARGE risk assessment checklist. A balancing measure chosen was length of stay (LOS). Definition of measures and collection methods are noted in Table 3.
Analysis
Data were analyzed via SAS version 9.4 (SAS Institute, Inc, Cary, NC). Basic descriptive statistics were presented. Seven-day readmissions, primary care follow-up appointments, and use of handouts were analyzed with the χ2 test. Patient satisfaction data were analyzed by using the t test. P < .05 was considered statistically significant.
Ethical Considerations
Local institutional review board approval was obtained with a full waiver of consent before the start of the study (8256491). There were no conflicts of interest. The project was supported by the center for quality outcomes at our institution.
Results
There were 1321 patients in the preintervention group and 1413 patients in the postintervention group. There were no significant differences in demographics for sex (female sex preintervention: 45.9%; female sex postintervention: 47.5%; P = .29), case-mix index (preintervention: 1.293; postintervention: 1.283; P = .34), or insurance type (Medicaid preintervention: 50.9%; Medicaid postintervention: 52.2%; P = .4) between pre- and postintervention groups. However, LOS decreased significantly after the intervention (preintervention: 4.08 days; postintervention: 3.43 days; P = .005).
The adherence rate for using the DISCHARGE risk assessment checklist was 97.8% (1381 of 1413 discharges). We noted special cause in March 2017 because of APP staffing issues (Fig 2). Of the risk categories, individual (26.3%), chronic illness (15.9%), drugs (13.2%), and healthy literacy and acute illness (each 8%) were most commonly noted, with socioeconomic (6%), readmission (3.5%), equipment (2.8%), and general (1.3%) risk categories reported less often. Two or more risk factors were noted in 25% (355) of discharges. The individual elements of the IMPACT intervention to be completed for all discharges and for those with specific risks noted are in Table 4. Significant differences were found, with improvement for both scheduled primary care appointment before discharge and patients receiving handouts (both P < .0001). Preintervention data were not tracked for other IMPACT interventions; thus, no comparisons can be made for these items. Of those with specific risks, completion of targeted IMPACT interventions is shown in Supplemental Table 7. Patient follow-up calls and appointments were more often completed in those with literacy and equipment risks, but rates were high (>70% for appointment scheduled in 8 of 9 categories; >40% for postdischarge calls in 7 of 9 categories. Interdisciplinary meetings were not often completed but were most frequently performed for patients with history of readmission. Teach-back also was most commonly performed for this population.
Significant differences were found in aspects of patient satisfaction, including speed of the discharge process (preintervention: 78.9 [SD 29.9]; postintervention: 82.6 [SD 27.6]; P = .008), instructions for discharge (preintervention: 79.7 [SD 29.4]; postintervention: 88.6 [SD 21.7]; P < .0001), discharge readiness (preintervention: 79.7 [SD 27.3]; postintervention: 88.6 [SD 21.3]; P < .0001), and the overall discharge process (preintervention: 79.4 [SD 23.1]; postintervention: 86.1 [SD 17.8]; P < .0001). There was no statistically significant decrease in 7-day readmissions (preintervention: 2.7%; postintervention: 2.1%; P = .305).
One unexpected outcome was that many patients without PCPs were identified and care was reestablished. The checklist helped us identify 53 patients from 1413 discharges (3.75%) with an incorrect or no PCP in the EMR.
Discussion
In this study of discharge process changes, a simple checklist and interventions embedded into consistent workflows were associated with significant increases in scheduled follow-up visits before discharge (operations) and the number of patients given handouts (education) as well as improved patient and family perceptions of and readiness for discharge (satisfaction) and the identification of risk factors amenable to targeted interventions. We achieved this and documented an unanticipated shorter LOS. We identified risks that may complicate transition of care in approximately half of our patients, and we were able to address these risks in ∼40% of them. Approximately one-quarter of patients had ≥2 risk factors. We reached almost half of our patients by phone after discharge who had specific risks related to health literacy, acute illness resolution, and equipment. Although standardizing and realigning processes alone might have impacted our LOS, we believe the addition of risk assessment and other changes in what and how the processes were performed might have led to the changes observed in patient and family satisfaction.
The discharge process may vary from provider to provider and may result in patient and family anxiety, uncertainty, and a lack of overall health education.13 Using a standardized teaching tool on discharge has been shown to improve patient satisfaction.13 It prevents the loss of information with handovers. Communication and education have the biggest impact on patient satisfaction.14–18 In our study, we used APPs to standardize the discharge process. The use of a team member with a consistent role in various health care processes is not new. Dunn and Rogers1 described a role of a pediatric nurse practitioner as a liaison between nursing and medicine to facilitate and expedite the discharge process to safely, efficiently, and effectively discharge pediatric patients. Tran et al18 reported that the repeated supplying of clinically based information by a medical student significantly improved a range of satisfaction measures. Taylor et al14 demonstrated that a patient liaison nurse provided education, increased communication, and improved Press Ganey scores in the emergency department. Local contextual factors influence health care quality.19 In our teaching facility, residents and attending hospitalists rotate on and off the ward every few weeks. Thus, the APP is uniquely positioned to provide continuity and consistency in the discharge processes. We were unable to assess whether our positive process and patient satisfaction outcomes were due specifically to APPs or to having few and consistent team members responsible for discharge actions. Although our tools provided standardization, it is likely that having a team member with advanced skills allowed for more effective risk assessments. Institutions may wish to formalize the expectation for APPs or other team members to integrate quality initiative work into their job expectation. This, and the whole team approach toward addressing risks and implementing actions, led to our improvements in patient education and discharge processes, which may affect patient and family perceptions of discharge readiness.
In quality improvement, checklists provide a lower level of process reliability compared with true forcing functions, such as lockout drawers that require a code to open them. However, done in a microsystem in which each team member has the expectation to ask and address checklist items, these tools can be highly effective. Checklists may affect provider workflow and should be carefully designed with a concise list of judiciously selected elements that are aimed at reducing errors of omission and improving throughput.20 High-reliability organizations in different industries have used checklists as memory aids and to assist with decision-making.21 Checklists can improve adherence to following various procedures in different specialties of medicine.21 In pediatrics, checklist use in FCRs can increase performance of individual elements of FCRs, which has been shown to increase family engagement and families’ perceptions of patient safety.22 With our study, we suggest that a comprehensive discharge intervention can help improve the discharge process as well as patient satisfaction, patient education, and primary care follow-up appointments. Although we did not obtain data on PCP follow-up appointment completion, scheduling a postdischarge follow-up appointment before discharge has been shown to increase the attendance rate by 25%.23 These phone calls to PCPs also served as an opportunity to communicate with the PCP about the reason for hospitalization, pending laboratory tests, and a follow-up plan. Our study was designed to use the same APPs to ensure a standardized process. We believe that using APPs for this process and engaging the team in the creation of the checklist worked well and were major strengths in ensuring a smooth process at our site. Starting discharge planning early, engaging the patient in the discharge education process, and creating a forum for multidisciplinary review of patient’s discharge planning needs can reduce the LOS.24,25
Reducing readmissions has become a focal point for hospital systems nationwide, but there is a lack of high-quality evidence throughout the literature on how to improve the discharge process. Evidence suggests that if more needs are addressed during discharge transition of care, the discharge will be more effective.26–28 Although we were not able to decrease our readmission rate, it is not clear whether this rate would further improve if we increased the percentage of successful interventions completed before discharge. Our hospital is the only “complete” tertiary care pediatric facility in the rural state. Some of these readmissions may be preventable. However, even readmissions related to discharge failures deemed to be under health care system control may be unavoidable because of the paucity of local resources. As shown in other studies, readmissions may not be a good surrogate for quality or adequacy of pediatric discharge transitions of care.29
Limitations
Our study was limited to a pediatric patient population of a single institution in West Virginia and may not be reproducible in other institutions across the nation. Our assessment tools were based on published works, existing tool kits, and commonly used surveys but were modified for local context with team agreement. Although Press Ganey is the largest vendor of patient satisfaction surveys and is used in ∼40% hospitals in the United States, it is not the only survey tool or method used in hospital settings. It is used to measure and compare hospitals and providers in 10 domains of patient care.30 Our site’s response rate has been consistent at 25%, which is similar to national rates for this tool. Despite its inherent limitations, complexities, and potential response biases, it can be helpful to identify domains for improvement.13
Not all IMPACT intervention items were completed for all patients. Availability of APPs for night discharges and discharges during weekends may have limited our ability to complete interventions, particularly making follow-up appointments. In addition, the sustainability of the process is dependent on APPs being present, as we noted with our March 2017 special cause variation in the DISCHARGE checklist completion rate. We did not have baseline data for all metrics we assessed in the postintervention period, so we were unable to determine if our interventions resulted in the outcomes for these metrics. We did not have access to completed PCP follow-up visit information and therefore cannot assess whether having these appointments scheduled before discharge made any impact. Finally, we are not aware of any competing initiatives at our site during this time that addressed discharge or patient education based on input from the hospital’s center for quality outcomes.
Implications for Practice
Integration of an evidence-based discharge risk assessment checklist and risk-related interventions can improve processes, increase delivery of patient education, and improve patient and family perceptions of the discharge process. Involvement of key stakeholders, use of evidence-based interventions with local adaptation, and use of a consistent provider responsible for implementation can improve transitions of care.
Acknowledgments
This project was done under the mentorship of the Society of Hospital Medicine PediBOOST program and the Academic Pediatric Association Research Scholars Program. We thank the nursing staff; the residents; the staff; our pediatric hospitalists at West Virginia University Medicine Children’s Hospital; Dr Samir S. Shah, MD, MSCE, MHM (Cincinnati Children’s Hospital); and Jennifer Ball, MPH, CPHQ (Center for Quality Outcomes, West Virginia University Medicine), for their help in the project.
Footnotes
FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE: The authors have indicated they have no financial relationships relevant to this article to disclose.
FUNDING: Funded by a grant from the West Virginia Clinical and Translational Science Institute. Research reported in this publication was supported by the National Institute of General Medical Sciences of the National Institutes of Health under Award Number 5U54GM104942-04. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health. Funded by by the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
POTENTIAL CONFLICT OF INTEREST: The authors have indicated they have no potential conflicts of interest to disclose. | https://hosppeds.aappublications.org/content/10/2/173.full |
Universities’ mission and vision statements serve as public pronouncements of their purpose, ambition, and values. So what does analysis of worldwide institutions’ statements reveal to us? Julián David Cortés-Sánchez has conducted a large-scale content analysis and found a trend towards global influence, an unsurprising emphasis on research and teaching, certain geographical patterns, and a noticeable focus on either the individual or process depending on whether a university was public or private.
When I was an undergraduate student at the school of management, a professor told my classmates and I that mission and vision statements were about as useful to an organisation’s performance as a decorative poster behind the front desk. Years later, that scene came to mind as I wondered if the tools most used for strategic planning were indeed as useful as a Starry Night replica hung in a company’s main hallway. Since the 1980s, scholars from the strategic planning field have published profusely on this topic (e.g. Pearce, Campbell and Bart). In the case of mission statements, one of the first meta-studies concluded that there is a positive, albeit small, relationship with financial performance in private firms.
Mission and vision statements – what are they trying to solve?
The policies and behavioural patterns that guide its operations.
The strategy for achieving its purpose.
A determination and publication of what makes the organisation unique.
A “puller” into the future.
The headwater for the organisation’s priorities, plans, and goals.
So, how do universities make use of mission and vision statements? In the English-language literature on the subject there are several national studies that explore the relationship between rhetorical elements and institutional type (public vs. private); how the mission and vision statements of public and private universities differ in content, and if there are any differences reflective of propounded institutional aims; and how universities interpret and respond to the changes in the institutional environment, claiming their organisational identity through mission statements.
In a recently published preprint, my colleagues and I conducted a content analysis of 338 mission statements and 291 vision statements of universities across the world using Voyant Tools, a web-based text reading and analysis environment that uses more than 20 visualisation tools to analyse a text corpus. Our aim was to identify the mission and vision statements’ keywords, most and least frequently used terms, and universities’ similarities (i.e. isomorphism) and differences according to continent, size, focus, research output, age, and status (i.e. private or public).
A trend towards global influence in vision statements.
An overall push for research and teaching.
An absence of quantitative elements.
Public universities were more focused on individuals (students) while private universities were more focused on process (teaching).
Figure 1: Ratio of terms in mission and vision statements. Source: Julián David Cortés-Sánchez (2017) “Mission and Vision Statements of Universities Worldwide – A Content Analysis”; based on QS, 2016, and university websites, and processed by Voyant Tools. Click to enlarge.
The only quantitative objective found in both mission and vision statements was years (e.g. “To be one of the top 25 research universities in the world by 2020”) with no mention of a specific quantity of students enrolled, papers published, or patents registered. By way of comparison, in the case of private firms among the most frequently used terms were: “sincerity”, “excitement”, “competence”, “safety”, “security”, and “social responsibility”. Despite the fact that mission and vision statements were tools adopted by the higher education sector from the private sector, none of these terms was mentioned by any university.
The longest mission and vision statements were from universities in South America; with mission statements at an average of 33.1 words, and vision statements at an average of 32.2 words. The shortest mission statements were from Europe, at an average of23.3 words; with the shortest vision statements from Asia, at an average of 20.2 words. Therefore, mission statements are dependent on their institutional or, in this case, geographical environment, and some are written as a narrative or history to reach a broad audience and cultivate an emotional commitment to the organisation.
The status of the majority of universities of the sample was public (85%). When their mission and vision statements were compared with private sector universities – and putting aside the terms “research”, “university”, and “knowledge” – the highest priority term for public universities was “students”. However, “teaching” is more prevalent among private sector universities’ statements than those of the public sector. Private sector universities noticeably focused on process, while the public sector focuses on individuals. In addition, the private sector has a noticeable interest in “society”, as opposed to the public sector’s focus on “community”.
In practical terms, university planning offices can use these results and the digital open-access database we have developed to elucidate a global outlook on mission and vision statements’ trends or uncommonly used terms. This can help define the purpose of a university and its future course of action, embrace an overall isomorphism, or seek a distinctive strategy to differentiate one institution from the others. In addition, this research can be used by strategic planning scholars to conduct regionally or nationally focused studies.
This blog post is based on the author’s preprint, “Mission and Vision Statements of Universities Worldwide – A Content Analysis”, available in the Universidad del Rosario institutional repository.
Featured image credit: Feet on a road arrow by Gaelle Marcel, via Unsplash (licensed under a CC0 1.0 license).
Julián David Cortés-Sánchez is principal professor at the Universidad del Rosario’s School of Management (Colombia) and was guest lecturer at the Center for Latin American Studies (CLAS) at the University of California, Berkeley. He holds a MSc on Development Studies from Universidad de Los Andes (Colombia). His main research interests are science, technology and innovation (STi), and development studies. He can be contacted by email at [email protected], and tweets @jcortesanchez. | https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/impactofsocialsciences/2017/12/20/what-do-universities-want-to-be-a-content-analysis-of-mission-and-vision-statements-worldwide/?pfstyle=wp |
Debunking the Myths Christian Colleges Face When Considering Participation in Federal Student Aid
We are frequently asked, “how will my institution be negatively affected by participating in the HEA Title IV student financial assistance programs?” There are several myths spread around by well-meaning individuals that hamper some institutions from wanting to participate in Title IV programs. We have heard of college presidents, directors, and other leaders who have been misinformed and therefore reiterating information that is not accurate or true.
We base our debunking of this misinformation/myths on over 15 years of providing Title IV financial aid services to small Bible Colleges, Seminaries and Christian Colleges. We currently serve over fifty of these institutions and, in our experience, have never heard of any of these myths being true.
MYTHS
“Our institution will be required to abandon its Biblical foundations in favor of secular philosophies.” Not correct! In fact, the reality is exactly the opposite. To participate in the Title IV programs, an institution must be accredited by an accrediting agency approved by the U.S. Department of Education. Two of the most prominent faith-based accrediting agencies are the Association for Biblical Higher Education (ABHE) and the Transnational Association of Christian Colleges (TRACS). Each of these organizations have accreditation standards which require that accredited institutions must have “Biblical Foundations” or “Tenets of Faith” which specifically state the institution’s religious doctrines and statements of the institution’s Christian beliefs and foundations.. Therefore, this myth is just untrue.
“Our institution will be required to teach more secular beliefs and abandon our Biblical foundations and curriculum.” Also, not true. What is taught and how it is taught is approved by the various state licensing agencies and the institution’s accreditor. In our extensive experience in financial aid and higher education, we have not seen any such interference with what is taught if the curriculum leads to a degree, diploma, or certificate that leads to potential employment.
“Our institution will be required to employ a financial aid officer whose lifestyle and beliefs do not agree with the philosophies and beliefs of the institution.” Also, not true. The same laws that permit you to ensure that your faculty and staff share the same beliefs are in effect regardless of your participation in federal student aid. See Title VII of the EEOC for more information.
“Our institution will not be allowed to teach the tenants of the Bible and our institution’s faith statements as a part of the curriculum of our institution.” Also, not true. Your institution’s curriculum and educational programs are approved by your accrediting agency and the U.S. Department of Education does not meddle or make educational object demands upon the institution.
“Our institution is experiencing bureaucratic fear of participating in the federal programs.” That is a very real fear but one that with proper guidance can be overcome. Experienced guidance from Third-Party servicers, like Weber & Associates, can help to alleviate these fears with the right hand-holding and caring guidance. Please contact us if you have further questions regarding our services and pricing.
“Our students are preparing to become ministers or missionaries and we do not want to burden them with student loan debt, so we just do not participate”. This is a very valid concern, but what is not known is that you can participate in the Federal Pell Grant, the Supplemental Education Opportunity Grant (FSEOG) and Federal Work Study (FWS) programs without participating in the Federal Direct Loan program. Participation in the federal student loan programs is optional. Why should your students not have a grant of up to $5,920 for two semesters or three quarters of attendance? This could increase with participation in the FSEOG and FWS programs.
“If we make mistakes with managing the Title IV programs our institution may have to repay thousands of dollars and be punished by the U.S. Department of Education”. Yes, that is a valid fear. But with the proper guidance and assistance, mistakes do not have to happen and can be avoided. That is what Weber is all about: Help and prevention.
“We have heard that employing a qualified financial aid officer is very expensive and far beyond our small institution’s budget. In addition, our institution is not in a large city, and finding a qualified person could prove to be very difficult.” That concern is most definitely true, and not exaggerated. While it is true that you must have a person designated to be the Financial Aid Officer, an experienced third party, such as Weber & Associates, can manage your Title IV programs and to train a person to work with the service to carry out the duties of a financial aid officer. | https://www.weberassociatesinc.com/blog/2018/07/03/debunking-myths/ |
Conditional statements are fundamental for imperative programming languages, including Java. They’re used to instruct a program to act differently based on whether something is true or false. Java’s if statement is the most basic conditional statement – it evaluates a boolean expression and executes code based on its outcome.
It starts with the keyword if followed by a pair of parenthesis. Between the parenthesis you need to provide a condition. A condition is a boolean expression – something that evaluates to either true or false. It can be a variable of type boolean, equality, relational, or conditional expressions (like num == 5), or even a method call that returns a boolean. Boolean object wrappers are also valid.
It is common practice to indent your if block as it provides a visual hint for readers. For code blocks that contain only a single line of code you can omit the curly braces – whether you should is a different discussion.
In many cases you might want to do two different things based on whether a condition is true or not. This is commonly referred to as if-then-else. If a condition holds true, then execute the following block of commands, otherwise (else) execute a different block, often called the else block or else branch. With this you can optionally provide an alternative execution path that will be followed if the condition evaluates to false.
This example is fairly similar to the previous one – again num is declared and set to 5. But this time the boolean test is slightly different! Only if num is greater than 10, will the expression evaluate to true. Since this is not the case, the test evaluates to false. According to the rules we defined earlier, the following block of code cannot be executed. Instead, the program’s execution jumps directly to the else block to handle the false case.
Sometimes you might want to test against multiple boolean expressions, so plain if-then-else does not quite cut it. For example, if a condition holds true, then do something, else if another condition holds true, then do that another thing. You can of course nest a new if statement inside an else block but that gets rather unreadable.
Instead it is common practice in Java to pull the second if up into the same line as the else, thus chaining the statements together. This allows you to check against multiple conditions and pick the first block of code that passes its boolean test.
In this example, we have a String variable callsign. The program first checks if it equals "Iceman". This obviously returns false, so the execution jumps into the first else where a new if waits. Then callsign is compared against "Maverick". This returns true and the following block of code is executed.
You can make use of the else statement to provide a default execution path, which will be executed if none of the conditions evaluated to true. In an if-else-if chain, only one block of code gets executed, others are ignored.
The if statement is the most basic conditional statement. It checks a condition, which is any boolean expression, and runs a block of code if it is true. The else keyword provides an alternative execution path that gets executed if the condition is false. To test multiple conditions you can chain if statements with else if.
Although this article gave you an overview of the variations of if statements, it did not cover all the conditional statements available in Java. First of all, we did not talk about the ternary operator, which can be summarized as a shortcut for the if statement. Long else if chains can potentially be replaced with switch statements. And Sometimes it is even possible to avoid if statements altogether using dynamic dispatch.
Software developer, hardware hacker, interested in machine learning, long distance runner. | https://www.sitepoint.com/javas-if-statement-tutorial/ |
This article was originally published on SitePoint on March 8, 2017. For more interesting content about Java, check out SitePoint’s Java channel.
Conditional statements are fundamental for imperative programming languages, including Java. They’re used to instruct a program to act differently based on whether something is true or false. Java’s
if statement is the most basic conditional statement - it evaluates a boolean expression and executes code based on its outcome.
To follow along, you need to have a basic understanding of equality, relational, and conditional operators and how to form boolean expressions with them. You should be good to go if you get why
1 > 0 evaluates to
true and
num == 5 evaluates to
false when
num equals anything other than
5.
The
if Statement
The
if statement is the most fundamental control flow statement. Once you understand it, the others will come easily. Essentially, an
if statement tells a program to execute the following block of code only if the accompanying condition is true.
Here you can see the anatomy of an
if statement:
A variable
num is declared and set to
5. What comes after that is the
if statement.
It starts with the keyword
if followed by a pair of parenthesis. Between the parenthesis you need to provide a condition. A condition is a boolean expression - something that evaluates to either
true or
false. It can be a variable of type
boolean, equality, relational, or conditional expressions (like
num == 5), or even a method call that returns a
boolean. Boolean object wrappers are also valid.
After the parenthesis you can see a pair of curly braces defining a block of code, often called the if block or if branch. That code is only executed if the condition evaluated to
true.
It is common practice to indent your if block as it provides a visual hint for readers. For code blocks that contain only a single line of code you can omit the curly braces - whether you should is a different discussion.
The
if-else Statement
In many cases you might want to do two different things based on whether a condition is true or not. This is commonly referred to as
if-then-
else. If a condition holds true, then execute the following block of commands, otherwise (else) execute a different block, often called the else block or else branch. With this you can optionally provide an alternative execution path that will be followed if the condition evaluates to
false.
This example is fairly similar to the previous one - again
num is declared and set to
5. But this time the boolean test is slightly different! Only if
num is greater than
10, will the expression evaluate to
true. Since this is not the case, the test evaluates to
false. According to the rules we defined earlier, the following block of code cannot be executed. Instead, the program’s execution jumps directly to the
else block to handle the
false case.
The
if-else-if Statement
Sometimes you might want to test against multiple boolean expressions, so plain
if-then-
else does not quite cut it.
For example, if a condition holds true, then do something, else if another condition holds true, then do that another thing. You can of course nest a new
if statement inside an
else block but that gets rather unreadable.
Instead it is common practice in Java to pull the second
if up into the same line as the
else, thus chaining the statements together. This allows you to check against multiple conditions and pick the first block of code that passes its boolean test.
In this example, we have a String variable
callsign. The program first checks if it equals
"Iceman". This obviously returns
false, so the execution jumps into the first
else where a new
if waits. Then
callsign is compared against
"Maverick". This returns
true and the following block of code is executed.
You can make use of the
else statement to provide a default execution path, which will be executed if none of the conditions evaluated to
true. In an
if-else-if chain, only one block of code gets executed, others are ignored.
Summary
The
if statement is the most basic conditional statement. It checks a condition, which is any boolean expression, and runs a block of code if it is true. The
else keyword provides an alternative execution path that gets executed if the condition is false. To test multiple conditions you can chain
if statements with
else if.
Although this article gave you an overview of the variations of
if statements, it did not cover all the conditional statements available in Java. First of all, we did not talk about the ternary operator, which can be summarized as a shortcut for the
if statement. Long
else if chains can potentially be replaced with switch statements. And Sometimes it is even possible to avoid
if statements altogether using dynamic dispatch. | https://blog.indrek.io/articles/javas-if-statement-in-five-minutes/ |
2) To conduct a survey on holiday shopping patterns, a researcher opens a telephone book to a random page, closes his eyes, puts his finger down on the page, and then reads off the next 100 names. Which of the following are true statements? : None of the above are true.
3) A researcher planning a survey of heads of households in New York has census lists for each of the 62 counties in the state. The procedure will be to obtain a simple random sample of heads of households from each of the counties rather than grouping all the census lists together and obtaining a sample from the entire group. Which of the following is a true statement about the resulting stratified sample? : None of the above are true.
4) Which of the following are true statements? : Sampling techniques that use probability techniques effectively eliminate bias.
5) To find out a town's average family size, a researcher interviews a random sample of parents arriving at a pediatrician's office. The average family size in the final 100-family sample is 3.48. Is this estimate probably too low or too high? : Too high because of undercoverage bias. | http://www.findstudyguides.com/category/statistics |
Key Concepts:
Terms in this set (22)
Which of the following statements are correct about a strong service culture?
It is especially beneficial to firms operating in the service sector since staff can be often left unsupervised due to the nature of some service companies
The service-profit chain proposes the following connections:
Internal service quality improves employee satisfaction which leads to satisfied and loyal customer and therefore increased revenue and profitability
organizational culture is an important....
all of the above
empowering service employees is important...
employees must be able to act on the spot...
What are the likely indicators of a positive climate for service?
all of the above
Which of the following... correct about employee engagement
a, c, and d only
Which of the following is not true about organizational commitment
none of the above
Emotional dissonance occurs when
a, b, and d only
which of the following factors is the ultimate key to a firms excellence
a committed workforce
Front line employees in hospitality...
all of the above
which is the most accurate summary..
none of the above
which of the statements... least describes emotional labor
the tendency...
Which of the statements below is not one of the reasons given as important differences in managing service employees
It is generally accepted that low skilled service workers are easier to manage
they have to serve as part-time marketers in addition
to reduce the need...
organizational psychology:
a and c only
employee empowerment allows service organizations to:
all of the above
which of the following statements are correct about organizational climate?
is directly linked..
Which of the following statements is the least true about organizational culture
It is directly connected to organizational citizenship behaviors
Some of the reasons that employees are so important to successful service organizations include:
all of the above
which of the following statements based on Edgar Schein s
espoused values refer to
Motivating hospitality employees is understood to be challenging. Which reason below is not one of the generally recognized challenges?
need to wear uncomfortable uniforms
Which of the following mottos or statements reflect the importance the company places on its workers:
We are Ladies and Gentlemen serving Ladies and Gentlemen."
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Higher education institutions (HEI’s) worldwide are being held more accountable for both the effectiveness and relevance of their educational programmes and are being challenged to “reinsert the public good into higher education”. These reasons have contributed to the development of the service-learning movement globally. In South Africa service-learning became entrenched in HEI policy documents in less than a decade ago. Although there are national policy guidelines for community engagement and service-learning as a particular type of community engagement, the implementation of service-learning has occurred sporadically as HEIs struggling with the many changes at all societal levels.
PURPOSE
Whilst the school of nursing at University of the Western Cape is cognizant of this national policy imperative as stipulated in the guidelines of the Higher Education Quality Committee, how these statements will be operationalised within the undergraduate nursing programme has not been addressed. The question that therefore needs to be asked is what teaching staff perceive to be the enablers and challenges for institutionalising service-learning in the programme by exploring the perceptions of those involved in teaching on the programme.
WHAT WAS DONE
An exploratory, descriptive, contextual design was used. Participants who included academics (n= 18) and clinical supervisors (n= 18) employed at the school of nursing, completed a self- administered, structured questionnaire, adapted from Furco’s self-assessment rubric for the institutionalization of service-learning in Higher Education..
RESULTS OF RESULTS AND IMPACT
The preliminary results reported here are part of a wider investigation into the implementation of service-learning in selected modules in the undergraduate nursing programme. The findings reveal that the school of nursing has to engage in critical mass building activities because none of the respondents were aware of the Higher Education Quality Committee’s assessment criteria for service-learning. Approximately 9% indicated awareness that the institution has an official definition of service-learning that is used consistently to operationalize most aspects of service-learning on campus. However, the majority (91%) reported on the absence of a campus-wide definition of service-learning; the inconsistent use of service-learning to describe a variety of experiential and service activities, or that they were unsure. Respondents indicated that institutional and departmental for and involvement in service-learning for academics, students and community participation was minimal. Although three respondents attended training sessions, all indicated that they would either like to receive information about the national service-learning policy guidelines, or attend training sessions on service-learning.
CONCLUSION
It can thus be concluded that the academics and clinical supervisors are willing to participate in activities to overcome the challenges identified. It is therefore recommended that a tailor-made training programme be designed to address the needs of the school of nursing in order to institutionalize service-learning in the undergraduate nursing programme
Author's affiliations
Hester Julie, | http://www.sajsm.org.za/index.php/ajhpe/article/view/102 |
Idealism, in general, is the claim that reality is dependent on the mind and their ideas, (Morrison). George Berkley, an early metaphysician that defended the views of idealism, presents a view of material idealism which claims that the existence of ... ... middle of paper ... ...ectively bring together the right ideas presented by the rationalists and empiricists and strengthen the foundation of metaphysics. Kant uses the theory of transcendental idealism, the claim that gains of knowledge are based on perceptions of the mind, to prove the limitations of the human mind. Transcendental realists are proven wrong by Kant because of their inability to see that the mind is incapable of perceiving things in themselves. Kant resolves Hume’s scepticism by confirming that there are sources of reality perceived by sensations.
In this sense, the inductive reasoning used in the scientific method is justified, as our understanding of scientific truths and all scientific advancement relies on its existence. While Popper’s qualms about inductive reasoning appear to be justified, it nonetheless proves itself to be the less-problematic approach to scientific learning. This approach need not be flawless for it to be functional in its practical application in the world, and for us to justify its continued use. It simply needs to allow progress, which Popper’s overly-cautious deductive approach evidentially does not allow, at least not on a comparable scale.
Entity Realism The truth about scientific unobservables has been argued about from two distinct sides, realists and anti-realists. I will argue that entity realism is the best way to show that entities exist. The scientific anti-realist believes that there is a difference between unobservable and observable entities. They believe that because there is no concrete evidence of unobservable entities and events, theories should not be taken to be true. This does not mean that anti-realists do not take all scientific theories to be false, but that they should only be considered empirically adequate.
What the revolutionary achievements of Descartes, Kant, and Fichte have generically in common is to account for the legitimacy of our knowledge claims or, in other words, for the possibility of autonomy. The business of that kind of philosophy is to rationally reconstruct the rightness of judging. For that design the architecture of those authors' theorizing is necessarily opposed to normal experience. (First of all, the common notion of "things affecting us" has to be abandoned.) Transcendental arguments are therefore all but common sense.
Popper claims basic statements are not justified by experience, but accepted by choice or convention. This claim is argued through a rejection of ‘psychologism’ and inductivism. According to Popper, scientific theory can be seen the fog above a swamp full of basic statements; the acceptance of a theory comes from an evaluation of basic statements and the conscious decision to accept or reject the theory. Popper comes to this conclusion after considering the problem of psychologism, distinguishing science from non-science, examining the falsification of theories and their testability, and then comparing perceptual experience and basic statements to illustrate how we come to form and accept scientific theory as empirical. Poppers arguments are
While this may be an answer, the Cartesian theory cannot be fully proven, yet it does illustrate Descartes high concept of what is the soul and what is the mind. In conclusion, the initiation in philosophy of methodological scepticism will constitute, after Descartes, becoming the obsessive theme of reflection of modern philosophy. Descartes’ mediations are the ones which expose the results of metaphysics based on principles. For the building of this philosophy those principles must be absolute certain. Descartes realises this and doubts all his previous knowledge, not to reach a sceptical conclusion but to find absolute certain elements beyond doubt, allowing him to find the foundation on which he can build the rest of his thinking.
In Chalmer’s first claim that “scientific knowledge is proven knowledge”, we can see that this contradicts heavily with Popper’s falsificationism*. The... ... middle of paper ... ...ith deductive refutations which, by nature, must also be based on experience. The difference between the two arguments lies in the extent of testing before the hypothesis can be considered true. The Popperian view would be that it is impossible for it to be proved as new evidence may falsify the hypothesis whereas Chalmer infers that, at some point, it can become proven knowledge. The next comparison I will make refers to Chalmer’s statement that “science is based on what we can see and hear and touch, etc.”.
Because of this, existentialists think that reason cannot be absolute. Cause and effect relationship is concerned as determinism and it is approval when the scientist is in the state of being impersonal observation and experiment. As existentialists state, being impersonal cannot deal with personal experience. In addition to this responsibility is one of our basic experiences. “ Existentialism will teach us that we have to admit experience as evidence.”(Roubiczek, 1-17) If we don’t admit we cannot understand what we feel and we don’t feel responsibility for our actions.
The Person and the Mind This paper will address the general form of the argument for the identity of the person (mind) with the body (brain). This argument will be found unsound because it is both invalid and because the premises on which the argument is based are, in fact, false. This analysis will include a critical examination of Logical Behaviorism, a theory that supports this argument. The argument is based on two premises (P): P1: The mind is subject to understanding and control by science. P2: Only what is quantifiable and sense-perceptible is subject to control by science.
In this paper I will argue that Roderick Chisholm gives a correct solution to the problem of the criterion. The philosophical problem with criterion is that we cannot know the extent of knowledge without knowing criteria, and vice versa. Chisholm approaches the problem of criterion by saying that in order to know whether things are as they seem to be we must have a procedure for recognizing things that are true from things that are false. He then states that to know if the procedure is a good one, we have to know if it really recognizes things that are true from things that are false. From that we cannot know whether it really does succeed unless we already know what things are true and what things are false. | https://www.123helpme.com/essay/Arguments-Against-Dualism-403359 |
The Economic Triangle And The Allocation of InterestsConfluence Investment Management
In mid-August 2016, I published a two-part series titled “Thinking about Thinking” (see Part I and II). Occasionally, I will be asked which WGR is my favorite or most important. I generally refer readers to the aforementioned reports.
Q2 hedge fund letters, conference, scoops etc
One facet of that report is the three statements of knowledge—a priori analytic statements, a posteriori synthetic statements and a priori synthetic statements. The first are logic statements, where the subject is contained in the predicate. These statements are always true but generally trivial, essentially tautologies. To say “all unmarried men are bachelors” is true if one defines all bachelors as unmarried men. The second type of statements are inductive in nature. We observe the world and draw generalized conclusions about it. Such statements are always conditional. The concept of such statements was well described by Nicholas Taleb in The Black Swan.1 Ornithologists in Europe suggested that black swans didn’t exist because no one had ever seen one. Then, someone from Europe traveled to Australia and, lo and behold, black swans exist. A posteriori statements are true only until contrary evidence is found. Since science is built on induction, the notion of “settled science” is faulty; what we know from science is true based only on what we know now. But, if contrary evidence emerges, concepts based on induction must adjust.
The real battleground in philosophy are a priori synthetic statements. These are essentially “self-evident truths” that we believe to be true in all cases and are not derived from experience. The skeptical Scottish philosopher David Hume argued that a priori synthetic statements were not possible. Instead, he suggested that such statements were based on experience and thus a posteriori. Emmanuel Kant tried to rescue a priori synthetic statements by suggesting that humans were born with the ability to impose patterns of thinking on the world. In other words, we don’t actually perceive the world directly but we do so through the filter of one’s mind. This filter essentially impresses our views on reality and allows us to make a priori synthetic statements.
Although Kant’s attempt to “save” a priori synthetic statements has generally thought to have failed, there is an insight from Kant’s thought that is useful. Essentially, people tend to think in paradigms. In other words, we adopt a certain worldview or narrative for how things work and then impose them on reality. The problem is, of course, that our worldview or paradigm may not be true. In fact, almost by design, paradigms of reality are mere models and thus will be incomplete. At the same time, the paradigms we adopt shape how we interpret the world. Thus, it makes sense that we understand the models that we adopt to be aware of their strengths and weaknesses.
In this report, we will examine supply and demand as a model of markets and suggest that at the macro level a different model, the “Economic Triangle,” might offer better insights into how the political economy actually operates. We will discuss how the Economic Triangle explains the way various economic participants operate and how political factors affect the triangle. Next week, we will show how the Economic Triangle fits into the major economic systems, offer two contemporary examples, and conclude with market ramifications.
Supply and Demand
The paradigm of supply and demand is one of the most powerful in economics. It takes David Hume’s notion that the only factor that can overcome self-interest is self-interest. In other words, self-interest is the most powerful factor in human behavior, according to Hume, and it can be best controlled by pitting it against another’s self-interest.2 Adam Smith crystalized this idea in a famous passage:
It is not from the benevolence of the butcher, the brewer, or the baker, that we expect our dinner, but from their regard to their own interest. We address ourselves, not to their humanity but to their self-love, and never talk to them of our own necessities, but to their advantages.3
Essentially, the power of markets to align self-interest:
…by directing that industry in such a manner as its produce may be of the greatest value, he intends only his own gain, and he is in this, as in many other cases, led by an invisible hand to promote an end which was no part of his intention.4
Economists since Hume and Smith further developed these themes and they evolved into what every Econ 101 student will recognize, the supply and demand curves.
The demand curve represents the consumers of a product or service. In general, we expect an inverse relationship to price and demand.5 Thus, a rising price will restrain demand. The supply curve represents the provider of a good or service. In general, we expect the supply provided to rise with a higher price. Both sides of the market have divergent interests. The price and quantity in the market is set at the intersection of the supply and demand curves. The market clears simply by the self-interested interaction of consumers and producers.
There is no quibble that the supply/demand model works well at the micro level. For individual consumers and firms, the model does a good job in describing behavior. However, there is a problem at the macro level. Macroeconomics adopted supply and demand for the whole economy, describing that model as aggregate demand and supply. However, the whole point of supply and demand analysis, based on the philosophical groundwork of Hume and Smith, is that the market is the clearinghouse for interests. The problem is that at the macro level the interests of consumers and producers are not easily delineated. The supply side is not a single entity but comprises capital and labor, whose interests are not identical. Consumers are not pure either; at the macro level, the income for consumers comes from profit, rent, and wages, or, put another way, from either being compensated by capital or by labor. Although aggregate supply and demand analysis does fit into Hicks’s neo-Keynesian model of the economy, the reality is that this model doesn’t truly reflect the coincidence of interests at the macro level as it does at the micro level. For example, the supply/demand model expresses the transaction of buying a bagel at a local coffee shop. As a consumer, I would prefer a free bagel; the proprietor would likely prefer to sell it for $100 each. We end up settling for a price of $2.50. The model is less effective in capturing the aggregate of the economy. As a consumer, I would prefer cheap goods; but if those goods are acquired by importing goods that deprive me of a job or reduce my pay, my interest are conflicted.
This is the problem that Marx tried to address. Marxism has never been able to create mathematically elegant economic models of classical or neo-Keynesian economics. But, what these models lack is the ability to fully express the divergence of interests that exist in the macroeconomy. The tensions tend to express themselves in the political arena and economics often fails to provide analysis that enlightens the discussion. Or, put another way, because economics is captured by the supply/demand paradigm, it struggles to examine conditions by any other method. For example, economics has tended to ignore the impact of power relations and usually reduces self-interest into merely the actions surrounding price. While that dovetails nicely into supply and demand analysis, it tends to reduce a complex set of relations that may prevent economists from fully appreciating social and political trends. Therefore, in light of this issue, our team has been thinking about a different model to examine the issue of interests.
The Economic Triangle
In discussions with my colleagues on this issue, Thomas Wash, staff economist, suggested that the interests of capital, labor, and consumers were better described as a triangle.
Here is how this analysis works. In an economy all members are consumers. Households are compensated by either the returns to capital or by wages. In general, household income is something of a continuum. Some households derive all their income from capital, more from labor, but many receive income from both sources in varying degrees. How a household views its interest is a combination of the fact that they are (a) consumers, and (b) receive income in varying degrees from capital and labor. It is fairly safe to assume that most households receive the majority of their income from labor (wages).
The returns to producers are divided between capital and labor. This is where the supply curve described above fails to fully portray the interests of producers. As we will describe below, the interests of both sides of production do not necessarily coincide. Broadly speaking, the interests of each break down as follows:
Consumers generally want the greatest amount of goods and services at the lowest possible cost. That is consistent with the downward sloping demand curve. Consumers may express some concern about the treatment of producers. Ethical buying campaigns and “fair value” campaigns are common. However, the preponderance of evidence supports the idea that the majority of consumers will purchase at the supplier who offers the lowest price. The fact that Walmart (WMT, 114.60) has put other general retailers out of business or Amazon (AMZN, 1,992.03) has decimated booksellers only occurred because consumers preferred low prices.
Labor generally wants the highest wage possible. They don’t necessarily care if consumers have to pay more or profits and rents decline. Of course, wage earners are also consumers so there is some interest in lower prices but, as individuals, labor wants the best wages they can get. In the aggregate, that leads to either higher prices or less margin for capital.
Capital is the most complicated of the three. The allocation of investment may be the most critical part of any economy because future growth depends on the proper creation of productive capacity. To create funds for investment, saving has to be created somewhere which requires the postponement of current consumption. A poor decision on investment means that current consumption has been postponed for no benefit and is thus lost to society. Political economics is, in part, based on who controls the ownership and allocation decision of investment. Private owners of capital tend to focus on profitability in determining investment. Public owners of capital, or private owners deeply influenced by government, may have other goals in addition to, or in substitution of, profits.
The Allocation of Interests
In Hume and Smith’s construction, self-interest is pitted against self-interest as the best way to achieve a peaceful, productive and efficient allocation of resources. However, what is often overlooked is that Hume said this was true if and only if the relative power of each side of the transaction was equal. For Hume, justice only exists between parties of nearly equal power. If wide power disparities exist, the weaker party can only rely on mercy.6
To counter this condition, governments have tended to intervene in order to balance out disparities of power between consumers, labor, and capital. As part of this process, theories of the political economy have developed throughout history to both guide and justify decisions that policymakers generate. In all of them, our position is that two of the three legs of the triangle can be favored at any given time. Or, put another way, there is a rank order of interests where one side of the triangle will be most favored, one second, and one last. Overall, the role of government has been to balance the interests of the three elements of the triangle to create an optimal economic and political outcome.
Part II
Next week, we will discuss the major theories of economics and how the Economic Triangle fits into those models. We will offer two contemporary examples to show how the theory works and conclude with market ramifications. | https://valuewalkpremium.com/2019/08/the-economic-triangle-and-the-allocation-of-interests/ |
The World Trade Organization:
a.
Is a consulting group for companies who wish to engage in international trade.
b.
Succeeded the GATT agreements.
c.
Collects duties for member countries.
d.
Is a major trading company.
Question 2
Major regional trade agreements include all of the following EXCEPT
a.
APEC.
b.
PROTEC.
c.
EU.
d.
NAFTA.
Question 3
Developing economies are
a.
Mature economies with substantial per capita GDP and international trade.
b.
Hong Kong, Singapore, and Taiwan.
c.
Countries in the process of changing their economies from government-controlled to a more free market capitalism.
d.
None of the above
Question 4
The free market reforms in emerging countries are creating a potential group of
a.
old competitors.
b.
new competitors.
c.
subsidized firms.
d.
government companies.
Question 5
Emerging markets are defined as those that are:
a.
Seen to have impact only sporadically.
b.
Enjoying a mature economy.
c.
Transitioning from a communist-controlled economy to capitalism.
d.
Growing rapidly.
Question 6
Environmentalists are concerned that free trade encourages large multinational corporations to
a.
overlook poor countries in their expansion of production.
b.
concentrate environmental damage in their home country where they have influence.
c.
become too concerned about the environment and overlook the needs of the global economy.
d.
move environmentally damaging production to poor countries.
Question 7
Which of the following statements about the Internet and Information Technology is true?
a.
The Internet is benefiting companies worldwide.
b.
Information technology does not allow the sharing of information around the world.
c.
Electronic communications does not allow companies to communicate with locations around the world.
d.
Information technology is not encouraging a borderless financial market.
Question 8
On which of Hofstede’s value dimensions does the U.S. rank highest?
a.
Masculinity
b.
Power distance
c.
Patriotism
d.
Individualism
Question 9
According to research discussed in the text, which of the following may help managers become more culturally intelligent?
a.
Exposure to new cultural experiences in other countries
b.
Learning to trust each people from individualistic cultures
c.
Having a short term orientation
d.
All of the above are true
Question 10
US firms often outsource customer service to workers in a foreign country. To minimize difficulties, such workers receive cross-cultural training which may include:
a.
Training workers to reduce or eliminate an accent.
b.
Educating workers regarding US culture.
c.
Requiring workers to speak only English while on duty.
d.
All of the above
Question 11
Hofstede’s concept of masculinity refers to
a.
gender roles.
b.
strength building.
c.
the male percentage of population.
d.
male bonding.
Question 12
Training for conformity and obedience, with valuations based on compliance and trustworthiness characterize countries with
a.
Low power distance.
b.
Short term orientations.
c.
High individualism.
d.
High power distance.
Question 13
Which of the following statements is true regarding a future oriented society?
a.
People believe they can control nature.
b.
Organizational change is considered necessary and beneficial.
c.
Managers and workers do not necessarily believe that hard work can lead to future success.
d.
Individuals cannot influence the future.
Question 14
Occupational cultures
a.
Are the norms, values, beliefs, and expected ways of behaving for people in the same occupational group.
b.
Are the set of important understandings that members of an organization share.
c.
Are the dominant cultures within a country.
d.
Are norms, values, and beliefs that pertain to all aspects of doing business in a country.
Question 15
When a society expects that while men should work outside, and women ideally stay at home, this exhibits which of the following features?
a.
Growing levels of industrialization and economic development
b.
Open societies
c.
Strict division of society by gender
d.
Need for domestic products
Question 16
According to the text, all of the following statements regarding education and educational systems around the world are TRUE except
a.
Universal education enrolment is a goal of most countries.
b.
Educational levels give an indication of the skill and productivity in any society.
c.
The focus of educational systems around the world are fairly similar in terms of whether these systems emphasize academic or vocational aspects.
d.
All of the above statements are true.
Question 17
A complex of positions, roles, norms, and values organizing relatively stable patterns of human resources to sustain viable social structures refers to which of the following?
a.
Social institutions
b.
Comparative advantage
c.
Entrepreneurship
d.
Strategy of the multinational company
Question 18
High rankings on the materialist index of some countries (e.g., Hungary, India, Brazil) suggest that individuals in these countries are
a.
Achievement oriented.
b.
Hinduism.
c.
Favor non material incentives.
d.
Motivated by non-monetary rewards.
Question 19
An example of cross-national distance involves
a.
the geographic size of various countries.
b.
differences in importance of the financial sector.
c.
differences in transportation systems used around the world.
d.
an opportunity for Google maps.
Question 20
Pre industrial societies tend to have
a.
Adequate infrastructure.
b.
Poor infrastructure and support.
c.
Favorable business conditions.
d.
Government support.
Question 21
Which of the following has important implications for multinationals?
a.
Religion
b.
Education and economic systems
c.
Industrialization and inequality
d.
All of the above
Question 22
In industrial societies, occupational placement is based on universalistic criteria such as
a.
Religion.
b.
Age.
c.
Achievement.
d.
Ascription.
Question 23
In the BCG matrix, the appropriate strategy for dogs should be
a.
Invest and Expand.
b.
Defend and Harvest.
c.
Divest.
d.
None of the above
Question 24
Porter’s five forces help a multinational manager understand
a.
The key success factors in an industry.
b.
How to assess its unrelated diversification efforts.
c.
How to assess the attractiveness of the industries a company is involved in.
d.
The trends in its industry.
Question 25
Market size, ease of entry and exit, and economies of scale are all examples of
a.
Defensive strategies.
b.
Key success factors.
c.
Differentiation.
d.
Dominant economic characteristics.
Question 26
Which of the following more likely represents a threat to a multinational company like Toyota?
a.
Lower interest rates around the world that makes cars more affordable.
b.
Toyota’s bad image among teenagers.
c.
Higher prices charged by Toyota’s competitors.
d.
Kia and Hyundai’s entry in markets traditionally dominated by Toyota.
Question 27
The value chain
a.
Represents a generic strategy.
b.
Represents all the activities that a firm uses to market and deliver its products.
c.
Represents all the activities that a firm uses to design, produce, market, deliver, and support its products.
d.
None of the above
Question 28
Competitive strategies
a.
Are examples of basic generic strategies.
b.
Are moves multinationals and other companies use to defeat competitors.
c.
Can be low cost or differentiation.
d.
All of the above
Question 29
A value chain involves
a.
A and B above.
b.
the values, beliefs, and convictions of countries where a firm is doing business.
c.
designing, producing, marketing, and delivering something of value.
d.
the chain or link between what is of value in an economic sense and the human perspective.
Question 30
Sales and dealing with distribution channels refer to _________ activities in the value chain.
a.
Secondary
b.
Support
c.
Upstream
d. | https://varsitytermpapers.com/mgt-510-applied-sciences-homework-help/ |
The notion of a concluding rule was the dominant theme of the second part of this blog. Aristotle had already recognized such rules as decisive tool of thought for dialogues and discourses. A conclusion, according to him, is “a discourse in which some things are presupposed and then something different […] results from it”. He also realised that the rules themselves and the nature of the assumptions were important. Thus, he distinguished between the logical conclusion and the dialectical conclusion.
The logical conclusion was at the centre of his teaching on such tools of thought. Here one could already give clear concluding rules at that time. Even today, any introduction to logic begins with an examination of these concluding rules. The further development of Aristotelian logic in the form of propositional logic is the basis for all further studies of human cognitive abilities.
The realization that in a sea of mysticism and dialectic there is the possibility at all to transfer the truth of statements to another statement, has driven me very much in my youth, when I had become so properly aware of this.
What’s the use of all this? One could establish such a kind of logical order between statements, in which it becomes clear which true statements follow from which other true statements. One could start from true statements and build a whole thought building on them, which consists only of true statements.
But – what statements can you start with? That was the big question.
The mathematicians and logicians of antiquity had already demonstrated how this question about a beginning of true knowledge can be answered. Aristotle had shown, as already mentioned in an earlier chapter, that from the syllogisms of the 1st form all other syllogisms can be derived . He had thus solved the problem of how to arrive at true statements at all in such a way that he regarded the syllogisms of the 1st form as true propositions. These were immediately evident for him.
A few decades later, Euclid of Alexandria had then logically ordered the knowledge of geometric areas and bodies and thus created the first larger axiomatic-deductive thought structure. Here, too, he had to regard a few sentences as true at the beginning. They seemed evident from intuition.
So, at term-logic and at geometry already was demonstrated, how knowledge of secure transport of truth can be extended to an axiomatic-deductive system. Throughout the centuries, mathematics has remained an unsurpassed model for such an organization of secure knowledge.
There had been attempts to introduce a similar rigour of argumentation in philosophy and ethics. Such approaches, however, all ran into the sand (see Wikipedia: Mathesis universalis). Had they been the wrong areas for a rigor of thought according to the mode of mathematization?
Perhaps axioms did not necessarily have to be immediately obvious, but it was more important to find a source of true knowledge at all. Just as Euclid could refer to a large number of mathematical proofs and arranged this material according to logical points of view and, if necessary, supplemented it, a “small” axiomatic deductive construct of thought may also emerge after knowledge of some true statements by clarifying the logical relationship between them. Gradually one could then combine these “small buildings” into larger ones.
Galileo Galilei was the first to recognise that nature was the source of true knowledge, as well as the importance of mathematics for the formulation of such knowledge. He was the first to describe a result of a physical experiment in the language of mathematics.
He certainly saw the implications of this combination of mathematics and experiment. It was immediately clear to him what a revolution a mathematisation represented for the understanding of science at that time. Thus, he spoke of a “new science”, which he had founded. His sentence “The Book of Nature is written in the language of mathematics” bears witness to this, as does the passage of his letter to the Tuscan Secretary of State Vinta in 1610: “Therefore, I take the liberty of calling this a new science discovered by me from its foundations”.
Galileo thus took up the Pythagorean idea again, but in a completely new way. He probably also saw that there is an order, that is, regularities in nature, which can be expressed in mathematical relations, and he had also become acquainted with the rigour of mathematical conclusions through his study of Euclidean geometry. But he also recognized that one must “question” nature through experiments in order to discover this order of nature, to make true statements out of it in mathematical language and to bring these into a logical order. Not empiricism alone, not mathematics alone, but experiment and mathematics are the pillars of his new, strict science.
We all know the consequences of this discovery, without which our world today would be a completely different one. At some point, however, this “new science” had to be discovered; nature and mathematics – or rather nature and logic – are too close to each other.
When is an implication true?
Why does empiricism play such an important role, why do ” inquiries ” of nature in the form of experiments play such an important role, if one wishes a theory after the model of Euclidean geometry, thus as axiomatic-deductive system? So let’s look again at the modus ponens as a prototype of a logical conclusion:
A, A → B ⊨ B.
In order to deduce a statement that is incontestably true, premises A and A → B must be true. There is one statement, namely A, which occurs in both premises. The implication forms the bridge to a new statement, namely B, which is then deduced. There must be such “bridges” in every concluding rule, because nothing can be inferred from statements that are completely independent of each other. Also, the syllogisms each have a middle term, which occurs in both premises.
A true implication A → B means that A is sufficient for B: Always if A, then B. Where is that the case?
We can find true implications by questioning nature. We then receive the following answers: “If I throw a ball into the air, it falls to the earth” or “If an electric current flows in a wire, there is a magnetic field in its environment”. The experimental physicists are therefore suppliers of true implications, which we then also call laws of nature.
True implications can also be found if we transform the statement “All Greeks are human beings”, for example, into “If x is Greek, then x is human.”
Here we have formed the terms “Greeks” and “humans” in such a way that the implication is true. The statement thus becomes true by the fact that we form the concepts accordingly.
Then we’re already at the end of our rope. For all other implications the dialectical conclusion is probably responsible, i.e. here an implication belongs to the category of sentences about which Aristotle said:
Sentences are credible if they are recognized by all, or by most, or by wise men, the latter by all, or by most, or by the most experienced and credible.
We can add: And what is recognized by “wise men” also depends on time. Let us only think of the laws of legal science, e.g. the law §1356 of the German Civil Code (BGB), which until 1977 still read: “The woman manages the household on her own responsibility. It shall be entitled to be economically active to the extent compatible with its matrimonial and family responsibilities.”
When it comes to regulations for human coexistence, morals, customs and traditions, yes, everything that nature does not tell us, there can be no generally acceptable true implications. We are referred to the dialectical conclusion and thus to a negotiation about which implications are to be set as true. So here we can only “set” truth, not find it.
The consequence of this is that the statements of the natural sciences are universally valid, but there are countless religions and legal systems. In the natural sciences there is also a change over time. However, as we will see in the next chapters, this is a kind of evolution, a “finding of the ever better” basic assumptions based on ever new discoveries about nature’s behaviour.
For some time, it was believed that rules for human coexistence could also be read from human nature. Such a doctrine of natural law can be used for the most diverse ideologies. Ultimately, it is always the “wise men” who generally decree the sentences, which actually only seem credible to some, to be true. The Catholic Church still adheres to this doctrine today. For centuries, however, one has been talking of a “naturalistic fallacy” when one infers “ought” from “is”. An implication that links statements about “is” with statements about “ought” be cannot be read from nature. We owe the first explicit formulation of this insight to the philosopher David Hume (1711 to 1776).
The new science of Galileo Galilei
The “hot” topic of nature research at the time of Galileo was motion. In his work “Discorsi” he says: “Nothing is older than motion, and about it there are neither few nor few writings of philosophers. Nevertheless, I have experienced their peculiarities in great quantity, and among them very worth knowing”. The motion had already been an issue for the pre-Socratics. Aristotle had distinguished different classes of motions and had found a special explanation for each. Motion is the phenomenon that we encounter most immediately, but which can also be observed in the sky as the course of the stars. If you wanted to learn anything at all from nature, you first had to “understand” the motion.
What was the experiment Galileo used to study motion, and what form of mathematics did he use to describe the results? How Galileo approached the problem is remarkable and symptomatic of the course of modern science. He did not focus on “the whole” as the pre-Socratics did, nor did he try to create a general overview like Aristotle. Instead of this he started it “on a small scale”. He let a small, smoothly polished ball roll down an inclined plane, i.e. an inclined narrow wooden board into which he had a channel buried – a child’s play in modern times.
This turn of the view alone demonstrates the independence of his thinking, as it is characteristic of a genius. Even in Goethe’s day, philosophers had to think about “what holds the world together at its innermost”, and Faust has only mockery for Mephistopheles when he fights for people: “You can do nothing on a large scale, and now you can begin it on a small scale. Religions only know this question about “the whole”.
Actually, Galileo has taken up the trail of Xenophanes again. If one trusts that it will be possible to “search for the better”, one appreciates also “small successes” in the search for knowledge; one looks for a template on which one can build. This is how modern science, modern technology works. That is why there is research and also development.
Galileo now had to measure times and distances for each roll of the sphere. How he could determine in particular a time unit in which he used his feeling for an even measure in a song is described in detail in (Fölsing, 1983, p. 177ff). In his notes, he reports: “… with probably a hundred times repetition, we always found that the distances behaved like the squares of time, and this for every inclination of the plane, that is, the channel in which the sphere ran. (Discorsi, after (Fölsing, 1983, p. 174)).
Galileo formulated the result in the form of proportions, ratios, as was customary at the time and as had not yet been learned in any other way. Time periods and distances were variables of different physical dimensions, and one had not yet understood how such variables could be directly related. Therefore, he wrote down his result not in the form in which the distance proportional to the square of the time required is given, but as equality of the ratios of two distances and two squares of corresponding times. In a graph, in which the times are plotted against the distances, this presents itself as a semiparabola, as is indeed found in the Dialogo Quarto of Discorsi Galileis in the discussion of thrown bodies (Fig. 1).
Here one must say something about the state of mathematical knowledge of Galileo’s time. This could not have been higher than what one knew from late antiquity and how it was probably also taught at the universities of the time in the faculties of the artists, the faculties of the “artes liberales”, the “free arts”. Thus, in mathematics one thought predominantly in geometrical terms, since geometry had always been dominant in antiquity. It was only about a generation after Galileo that René Descartes (1596 to 1650) was to develop an “Analytical Geometry” in which geometric relations could be expressed as arithmetic relationships. Geometric problems could thus be analysed within the framework of arithmetic. Afterwards mathematics became essentially arithmetic and algebra, the doctrine of transforming arithmetic relations. But the fact that the relationship between times and distances in the case on the inclined plane could now be represented by a parable fitted well into the world in which mathematics consisted for the most part of geometry.
Galileo had also been initiated into the beauty and stringency of Euclid’s geometry by an engineer and geometer Ostilio Ricci. He was already “infected” by the idea of having to logically arrange his experimental statements. He was therefore also looking for a principle from which all these statements could be derived. However, he was caught on the wrong track. Four years later he was able to correct this error (Fölsing, 1983, p. 175ff). Such a “theory” for a falling movement would soon have been obsolete anyway. He could not have imagined that at the end of his century a theory would emerge that could explain all motions in the sky and on earth from a few axioms. His falling motion became a small special case in it.
The English physicist and mathematician Isaac Newton stood on Galileo’s shoulders during the development of this theory. The first axiom in this theory was based on Galileo’s hypothesis, on which he had been guided in his falling experiments. It was the hypothesis that, on a horizontal plane, the motion of the rolling sphere “would continue forever at a uniform speed” if it were not affected by unevenness of the ground (Galilei, 1982, p. 30).
For Aristotle, a motion that gradually comes to rest through friction is the natural, actual motion. So this is a process for him, only with “force” the motion can be maintained. The rest is then a very special state, “essentially” different from a motion.
With Galilei, on the other hand, the uniform motion is the natural one, and this is a state. Through external circumstances such as friction it can come to rest, but this is only a special state of this kind. This insight stands at the beginning of modern physics.
With which statements can one begin with the formulation of an axiomatic-deductive system for a theory of motion? The answer to this question was obvious for Newton: Galileo’s insight, which was later formulated as the law of inertia, must have been at the beginning of a theory of motion.
Let us take a closer look at which statements have been put at the start in this theory, but also in other physical theories. We will see that this happened in very different ways. But let us first get an overview of these theories in the next chapter. | https://philphys.hypotheses.org/date/2019/06 |
Professionalism in a career is a product of the level and quality of training one has gone through. A review of Walden University’s mission and vision statements reveal an institution committed to the availing and provision of the best skills to nursing students. In stating that “Walden University envisions a distinctively different 21st-century learning community where knowledge is judged worthy to the degree that it can be applied by its graduates to the immediate solutions of critical societal challenges, thereby advancing the greater global good”.(Walden University, 2010). It portrays an institution that values the application of the acquired knowledge in tackling the challenges of the future while at the same time seeking solutions to the problems that compound the society today and thus contributing to the general good of the society. Its mission is embodied in the ability to transform one into a true professional who is able to execute his roles and duties to effect positive social change.
Walden’s vision and mission exactly fit into my career. This is because I personally agree with the objectives behind the mission and vision of this institution. Nurses advocate for the voiceless in society and as such act as agents of social change. My experience within the nursing profession has opened the scope of my understanding of the demands that foster the ability of one to become a professional. Through role modeling, I strive to treat all regardless of their social class in society. I further plan to make use of the atmosphere within Walden to improve my skills in research for greater impact on policies related to this field. These will then enhance my ability to reduce the gaps that exist within the provision of healthcare services.
My desire and drive to become a nurse were driven by a number of personal and external factors. The central role of a nurse is to provide healthcare to patients, families and communities. The choice of my career was largely influenced by my desire to create positive change in the community through the application of physical, emotional, social, and psychological teachings fused with research and counseling. The best career that in my view exactly fit into this definition is nursing. Furthermore, the availability of jobs within this field made makes it a secure choice in relation to other careers. This was my initial reason for joining nursing but after some time, I found out that I not only fell in love with it but wanted to be an agent of social change through it. Even though my initial perceptions about nursing were based on the idea to permanently have a job and for monetary purposes, I have come to realize that the ability to assist the needy and help people remain above all other reasons.
My earlier perceptions have changed due to my practical experience with my fellow students, lecturers and members of the Walden University community. There is that need for one to put in more personal effort and drive to achieve higher performance levels in terms of class performance, personal drive and positive attitude that defines a professional. I no longer hold my earlier beliefs in regard to professionalism in nursing in that the Walden University community has changed my ultimate goal to greater heights and so far for the better.
My professional goals as a nurse are embodied in the ability to look a part in the course of my duties, treat colleagues, patients, and clients with dignity and respect, commit myself to life long learning process and execute my roles in the best manner. These are all the attributes I consider as the correct definition of excellence in the field of nursing. To achieve this, I had to adequately undertake a thorough search on the best institution that is able to equip me with the above traits that define a true professional. Nursing involves close and continuous interactions with different people and as such whether you like it or not, to remain professional, one must dress and stay smart. This is what defines “looking a part”. Walden University’s mission and vision statements appropriately fit into my personal goals and mission within the career of nursing. It has been my desire to join an institution that extends far beyond the classroom walls and thus goes further into equipping a graduate with skills and knowledge on the best code of practice. Nursetogether, (2009) partially defines professionalism in nursing as “people who do their best at what they are being paid to do in that they are committed to excellence whether they ‘feel like it’ or not, whether external circumstances warrant it or not”. Therefore, those who fail to give in to their best cannot become professionals in this field. Furthermore, I aspire to be part of a team that envisions the future while attending to the current problems and executing positive change. The cultural and social atmosphere within the Walden University’s community, committed staff and learning process makes it ideal for the achievement of my goals. The mission and vision of this institution reveal a system that fosters the development of critical thinking, evidence-based analysis and decision making. In striving to achieve the demands of the 21st century, it portrays an institution that is capable of contributing to the social, mental, and physical development of an individual.
I strongly believe my commitment to social change will be a result of the extensive and thorough yet interesting study program I am destined to experience during my time in this institution. Towards this, I strive to value each and every person and put in my best efforts to initiate positive social change amongst my workmates, clients, and patients. Furthermore, Walden University’s students are trained to spend time and energy enhancing the best delivery of services in their roles. Encouraged by the mission and vision, I aspire to apply my skills and knowledge acquired in this institution in effecting positive change in the community.
References
Nursetogether. (2009). Professionalism in Nursing. Web.
Walden University. (2010). Vision, Mission and Goals. Web. | https://assignology.com/professionalism-in-nursing-walden-university/ |
Freedom of the press is a great asset in the Federal Republic of Germany and we can all be thankful to our parents/grandparents for having won this right.
In the meantime, however, a new field of tension has also been created by the Internet, which is increasingly preoccupying German courts. It is a question of what is freedom of expression, what is legitimate press coverage and what triggers criticism of injunctive relief and possibly even of harm to market participants.
Of course, esport is not alone with the problem or has any exposed position, but this article is based on events of the last days to the detriment of one of my clients who have been accused of unproven acts.
I would therefore like to give a few points to press bodies such as websites, streamers, bloggers and the like, as well as companies, teams or players who may be affected, to assess whether published content is more legally compliant or rather problematic. Are.
Expression vs. statement of fact
First of all, a distinction must be made as to whether it is an expression of opinion or a statement of fact. It is true that the demarcations are also sometimes vague, especially when one comes into the realm of insult criticism. In principle, however, opinion may be published freely.
Opinions are, in accordance with Article 5(1) of the Basic Law, statements shaped by the element of the opinion and the opinion. An example of this would be “I don’t like Team ABC” or “I think Team XYZ played badly”. A statement of fact, on the other hand, describes circumstances that have actually happened or exist and are accessible to the evidence. Examples include “Team XYZ has ceded” or “Team ABC doesn’t pay out money on time.” There are then difficulties of demarcation between “I believe Team XYZ has clogged”, i.e. factual assertions, which are to be concealed as expressions of opinion.
The assessment of whether a statement is to be regarded as a statement of fact or as a value judgment is determined by the way in which the public swayed by form and content in the overall context in which it is placed. phrases such as ‘with a probability bordering on certainty’, ‘I mean that’, ‘as much as I know’ or ‘apparently’ do not in principle oppose a qualification as a statement of fact if the overall context of the contested text is the author’s claims that are detrimental to the call.
Many judgments on differences in expression and factual assertion
The multitude of judgments in these areas is endless, so I cannot present a judicial review in the first place. It ranges from problems on review portals to press articles with alleged informants to posts on social media networks such as Twitter. On the whole, however, I would be cautious about statements that are open to possible proof, because even if the courts often acknowledge the high good of freedom of expression. There is a real risk of being taken advantage of, which then leads to financial risks being taken out because of possible compensation. In addition, opinions about competitors or their offer may be available in accordance with Section 4 No. 1 UWG or Section 6 para. 2 No 5 UWG.
Statements of fact, on the other hand, can always be made public if they are true. The few cases in which courts have also prohibited this are now being ignored. One mistake that I keep coming across, however, is that the person who makes a statement must be able to prove the veracity of the statement in case of doubt. The impossibility of proof always comes at the expense of the person who made the statement. The person concerned can simply deny the veracity of a statement of fact and does not have to prove, as I often hear, that a circumstance does not or has not been present. The reason for this is that such claims are often based on Section 1004 para. 1 BGB, Section 823 para. 2 BGB iVm. Section 186 of the StGB and there is therefore a reversal of the burden of proof.
The legal consequences
Untrue statements of fact may, depending on the situation, result in claims of the person concerned under personal law, from Section 823 of the German Civil Code (BGB) or from the UWG. Also here the case-casuistics is very extensive and sometimes not stringent. In principle, however, I can give the following advice.
Publish only content that is either clearly an expression of opinion or on which one has valid and verifiable evidence. These should also be present and available at all times. So if it is a statement from people, you should have this in writing. In case of doubt, one can take this person into recourse in case of one’s own use. The risk is enormous. False statements can cause significant damage to affected companies, such as a sponsor jumping off a team or other damage. These could be fully asserted against the press body, the podcast operator, the streamer or the blogger. Costs for the legal support then come up.
So those affected should not be taken alone against false statements or reputational damage. The complexity is too great and therefore the evaluation is often not easy. In addition, with the help of a lawyer, one can claim not only better and more reliable damages for false statements, but also, for example, secondary claims such as a counter-notification, which are regulated in the press laws of the federal states. to think.
Non-binding request to me
Are you also affected by a possible reputational damage? Please contact me without obligation. I look at the situation and explain possible steps or risks to you. | https://itmedialaw.com/en/expression-or-statement-of-fact-the-dangers-of-content-producers/ |
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Received: 10 January 2014; in revised form: 12 March 2014 / Accepted: 13 March 2014 / Published: 20 March 2014
Abstract:
If change for sustainability in higher education is to be effective, change efforts must be sensitive to the institutional culture in which they will be applied. Therefore, gaining insight into how institutional stakeholders engage with the concept of sustainable universities is an important first step in understanding how to frame and communicate change. This study employed Q methodology to explore how a group of professors conceptualize sustainable universities. We developed a Q sample of 46 statements comprising common conceptions of sustainable universities and had 26 professors from Dalhousie University rank-order them over a quasi-normal distribution. Our analysis uncovered four statistically significant viewpoints amongst the participants: ranging from technocentric optimists who stress the importance of imbuing students with skills and values to more liberal arts minded faculty suspicious of the potential of sustainability to instrumentalize the university. An examination of how these viewpoints interact on a subjective level revealed a rotating series of alignments and antagonisms in relation to themes traditionally associated with sustainable universities and broader themes associated with the identity of the university in contemporary society. Finally, we conclude by discussing the potential implications that the nature of these alignments and antagonisms may hold for developing a culturally sensitive vision of a sustainable university.
Keywords:sustainability in higher education; education for sustainable development; Q method; pluralism; organizational change
1. Introduction
The Sustainability in Higher Education (SHE) literature is awash with statements to the effect that universities bear a profound moral obligation to promote ideals of sustainability by incorporating them throughout their institutional dimensions [1,2,3,4]. As one of the dominant producers of both social and intellectual capital in the Western world, institutions of higher education see many of our future political, cultural, and technological leaders pass through their turnstiles [5,6]. As such, it is difficult to imagine a more effective venue for the development and dissemination of a vision (or visions) of what it is to be a sustainable society, and what courses of action we should pursue to set us on a sustainable path.
In the years since the term “sustainable development” was first articulated by the Brundtland Commission , a host of organizations [8,9,10] have called on institutions of higher learning to take up the challenge of sustainable development in a meaningful way. Most notably, the United Nations declared 2005–2014 the Decade of Education for Sustainable Development, the framework for which outlined an important role for institutions of higher learning . Universities have in many ways responded to this call. This is perhaps best evidenced by a proliferation of SHE declarations which outline sets of challenges and avenues for universities to engage in their pursuit of becoming “sustainable” institutions [11,12,13].
Nevertheless, as the Decade of Education for Sustainable Development draws to a close, questions of its ultimate relevance for tertiary education arise as universities have proved somewhat resistant to fully engaging with the concept of sustainability in an institutionally holistic fashion [14,15,16,17]. Universities have been much more successful at incorporating the principles of sustainability into their physical operations than they have been at incorporating them into their curricular, pedagogical, and management structures [14,18,19]. This is likely owing to the straightforward nature of implementing technical fixes to problems of inefficient use of resources and the concomitant economic benefits these present. By contrast, deep structural changes are far more challenging to accomplish in that they require profound deliberative efforts to have such a change effort reflect the various needs and desires of institutional stakeholders in a context of paramount academic freedom [14,20]. In higher education institutions, competing needs and desires complicate change efforts for sustainability since stakeholders often hold divergent, even conflicting conceptualizations of not only sustainability but of how to educate with sustainability in mind, and the role of the university with respect to sustainability in general [21,22].
Consequently, change efforts are often confounded by substantial institutional inertia. Like many institutions of similar breadth, universities have a long historical pedigree, perpetuated by being discursively reproduced in their contemporary context by both internal stakeholders and the societies in which they find themselves embedded [23,24]. As discrete, historical entities they possess the ability to mobilize their constituent parts [25,26] but are also the product of generations of institutional learning that create a sense of identity that can act as a significant barrier to change [17,27]. In addition, universities have complex governance structures with no centralized organizing body responsible for implementing change initiatives . In their interaction with the public sphere, they are sites of cultural production whose boundaries are increasingly permeable to external agents that seek to frame (often in terms favorable to themselves), and are themselves in part framed by the Institution (p. 88) and . Therefore, they are both socially constituted and constitutive. Now more than ever the university is a complex living system embedded in internal and external webs of significance. As a result, many contend that the university is undergoing a crisis of identity in the Western world.
The idea that Western universities are undergoing a transformation as a result of external pressures is widely accepted (pp. 152–158), . This transformation is often framed as the neoliberalization, or commoditization of higher education [23,30,31]. It has been argued that the pervasiveness of a neoliberal socio-economic discourse erodes the notion of the university as a public good. As a result, both education and research are instrumentalized to the detriment of critical thought and academic freedom [28,30,32]. This creates a tension at the university not only between its administrative elements and faculty, but also between faculty members as well [32,33]. The effects this may have on what is possible as a vision for a sustainable university and how it affects stakeholders’ conceptualizations is yet unknown.
Although powerful external pressures work to frame the university, the culture of a university is not completely the product of external relations. Change within individual institutions is also a product of agency exerted by institutional actors. De la Harpe and Thomas found that for institutional change efforts to bear fruit stakeholders need meaningful engagement and a clear vision of what change should look like. In addition, Kezar and Eckel show that sensitivity to institutional culture is highly important in tailoring a vision and strategy for change to a particular institutional context. They define institutional culture as “deeply embedded patterns of organizational behavior and the shared values, assumptions and beliefs, or ideologies that members have about their organization and its work” . Faculty, as the primary interface between students and the university, are a key constituency for sustainability at the university. Therefore, understanding the culture(s) of faculty at the university is exceedingly important for understanding how to frame change. Although Kezar and Eckel’s definition of the term “culture” seems to imply a high degree of institutional determinism with respect to institutionally embedded agents, and may not take into account the effects that disciplines or economies of esteem have on academics’ identities, we feel this notion is still useful for conceptualizing distinct cultures within a university and how these may relate to external forces. Thus, we envision the potential for an important intersection where potentially diverse cultural forms emerging out of faculties’ lived experiences within the university must necessarily interact with broader conceptions of the shifting identity of the university in a contemporary socio-economic context. In order to create a robust and contextually sensitive vision of sustainability at the university, we contend that engaging with both macro and micro level cultural influences is necessary. Given the importance of negotiating cultural barriers to change at the university, as well as “the diversity of opinion and lack of clarity about the roles of higher education players in sustainability” (p. 3), it is essential to explore how university faculty interact with the concept of what it means to be a “sustainable university”.
This study employed Q methodology to explore how a diverse cohort of faculty at Dalhousie University/King’s College conceptualizes a sustainable university. The purpose was to explore: the nature of tensions and agreements around what it is to be a sustainable university; how Q can be used to more effectively communicate a vision for change; and finally, what the nature of tensions at the university ultimately means for creating a vision for change. Q method has proved effective in other studies exploring the construction of sustainability discourses and in the specific context of tertiary education both within environmental education and Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) . This study provides an interesting point of departure for unearthing heretofore functionally transparent institutional cultures at the university and how these cultures interact with the concept of “sustainable university”.
2. Methods
Q method is a systematic means of studying subjectivity that employs both quantitative and qualitative methods . Generally speaking, participants (P sample) are presented with a series of statements (Q sample) that they are instructed to rank-order over a quasi-normal distribution (Q sort) in response to a condition of instruction presented to them by the researcher [37,38]. Since a respondent’s reaction to a statement can only be understood in its relationship to all other statements in the Q sort , the structures that these produce are meant to represent an individual’s point of view given the condition of instruction. The data is then factor analyzed to determine where distinctive clusters of correlation exist. However, rather than looking for patterns across traits as with traditional factor analysis, participants are treated as variables, and we seek to empirically derive patterns from across the participant pool [37,40]. Out of the factor analysis emerges clusters of individuals rooted in a common configuration of viewpoints. The structure of, and divergence between, modal Q sorts for each cluster as well as open ended interview data collected from participants after the Q sort are used to contextualize and describe the viewpoints themselves as well as to explore the nature of tensions and consensuses that exist between divergent perspectives.
2.1. The P Sample
Dalhousie University is a comprehensive Canadian university with over 1000 full-time faculty members. The university’s website was mined to create a candidate pool of faculty members. Academic faculty members were stratified according to their respective departments and one participant was chosen at random from each department. This yielded 26 participants (two participants loaded significantly on multiple factors and were excluded from final analysis leaving a final sample size of n = 24). All major academic Faculties were represented: Arts & Social Sciences n = 8; Science n = 7; Engineering n = 5; Management n = 2; Computer Sciences n = 1; and Architecture and Planning n = 1. Given that the purpose of Q method is to reveal and explicate viewpoints or discourses that are reproduced within a particular group, large and representative sample sizes are not necessary . Indeed, as Watts and Stennor argue, large numbers of participants can easily mute many of the nuances and complexities present in the data. Owing to the nature of the method, even one participant has the potential to produce a discourse that is substantively different from all others. Therefore, for the purpose of this study, we found it was more important to sample a breadth departments from across all faculties rather than seeking proportional representation.
2.2. The Q Sample
The methodology for this Q study followed both the approaches described by Watts and Stennor and Van Exel and de Graaf , as well as the procedure employed by Sheppard and Furnari to study a similar population. The Q study focused on understandings of the term “sustainable universities”. An initial set of statements for the Q sample was gathered from a comprehensive literature review of Sustainability in Higher Education (SHE) articles conducted by Wright seeking to identify common conceptions of sustainable universities. A second more informal review of the SHE literature was conducted to fill the space from the date of the initial literature review to present. This was achieved by entering the search term “sustainable university” into ISI Web of Science and ScienceDirect, and mining results for gaps in the original review. The reviews were combined to produce a list of 200 statements.
Since there is no standardized way of constructing a Q sample, we followed Brown and Dryzdek amd Berrijikian , and constructed a “rough and ready” cell matrix in order to help infer a logical structure to the statement pool of 200. Such a matrix helps to ensure that our sample adequately represents the dimensions we have identified. The matrix was then populated with statements that fit into the established categories and then statements are randomly selected from the cells. By doing so, we attempted to limit the potential that a category of statements could be over-represented in the Q sample and thus potentially skew the result along those dimensions. This procedure provided us with 48 statements.
The Q sample was piloted on 12 faculty members (six of whom work in sustainability related fields). After the piloted Q sorts, the faculty members were informally interviewed about the nature of the Q sample; what they thought was missing and/or unclear. Statements that were unclear or viewed as redundant were eliminated and replaced with new statements generated from these interviews. The resultant Q sample was 46 statements.
2.3. The Q Sort
The Q sorting with the study population was completed during face-to-face interviews with individual participants who were randomly selected from different departments across faculties at Dalhousie University and the University of King’s College (a college affiliated with, and on the main campus of Dalhousie University). Prior to, and after, the Q sort, participants were interviewed about their conceptualizations of sustainable universities . Participants were then presented with the 46 statements (each printed on an 8 × 5 laminated card with a piece of Velcro on the back) and instructed to read them with the following guidance: “What do you feel are essential aspects to a sustainable university”? Participants were then asked to create three piles of statements: statements they agreed were essential; statements about which they were ambivalent; and statements they disagreed were essential. Participants were then instructed to rank-order statements on a nine-point scale (+ 4 to −4) distributed horizontally. The vertical distribution of the ranking grid-scale in the + 4 (most agree) position was two cells, up to eight cells in the 0 position, returning to two in the −4 (most disagree) position (Figure 1). These were arranged over a quasi-normal distribution, and placed on a 46 cell grid on a foam board. The choice to use the quasi-normal distribution was informed by Brown , McKeown and Thomas , Van Exel , and Watts and Stennor who found that the technique makes the sorting procedure less onerous for the participant and makes analysis and interpretation of the Q data significantly more manageable with little resultant loss in sensitivity. Once the Q sort was complete, participants were asked a series of open ended questions about the structure of their sort, why they afforded certain cards the position of most agree and others the position of most disagree, and what if any was the central idea they were trying to convey with the distribution they produced.
2.4. Quantitative and Qualitative Q Analysis
Quantitative analysis of the Q sorts was performed using the dedicated Q analysis software program PQ method 2.20 . Q method software programs such as this make quantitative analysis significantly easier and are commonly used in the analysis of Q data . Data was centroid factor analyzed for seven factors. Analyzing for seven factors has little explicit rationale in the literature, it is simply described as the magic number of factors to look for [37,40]. Upon completing the factor analysis, the software calculates Eigenvalues (sum of the squared factor loading for that factor) and factors with an Eigenvalue of >1.00 were selected for factor rotation . Finally, factors were rotated using Varimax rotation to maximize variance between groups. Factor analysis and rotation yielded four distinct and statistically significant factors on which participants loaded, representing four distinct viewpoints (note: only participant factor loadings greater than 0.38 (p > 0.01) were considered significant and carried forward to the interpretive stage as informed by Van Exel and de Graf . Participants who loaded positively and significantly onto more than one factor were excluded from further consideration.
For each of the four viewpoints drawn from the analysis a modal Q sort was produced to represent a best-fit description for all the participants loading on a particular factor as well as outlining distinguishing statements that set that factor apart in a statistically significant manner (p > 0.01). In addition, the chosen software produced a series of factor arrays which illustrated agreement and disagreement across all statements between each of the factors. All of this simplified the task of interpreting and defining the divergent viewpoints embedded in the factors. Nevertheless, this is only half the story.
Though parsimony is the goal building a narrative description to explain the factors, Dryzek and Berejikian note: “[they] are not constructed by merely cutting and pasting statements with extreme scores on each factor; for the narrative must also take into account how statements are placed relative to one another in each discourse…and the comparative placement of statements in different discourses” (p. 52). In addition, to further contextualize perspectives, we conducted a thematic analysis of open ended interview questions and (pp. 200–201) concerning the Q sort as well as the participants’ perspectives on sustainable universities.
3. Results
Each group discussed below represents a cluster of participants, all of whom loaded significantly on similar factors. The factor descriptions are based on the interpretation of the structure of modal Q sorts for each group, how statements are distributed in relation to each other within the modal sorts, and the similarities and differences between factors. In addition, interview data of respondents who loaded on the same factor were used to further elucidate the nature of each perspective. Numbers found in brackets refer to specific card numbers found in Table A1 in the Appendix in conjunction with the factor arrays which represent the position of statements in the groups modal Q sorts.
As Figure 2 illustrates, disciplines tend not to be over-represented on any of the four factors. This was surprising since, as noted above, disciplines often garner criticism for their role in organizational resistance to sustainability and as such we had expected more discursive alignment within faculties. We attempt to elucidate reasons for this below. In addition to our describing shared perspectives within participant clusters, we noted a number of clear points of potential tension and alignment between groups relating to groups of statements that centered on similar themes and thematically related responses to interview questions. Drawing out these points of potential tension and alignment between groups enabled us to uncover three broad themes that represent areas of tension and consensus. These we use as lenses through which to examine how relationships between groups shift given different visions of a sustainable university.
Figure 2. Distribution of faculties within the four distinct perspectives uncovered by the Q analysis.
3.1. Factor Description
Our Q analysis revealed four statistically significant groups that arise from the cohort of 26 professors (two participants loaded significantly on multiple factors and were excluded from analysis):
Group 1: (n = 6 / 23%)
“Liberal Arts minded faculty sensitive to the socio-political dimensions of sustainability but skeptical of the instrumentality implied by “sustainable university.”
First and foremost, Group 1 feels that sustainability is a contested concept that extends far beyond purely technical conceptualizations that they feel dominates the discussion. They tend to be more sensitive to the socio-political dimensions of sustainability. Essentially, they feel that universities in their current form are exceedingly well placed to grapple with the concept of sustainability through their traditional mores of free and open inquiry and how these relate to the institution’s mission of education, research, and outreach. They are quite skeptical of the term “sustainable university” in part because of the political contestation around sustainability, but mainly because they can envision how such a transformation could potentially erode academic freedom and make an instrument out of education. Moreover, they display reticence to the notion that education should be “for” anything (unless of course it is for critical thinking and enhancing civil society by educating about the values of a democratic society—which they see as closely linked to each other and to sustainability). In the words of one respondent: “change for sustainability is not a revolution; it is an evolution” (Participant 27). They feel that it is essential that a sustainable university promotes a diversity of critical perspectives (Statements 13, 27, 39), (see Appendix A for list of statements in Q sample) that they engage with their local communities in a meaningful way (Statement 5), and that they seek to enhance civil society by helping to foster an engaged citizenry (Statement 4). If the university is to be a model then it must maintain itself as a site where the freedom exists to construct a plurality of diverse perspectives relating to various, even conflicting visions of sustainability. As one respondent contends: actively “fostering diversity helps to ensure that the institution resists becoming an elitist, self-selecting organization” (Participant 17), and guards against dogmatic adherence to disciplinary conceptions of sustainability. Finally, they feel that the intellectual footprint of the university is more important than the ecological footprint. As such, they do not find greening the campus initiatives to be exceedingly important, yet nor do they disagree with them (Statements 7, 19, 22, 28); they see the primary site of action of a sustainable university as the social realm, mobilizing knowledge in the form of education and research to the segments of society who need them.
Group 2 (n = 8 / 31%):
“Traditional liberal view of the university with a strong inclination towards greening campus but leery about incorporating sustainability into other institutional dimensions.”
Group 2 conceptualizes a sustainable university in largely technical terms. To them, a sustainable university is a fiscally sound, technological leader who incorporates the latest research and technology into its infrastructure and thereby stands as a model for the rest of society of best sustainable practice. In this vein, a good deal of import is placed on the university reducing its ecological footprint and incorporating renewable and energy conservation measures into its physical plant with a view to decreasing operating costs (Statements 19, 23, 36, 40). Though financial viability of the institution is important, Group 2 tends not to differentiate between “greening” efforts on the basis of cost recovery. They do not feel that the concept of sustainability is anything new; rather, as one participant states “[sustainability has] always been around, we just refer to as it sustainability now” (Respondent 6). To this Group a sustainable university is not about fundamentally changing the university but is about fine tuning the system already in place. Group 2 does not display interest in the socio-political dimensions of sustainability (Statements 4, 29) within the university and worry that as a political project a “sustainable university” is either a buzzword or worse, a political ideology that will erode academic freedom and critical thinking. Put another way, they feel the university should engage with the idea of sustainability without liquidating itself to it. Hence, they are weary of any form of explicit values based education and see this as inherently unsustainable: university education is undertaken in order to create a prepared mind; which they discuss as the central mission of the institution (Statements 9, 41). Furthermore, Group 2 shows ambivalence towards the idea of the university advocating on sustainability issues (Statement 45). They feel that the university can and should provide technical leadership and knowledge, as stated above, but is ill suited to acting with a specific goal in mind. Aside from a green campus, and technological leadership, they felt a sustainable university must also have a strong vision of economic sustainability. Therefore, in an era of diminishing funds the university should ensure that they do not run a budget deficit, while being sensitive to the fact that some short term loss is required to benefit from technical innovations in the future (Statements 16, 30).
Group 3: (n = 5 / 19%)
“Business savvy techno-optimists who see being a sustainable university as an opportunity to become global leaders and are strong sustainability advocates.”
Broadly speaking, Group 3 feels that many questions currently exist as to the relevance of the university to contemporary society. They contend that making sustainability central to everything the university does is an excellent means of answering such questions. In fact, their Q sort suggests that they support the university actively advocating on these issues, and feel that it ought to be a strong model of sustainability (Statement 45). They feel that ESD should be central to the educational mission of the university (Statement 9). They concomitantly support training students in the skills they will need to be successful throughout their lives while imbuing them with the values of what it is to live in a sustainable society. Therefore, to Group 3, a sustainable university is by and large a technical issue centered on training students and developing new and innovating technologies which can be deployed throughout society at large as well as within the university’s own infrastructure. In addition to viewing it as the institution’s moral obligation, they feel that there is a strong business case for sustainability. With this in mind, they display a tendency to favor greening the campus initiatives that lead to clear cost saving outcomes, de-emphasizing those that do not (Statements 7, 19, 28). Moreover, they have a strong belief in partnerships, especially partnerships with industry. For Group 3, business and industry are the most powerful institutions of our time; engaging with them would be a highly effective means of promoting both sustainability and remaining socially relevant. Group 3 displays a high degree of receptivity to the needs of society insofar as sustainability is concerned, though they are more nationally and internationally focused than the other Groups (Statement 15). Part of this receptivity is sensitivity to the needs of the market with respect to curriculum and research. They feel that financial viability is a key aspect to a sustainable university but hold a nuanced view of economic sustainability. They support running deficits and short term economic hardship if these are framed in terms of investments that will benefit the university in the medium to long term (Statements 16, 30). Finally, they do not find issues of accessibility, diversity, or educating for democratic citizenship to be very important to being a sustainable university relative to the more pragmatic initiatives alluded to above (Statement 4, 27). They prefer a much more practical and direct engagement with sustainability on the part of universities. In effect, they would use the university as the voice of sustainability in society (Statement 45).
Group 4: (n = 4 / 15%)
“Progressively minded faculty with a balanced vision of environmental and social sustainability who seek a more critical understanding of a sustainable university.”
Group 4 believes that a sustainable university must strike a balance between big picture meta-questioning or even problematizing of the concept of sustainability while deploying and developing technologies to solve immediate problems as they arise (Statements 4, 7, 10, 19). With this in mind, they see a sustainable university as one that educates to create a prepared mind but is also a technological leader that models the principles of sustainability in its physical operations (Statements 4, 19, 40, 42). Thus, Group 4 conceptualizes balance in SHE as promoting sustainability both internally and externally. In creating a vision of sustainability at the university, the institution must at once sustain itself and its mission so it may excel in its provision of services to society. In addition, Group 4 feels that the university must also engage in a meaningful way with the socio-ecological dimensions articulated in broader societal notions of sustainability. While they feel that a sustainable university can and must strike this balance, they do however feel that the mission of the university is far too broad to be contained by the concept of sustainability. They resist anything that can be construed as instrumentalizing, especially education (Statements 8, 9), but do feel that promoting ecological literacy in all disciplines has merit. This is reinforced by either ambivalence or wariness with respect to the involvement of outside constituencies in academic matters which may erode academic freedom (Statements 34, 35, 37). Group 4 also clearly feel that sustainability is a contested concept and that one of the primary roles of the university is to foster a diversity of perspectives on the issue. Related to this is the importance of enhancing civil society through engaging with democratic values; where all of the respondents in this Group view a democratic society as a society conducive to change (Statement 4).
3.2. Dynamic Relationships of Tension and Consensus
We attempted to represent these relationships graphically using flowcharts where color of the connecting arrows implies the nature of the relationship (tension or consensus) and the weight of the connecting arrows implies the intensity (either mild, moderate, strong, or bipolar; where bipolar indicates that the cards relating to the theme discussed are at opposite or near opposite ends of the distribution of the two Groups being discussed).
The four groups that emerged out of the Varimax rotation represent distinct, but not necessarily opposing points of view. All Groups agreed that the pursuit of sustainability must not hinder the institution’s ability to meet their central imperatives; specifically, all groups framed the primary goal of education at the university vis-a-vis sustainability, to be fostering critical thinking in students. All groups were strongly opposed to policy related statements that were seen to limit academic freedom. Finally, though the importance of economic sustainability tended to vary between the Groups, broad agreement existed that the pursuit of greater enrolment as a means of maintaining economic viability was inherently unsustainable since it impedes the university’s ability to deliver quality education.
The above analysis revealed that all participants had a serious concern about what they conceived as dangerous trends in higher education. These concerns were further developed and articulated in the answers to the open-ended interview questions . Though participants’ opinions on the effects of these trends speak to the same outcomes—specifically the erosion of academic freedom, a loss of excellence in education, and a perceived growing irrelevance of the university to society—the underlying causes that they identify differ between groups. Therefore, it is not only tension around the concept of sustainability and how best the university can model this which differentiates groups within this study, but substantive differences in their conceptualizations of the identity of the university in a rapidly changing world.
Further analysis of the Q-sorts revealed three broad themes where potential tensions are likely to exist between Groups that help to elucidate the nature of divergence between the groups:
- (1)
- Ecological footprint and intellectual footprint;
- (2)
- How to educate for sustainability;
- (3)
- Reflective versus reflexive conceptualizations of the university
What is interesting is that tension and consensus between groups is dynamic and tends to shift as different thematic lenses are applied. The three change-related themes that emerged from the Q sorts are discussed below.
3.2.1. Ecological Footprint and Intellectual Footprint
This theme has a complex set of tension-consensus relationships. Initially, broad alignment exists between Groups 2, 3, and 4 around the importance of greening campus initiatives when set against the relative de-emphasis of such initiatives demonstrated by Group 1. It is important to note that while Group 1 does not align with the other groups in this category, they do not disagree with greening campuses. Analysis of their interview data shows that they are more or less ambivalent to these initiatives because in terms of promoting sustainability they feel that the university’s role as a physical consumer of resources is far less important than its role in creating a politically engaged citizenry. It is around the importance of creating a politically engaged citizenry where Group 1 finds clear alignment with Group 4, illustrating that in fact only a partial tension exists with respect to this particular dichotomy between these two groups.
Within this set of statements we find moderate disagreement between Groups 1 and 4, and Group 2, and a nearly bi-polar disagreement with Group 3 (Figure 3). From the interview data, it becomes apparent that the primary difference lies in the perceived role of a democracy for the development of sustainability. Participants in both Groups 1 and 4 speak to democracy as the political system that is most amenable to facilitating change, Group 4 goes so far as to discuss it in terms of democratizing administrative structures within the institution to be a sustainable university. Alternatively, participants in Group 2 do not broach the topic and Group 3 sees it as largely irrelevant to sustainability with one respondent from the group going so far as to state that the democracy and sustainability are sometimes mutually exclusive.
Figure 3. Tension and consensus between Groups in relation to the theme “Ecological versus Intellectual Footprint”.
Regardless, the relationships that are a function of this dichotomy clearly draw alignment between Groups 1 and 4, and Groups 2 and 3, where a near bi-polar disagreement exists between Groups 1 and 3. Deemphasizing the importance of supporting a robust and democratic society may speak to both Groups 2 and 3 conceptualizing sustainability in largely techno-managerial terms set against Groups 1 and 4 being more sensitive to the social dimensions of sustainability, where in some instances they frame it in socially transformative terms. The partial tension that exists between Group 1 and 4 is likely a matter of Group 1 showing little interest in sustainability. An examination of their modal Q sort shows that the agreement end of the Group 1 distribution holds mainly statements with no explicit mention of sustainability, or point to reforms that could be beneficial and possible with or without consideration given to sustainability.
3.2.2. How to Educate for Sustainability
This theme presents a binary tension between the notion of ESD and education for its own sake (Figure 4). For this theme, Group 3 is in favor of ESD which is in tension with Groups 1, 2, and 4 who are all somewhat aligned in their support of the education for its own sake. Discussion during the subsequent interviews indicate that these three groups all feel that the educational mission of the university is far too broad to be reduced to the concept of sustainability. There is evidence to suggest that they would be more receptive to incorporating more sustainability related topics throughout university education in general, but that making it a central tenet would be too instrumentalizing in nature and runs counter to the spirit of educating to create a prepared mind. Nevertheless, a gradation does exist between the liberal-arts minded Groups and it is not accurate to portray all Groups as promulgators of deep liberal sensibilities in education. Where, for instance, Group 4 displays strong resignation to the idea of university education being framed as professional training to give marketable skills to students, Group 1 seems somewhat ambivalent and Group 2 displays moderate amenability to this statement. In fact, Groups 1 and 2 begin to move into closer alignment with Group 3 on this particular statement though they are still presented as being in tension in Figure 4.
Figure 4. Tension and consensus between Groups in relation to the theme “how to educate for sustainability”.
Nonetheless, Group 3 does differ significantly from the other groups in that they see ESD and educating to create a prepared mind as being synonymous. This is illustrated in their modal Q sort by the importance afforded to both the centrality of ESD and education that fosters critical thinking and is further supported by their interview data where they speak to the concept of sustainability as being essential to addressing emerging socio-ecological crises. In other words, if the future will require sustainability minded graduates then education for sustainability is educating to create a prepared mind. Interestingly, the fact that these tensions are represented as tensions relating to sustainability is likely an artifact of this study; the tensions that we describe likely relate to deeply held convictions as to the purpose of university education and the identity of the university in general.
3.2.3. Reflective versus Reflexive Visions of the University
Bi-polarity between Groups 1 and 3 dissolves in the face of consensus concerning statements that outline a more socially receptive and engaged role for a sustainable university (Figure 5). In fact, both groups find broad agreement on the importance of adopting an advocacy role in society; of culturing more cosmopolitan values, and of forging partnerships with industry and non-governmental organizations (interestingly, all groups equally de-emphasize creating partnerships with government). This is in contrast to Groups 2 and 4 whose modal Q sorts de-emphasize the importance of these as central aims for a sustainable university and whose interview data fail to broach themes of outreach and permeability to the public sphere. Conversely, both Groups 1 and 3 speak to the importance of the university moving away from the antiquated notion of the “ivory tower” in order to ensure that knowledge generated within the institution is reflexively generated, and therefore more socially relevant. In returning to obvious tensions between Groups 1 and 3 outlined above, consensus here would likely break down around the sort of instrumentalism which Group 1 negatively associates with marketization in knowledge production, while Group 3 would frame it as problem solving and being receptive to the needs of society.
Figure 5. Tension consensus between groups in relation to the theme “Reflective vs. reflexive” conceptualizations of the university.
Tension between Groups 1 and 3, and Groups 2 and 4 with respect to this theme is a matter of degrees. De-emphasizing outreach could imply a more institutionally focused conceptualization of a sustainable university. This assertion is further supported by Groups 2 and 4 placing a good deal of importance on greening the campus initiatives and their mutual focus on education. Thus, a sustainable university in this view is an internal matter bounded largely by the confines of the institution. In contrast, the importance of institutional permeability suggested by the data for Groups 1 and 3 sketches a sustainable university as a site of knowledge mobilization where sustainability is positioned at the interstices of the institution and society. Perhaps at its simplest, this dichotomy is between a sustainable university as reflective, and of a sustainable university as reflexive, respectively.
4. Discussion
Our application of Q methodology helps to highlight the diversity of perspectives surrounding “sustainable universities” among faculty members at the university. Our findings show that while some tensions are specifically related to sustainability, others are the result of divergent normative beliefs concerning the nature of education and the role of the university in society. Moreover, we demonstrate that tensions are not static and well bounded; rather they are dynamic and shift with respect to the particular dimension of sustainability being considered. We contend that if so much diversity and tension is present within a cohort of academics, the prospect of developing a university-wide consensus based vision of transformation for sustainability without engaging in a deeply collaborative process would be impossible. Research suggests that in loosely-coupled, pluralistic organizations such as universities, strategies for planned change that do not adequately reflect or make reference to the cultural realities in which they are being deployed generally tend to fail [45,46,47,48]. In this study, many of the normative/cultural tensions are rooted in values and beliefs that in many instances (e.g., values regarding forms of pedagogy, as we note below) are represented in the broader literature in the form of sound philosophical debate. Therefore, the challenge we see with respect to transformation for sustainability at the university is two-pronged. Firstly, given the cultural realities of change for sustainability highlighted by this study, practitioners and scholars seeking to organize change for sustainability must come to understand the cultures of their institutions and embed change strategies in those cultures. Secondly, where normative and cultural tensions relate to sound philosophical positions, such as questions of mission or pedagogy, collaborative approaches to visioning change need to be employed. The former may be resolved by finding novel ways of framing sustainability related change that has cultural resonance to help dissolve tensions regarding divergent conceptualizations of sustainability; the latter entails re-envisioning the way in which change for sustainability in higher education is being approached.
4.1. Framing Change Efforts for Sustainability
Visualizing where tensions and consensuses exist is a starting point for identifying context-specific alignments between groups on one level, which can be used to leverage tensions on others. The tension between ecological and intellectual footprints is a good example. We could potentially bring Group 1 into alignment with all other groups around the importance of greening the campus initiatives by framing these in terms of experiential learning; a concept to which Group 1 is amenable. Specifically, the SHE literature discusses campus sustainability as form of latent curriculum where students learn the value of sustainability through direct, everyday experience with its benefits [5,49]. This is cited as a contemporaneous benefit of campus sustainability initiatives aside from the direct economic and environmental benefits many greening initiatives tends to generate. Thus, understanding this particular tension for Group 1 allows practitioners to frame their greening operations in terms that foster alignment, reducing the ecological footprint of the university while expanding the intellectual footprint. Framing a vision for change like this is an effective way of developing a culturally sensitive communicative strategy.
Though Q is often plied as an exploratory tool, we feel that this study demonstrates how Q method could be useful to SHE practitioners. Properly communicating a vision for change is essential if one is to successfully promote organizational transformation , (p. 21). Moreover, as Reid and Petocz note, lack of a shared understanding and language for discussing sustainability is a barrier to university lecturers engaging with sustainability. Enlarging the scale and incorporating demographic information into a Q study could enable practitioners to a priori develop culturally sensitive communication strategies enabling them to circumvent, or at least anticipate, resistance. In addition, Q method could also prove useful for identifying and closing gaps between Groups’ understandings of sustainable universities. Nevertheless, as discussed above, some tensions are tied to sustainability only insofar as this study provided that context for their expression. Negotiating such non-sustainability related barriers no doubt presents a much more significant challenge to be overcome.
4.2. Institutionalizing Difference
Beyond tensions relating to divergent conceptualizations of sustainability, this study identified several areas of tension that would problematize creating a consensus driven vision for planned change. Owing to the “supra-institutional” nature of these tensions and their coverage in other studies [14,17,21,51], we feel confident in claiming that they are not solely the product of Dalhousie University’s institutional culture and would likely find broad resonance elsewhere. For instance, in our study, resistance to ESD was often framed by participants in terms of a growing instrumentalism brought about by a neoliberal ideology that seeks to commoditize education and erode academic freedom. By contrast, proponents of ESD felt that the values based education and skills training implicit in this educational framework were a pragmatic necessity that aligned well with fostering critical thought. This echoes similar tensions identified during a Q study by Shephard and Furnari with educators at a university in New Zealand. These substantive tensions find articulation in the broader literature as well, where it is argued on the one hand that the instrumentality implicit in the majority of ESD frameworks runs counter to the emancipatory and transformative forms of education required to promote deep premise reflection that leads to both action and behavioral change for sustainability [28,52,53,54,55]. Alternatively, proponents of ESD contend that it can be used as platform from which strong social critique and learning can occur [56,57], and that a central tenet of ESD is the culturing of critical thinkers through its focus on interdisciplinary and problem-based learning [5,19,58]. It is not the purpose of this paper to comment on the validity of either position. Rather, we advance this juxtaposition of theoretically sound positions to demonstrate the context from which tensions in our own study emerge, illustrating that beyond being values based they also reflect a high degree of critical deliberation on effective forms of education.
Though contention around the nature of ESD is but one example of a values-based tension uncovered by this study, we begin to see how this problematizes developing and communicating a vision for change insofar as “vision” (singularized) is traditionally conceptualized and (pp. 68–82). As Kezar and Eckel note, organizational change is most difficult when values-based differences are involved. We offer that change will likely be further complicated when the foundations of values-based differences are philosophical positions supported by robust arguments on either side. Since organizational change for sustainability at the university necessarily entails a host of assumptions regarding the form and function of education, the role of research, and the nature of public service [5,59], developing a vision of sustainability as an organizing principle for change risks marginalizing important and divergent perspectives to the detriment of diversity. This is not to argue for “anything goes” pluralism, but rather than change, agents seek out and engage with dissenting points of view in a critical manner. Therefore, transformation to a sustainable university should occur prior to any one vision of sustainability and be about developing spaces where meaningful and critical collaboration can take place. Rather than seeking to resolve tensions, we should seek to institutionalize them in such a way that enables, and facilitates communication between conflicting conceptualizations of sustainability and the role of the university with respect to it.
The vision of a sustainable university alluded to above has the potential of transforming obstacles to change into opportunities for deep social learning and collaboration. Diversity is an important part of the contemporary university. Therefore, there will no doubt always be a multiplicity of perspectives around a contentious issue like sustainability. “Institutionalizing” tensions implies creating a space that harnesses this diversity. Encouraging a pluralistic vision of “sustainabilities”, rather than a singular vision of sustainability reflects the commitment to developing critical education for sustainability [19,58], without succumbing to the hubris inherent to many sustainability change initiatives attempting to manufacture organizational behaviours for a future that we cannot know . Implicit to this is a process oriented commitment to change based on sense-making, dialogue, and collaboration in the design, implementation and outcome of an organizational transformation process in lieu of traditional, linearly structured, outwardly imposed, planned change strategies. Many have noted the success of such approaches to change in other loosely-coupled, pluralistic contexts for promoting the sort of organizational learning that leads to effective organizational change [45,46,47,48]. The challenge, however, is that the necessary steps of relationship building and developing culturally appropriate collaborative strategies generally need to take place over the long term and are so context specific as to be difficult to reduce to sets of rough and ready recommendations . Regardless, such approaches are becoming more commonplace in business, although we have found little evidence of this being applied to the context of change in higher education.
Exploring how to effectively institutionalize such an approach, framing it as a project for a sustainable university, could potentially offer a way of resolving many of longstanding barriers to change for sustainability within the institution. In addition, this could be exceedingly helpful for embracing the diversity of perspectives required to cope with sustainability related socio-ecological problems while avoiding liquidating the university to a particular vision of sustainability. Exploring what possibilities exist for “retro-fitting” pre-existing institutional structures in such a way as that could create a place within the organization for sustainability related education, and inquiry could not only help in developing a more reflexive vision of sustainability for the university, but also is itself a fruitful line for future inquiry.
5. Conclusion
Q method has proven to be a useful tool for exploring how university stakeholders conceptualize a sustainable university. Moreover, it has helped in identifying specific sites of tension and consensus within the institution. To our knowledge, no study to date has attempted to apply this method in exploring university stakeholders’ conceptualizations of what a sustainable university can and should look like. It is our hope that our study will be an insightful addition to the body of knowledge seeking to understand the nature of institutional resistance to change for sustainability, and to potentially elucidate avenues by which to negotiate these barriers that may be transferrable to other institutions of higher education.
Q method could be exceedingly helpful for practitioners and researchers seeking to uncover not only conceptual barriers to broad reform for sustainability but potential avenues to navigate these barriers as well. In this study, in particular, we identified barriers which we argue occur outside of sustainability and relate to what are most likely deep-seeded normative beliefs about the nature of the university. Owing to inherent challenges with transforming normative beliefs and the potential that such a course of action could undermine academic freedom at the university, we suggest trying to find ways of institutionalizing such conflicts where they can ideally be transformed from conflicts to opportunities for social learning.
Acknowledgments
This manuscript draws on research conducted as part of the “Examining the Role of Canadian Universities in Achieving Sustainable Development” research program funded by a Canadian Environmental Issues Strategic Grant from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (Grant 865-2008-0024, Principal Investigator Tarah Wright).
Author Contributions
Paul Sylvestre and Tarah Wright designed the research methods for this paper. All authors discussed the results and implications and commented on the manuscript at all stages. Paul Sylvestre conducted all data collection and analysis and wrote the majority of the manuscript under the supervision of Tarah Wright and Kate Sherren.
Conflicts of Interest
The authors declare no conflict of interest.
References and Notes
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Appendix A
|No.||Statements||Groups|
|1||2||3||4|
|1||Provides incentives for students to participate in environmentally friendly activities||0||−1||−2||−1|
|2||Values and gives due recognition to the important contribution of traditional, indigenous, and local knowledge systems for sustainability||1||−2||0||−2|
|3||Promotes knowledge transfers in innovative ways in order to speed up the process of bridging gaps and inequalities in knowledge||2||2||0||−1|
|4||Protects and enhances civil society by training young people in the values which form the basis of democratic citizenship||4||−1||−3||4|
|5||Engages in community outreach programs that benefit the local environment||2||1||0||0|
|6||Provides support for individuals who seek environmentally responsible careers||0||−1||−1||−2|
|7||Incorporates life cycle assessment (LCA) and sustainable growth, introduces input/output accounting, applied to production processes, products, services, and strategic planning||−3||0||2||2|
|8||Attempts to ensure that the university graduates students with marketable skill sets that will enable them to find gainful employment upon leaving the institution||−1||1||−1||−3|
|9||Makes education for sustainability central to its educational mission||−2||−3||3||−2|
|10||Encourages critical thinking about sustainability issues||4||4||4||3|
|11||Installs solar panels on campus buildings||−1||1||−1||0|
|12||Creates a written statement of their commitment to sustainability||0||−2||0||1|
|13||Attempts to maintain a high quality of education while faced with budget constraints by reducing the number of departments in order to better fund remaining departments||−3||0||−1||−2|
|14||Incorporates ecological principles into campus land-use policies as a means of improving biodiversity and ecosystems goods and services on campus||0||0||1||1|
|15||Works with national and international organizations to promote a worldwide university effort toward a sustainable future||3||1||3||−1|
|16||Ensures that sustainability does not impinge upon the financial viability of the institution||−3||−1||−3||0|
|17||Maintains that research done on campus must include a summary of potential environmental issues that may be faced during the course of the experiment||−2||−1||−1||−1|
|18||Encourages students to participate in various volunteer activities around the community||1||0||−2||−2|
|19||Strives to reduce its ecological footprint||1||4||1||3|
|20||Establishes environmentally responsible purchasing practices||−1||2||1||2|
|21||Establishes socially responsible purchasing practices||0||−2||0||2|
|22||Strives to be carbon neutral||−1||2||2||0|
|23||Seeks to increase enrollment||−2||−3||−4||−3|
|24||Performs sustainability audits on the surrounding community||−2||−3||−2||−3|
|25||Focuses on sustainable transportation for students, faculty, and staff, as well as alternative fuel or hybrid technology for campus fleets||−2||2||1||0|
|26||Reuses campus waste||1||2||1||1|
|27||Makes social equity/accessibility for all students a primary concern||2||1||−2||0|
|28||Uses renewable and safe energy that may lead to decreased operating costs||0||3||3||3|
|29||Actively fosters and promotes greater degrees of cultural and political diversity throughout all levels of the university||1||−1||−2||1|
|30||Ensures that the university does not run a budget deficit||−4||3||−4||1|
|31||Emphasizes sustainability through campus services (e.g., accessibility center, counseling services)||−1||−2||0||−1|
|32||University stakeholders have a common understanding of the term sustainable development||0||−2||0||2|
|33||Provides monetary reimbursement for individuals taking environmental courses||−2||−3||−3||−4|
|34||Creates partnerships with government working toward sustainability||2||2||2||0|
|35||Creates partnerships with industry working toward sustainability||2||0||3||−1|
|36||Actively promotes composting and recycling on campus||1||3||0||1|
|37||Creates partnerships with NGOs working toward sustainability||2||1||2||−1|
|38||Consults students on their opinion of sustainability||0||−1||−1||2|
|39||Promotes interdisciplinary networks of environmental experts at the local, national, regional, and international levels, with the aim of collaborating on common environmental projects in both research and education||3||1||1||1|
|40||Recognizes campus-wide green building guidelines and green building design for new and existing buildings||1||3||2||4|
|41||Incorporates environmental knowledge into all disciplines at all levels of study||−1||−2||2||−2|
|42||Promotes experiential learning through measures such as arranging opportunities for students to study sustainability issues in their surrounding community||3||0||1||2|
|43||Each department within the university must create their own written statement of their commitment to sustainability||−3||−4||−1||−3|
|44||Ensure that sources of income outside of tuition and government grants, therefore having a greater degree of self-reliance||−1||0||−2||2|
|45||The university adopts a more active advocacy type role within society concerning issues of sustainability||3||0||4||0|
|46||Establishes policies that allow for the granting of tenure to faculty based in their knowledge of and work in sustainability||−4||−4||−3||−4|
© 2014 by the authors; licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/). | https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/6/3/1521/htm |
Older undergraduates and women do better across a range of university subjects than teenage schoolleavers and men, according to analysis from two universities.
Also, state-educated students tend to fare better than those from public-school.
Mantz Yorke, professor of higher education at Liverpool John Moores University, said older students outperformed in a quarter of subject areas studied, mainly in those where life experience would be an asset, including healthcare, education and psychology. Younger students tended to shine in business studies and information technology.
The study, based on more than 30,000 module results from 4,300 full-time students at institution A and 8,600 results from 1,500 students at institution B, found that performance of the over and under-20 age groups was more or less comparable in the other three quarters of subjects studied.
The study provided evidence that female students performed better than male. At institution A their performance was better in 15 of 23 subjects and in eight of 20 subjects at institution B in the 2002-03 academic year.
Professor Yorke said: "The 'gender gap' was present whatever form the module assessment took - wholly by exam, wholly by coursework or by some combination of the two. It challenges the assumption held by some that while coursework-based assessment favours females, exams favour males."
The analysis showed students from independent schools performed less well in 12 of 23 subject areas considered at institution A. They included English, geography, psychology, information technology and biological sciences. In one area was the reverse true. There were no comparable figures for institution B.
Professor Yorke said he suspected this could be the result of independent students being spoon-fed at school and therefore less able to cope with the "rough and tumble" of higher education.
The analysis also concluded that students from geographic areas designated by the Higher Education Funding Council for England as "low participation" performed just as well as their counterparts from areas with greater higher education participation, except in subjects involving maths or IT.
The researchers presented their findings at the Student Assessment and Classification Working Group workshop in Wolverhampton on Thursday. | https://www.timeshighereducation.com/news/survey-brings-bad-news-if-youre-young-and-male/184870.article |
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Python not equal is an inbuilt operator returns True if two variables are of the same type and have different values, if the values are identical, then it returns False. January 4, 2020 / #Python Python Return Statements Explained: What They Are and Why You Use Them Python 2.7.3 (Raspberry PI) and 2.7.5 on Windows. The statements after the return statements are not executed. The python return statement is used in a function to return something to the caller program. ffmpeg Works on the Pi. True and False in Python 1.x. if statement accepts boolean values – if the value is true then it will execute the block of statements below it otherwise not. #!/usr/bin/env python3.1 """Programm zur berechnung von Prozentsatz, Prozentwert, Grundwert""" # Aufgabe des Programms def Prozentwert(p, G): # Definition zum berechen des Prozentwertes P = G * p / 100 # Rechenformel return P def Prozentsatz(P, G): # definition zum berechnen des Prozentsatzes p = P * G / 100 # Rechenformel return p def Grundwert(p, P): # definition zum … H ow can I check if a file called /etc/resolv.conf exists or not using Python program? if not a: (这里因为a是False，所以not a就是True) print "hello" In der Funktion wird eine einfache if..else-Anweisung benutzt, um den größeren Wert zu finden, und dieser Wert wird dann mit return zurückgegeben.. Beachten Sie, dass eine return-Anweisung ohne Wert gleichbedeutend ist mit return … Return Value from bool() bool() returns: False if the value is omitted or false; True if … [Python] Better way to negate a boolean list? Python’s reduce() is popular among developers with a functional programming background, but Python has more to offer.. For this example, the int_x variable is assigned the value of 20 and int_y = 30. That outcome says how our conditions combine, and that determines whether our if statement runs or not. In diesem Fall sind dies Zahlen, die der Funktion als Argumente übergeben werden. TLDR: The bytecode compiler parses them both to x is not None – so for readability’s sake, use if x is not None.. Readability. If key is not available then returns default value None. ; We can use the return statement inside a function only. If there are no return statements, then it returns None. So, in general, “if ” statement in python is used when there is a need to take a decision on which statement or operation that is needed to be executed and which statements or operation that is needed to skip before execution. You can also use the following operators in the python if command expressions. print(10 > 9) print(10 == 9) print(10 < 9) Try it Yourself » When you run a condition in an if statement, Python returns True or False: Example. Operator Condition Desc; and: x and y: True only when both x and y are true. Also be sure to test that you return False for all sorts of bad strings. Python “in operator” is the most convenient way to check if an item exists on the list or not. isspace() method doesn't take any parameters. A return statement is used to end the execution of the function call and “returns” the result (value of the expression following the return keyword) to the caller. If not, it return False. Die Funktion maximum gibt als Wert das Maximum ihrer Parameter zurück. Characters that are used for spacing are called whitespace characters. Starting with Python 2.6, there is now ast.literal_eval: >>> import ast >>> help(ast.literal_eval) Help on function literal_eval in module ast: literal_eval(node_or_string) Safely evaluate an expression node or a string containing a Python expression. Hence, when if x is called, Python evaluates the statement as Bool(x) to decide whether or not to proceed with the following statement. Here is an example for a custom class Vector2d and it's instance returning False when the magnitude (lenght of a vector) is 0, otherwise True . For example: tabs, spaces, newline, etc. Instead Python knows the variable is a boolean based on the value you assign. In both parts be sure to test carefully. Python: Return true if the two given int values are equal or their sum or difference is 5 Last update on September 01 2020 10:26:46 (UTC/GMT +8 hours) Python Basic: Exercise-35 with Solution. As we know, python uses indentation to identify a block. or: x or y: True if either x is true, or y is true. If the file "my_file.txt" exist in the current path, it will return true else false.. os.path.exists() Python os.path.exists() method is used to check whether the specified path exists or not. Python if x is not None or if not x is None?. The following is the output when if condition becomes false. Recognizing an integer string is more involved, since it can start with a minus sign (or not). reduce() is useful when you need to apply a function to an iterable and reduce it to a single cumulative value. Python determines the truthiness by applying bool() to the type, which returns True or False which is used in an expression like if or while. In Python, every function returns something. if not numbers: return False for n in numbers: if n <= 10: return False return True The not equal operator is a comparison operator in Python. No matter whether it’s just a word, a letter or a phrase that you want to check in a string, with Python you can easily utilize the built-in methods and the membership test in operator. Note: Return statement can not be used outside the function. #Test multiple conditions with a single Python if statement. ; It returns False if the string doesn't start with the specified prefix. AND, OR, NOT in Python if Command. When you compare two values, the expression is evaluated and Python returns the Boolean answer: Example. We use Python because we value things like human readability, useability, and correctness of various paradigms of … Python evaluates whether the value of x is 10 in the if statement - it is either 10 (so it is True and Python returns the statement "x is 10! "), or it is not 10 (so it is False). Consider the "not" keyword in Python. not: not x: True if x is false. Not only confirm that all appropriate strings return True. [code]def conditionCheck(int x): allGood = True for s in intList: allGood = allGood and (x % s == 0) if not allGood: break return allGood [/code] 在python中not是逻辑判断词，用于布尔型True和False，not True为False，not False为True，以下是几个常用的not的用法： (1) not与逻辑判断句if连用，代表not后面的表达式为False的时候，执行冒号后面的语句。比如： a = False. With "not" we invert an expression, so if it is False it is now True. To test multiple conditions in an if or elif clause we use so-called logical operators. Python not equal operator returns True if two variables are of same type and have different values, if the values are same then it returns False.. Python is dynamic and strongly typed language, so if the two variables have the same values but they are of different type, then not equal operator will return True. any(seq): Return True as long as any object in seq is True, otherwise return False; Let's say we have the following code: def all_numbers_gt_10(numbers): """Return True only if all numbers in the sequence are greater than 10. """ Sometimes, we want to flip or invert the value of a boolean variable. For c % b the remainder is not equal to zero, the condition is false and hence next line is executed. Python dictionary get() Method - Python dictionary method get() returns a value for the given key. Here, condition after evaluation will be either true or false. It is worth noting that you will get a boolean value (True or False) or an integer to indicate if the string contains what you searched for. You can evaluate any expression in Python, and get one of two answers, True or False. Python not in inverse operator is also used to check if the item exists in the list or not. It returns True if the string starts with the specified prefix. I did try it on my Pi and Windows 8.1, using OpenCV 2.4.10 on both systems. With the in-keyword we test for inclusion. Python String isspace() The isspace() method returns True if there are only whitespace characters in the string. These operators combine several true/false values into a final True or False outcome (Sweigart, 2015). The all() function returns True if all items in an iterable are true, otherwise it returns False.. Conclusion. To start, we can use "not" as part of an in-expression. ; If the return statement contains an expression, it’s evaluated first and then the value is returned. # python if7.py Enter a: 10 Enter b: 10 Enter c: 20 8. In the following section, I will show you examples of how to use the Python not equal and equal to operator (as the title of this article suggests). Python list is an essential container as if stores elements of all the datatypes as a collection. Because or only requires one of the statements that it's evaluating to be true, each or evaluated to True.Then, and checked if the statements on either side of it were true. The oldest major version of the Python programming language – 1.x – does not even have such a thing as False or True. Python: Remove elements from a list while iterating; Python: Find index of element in List (First, last or all occurrences) Python: check if two lists are equal or not ( covers both Ordered & Unordered lists) Python: How to sort a list of tuples by 2nd Item using Lambda Function or Comparator For comparing object identities, you can use the keyword When i try to read some video files using VideoCapture, i only get False in return. The syntax of isspace() is: string.isspace() isspace() Parameters. We use not in if-statements.
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Air circulation is very important not just to prevent your employees from feeling too warm, but also because you have to make sure they get enough oxygen to think clearly without needing to take a break once every 1-2 hours. This can be achieved in a variety of ways, and not all of them have to do with tweaking your AC.
One of the simplest ways to improve the air quality in your office is to bring in more plants. Smaller plants might be great for decorative purposes, but to increase the air quality and air circulation in your office, you will need larger plants with greater leaves. You may want to invest in mesh big and tall office chairs for comfort to help the airflow while your employees are sitting working.
Of course, this doesn’t solve the problem of air circulation. If you have a smaller office and your door is constantly open, then turning on the AC isn’t always the best option either. Instead, a few small fans and vents should do the trick, as long as the weather doesn’t get too hot.
Encouraging your employees to take care and close the doors and windows when the AC is on should also be one of your main priorities. Even with the best AC units and largest vents, you won’t be able to do much if warmer air keeps coming back in through the window. | https://www.everythingforoffices.com/blog/promoting-air-circulation-in-your-office-a-few-important-tips/ |
If you look at the design of the chicken coop, you may or may not face the problem of adding windows. It is surprising how little is known about the role of windows in the health, happiness and care of the henhouse. So there must be windows in the chicken coop? How big do the windows have to be?
Many myths about how windows do or do not affect egg laying confuse this problem. So let’s start by clearing up some misunderstandings about light, windows and egg-laying behaviour:
Myth: Chickens lay eggs at night
In fact, chickens usually lay eggs in the morning 6 hours after sunrise. They lay their eggs at intervals of about 28 hours, so that the time of laying is of course postponed until a later day. At some point it will be too late and miss the next day. The next morning the cycle starts again.
Myth: Kuram needs darkness to lay eggs
In fact, chickens need daylight to lay eggs. Egg production is delayed or stopped when the clear day lasts less than 14 hours. It usually increases again in the next spring as the days get longer.
16 hours of daylight per day is optimal for egg production. We see a difference in the winters of the Pacific Northwest, where daylight lasts only about 8 hours a day. Egg production is almost half as high as in summer, when we have about 18 hours of daylight.
Myth: Chicks sleeping in nests
Chickens only lay their eggs in nests and sleep in baskets. Normally they don’t sleep in their nest unless they’re thoughtful. In fact, the roots have to be placed higher than in the nesting boxes to prevent the hens from sleeping in the nesting boxes. Sleeping in a nest box increases the chance of hens accidentally breaking their eggs, which can contribute to the survival of their offspring.
Myth: Chickens only lay eggs in dark litters
That’s partly true. Chicks have an instinct to protect their eggs, so they prefer to lay them in more private and isolated places. They do not necessarily seek darkness, but prefer to lay their eggs in nest boxes, which are somewhat unsuitable and better protected.
Some people think that the windows should not be placed in the henhouse because they think it is better to keep the chickens in a dark environment, and that is not true. For the chickens to be happy and healthy, there must be windows in the henhouse. Windows play an important role in the natural needs and behaviour of chicks.
Henhouse window
Provide the necessary ventilation
Ventilation is important for your poultry house.
Chicken poop releases moisture and ammonia to the air. Over time, ammonia can accumulate to toxic levels – it is just as harmful to chickens’ respiratory tracts as it is to humans. Ventilation is necessary to maintain the right balance between fresh air and temperature control. Too much or too little ventilation can jeopardize their purpose. Fortunately, it’s not difficult. The ventilation and the temperature can be regulated quite easily without special equipment. Ammonia is easy to recognize by its smell, and any simple thermometer is easy to do.
Moisture release
Bird respiration, spilled water in the barn and moisture from manure – all this can accumulate in the fenced area. Excess moisture can be unhealthy for the birds and can damage the structure of the house itself.
Heat dissipation
Chickens tolerate the cold better than the heat. Their springs provide natural insulation against the cold, but they cannot effectively sweat or cool down in hot weather. The windows prevent the chicken coop from overheating.
The windows let the light into the chicken coop. Natural light is important for the health of hens and the amount of light is integrated into many of their bodily functions, such as skinning and laying eggs.
Windows or vents?
Many people prefer to use vents rather than windows. If the vent allows air to circulate and natural light to pass through, they are essentially the same. Make sure that – whether you use windows or air vents – a square meter of air circulation in the poultry house per house is guaranteed.
What should the windows of the henhouse be made of?
Window openings should always be fully secured with galvanised fittings, with mesh openings of ½ inch or less.
For example, windows or ventilation openings can provide ventilation and protect the poultry house from predators and parasites.
In an ideal design, the windows of a chicken coop can have the same characteristics and possibilities as the windows in your house:
- You can display them to prevent malfunctions.
- Their glass or plexiglass coating lets the light in, but prevents cold or rain from entering the room in bad weather.
- They have the ability to open for ventilation and air circulation in good weather.
- You have a way to darken them to eliminate unwanted light. Many people prefer to close the windows of the chicken coop, especially on long summer days, so that the chickens don’t wake up too early in the morning and have to fall asleep in the evening.
When you think of windows in the house, they usually have a glass window, screen, curtain or blinds, so they can do all that.
It is essential to close the windows with a suitable grid. The ability to open or close them is highly desirable if you live in a climate with extreme weather conditions, so many people add shutters or sliding windows. Use a normal house window, hang it outside the henhouse and usually leave it open. It is a great way to meet all the needs of your chickens and a very common solution.
Where should I put the windows in the henhouse?
Although the position of the windows will vary greatly depending on the barn structure, it is preferable that ventilation takes place at a height above and outside the barn. So the windows let in light and air, but the chicks don’t sleep in the cold and draught. Windows should be placed on opposite walls to stimulate airflow and not along the same wall of the henhouse. In warm climates it is also advisable to install ventilation along the wall. This stimulates air circulation and prevents the poultry house from overheating.
Conclusion
Chickens need windows because chickens need light and fresh air. But their size and location depend on the size of your herd, the location of the barn and the climate in which you live. Ensure good ventilation and air circulation and your chickens will do well.
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Disclosure: We are a professional review company & our reviews are not biased towards any of the products we review. We test each product thoroughly and give marks to only the very best that is given by our author. We are very independently owned & the opinions expressed here are our own. However, if you purchase anything after clicking the links present in the articles then we get some commissions for it which help maintaining the websites expenses like servers, security etc. | https://chickencoopbuildingplans.org/is-chicken-coops-supposed-to-have-windows/ |
Airflow inside your home is essential for your health and for maintaining temperatures indoors. You need to circulate warm air during winter and cold air during summer.
With a mechanical ventilation system, you can reuse fresh air to cool your house and save energy. The good thing about this system is that any reliable HVAC service in Knoxville can install it. However, this isn’t the only way to improve airflow in your home. The following tips might come in handy:
1. Attic Vents
Install vents in your attic to release the warm air trapped inside your house. During summer, you can open the vents to keep your home cold and shut them during winter to maintain heat. Make sure that the vents are correctly fitted to prevent freezing, drafty air from seeping in during winter or rain dripping during the rainy season.
2. Windows and Doors
Open your windows and doors to improve airflow in your home, especially during the day when you are around. Drafts will ensure that fresh air is distributed in your home as compared to you just turning on an air conditioner, which is positioned in one room since its functionality can be limited.
3. Furniture
Position your furniture in such a way that airflow is not restricted. Having a big piece of furniture such as an armoire in the middle of the room will prevent the flow of warm air during winter and cold air during summer.
Additionally, you can install fans to circulate air around the room. For the kitchen and bathroom, you need to install exhaust fans to extract air. Make it a habit to clean your AC filters to prevent dust and other allergens from entering your home. | http://nettalkworld.net/tag/house-airflow/ |
Home > Window Planning
Windows and doors are fundamental elements of the home and can have a huge impact on the look, feel, functionality and overall comfort of your home. To achieve the best outcomes of performance and appeal, you'll want to consider several aspects.
Windows and doors have a very important influence on the design and the structure of the house. Windows and doors, when planned correctly, can make your house work in with your lifestyle and the changing needs of your family. There are many aspects that should be considered when choosing your windows and doors.
From a physical aspect, the main functions of your windows is to bring in natural light and provide ventilation. It is also highly important to control cold air leakage around window openings in winter and heat gain through glass in summer, through careful selection of glass.
Windows also provide an outward view of the world, framing your favourite vista, whilst also helping to maintain the necessary requirements for privacy.
Selection of the types and sizes of windows and their placement will depend on how the windows are to be used. These requirements may be at cross-purposes, for example: the placement and size of a window for maximum daylight may not coincide with placement and size for maximum ventilation or for enjoyment of a view. Careful planning can however help to reach a compromise and return maximum benefits from all requirements.
The final sizes and location of any window must conform to the building code for any specific area and the Building Act By-Law will rule all such decisions.
You can read more about the different styles of windows available in our guide, Eight Window Styles For Your New Home (And How To Choose The Right One).
When planning windows for ventilation, the number, size and placement of windows are all crucial elements to achieve energy efficiency and the overall comfort of your home. The effectiveness in achieving desired ventilation will depend on which windows will open, how far they can be opened and where they are positioned. The difficulty in using a window for both admissions of light and air is that the size and location for the best daylight can often conflict with the size and location that produce the best ventilation.
Some principles of air movement, as applied to houses, are explained below;
The angle at which the air enters and leaves the room is the controlling influence on the pattern of air movement within the house. This angle depends on the location and type of window.
You can use the following recommendations as a guide in selecting windows for ventilation:
Just as important as the admission of light through them, the view out of the window is one of the most important benefits a window can bring. The outdoor scenery that will be viewed from the house plays a significant role in determining the size of the windows and the placement of the windows.
Sometimes the house is placed on a lot to command a picturesque landscape scene, sometimes the home owner or architect will find it necessary to create a pleasant view to hide a less desirable one, ie: a planted area to hide a car park or a neighbour’s messy yard. Large windows or doors can extend indoor spaces outward, making outdoor living areas an integral part of the house.
Problems in window placement may arise when a house is set on the lot to command a natural view on the east or west since it is difficult to shade the occupants' eyes from the sun early or late in the day. Devices to keep the sun's rays away from the windows may obstruct the view. View windows on the north can be protected from the sun's rays by a roof overhang; the sun does not bother those on the south.
The glare of the sun on an east-west orientation for a view located within the boundaries of a lot is not difficult to control. Fences and tall shrubbery instead of obstructing the view actually define it.
Generally the proportions of the window can be scaled to the view - a horizontal window for a panoramic view, such as a mountain range, a vertical window for a confined view, such as a terrace. In selecting windows to frame any view, it is important to avoid those having obstructions which interfere with the view. The windows should be placed at carefully determined heights so that the sills and the intermediate divisions do not obstruct the line of sight, either for that of tall or short adults.
The following serves as a checklist of good practices:
Architectural expression in houses is obtained, to a large degree, by the relationship of window areas to solid wall areas. The number and placement of windows, and even the type of windows can affect the architectural character of the house.
While windows must first be selected, sized and located to satisfy interior requirements, minor adjustments in size and/or location may be necessary to provide an acceptable appearance on the exterior of the house.
Windows should be configured so that the house gives an appearance of continuity, rather than one of unrelated glass.
Use of large glass areas usually requires some controls for privacy, both in the daytime and at night. You can select translucent or textured glass to provide privacy and diffused light.
Obvious controls include drapes, blinds or shutters. However consideration must be given to the size and the placement of these hangings so that they do not cancel the benefits of breeze and natural light. The use of louvres or other opaque types of ventilating units, which do not have to be draped, is one solution to this problem of privacy with ventilation.
Placing windows high in the wall is another effective means of obtaining privacy, especially in bedrooms.
Window areas are a major source of heat loss in winter and heat gain in summer. This heat loss and heat gain can be reduced through correct placement of the house on the lot in relation to the sun, through design of the house as regards the amount of glass area and its location in the walls and through the use of insulating glass, ie: double glazing.
Heat is lost through glass and through cracks around the sash of operating windows. This loss must be taken into consideration in determining the amount of glass to be used in the house, however if insulating windows are used instead of single glazed, larger glass areas can be achieved without impacting on this.
The placement of room heaters below windows, help to eliminate cold droughts since the glass and the air around the windows is warmed. In controlling heat gain, the location of glass areas is more important than the amount of glass. The house should be placed on the lot, and if necessary shaded so that the suns’ rays can be admitted during the winter when solar heat is desirable, but excluded during the hottest months of summer.
In planning for windows, consider the use of large glass areas not only in the living room but also in any room of the house that can benefit from increased daylight, view, or heat gain from the sun. On the other hand, small window areas may serve several purposes well. A bedroom on a western exposure for example may employ a series of short, high windows that supply daylight, provide privacy and yet keep the glass area on this exposure to a minimum so that the rays of the sun are not too unpleasant.
Often a combination of window types is best suited for both interior requirements and exterior appearances. The use of fixed glass with one or more operating window units achieves a functional window that also has a pleasing architectural character.
Such windows permit:
To learn more about windows styles and configurations, talk to one of our window experts on 1300 943 354 or take a closer look at the range of residential, designer and architectural windows on display at any of our Showrooms. | http://www.wideline.com.au/window-planning |
By Paul Totten, PE, LEED AP; and Amanda Stacy, LEED GA
Natatoriums and similar buildings with a body of water set within an interior space have requirements that differ from most buildings as they pertain to the control of HVAC systems and considerations for building enclosure design and management. Natatorium operation must consider pool water depth and evaporation risk, indoor air quality, pool water quality, contaminant risk to occupants from pool chemicals, and the durability of finish surfaces and building enclosure materials. The architectural, mechanical, pool, and building enclosure teams must possess the knowledge to design for this unique building type. An understanding of building science is critical, as is the ability to control airflow, heat transfer, and moisture movement within the building enclosure assemblies. HVAC designers must understand how airflow contributes to occupant comfort, reduces condensation risk, properly ventilates the air, and interacts with the building enclosure. On top of this, individuals who utilize the natatorium impact how the space operates. This includes children and adults of all ages who may be observing, leisurely bathing, or performing highly athletic activities (in the case of competitive swimming and diving pools).
Natatoriums create a complex set of parameters to define the exterior building enclosure, how it integrates and interacts with the building enclosures of the interior natatorium and ancillary spaces, and the numerous HVAC systems that may be required to properly operate the space. (See Figure 1.)
Airtightness
Airtightness within an enclosure is critical to create a good boundary for air pressurization of any space. Interior spaces with a pool require airtightness and vapor control on all six sides of the space in its simplest configuration—the floor (pool deck and pool basin), the roof (including any clerestories or dormers), and all walls that intersect the roof (see Figure 2). When installing building components (i.e., mechanical, electrical, lighting, plumbing) within a pool environment, fixtures must be airtight, and components have to be durable and resilient to a pool environment. This may require epoxy or similar finishes for metal decks and some components of the walls. If material durability is compromised, it can negatively affect airtightness, in addition to leading to material failure over time.
Following are a few critical airtightness details to consider:
- Pool-deck-to-wall interface: May require concrete curbs that can be clad over, that extend above the pool deck, and are waterproofed 8 to 12 inches for improved watertightness.
- Wall-to-wall interface: If partition walls abut an adjacent interior space, this will require an airtightness detail that traverses the wall through the framing and is married into other air barrier components.
- Wall-to-roof deck interface: Requires redundant air sealing within the metal deck flutes and air barrier membrane integration at exterior walls for redundancy.
- At doors, fenestrations, and penetrations.
Design sets should include a series of sheets to illustrate airtightness details for the natatorium space; these details should also consider vapor drive risk and vapor permeance of systems. Hygrothermal analyses simulate temperature, bulk water, and vapor drive through an assembly over a period of time. These analyses can be helpful in understanding areas of condensation risk and when vapor barriers may need to be added, relocated, or have vapor permeance refined.
Hygrothermal analysis can be a useful tool when coupled with working experience on these types of high-humidity projects.
Building Performance for Durability
Materials used within a natatorium environment have to be very resilient to pool chemicals that become airborne, such as chloramines, and where components can be directly wetted by the pool water. High humidity, condensation, and direct wetting can break down and corrode building components. Pool chemicals that are airborne or within the water can more readily corrode metal components if not properly protected; this includes structural, mechanical, plumbing, fenestration, and finish materials. Air-resistance details, as discussed in the previous section, can prevent chloramine-laden air from reaching more vulnerable assembly materials.
Selecting higher-quality materials, which likely have a higher upfront cost, is prudent to reduce the number of maintenance cycles. More maintenance cycles equate to higher costs over the building life cycle. Moisture-sensitive products and finishes should not typically be installed. Products with higher moisture tolerance should be located closer to the pool deck, while less-tolerant products may be used farther away, as long as the coating applied over all portions of the wall is equally resilient. For example, cement board panels, as a tile backer for a wall, may be used closer to a pool deck surface since it is a more moisture-resistant assembly. Higher up on the wall, a moisture-resistant drywall with epoxy paint or other high-end coating can be utilized as long as the materials are intended for pool environments.
Metal light-gauge framing—and, in some cases (such as residential), wood framing—may be installed but must not be positioned at the pool deck surface. The framing should be installed on an 8- to 12-inch concrete curb or taller concrete knee wall that is anchored into the pool deck, waterproofed over, and integrated into the pool waterproofing system. Pool waterproofing systems should have several layers of protection. This may encompass the following: a concrete shell to set the pool liner shape, waterstops at all concrete cold joints, hot fluid-applied asphaltic waterproofing membrane or similar high-end waterproofing membrane with two layers of protection course over the concrete shell, a gunnite system for the pool liner, and an appropriate coating or tile finish over the gunnite.
In some cases, our projects have required additional measures to protect moisture-sensitive spaces below the pool. Thus, a sub-pool concrete shell was installed well below the pool, with access hatches, and included an additional waterproofing system and electronic leak detection (ELD) system tied to an alarm that would sound if water were detected.
The finishes at the ceiling/roof of a natatorium also require durability, such as a fully epoxy-coated metal deck. If an acoustic deck is used, care must be taken to ensure all metal perforations have been well coated to avoid holidays in the coating that, over time, may create a risk for corrosion.
Overall, the selection of durable building materials that may be exposed or hidden within an assembly is critical to the longevity of natatorium performance and the reduction in maintenance costs.
Building Performance for Occupancy Types
The types of occupants accessing and utilizing a natatorium can vary greatly. Some individuals may use the pool for a leisurely swim or play, while competition pools accommodate individuals who race, and diving towers anticipate divers. Others may be in the natatorium space to teach, lifeguard, judge, and observe as coaches, parents, and other spectators.
Let’s take the example of a competition pool that has a competitive dive pool in the same space. The swimmers and divers have different needs for optimum athlete performance (Figure 3). If interior air temperature and humidity conditions are inconsistent or do not meet recommended design conditions, divers may have concerns of muscle cramping that can inhibit strong dives. For instance, the calves are important for a good upward and outward launch off the platform or springboard, while the arm and upper back muscles are important if the diver is starting in a handstand or similar starting point on the platform. Airtightness of the building enclosure is essential for airflow control near the dive platform and for consistent air temperature stratification for the divers climbing the ladders/stairs, especially in platform diving. A well-planned natatorium should include review of stack effect (buoyancy of warmer air to rise and, in this environment, carrying moisture) and convection potential to assure good mixing of the air, which becomes critical for the layout of HVAC supply and returns. A well-planned diving area will promote increased diver performance by removing some of the outliers associated with diver comfort and cramping risk. Other outliers, such as lighting and how a diver sees the space, also need to be carefully evaluated.
Those racing as swimmers have a different need, especially for quick turnarounds between events. Excessive chloramines in the air space can impact lung performance and, similar to divers, muscle cramping can be a risk when entering and exiting the pool. Control of air quality and ventilation, pool chemical balance, and air temperature and RH are essential for optimum swimming performance. Review of the airtightness boundary within the natatorium enclosure and how the HVAC system moves the air at the pool deck surface, across the water, and at the head height of the swimmers (where they breathe) is critical to providing good temperature stratification and better quality air, which may be the difference between not qualifying to move forward and winning an event. Airtightness detailing can be refined during the design process, reviewed during construction, and after installation, can be tested for functional performance to verify required air pressures can be maintained.
For all occupants using the space, airflow control can also enhance the transfer of acoustical paths to optimize the sound of cheering and the fan and competitor experience. If air is circulated such that sounds reflecting off the ceiling are combined with direct sound flow paths from the stands, the space will feel louder and as if occupied by more spectators, which will typically have a positive impact on the athletes. (See Figure 4.)
HVAC Interaction with the Enclosure and Passive Conditioning
The building enclosure boundary condition for air, vapor, and moisture control within a natatorium space should include:
- The underside of any ceiling or roof deck
- The pool deck and pool basin
- The inside surface of exterior walls and fenestration
- The inside surface of interior partitions, doors, and fenestration (observation windows or storefront)
The waterproofing in the pool assembly acts as a plane of airtightness, and the water in the pool creates a buffer zone before air can reach the waterproofing. HVAC flow should have good supply direction, velocity, and temperature—especially across fenestration systems to reduce the risk for condensation. HVAC flow should be continuous into and out of clerestory and dormer conditions to avoid the stagnation of air and moisture accumulation. Although it can be serviced by a single return louver, the return air system may need additional return ductwork for better HVAC flow paths and control to avoid limited mixing of air and one end of the pool potentially being driven by stack effect. The sensors and controls for the HVAC system require careful placement so the system has a good feedback loop so as to not over- or underhumidify the pool space.
During cooler seasons, an indoor natatorium is ideal for providing a comfortable environment for swimming. During the summer months, however, indoor natatorium spaces may be used infrequently if the facility also encompasses an outdoor swimming pool. By installing operable doors and windows within a typically enclosed natatorium space, there is an opportunity to provide an additional indoor/outdoor swimming pool space in the summer.
Indoor natatoriums are not typically designed for natural ventilation, because it is difficult to control the air temperature, RH, and ventilation strategy. Natatoriums have strict air temperature and RH requirements as they relate to the temperature of the pool water. These recommended design conditions encourage comfortable water conditions for bathers, reduce the evaporative cooling effect that can occur when bathers exit the pool, and facilitate adequate ventilation for occupants who may not be swimming. The air and water temperatures are close in degree to reduce pool water evaporation rates, which can increase energy loads required to maintain pool water temperatures.
When the doors and windows of an indoor natatorium are opened, the risk for condensation and occupant discomfort increases. If occupants are uncomfortable, they will not use the pool; if finish materials in the natatorium are corroding, building maintenance costs increase. Therefore, natural ventilation within a natatorium should be carefully considered and designed, and a thorough evaluation of the climate zone should be made.
The overall orientation of the natatorium building—in addition to door and window placement—should encourage natural airflow via direct wind flows or by creating pressure differentials to pull air through the space. Wind flow diagrams can be helpful to understand the direction and velocity of wind flows during summer months, while computational fluid dynamics models can validate airflow performance. (See Figure 5.) The natural ventilation design should move air across the surface of the water to remove chloramines in the air, as well as to prevent stagnant air that may be uncomfortable to occupants. The air traversing the water must be at a higher temperature and heightened humidity load (85% RH or higher, and 85°F [29.4°C] or higher) to reduce the evaporation rate off the surface of the water. The HVAC systems typically need to be back-scaled, not shut down, to encourage airflow in areas where stagnant air and condensation are risks, such as at clerestory and dormer conditions.
In the morning when the natatorium doors and windows are opened, there is a risk for condensation if the interior surface temperatures are at or below the dew point temperature of the outside air. Therefore, the doors and windows should only be opened when outdoor conditions closely resemble recommended design conditions for the pool space and are also warm enough for bather comfort. Throughout the day, indoor air conditions and surface temperatures will equalize with outdoor conditions. Occupants will tend to have a larger comfort range under exterior air and RH conditions. In the late afternoon when the natatorium doors and windows are closed and the HVAC system is set to full performance, there is a risk for condensation if the interior surface temperatures are at or below the dew point temperature of the indoor supply air. Therefore, the doors and windows should be closed prior to the exterior temperature dropping below recommended design conditions.
We have seen success for natural ventilation in an indoor natatorium in a mixed-humid climate, such as the Washington, DC, metropolitan area. This cannot be accomplished in all climate conditions. Where climates drastically differ from natatorium recommended design conditions, there is an increased risk for condensation, occupant discomfort, and higher energy and HVAC loads. Weather events, such as rain and fog, can also increase the risk for condensation—even in a mixed-humid climate. Natural ventilation in an indoor natatorium can be challenging for the design team. We recommend establishing a schedule of operation for the doors and windows to reduce the risks while providing great benefits to
the facility owner and occupants.
Summary
Natatorium design must consider the relationship between HVAC systems and the building enclosure. The transfer of air, moisture, and heat are managed at the exterior of the building enclosure assemblies and at the interior of the natatorium.
Careful design of the HVAC systems can optimize building enclosure performance while also maintaining comfortable occupant conditions and creating efficiency in natatorium operations.
Design teams should specify durable materials that can withstand moisture and pool contaminant exposure via bulk water and vapor drive. Air and vapor control details within the building enclosure design promote proper air pressurization of the space in order to maintain recommended air temperatures and RH, while reducing the stratification of air temperatures. The interplay between the building enclosure and HVAC systems can enhance competitive swimmer or diver performance and the experience for spectators while leisure swimmers maintain comfort in and out of the water.
HVAC systems for natatorium spaces are designed to ventilate fresh air and exhaust humid, contaminant-laden air. Layout of the mechanical systems is crucial for maintaining recommended design conditions for pool operation and occupant comfort while reducing condensation risk. Natural ventilation within a natatorium can be beneficial to owner operations and occupant experience; the design team should reference recommended air temperature and RH design conditions, building orientation, operable fenestration locations and quantity, and summertime climate conditions for optimum performance.
Natatorium design and operation greatly differs from other building uses. A complex set of factors should be considered by the design team to create synergies between the building enclosure and the HVAC systems in order to successfully manage the space.
Amanda Stacy joined the WSP DC office in 2014 after earning master’s degrees in architecture and science in sustainable design. She focuses on optimizing building enclosure design through the utilization of sustainable design strategies and a methodology of building performance analytics. Stacy offers high-performance design and detailing solutions grounded in a thorough understanding of building science, construction technologies, and material performance. She is co-chair of the AIA|DC Technology Committee and a LEED Green Associate.
Paul E. Totten is a vice president at WSP and leads the Building Enclosures Division. He has over 20 years of experience in the fields of structural engineering, building enclosure technology and commissioning, and building science. He has concentrated his expertise on the evaluation and analysis of heat, air, and moisture transfer, and the cumulative effect these elements have on building components and building operation. | https://iibec.org/hvac-interaction-building-enclosure-natatoriums/ |
The warm air will naturally rise and push cooler air downstairs. During those summer months, when you run your air conditioner, you probably notice that your upstairs rooms always feel cooler than your downstairs rooms, and you're probably not sure what to do with it.
Should I put air conditioner upstairs or downstairs?
If you have window units, and you primarily stay in the lower level of your home, there is nothing wrong with turning the AC off upstairs. Heat rises, so turning off the AC on the upper floor (or floors) will not affect your comfort level downstairs, nor will it affect how much the units downstairs have to work.
How do you cool upstairs when AC is downstairs?
- Clean the air filter in your AC. ...
- Install a window air conditioner upstairs. ...
- Replace the AC system. ...
- Use your air supply registers efficiently. ...
- Seal the windows and open the doors upstairs. ...
- Close the curtains and turn off the lights upstairs. ...
- Insulate your attic.
Why does my AC work upstairs but not downstairs?
When the ductwork isn't sealed properly, positive pressure is created. This causes the air to flow to areas of the home that aren't ideal, such as the attic and crawl spaces, rather than the downstairs and upstairs floors. ... If any leaks are detected, the technician can use a ductwork sealing product.
How do you cool down a two story house?
- Consider investing in a window air conditioner or ventless (evaporative) air cooler.
- Use a floor fan (or ceiling fan) to improve (or direct) cold air flow upstairs.
- Open doors on the second floor so air is more evenly distributed (when using a central AC system)
What to Do if Your Upstairs is Warmer Than Your Downstairs
Does a 2 story house need 2 AC units?
In a two-story home, the upstairs area is often warmer, as warm air rises. Having two AC units in your home can help balance out the temperature. ... This allows you the freedom to keep the downstairs at a more comfortable temperature for the areas you use, without using the energy to cool the entire home.
How should I set my upstairs and downstairs thermostats?
During the summer, set your upstairs thermostat to your desired temperature, and the downstairs unit two degrees warmer. During winter, set the downstairs temperature to the ideal level, and upstairs two degrees colder. During the winter, this isn't as much of a problem, because you want a warmer home.
How can I force my cool air upstairs?
- Properly open vents, don't block return air supply. Let the air flow! ...
- Install lightly colored curtains or drapes. ...
- Keep heat-generating appliances off. ...
- Run a fan (when you're in the room) ...
- Keep your HVAC fan set to 'on' ...
- Inspect your ductwork. ...
- Check your insulation.
Why is my upstairs so hot even with AC?
Blame physics: hot air rises while cold air sinks. That means your upstairs typically gets hotter than your lower levels, even if your air conditioner's working in overdrive. Your roof's hot, too: Unless you have shady tree cover, your roof absorbs a ton of heat from the sun.
How do I increase airflow upstairs?
- Keep Air Conditioner Running in Fan Mode. ...
- Install a Ceiling Fan. ...
- Increase the Size of Return Vents. ...
- Increase Number of Vents. ...
- Clear the Vents. ...
- Close Vents on Lower Floors. ...
- Go for Ductless Air Conditioning. ...
- Get a Zoned HVAC System.
Does closing vents help cool upstairs?
Does Closing Vents Help Other Areas of the House? Closing air vents in one area of the home does not help other rooms receive better airflow. Instead, conditioned air is lost through duct leaks and the other areas of your home do not receive additional heating or cooling.
Why is my upstairs bedroom so hot?
Poor Sealing, Insulation, and Ventilation
One of the biggest reasons the upstairs gets so hot is that the current sealing, insulation, and ventilation systems are not working correctly. ... To top it all off, improper ventilation can result in an inadequate amount of airflow, making it difficult to stay cool naturally.
How can I cool my upstairs of a 2 story house without AC?
- Insulate the Attic. ...
- Ventilate the Attic. ...
- Consider a White Roof. ...
- Block the Sun. ...
- Limit the Use of Appliances That Generate Too Much Heat. ...
- Replace Incandescent Lights With Compact Fluorescent Lamps. ...
- Turn on Fans on the Second Floor to Increase Airflow. ...
- Turn on the Exhaust Fans.
How do I get AC to the second floor?
An attic fan will also help circulate the air, which in turn decreases the amount of hot air that reaches the second floor. Close some, but not all, supply vents on the first floor for better circulation to the second floor. Also, make sure nothing blocks your vents upstairs, and that your air-return vents are open.
What should the temperature difference be between upstairs and downstairs?
Rising heat in multi-level homes
In a typical two story home, there is a 8–10 degree temperature difference between the upstairs and the downstairs. This is because heat naturally moves from lower to higher levels, leaving the upstairs rooms warmer than those below.
Where should a thermostat be placed in a two story house?
For a two-story house, the thermostat should be placed on the first floor fairly high up onto the wall. Keeping it into the most central part of the whole house helps keep the temperature the most regulated.
What is the proper way to set a thermostat for a multi story house?
Here's how to do it: Choose your ideal temperature — 76 degrees, for example. Set your thermostat on the very top floor of your home to this desired temperature. If you have a three-story home, go down to the second floor and set the second thermostat two degrees cooler, for 74 degrees.
How much does an air conditioner cost for a 2000 sq ft home?
Installing a central air conditioner into a 2000 square ft. home with an existing forced air furnace heating system (that has all ductwork installed properly) would cost between $3,000 to $4,000.
Is two story house cheaper to build?
When it comes to pure economics, two story homes are surprisingly the more affordable option. Tall rather than wide, two story homes have a smaller footprint, which means there is less foundation for the home and also less roof structure up at the top. ... All together, two story homes offer construction cost savings.
Can I add a second air conditioner to my house?
Zoned Systems– Yes you can have a single unit with two or more thermostats. This will cool the house evenly as well. The zones system has dampers in the ductwork the open, close to regulate airflow, and temp in each zone. A regular central air system pushes cool air to the entire house.
Should I shut off vents in unused rooms?
The short answer is no; you should not close air vents in your house. Closing vents can actually waste more energy than operating your system normally. How does closing air vents waste energy? Because when you close vents in unused rooms, your central air system will push the excess air to other places in your home.
Is it OK to shut off vents in unused rooms?
When you close the air vents in unused rooms, it's much easier for the heat exchanger to crack, which can release deadly carbon monoxide into the home. Carbon monoxide is a tasteless, colorless and odorless gas that's undetectable to humans.
Will closing basement vents downstairs help cool upstairs?
That said, closing your vents is best for saving energy but not for redirecting cool air throughout your home. Some homeowners believe that by closing the vents in their basements, cool air will automatically be redirected toward the upper levels of a house. Unfortunately, that's not how your furnace fan works.
How do you force heat upstairs?
Closing vents helps push more heated air to the open vents, so make sure all your upstairs vents are wide open. Also, open all upstairs doors to help heated air flow into each room. When you close the vents in some seldom-used rooms downstairs, close the doors to those rooms to prevent losing heat from other rooms.
Should you close upstairs vents in the winter?
If you have a top/bottom return vent setup, close the top vents in the winter months. Closing the top vents will make your system draw in air from the bottom vents that are at the low point in the room where cold air settles. | https://moviecultists.com/will-upstairs-ac-cool-downstairs |
We rely on our thermostats to control the HVAC system to dial in the optimal temperature to keep our homes comfortable all year round. The best way to think of a thermostat is as the central brain for the entire heating and cooling system. So, any problems that affect the thermostat can have an impact on the HVAC system too. Many people don’t understand that the placement of the thermostat can affect how it performs. In this article, we will explain five thermostat placement issues in more detail.
1. In Direct Sunlight
If you place your hand in direct sunlight, even if it’s shining through a window, it will feel warm. This is true in summer and winter, and this is a problem when it comes to thermostat placement. The unit contains a sensor that reads the ambient temperature to judge when the heating turns on and how long it needs to run for to reach the desired settings. So, if you have the thermostat located near a south facing window or under a skylight, there is a strong chance that the unit will be confused. The thermostat may register that the room is warmer than it actually is, and this can cause the HVAC system to work when it isn’t required. These are known as “ghost readings’ ‘ they introduce uncertainty that causes additional strain on the equipment for no appreciable gain. The HVAC system will also expend energy for no reason, and that’s a waste of money.
2. In or Near the Kitchen
The kitchen is probably the warmest area in the entire home, and this is especially true when you’re cooking or running multiple appliances. The heat generated by the stove and oven as you prepare a meal will make this area much warmer than the rest of the home. When you place a thermostat, you need an area with a consistent ambient temperature to accurately judge home much heating you need to make the home comfortable. If the ambient temperature is rising and falling dramatically throughout the day, this is a problem. The thermostat will become “confused” and you’re not going to get the HVAC performance and energy efficiency that you need.
3. Above an Air Vent
Heat rises, and the movement or air can confuse the sensor in your thermostat. So, if it’s placed above or near an air vent, it’s difficult to get an accurate temperature reading. The thermostat will “think” that the room is warmer than it actually is and takes appropriate action. The result is a lack of heat that you may need, and the air conditioner may even run for no reason. Again, these “ghost readings” cause unnecessary wear and tear on the HVAC system, and they waste a lot of energy.
4. Near Windows or Doors
Many of the problems that we’ve previously discussed are equally applicable to exterior doors and windows. This is especially true if these areas are not sealed properly and there are drafts that can alter the ambient temperature. If a thermostat is located in a drafty area, it will tend to have readings that are cooler than they should be. The opening and closing of external doors can also bring cold air in, which may “confuse” the sensor. The thermostat sensor will be affected in different ways depending on the season. The HVAC system is likely to cycle on and off rapidly, which is known as short cycling. A comfortable and consistent temperature is hard to achieve and maintain, and the equipment is placed under considerable strain. The HVAC system may become prone to component failures, the frequency of repairs may increase, and the lifespan of the system may be shortened significantly.
5. The Hallway
People don’t tend to live in hallways, so it may seem like this is a great placement location, but it isn’t. Why? Well, it’s hard to get an accurate temperature reading that’s relevant to humans when there are no people around for most of the time. Finding the optimal “real feel” temperature is a real challenge when you’re taking readings in an empty hallway area. The ambient temperature may be consistent, but the airflow is restricted, and people can bump into the unit, which may change the settings or cause damage. When you’re considering a thermostat replacement, it should be in or near the room where the family tends to spend the most time. This will ensure that the temperature readings and a “real feel” relevance for the people living in the home.
What is the Ideal Thermostat Placement Location?
This is a tricky question to answer. There is no one-size-fits-all answer to give because every home will vary in size, configuration, number of windows, and other factors. But, there are some general rules to thermostat placement location that can be useful if you follow them carefully. First, place the thermostat on an interior wall and keep it away from the locations discussed earlier: windows, doors, air vents, hallways, kitchens, and areas exposed to direct sunlight. Second, try to place the thermostat towards the center of the home in rooms where the family spends most of their time. This will ensure that the family will be in the most comfortable areas of the home. Finally, check the thermostat regularly to ensure that the optimal settings for the season are used and that the unit has sufficient power.
Identifying Thermostat Problems
Finding the optimal location for your thermostat is important, but there are some other issues that you need to be aware of if you want to avoid problems later. The sensor in the thermostat is sensitive, and most units are pretty accurate under normal operating conditions. But, the sensor can be affected by dust and dirt that can get into the thermostat casing. If the thermostat is acting erratically, it’s worth opening the unit and vacuuming the interior to see if this fixes the problem. Another common problem is a lack of power to the thermostat because a battery-powered unit has died or a mains powered unit has a tripped breaker.
If you’re considering a new or upgraded thermostat for your HVAC system, contact your local heating and cooling specialist today. | https://aroundclock.com/blog/5-thermostat-placement-issues-explained/ |
Airtightness is simply the control of airflow within a building. This means there is no unexpected air leakage (losing warm air) or no cold air infiltration.
In passive construction the building is made airtight in order to prevent the unwanted movement of air. This has many benefits, some of which include:
- Reduced heat loss.
- Reduced energy costs (Space Heating).
- Improved thermal performance of the structure. (Prevents wicking of insulation - diagram on the right of the page)
- Improved thermal comfort. (A steady temperature is maintained throughout the building).
To gain Passivhaus certification a building must reach the standard of 0.6 ach-1 @50Pa; this simply means that there must be less than 0.6 cubic metres of air change per hour for every square metre of floor area when the difference in air pressure between the inside and outside is fifty Pascals.
When building a passive house it is important to get an accurate measurement of the airtightness; to obtain this a "Blower Door Test" is used.
- The blower door fan is set up in the doorway of the main entrance of the dwelling.
- Windows and doors are closed while vents and fans are sealed.
- The fan is then turned on and tested for overpressurisation; the house is subjected to 50 Pascals of pressure for one hour whilst the air flow rate is measured.
- The goal of the first stage is for the dwelling to maintain the excess pressure of 50 Pascals. | https://passivedesign.org/airtightnessf |
Air fills all spaces, and the inside your house is no exception. We need to exchange this air for fresh air regularly to keep the environment healthy for the occupants of our homes.
However, modern home-building guidelines favor houses that keep cold air inside in summer and warm air inside in winter, which can affect the air quality.
How long does it take to exchange the air in a house? To exchange the air in a house, the average is 1 to 2 air changes per hour or between 60 and 30 minutes. This is known as the air exchange rate and that amount of time needed can vary. With open doors and windows, the rate is about 4 changes per hour, meaning that it takes only 15 minutes.
The air exchange rate will vary depending on the room, how many people are in it, and how you use the space.
It’s essential to understand how long it takes to replace the air in every room to prevent the quality of the air you breathe inside your own home from being compromised.
In this article, we will discuss factors that affect the air exchange rate of your home as well as ways that you can improve the quality of that air.
History of Air Distribution
Architects have recognized the need for proper air distribution within buildings for many centuries. The purpose is essentially to manage the quality of air inside by replacing it with fresh air from outdoors.
We call this form of air circulation ventilation, a word that derives from the Latin ventilatio, which has its root in the word ventus, meaning wind.
Humans learned early that their homes needed ventilation when open fires were used inside to heat living spaces. Various civilizations adopted the use of chimneys and vents to allow smoke to exit their buildings.
In the 17th century, King Charles I of England recognized that poor ventilation was causing health problems, and he decreed that the ceilings in homes must be at least 10 feet high and that windows must be higher than they are wide to allow for ventilation.
In modern times, ventilation systems within buildings have evolved significantly. The shift in design is especially noticeable in the 1970s when research and technology focused on good indoor air quality and comfort.
Later on, professional organizations and government agencies established environmental air quality levels and guidelines for various environments.
Air Exchange Rates
The air exchange rate is the speed at which outdoor air replaces indoor air within a room. Organizations use the air exchange rate to determine air quality, particularly in workspaces, where there are legal requirements that employers have to meet.
Pollutants in the air can contaminate air quality if there isn’t sufficient airflow, and that is why this calculation is so essential.
Organizations calculate the air exchange rates within a room as follows: Air exchange rate (air changes per hour or ACPH) = fresh air supply (ft³/h) / volume of the room (ft³)
Therefore, if a room was 10ft³ and was delivered 60ft³ fresh air supply every hour, then the ACPH air exchange rate would be 6. That would mean that the volume of air is wholly changed within that room six times per hour.
There is legislation that requires a certain degree of air exchange in public spaces as well as providing recommendations for other environments.
The American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) provides guidelines for recommended ACPH for various spaces (source).
PUBLIC SPACES
Smoking rooms: 15 – 20
Restaurant kitchens: 14 – 18
Conference rooms: 8 – 12
Churches: 8 – 12
Entrance halls: 6 – 8
Factories: 8 – 10
Gymnasiums: 6
Hospital wards: 6 – 8
Public lavatories: 10 – 12
Offices: 6 – 8
PRIVATE SPACES
Bedrooms: 5 – 6
Bathrooms: 6 – 7
Living rooms: 6 – 8
Kitchens: 7 – 8
Laundry: 8 – 9
Why Do We Need to Exchange Air in a House?
Homebuilders construct houses to minimize energy losses, and they generally weatherize homes. This approach means that most new homes are well sealed, and there is very little natural exchange of air happening within the house.
Having such tightly sealed homes can be a problem as allergens, irritants, and pollutants can affect the quality of air within the house.
A house with poor ventilation can lead to issues with retained moisture and can make indoor temperatures uncomfortable. These issues can affect the comfort and health of the occupants, and homeowners need to be aware of such risks.
In the past, occupants most often simply opened windows to ensure air exchange, but modern homes often require more sophisticated methods.
ASHRAE recommends that homes receive at least 0.35 air changes per hour. The US average is between one and two air exchanges per hour in existing homes.
This number is dropping as homebuilders construct more tightly-sealed homes. These modern homes require mechanical ventilation to ensure fresh outside air enters the house.
For more in-depth information on this topic, check out our article on how often you should air out your apartment.
How Air Moves through a House
All houses exchange indoor and outdoor air in some way. There are always some air leaks — even in newer, sealed homes, but especially in the case of older homes — that connect the indoor and outdoor spaces.
These usually occur around window frames, pipes, chimneys, or vents. Also, because the temperature and air pressure between inside and outside is generally different, air will naturally move from a high-pressure area to a low-pressure area. (source)
Ventilation of a house can occur naturally through open windows and doors or with mechanical assistance. If air movement is accidental — i.e., through cracks or other air leaks — it is called infiltration rather than ventilation.
Consider how an average house functions during winter. Warm air tends to rise, and therefore the air within the house will be warmer near the ceiling than in the basement.
This air is at a higher pressure than the cold air outside and will try to escape through the various air leaks or when a window or when someone opens a door.
Conversely, low-pressure, colder air will replace the air in the basement as it rises.
This type of air movement is called a “stack effect” and is the same principle that causes smoke to rise up a chimney and escape. In warmer weather, the stack effect is weaker or could even reverse in very hot weather.
Air Distribution
Many US houses use a forced-air system to distribute air throughout a home.
These systems use air to transfer heat throughout the house by pulling colder air into the ductwork and pushing it to the furnace, where it is heated and then distributed through air vents to various rooms around the house.
The system communicates with a thermostat to keep the air temperature at the desired level.
Either fans or open windows, if there is air movement outside, will also work to distribute air around a house. Rooms without windows or vents need to have air mechanically circulated, or they will quickly become stale and unhealthy.
Indoor Air Pollutants
Indoor pollution sources are the primary cause of reduced air quality within American homes, according to the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) (source).
These pollutants release particles or gas into the air, and they are exacerbated by inadequate ventilation as there isn’t sufficient fresh air to dilute the impurities and to carry them out of the home.
Indoor air pollutants affect the health of a home’s inhabitants as well as the comfort of the house and can have both immediate and long-term effects.
Immediate effects include reactions such as irritation to the eyes, nose, or throat, as well as headaches and fatigue.
Most of these are short-term and treatable. Long-term effects after repeated exposure can include serious outcomes such as respiratory and heart diseases as well as cancer.
Pollutants include tobacco products, excess moisture, combustion products, radon, outdoor sources, and cleaning products, which we outline in more detail below.
The relative damage caused by each of these sources depends on how much pollutants they emit and how dangerous those emissions are.
It’s also important to consider whether they are releasing pollutants continuously or intermittently and how long their effects stay in the air.
Tobacco Products
Tobacco products produce a raft of harmful gases and particles.
Secondhand smoke contains more than 7000 substances and is classified by the EPA as a Group A carcinogen. Secondhand smoke can move between rooms in a house, and ventilation does not negate this.
Excess Moisture
Excess moisture is a common problem affecting air quality. Moisture can enter the house by rain or other leaks, water vapor in humid air, or through porous materials such as concrete or wood.
Excess moisture also originates from inside bathrooms, kitchens, and plants.
The most common issues with excess moisture originate when warm, moist air comes into contact with a cooler surface, causing it to condense in droplets.
This condensation often results in mold, mildew, and dust mites, which can trigger asthma and allergies and lead to decay of wooden products and rusting of metal items.
Combustion Products
All fuel-burning combustion appliances, such as water heaters, furnaces, and ranges produce carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, nitrous oxides, and water vapor.
When these appliances are not correctly vented or are overly worn, these pollutants can enter the house.
The most dangerous of these is carbon monoxide (CO), which is colorless and odorless, but is highly toxic and can be fatal.
The effects of carbon monoxide gas on individuals will differ according to the amount of their exposure. Other factors include the individual’s age and health
Radon
Radon is a radioactive gas that is generated underground and can enter a house from the ground. It is the leading cause of lung cancer in the US after smoking.
Fortunately, once you’ve had your home tested for it, you can manage radon levels in your home.
Usually, you can have a system installed that pulls the radon-rich air from under the foundation slab and vents the gas harmlessly into the atmosphere and away from the house.
High radon levels have appeared in all US States, and levels vary from home to home and within neighborhoods. It is, therefore, necessary to test for radon levels, and this is easy to do, as test kits are cheaply available from local hardware stores.
VOCs
Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) include several evaporated substances that many varied sources emit, including building materials, furnishings, pesticides, and some cooking processes.
The best known and most dangerous of these is formaldehyde, which is in resins used in composite wood products, glues, paints, preservatives, and fertilizers. It also comes from cigarette smoke and unvented appliances.
High exposure to formaldehyde can compromise health, and you should seek treatment.
How to Improve Indoor Air Quality
It is essential to be aware of pollutants because, although one cannot do away with them entirely, one needs to know how to manage them. The easiest way to manage the source of air pollutants is to address the source.
Control Sources
There are various ways to control the sources of indoor air pollutants. Some of these include banning smoking inside your house, using only sealed combustion appliances, and ensuring an airtight connection between your house and garage.
Another way is to control moisture by servicing gutters, grading the ground around the house, and venting wet areas. You should also use safe household products that are low-VOC.
Exhaust Locally
If it isn’t possible to control the source of the pollutant, then the best approach is to exhaust locally from its source area.
This applies significantly to exhaust fans or vents in bathrooms or kitchens that will exhaust moisture or other pollutants directly outside before they mix with air quality in other rooms.
Filters
You cannot remove some particles by the methods above, such as soot or pollen.
In this case, it is possible to install systems that circulate and filter the air throughout the house. These are either mechanical or electrostatic filters that you need to clean regularly to allow them to do their job correctly.
General dilution
Although the methods described above are more sophisticated, there is still value in diluting the air inside the house by simply opening windows and allowing the free flow of air.
In conditions where there is little airflow, you can achieve the same effect by using fans.
Air Quality Problems
Houses will generally provide clues as to where there are issues that may affect air quality. It is essential to be aware of these and to address them as soon as possible so that you can avoid any adverse health effects.
Excess Infiltration
Excess infiltration is often evidenced by feeling drafts even when the windows and doors are closed or seeing tracks of dust near poorly sealed windows and doors. Leaks in air conditioning ductwork can also result in excess infiltration.
Inadequate Air Exchange
Persistent smells are often a sign of inadequate air exchange as they suggest that your ventilation system is not expelling the air carrying the odor.
Too Much Air Exchange
Sometimes the systems we install may be exacerbating outdoor conditions such as making an interior too dry or humid.
Ventilation Strategies
Strategies for New Buildings
When building a new home, one has the luxury of planning the ventilation and will generally build with as few leaks as possible and then ventilate mechanically. This is achieved by installing one of the three main ventilation methods.
1. Exhaust Only
The exhaust-only method refers to exhaust fans, generally found in bathrooms and kitchens, but sometimes throughout the house.
The exhaust-only system works by depressurizing your home – it exhausts air from your home, and new air enters through leaks and vents.
Exhaust systems work better in colder, dryer climates as they seldom draw in the hot and humid air. When this is the case, there is a risk of excess moisture. This system is simple and relatively inexpensive to install but may draw in pollutants.
2. Supply Only
The supply-only system is a forced-air system that draws clean air into the interior of the house. This system uses a fan to pressurize your home, forcing outside air in and allowing inside air to leak out.
It works well to keep moisture out in humid environments but may not work so well in cooler climates as it could create very damaging condensation.
This system is also relatively cheap and straightforward to install and gives better control over the air entering the house, thereby eliminating more pollutants.
3. Balanced
The balanced-system is a combination of the two systems, which aims to keep a constant and balanced pressure inside the house. It is a more expensive system as they use more power, but these systems work in any climate (source).
Strategies for Old Buildings
They tended not to build old buildings as tight, and whole-house solutions may not be the best approach. It is best first to address these symptoms of low air quality. It can also be useful to make use of the following:
- Use exhaust fans and open windows when possible.
- Open screened windows, funnel breezes into the house, or use fans.
- Make use of humidifiers or dehumidifiers as necessary.
Final Thoughts
It’s difficult to calculate how many times a day air is exchanged in an average house because it depends on so many variables. What we do know is that many factors could be reducing the quality of air that we breathe inside our homes.
It’s worth considering what sort of air we’re breathing and whether we need to test our air quality and make some changes to how regularly and cleanly it’s exchanged. | https://airandwaterexpert.com/how-long-does-it-take-to-exchange-air-in-a-house/ |
5 Tips to Save Your Home from Mold Growth
Mold can grow just about anywhere in your home: on walls, carpet, clothing, upholstery, ceiling tiles, food, paper products, and wood products. It’s not only unsightly but also a potential health risk. It can produce allergens, irritants, and even toxins that may cause health problems like wheezing, chronic cough, and increased occurrence of asthma attacks. As if that’s not enough, extensive mold damage can cost you tens of thousands of dollars.
The best approach to take to save both time and money is preventing mold growth in your home before it turns into a problem. Here are five useful tips:
Dry Wet Areas Quickly
Mold can’t thrive without moisture. For that reason, be sure to check the areas of your house that collect condensation or water regularly. Windows, water tanks, sump pumps, basement doors, refrigerators, household plants, bathrooms, and crawl spaces are some of the places where moisture tends to collect. Dry any water you find in these places immediately.
You should dry any spills on your carpet as soon as possible. After showering, dry off the walls, floor, and tub. Don’t leave wet items like towels and clothes lying around inside the house. Even the smallest leaks can encourage mold growth, so fix any leaks you come across in your home.
Keep Your Home Properly Ventilated
Everyday domestic activities such as cooking dinner, doing laundry, and taking a shower can promote mold growth in your home. Properly ventilating your kitchen, laundry room, bathroom, and other moisture-prone areas helps prevent humid air from settling indoors and causing a mold problem.
Vent moisture-producing appliances such as stoves and clothes dryers to the outside rather than the attic. Consider opening a window or running an exhaust fan when washing the dishes, cooking, or showering to minimize moisture levels and the possibility of mold growth. It may be impractical to keep windows open in the winter, so you could choose to open them for just a few minutes instead.
Monitor Indoor Humidity Levels
Controlling the humidity levels in your home is key to preventing mold issues. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), you should keep indoor humidity between 30% and 60%. Indoor humidity monitors are available at local hardware stores. It’s important to deal with the extra moisture once the relative humidity in your home reaches 60%. Some mold species can start growing once the relative humidity exceeds 70%.
An excellent way to remove excess moisture from your home’s air is by running a dehumidifier which can avoid the possibility of any growth of mold species. And if you live in a very humid area, consider installing a whole-house system. However, if you’re only looking to deal with occasional dampness and mustiness, a portable dehumidifier will suffice. But make sure you take the necessary steps and check reviews and rating of a dehumidifier which will also help you determine the right type and size of the dehumidifier for your home.
Improve Airflow within Your Home
When temperatures drop, the amount of moisture that air can hold reduces. If the airflow in your home isn’t good, the extra moisture may settle on your floors, windows, and walls. You can increase air circulation by opening the doors between your rooms, opening windows, and moving furniture away from walls.
Draperies and furniture can block supply grilles, causing condensation that promotes the growth of mold. Make sure you move them away from any vents and grilles so that air can keep circulating freely. It’s also important to minimize your household clutter as it can prevent your home comfort system from properly circulating air.
Use Mold-Resistant Products
Are you planning to renovate your current home or building a new one? Consider using mold-resistant materials. Such products are manufactured in such a manner that they help prevent the growth of mold in your home. For example, mold-resistant drywall has a gypsum core that’s covered in fiberglass, unlike traditional drywall’s core that consists of piles of paper. The water-resistant surface of mold-resistant drywall makes it ideal for use in bathrooms, kitchens, laundry rooms, and basements.
Other products that you can use in your home to boost your mold prevention efforts include paint with mold inhibitors, mold-resistant insulation, and mold-resistant wood.
A mold problem can be extremely challenging and expensive to fix. With some effort and little preventive maintenance, you can prevent mold growth and protect the health, comfort, and finances of your family. | http://everydayhomeandgarden.com/5-tips-save-home-mold-growth/ |
The Building Department conducts field inspections related to permits to ensure that the work covered by the permit is done according to the plans, and is in compliance with all Building Codes and City Ordinances adopted by the City of Palm Springs. It shall be the responsibility of the owner or licensed contractor doing the work authorized by a permit to notify the Building Department when said work is ready for inspection. No portion of any building, structure, wiring, plumbing, ductwork or equipment, which is required to be inspected, shall be covered or concealed without approval of the Building Official or his Deputy. The inspection process culminates with a final inspection and the issuance of a Certificate of Occupancy.
Inspections are performed between the hours of 8am and 4:30pm Monday through Thursday and must be scheduled by calling (760-323-8243) at least one business day prior to the requested inspection time.
Types of Required Inspections (This is not a complete list of all possible inspections)
Under-Ground Plumbing and Electric
Verify the location, bury depth and materials of all under-slab plumbing, gas and electrical systems.
Foundation/Footing
Location of the forms to meet zoning setback requirements, elevation of the forms to meet flood control requirements, depth and width of the footing, and proper placement, size and grade of reinforcing steel. All required shear wall anchor bolts, hold-down bolts, and straps are expected to be hung on templates.
Roof Sheathing Framing
Size, spacing, grade and span of rafters and purlins. Framing hardware, i.e., hangers, straps, etc. Structural supports, i.e., posts, beams, headers. Sheathing panel index, shear diaphragm, shear transfer. Plumbing and mechanical vents through the roof. Trusses, installed per plan, truss calcs available for inspector.
Wrap
Location, panel index, size and nailing of shear walls. Hold-down hardware, shear wall anchor bolts, plate washers. Location and size of doors and windows. All windows must be installed to check for emergency egress, glazing and flashing.
Framing
All structural, rough plumbing, rough mechanical and rough electrical installations are checked at framing. Structural: size, spacing and grade of studs. Size, spacing, grade, span and support of joist. Cutting, notching and boring of studs, joists, and review interior shear walls.
Rough Plumbing
Drain, waste and vent piping capped or plugged outside the building and filled with water until vents overflow to test for leaks. Proper location of all fixture stud cuts as shown on floor plan. Drain and vent sizing, wet venting, slope and support of drain lines. Approved joints and fittings. Location and size of cleanouts. Protection from physical damage for non-metallic piping. Water piping: static pressure on lines. Proper material, location, size and supports.
Rough Mechanical
Proper material, size, location, support and installation of all duct work. FAU compartment: supply air (plenum), return air, combustion air and condensate drain line(s). Fire and draft stopping. Combustion vents: location and clearances.
Rough Electrical
General wiring to convenience outlets and lights. Grounding and bonding: metal boxes, cold water piping, grounding electrode conductor, neutral and grounding busses. Wiring/conduit locations: support and protection, GFCI and smoke detector circuits, laundry and kitchen circuits. Clearances at subpanels and service entrance equipment. Rated boxes in fire separations.
Insulation
Check for compliance with Title 24 Energy requirements: Insulation placement, windows, doors, plumbing pipes, and electrical wire holes are sealed.
Drywall
Proper type and thickness. Nail or screw spacing.
Lath
Kraft paper type, connection, and number of layers are per code requirements. All holes in Kraft paper are sealed.
Gas Test
After drywall has been placed, an air pressure test is required. The gas line must hold at a minimum of 10 psi for 15 minutes.
Electric Final Release
Prior to the final inspection, a final electrical Inspection is required to release the electric meter for testing. All wiring must be complete, all electric switches, plugs, lights, and cover plates must be installed. All circuit breakers are identified for the load served.
Final Inspection
Installation and operation of all plumbing fixtures. Water heater seismic strapping, pressure relief valve and piping. All gas-burning appliances connected to gas supply. All mechanical equipment in and operational. Clearances around panels. GFCI breakers or outlets tested. Smoke alarms. Handrails and guardrails installed with proper size, connections, and spandrel spacing. Fire Resistive construction for occupancy separation or rated wall construction sealed to maintain separation integrity including rated doors, and door jambs. Compliance with Title 24 standards, such as Energy and accessibility requirements, as required. Grading for drainage around structure. | http://www.palmspringsca.gov/government/departments/building/inspections |
4 Keep Your House Warm This Winter
This winter, there are a few things that you can do to make sure that your house stays nice and warm this winter. Taking care of your heating system and setting your house upright are the most important steps in keeping your house warm this winter.
#1 Get Your Heating System Inspected
Schedule an inspection of your heating system, even if everything seems to be working perfectly. An inspection is the best way to ensure that everything is working as it should. An inspection and check-up are good for your heating system just like it is good for you. An inspector can do basic maintenance to your unit, such as tightening up loose nuts and bolts and changing out the air filter. They can also identify proactive steps that you can take to keep your heating system in good shape. You need your heating system to work if you want to stay warm.
#2 Check All The Vents
The next thing you need to do is check all of the vents in your home. Make sure that the registry on all the events is open so that air can flow through your vents. Make sure that you don't have furniture or other items on top of your vents, which will prevent proper airflow throughout your house. Also, make sure that you don't have any furniture that is too close to your vents, as that can impede airflow as well.
#3 Seal Around Your Doors
A lot of warm air is lost, and cold air is let in around your doors. You can keep this air out of your house by putting up weather stripping around the sides and bottom of your doors. If you still feel cold air around your doors, consider installing a runner on the inside edge of your doors to further seal up the doors. If you feel cold air slipping underneath your door, roll up a towel or blanket and put it right next to the bottom of your door to keep air from getting in.
#4 Seal Up Your Windows
The second place where air likes to leak into your house is around your windows. Take caulking and seal around where your window meets the frame, and where the frame meets with your house. Do this on both the inside and outside of your windows. This should cut down on the air loss around your windows. Also, make sure that your windows fully shut and lock. If they are stuck, use a little lubrication on them so you can shut them all the way. If the lock doesn't work, consider replacing it so you can really keep your windows sealed.
For more information, contact your local air conditioning services. | http://space-w.com/2017/12/15/4-keep-your-house-warm-this-winter/ |
A Brief Analysis of the Vessel 's Ventilation
Cottage ventilation is divided into natural ventilation and auxiliary mechanical ventilation, for the hot and humid climate of the hot and humid areas, relying solely on natural ventilation is obviously inadequate. Therefore, the choice of auxiliary mechanical ventilation becomes a necessity. However, whether it is natural ventilation or mechanical ventilation, are inseparable from the details of the control. Today we are talking about the details of the bacon from this thing.
About leaks
The ventilation rate of the barn depends on the ventilation capacity of the fan, but the uniformity of the airflow distribution depends on the inlet position, the design and the regulator. The wind speed (244-305 m / min) of the air inlet can be increased by designing the size of the air inlet and adjusting the size of the opening without depending on the change in the ventilation rate (without changing the number of fans running). The size of the air intake can be adjusted by manual or automated.
Only the air inlet is set up reasonable, homes inside the door, windows and air leakage to ensure that the case of closed, it can make the fan to form the required negative pressure. The fresh air passing through the airtight vent to the inside reduces the amount of air entering the house through the designed air inlet and disrupts the airflow distribution. So the cattle to pay attention to the situation of the air leakage.
Leakage includes:
Open doors, windows and hay slopes. Too much air from a place to enter, making other areas of poor ventilation.
Wall, roof and the gap around the windows and doors. Even a small opening will interfere with the formation of good airflow, especially in the case of lower ventilation rates in winter.
Connected to the outside or in the two poultry houses between the flush or scraper slot openings. Use a movable door or a heavier curtain to block these large openings.
Feed conveyor.
About the air inlet
The inlet of the negative pressure system, for example, consists of continuous trough, box and square inlets. Common continuous troughs have a regulating plate with adjustable opening size. The size of the air inlet is adjusted by the adjustment plate so that the air flow velocity can be increased and the mixing of the air flow can be improved. Rigid adjustment plates can not be bent, which can cause uneven distribution of airflow. The ceiling near the inlet made of a more smooth surface, which can make the air flow is not disturbed. To ensure that the screw conveyor, fluorescent, pipe and ditch equidistant inlet at least 1.8 meters. When ribbed ceilings are used, the east side of the ribs is parallel to the direction of the airflow. If the ribs must be installed vertically with the airflow, then the ceiling is required to have a smooth surface, lined up at least 45 cm from the inlet.
Under low pressure conditions, continuous trough inlet is difficult to control at lower wind speeds. When the airflow is low, the intermittent intermittent air inlet can improve the distribution of airflow. Low wind speed will lead to confusion in the distribution of air, resulting in air flow will harm young calves. The air conditioning system can replace or provide a continuous trough inlet in the calf. The continuous trough inlet is used in lactating cows because of the high ventilation rate in winter here.
Inlet position
The following points should be considered when selecting and determining the slot inlet position:
The barn span. For a 12-meter-wide livestock and poultry house, a continuous trough inlet is required to be placed on the ceiling along the sides. For larger livestock and poultry houses, add one or more trough or box air in the ceiling.
The longest distance. The maximum distance between the fan and the air inlet is about 23 meters.
Cold weather conditions of the air inlet. The roof space (the space between the ceiling and the roof) can be used as a wind inlet for wind protection. The wind of the air inlet comes from the roof space or the house.
Intake system. Ensure that the (outer) air intake system provides sufficient fresh air for the air intake. For example, for trough air vents, it is necessary to ventilate during the winter and warm seasons, ensuring that the openings in the eaves and walls are 1.5 times the maximum trough area required for the warmer season.
Hot weather conditions of the air inlet. Get fresh air directly from the outside. Roofs use insulation to reduce solar radiation and get fresh air from the roof space. Outside the air at the end of the gable or the eaves of the screen openings into, and then through the thermal insulation duct into the house.
About inlet control
Reasonable inlet control is critical for good ventilation. Under ideal conditions, the size of the air inlet varies with the change in ventilation rate (fan opening or closing or speed change). It is recommended to use automatic control inlet size. Manual control requires periodic adjustments. It is convenient to adjust the baffle by turning the winch and the rope system during manual operation adjustment. Install a dynamometer near the winch, which allows for more precise control of the baffle. The manual control of the baffle should be adjusted according to the weather forecast.
In the control of precision, the slot air inlet can be automatically adjusted to adjust the curtain than the rigid baffle. At low ventilation rates, the wind speed at the entrance is low and will cause the cold air to sink. Shading and frosting and frost on the ceiling are also a problem. Plastic curtains use a certain number of years after its elasticity is reduced, so at least one year to check once, if necessary, timely replacement. | http://www.daxuheng.com/xb/news/shownews.php?id=62&lang=en |
You’ve probably not thought much about the sill or head height of your window until you started planning for your home improvements.
In the UK you will find the vast majority of homes will position their sill height at roughly the same placement (variable by room type) and the top of their window (head) will be aligned to the top of their doorways (2040mm from floor). However this doesn’t need to be the case.
In this article we will highlight the key considerations of increasing the window size in your room.
Window height from floor – what the variables can look like
5 factors to consider before you alter your window height from the floor.
#1 – The Functionality of a Room
Window height from the floor can vary hugely around a home, often dictated by the functionality of the room.
In a living room you will find the sill height far lower (typically 800mm or less ) so that you can view the outdoors while seated. Whereas in a bedroom the sill will be higher and nearer to 1100mm from the floor to provide more privacy to the resident.
For the top of windows, as standard in the UK you will find the average home window will align with the top of the doorway (2040mm from floor in Scotland). Although this consistency is common, it doesn’t need to be the case and you will find in more modern properties this will vary more.
Privacy is usually the biggest concern when looking at increasing the window size and the priority of this will change depending on the room. It’s also wise to consider what you are looking onto – for example if you live in a cul de sac facing other properties, you might not want to increase the car lights beaming into your living room, nor passerbys being able to see what you are getting up to, albeit your can put soft furnishings in place to reduce this.
Related Content: Extensions: How to choose the right windows
#2 – Building Construction and Regulations.
Lowering the sill height to below 800mm from the floor requires the use of safety glass, to prevent shattering and reduce the risk of injury. In addition if you are considering lowering the sill height on the first floor or above you will require a window guard or balconette to be fitted on the exterior if the windows open.
#3 – Natural Light
We typically spend 90% of our time indoors, however as a human race we evolved outside. Statistics now prove that exposing our bodies to fresh air and natural light can improve our wellbeing. It therefore comes as no surprise that increasing the volume of light through windows can have a positive impact on our health; reducing stress, anxiety and boosting our bodies immune system.
Maximising the wall (and ceiling) space covered by windows will increase the amount of natural light reflecting around the property. Reducing the sill height from floor and likewise the top of the window from ceiling will maximise the area of glazed surface and therefore the volume of natural light. However size doesn’t need to be the only option, positioning a small horizontal window high up from the floor can provide the natural light you want, without you needing to sacrifice wall space.
#4 – Appearance
Lowering the sill height to floor and/or decreasing the window to ceiling height can dramatically impact a room’s appearance. You’ll most often see the larger window heights in public, social rooms such as living rooms, conservatories and sunrooms. In these situations the home designers are endeavouring to increase the connectivity with the external and surrounding environment. If you have a view, maximise the benefits of having one and enjoy it from within your home as well as in the garden.
Moving away from the average window height placement, will make your home seem exclusive, different – more of a talking point.
Larger window heights can also trick the eye, to think a room is larger than its actual size, so can be extremely powerful when you are looking to create a more spacious feel in your home.
Related Content: Window Styles; a guide to the most popular
#5 – Ventilation
Ventilation is essential in your home as it removes moisture, cooking odours and other indoor pollutants. Having poor air flow circulation can impact your health if the property starts to create mould, due to humid living conditions.
Condensation is caused when humidity in the air comes in contact with a cold surface and it condenses from a gas to a liquid again. This is most common in winter and we tend to see it on our windows because glass is impervious so the water droplets remain present rather than being absorbed into a textile material.
If condensation is not dealt with, it can result in mould, mildew and mites which can rot the building, but more worryingly can impact our health, creating allergies and respiratory issues.
In years gone by, ventilation in the home occurred naturally due to poorly insulated home construction. However due to better building regulations now requiring a secure building envelope, ventilation is minimsed as leaky windows and walls are pretty much banished to the past. This in itself has its issues, and more modern homes are often now fitted with better ventilation strategies such as whole house ventilation systems.
When considering larger windows for your home, ventilation is a key consideration. This is because the increase in glazed surface space would result in more humid air coming into contact with a cold surface. This will need to be counterbalanced using controlled or passive mechanisms such as trickle vents and extraction fans.
Related Content: Which windows are most energy efficient? A simple guide to making the right choice
Summary : What height should a window be from the floor? The considerations of diversifying from the UK average.
The impact to your home’s appearance by changing the window height can be huge. Moving it away from standard shapes and sizes will open up design features that make it unique and memorable. The drawbacks are that costs can be increased if you need to move the lintel up into the floor or attic space – however this could be minimised on a new build.
Natural light and increasing the relationship with the surrounding environment are huge plus points of changing the window height from the standard UK placement. However, this needs to be balanced with your need for privacy, ventilation and the general functionality of the room.
Ask yourself, will changing the window height from floor add value to the setting? | https://crawfordarchitecture.co.uk/architecture/window-height-from-floor/ |
The factors to be considered while planning a house are aspect, prospect, privacy, grouping, roominess, furniture requirements,circulation, flexibility, sanitation and practical consideration.
Aspect is the arrangement of doors and windows on the outside walls of a house which allows good breeze, sunshine and a good view of the nature. Aspect is also needed from hygienic point of view. With careful placement of windows, it is possible to admit sun's rays into any desired room. For example, kitchen should face the eastern side so that the morning sun's rays can purify air. Bed rooms should have southern aspect- either southeast or south west to facilitate enjoyment of good breeze. The living room can be north-east or south-east in its aspect.
It is the impression that the house creates on a person who views it from outside. It must be attractive in appearance, modern, cheerful and comfortable. A beautiful window, carved pillars, modern design on the walls and roof may add to the charm of the house.
iii. Privacy
Privacy is of two kinds-privacy of the entire house from the road side; privacy of each room from other rooms and from the entrance.
Privacy from outside can be gained by planting trees and growing creepers or having a compound wall. Privacy within the house can be obtained by proper arrangement of doors and windows. Privacy to bedrooms, toilets, water closets and dressing room is of utmost importance.
It is the arrangement of rooms in the house in respect to their relative positions and activities towards each other. The dining room close to the kitchen and living room, the living room near verandah, the toilet near bed room and so on. Grouping is based on convenience.
It is the spacious effect a room gives to those who live in. The available space should be fully made use of. One can have built in wall cupboard, shelves and storage area so that the floor of the room is left free for various activities. The same way the space under the staircase, window sill, area below the ceiling (attic) can be made use of for storage. In addition the size and shape of the room, the furniture arrangement as well as the colour scheme used, have a bearing over the roominess of the house.
The rooms must be planned with due thought to the furniture to be placed there. The type, the position, size and the number must be planned earlier in respect to the size and placement of doors, windows and built-ins in the room.
The circulation from room to room must be good. Good circulation means independent entry to each living space through a common space. It should provide privacy to the members and not to disturb any member doing his/her work in the room. Straight, short, direct passages must be provided. Circulation can be achieved by proper placement of the doors, grouping of the rooms and furniture arrangement.
This means making use of a room originally designed for one purpose, for different purposes at various occasions. e.g. converting a living room to a dining hall during function, a back verandah near the kitchen to be used as play center for children, a dining room converted as child's study center or play center. Screens, cupboards, folding partitions may help to make a room flexible and serve more than one purpose.
It includes provision of light and ventilation and attention to general cleanliness and sanitary conveniences. There should not be any room in a house without enough light. Ventilation must be adequate. It means supplying fresh air and evacuating polluted air. Opposite windows and doors as well as ventilators must be provided for easy movement of air. Sanitary conveniences as provision for drainage of waste water, disposal of refuse and human waste must be planned ahead.
One may have to take into consideration, while planning the house, the following practical points as strength, convenience, comfort, simplicity, beauty, possibilities of extending the house in future and above all economy.
Related Topics
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Attic ventilation in a private house: rules and devices for organizing air exchange
Regular air exchange within the attic space and in the roofing system is necessary for the long-term service of the roof and the building as a whole. Properly organized attic ventilation in a private house provides thermal control of the room. It will prevent the formation of mold, dampness.
In the article, we will consider why a perfectly functioning air exchange in the attic space is needed. We will talk about which ventilation systems are required for the complete removal of moisture and condensate. We’ll introduce you to the principles of operation of the ventilation system and its device options.
When doing the work yourself, use the diagrams, ventilation calculations, as well as useful photos and videos with tips for arranging ventilation systems.
The content of the article:
- What are the functions of ventilation?
- The nuances of the equipment of the air exchange system
- Features of the organization of the ventilation system
- Engineering System Tips
- Conclusions and useful video on the topic
What are the functions of ventilation?
The process of air exchange in the room is to regulate heat transfer processes and maintain optimal environmental performance - temperature, humidity level, speed of movement of air masses.
An engineering system equipped in accordance with the established technical requirements ensures the free flow of air, its movement in space due to installed dormer windows, vents, aeration devices of various designs and other openings.
The functional purpose of the system is the regular supply of the required amount of air and its subsequent removal, which contributes to:
- moisture reduction in the room;
- providing the necessary microclimate;
- preventing the formation of condensation and the development of fungus;
- creating continuous air exchange;
- Prevention of deformation of rafters in the building.
Ventilation should be carried out both in a warm and in an uninsulated attic. In summer, the roof surface heats up to high temperatures, transferring most of the heat to the lower part of the house.
High humidity in autumn-winter period affects the microclimate of the attic. At the same time, the thermal insulation qualities of the structure will be significantly reduced, because the water contained in the insulation and materials will contribute to heat loss. Therefore, an air exchange system is equipped to remove excess moisture.
Due to the large temperature difference inside and outside the room, condensation forms, the walls, floor, floor beams, rafters, rafters, Mauerlat, vertical racks get wet. All this leads to rotting of the wooden components of the roof, the appearance of dampness.
For effective ventilation of the room throughout the year, without heat loss in the house, the following technical standards are provided: for every 500 m2 premises need 1 m2 vents.
In addition, in order to prevent the formation of water droplets on the beams of the structure, it is necessary to carry out insulation measures - lay steam- and hydroprotection.
The nuances of the equipment of the air exchange system
In organizing roof ventilation, one or more organization methods are used. Air exchange directly depends on the characteristics of the attic space, its area, shape, type of roof and building materials used.
The specificity of the roof ventilation device is that you need to provide two directions indirectly connected with each other, these are:
- Ventilation of a roofing pie. It is needed to dry the system under the roof covering: insulation laid on the slopes, rafters, crates. It is provided with vents and aerators.
- Removing excess moisture from the attic. It is required to drain the attic or attic, the formation of a microclimate in it, favorable for extending the service life of the structure and the stay of the owners. Provided by ventilated gable windows, holes, hatches.
The roofing cake is ventilated with products - longitudinal channels laid from the eaves overhang to the ridge ridge. The vents are formed during the laying of the crate and the counter-crate on the rafter legs.
The distance created by this method allows air to enter the area of the cornice and exit in the area of the ridge, taking with it condensation and moisture settled under the roof.
For the roof of ondulin, bitumen, polymer-sand and natural tiles additionally use aerators, repeating the shape of the roofing material. If they do not differ in color, then literally merge with the roof. The integrated grill in them allows air to move freely in the direction necessary for drying.
In the case of the roof of the roof with corrugated steel, metal and corrugated board, with the installation of the ventilation system of the roofing pie, it is somewhat complicated. The installation of the crate should be performed with gaps, i.e. with additional transverse channels.
If the gap in the crate was not initially observed, then in the gratings under the profiled steel roof, side holes are drilled. They are located after about 30 cm. As a result, the area of the drying air heater dehumidifies due to the movement of air not only upwards, but also sideways.
Air exchange in houses with a flat roof is characterized by the absence of gables in which attic windows can be installed. And although there is still an attic in competently arranged flat and low-sloping roofs, they are ventilated through the ventilation openings.
The space in large hip roofs is ventilated through dormer ventilation windows, in small ones through ventilation vents.
Despite the fact that the inclined ribs of the hips are arranged according to the ridge principle, they cannot provide a sufficient outflow. To remove and eliminate possible stress, put aerators.
Air exchange in the attic space of a gable roof is often organized by arranging ventilation openings with gratings, as well as through ventilation or dormer windows. For natural circulation of air flow, both openings and window openings should be located on both sides.
Features of the organization of the ventilation system
For the proper functioning of the system, the following recommendations should be observed:
- For the free flow of air under the roof, it is necessary to leave special holes, gaps.
- Organize an air exchange system so that air masses enter from the bottom of the roofing cake and exit through the remote clearance in the ridge ridge.
- Place a sufficient number of ventilated devices, openings, taking into account the area of the room to ensure free movement of air in the attic.
- Ventilation ducts must be equipped with valves to be able to control the intensity of ventilation, as well as mosquito nets to prevent insects.
Holes in the skates, under the roof overhang, provide circulation due to the force of the wind and the thermal movement of the masses circulating in the atmosphere in a natural way.
Products: location rules, calculations
In a properly arranged roofing cake, the air movement is directed from below through the vents, and then up to the skates with holes. Along the line of the ridge, a gap of 3-5 cm is necessarily left, which is covered with a ridge plate on top, next to the ridge tile, two paired boards and similar devices.
If the ridge is hermetically closed, which prevents the air from escaping, then ventilation holes are made just below the ridge run in the pediment. They do not cancel the need to arrange pediment and auditory window openings, because different ventilation tasks are being solved.
Regardless of the type of roofing, almost all roofing pies are supplied with products. They are satisfied both in the insulated roofs of attics, and in cold constructions without thermal insulation.
From below, along the eaves overhang, the whole pie, together with these ventilation ducts, is covered with a mosquito net, which at the same time protects from dust.
In addition to the products laid in the roofing cake, there are also holes located in the upper part of the wall, along its line with the ramp.
Wall products dividing into the following types:
- slotted, about 20 mm wide - are located on both sides of the cornices, forming a gap between the wall and the roof;
- point, with a diameter of not more than 25 mm - look like holes on the surface, the size of which depends on the slope of the slopes.
The specified size of fixtures is important to observe when arranging ventilation system. If there are holes of a smaller or larger size, the efficiency of the circulation of air flows will be reduced.
The width and number of holes may vary depending on the dimensions of the roof. For regular and proper ventilation without excessive heat leakage from the room, the total area of vents in the attic should be 0.2% of 100% of the area of the room. Also, one should not forget about the correctness of their location.
An example of the calculation of vents when installing in a roofing cake:
- for a 5-meter roof, the holes should be 8 mm;
- 6-meter - the width of the holes is not more than 10 mm;
- with a roof width of 7 to 8.5 m, the ventilation should be 12-14 mm;
- the roof with a width of 9-10 m is equipped with 16 mm ventilation openings.
If the products are located in the lower part and on the ridge, their width should be reduced by half. It is not recommended to exceed the allowable area of the holes, since precipitation can get into them.
Outlets in the upper part of the roof are designed for retracted flow output. Their area should be 15% more from the supply air. For this, aerators or special grilles are used - more innovative devices that provide the required temperature difference and pressure level during air movement.
Rules for installing attic windows
When equipping the attic with auditory or ventilation windows, you will still need to additionally prepare air vents and vents. This option is considered highly effective, since moisture not removed from the roofing cake will prevent full ventilation of the premises.
To improve circulation and reduce air stagnation, the dimensions of the ventilation devices of the attic ventilation in a private house should be 600 × 800 mm.
Steps for installing attic windows:
- Wooden frames are attached to the rafters using racks.
- Next, lay the roofing.
- The openings are finished with lining or other material.
- After that, the window box is mounted in the prepared opening.
- Having fixed the frame, it is necessary to eliminate all the cracks between the roof and the window using mounting foam.
- Last but not least, a double-glazed window should be inserted.
The installation of attic windows can be done independently according to the instructions or use the services of specialists.
When installing the window, you must adhere to some recommendations:
- should not be placed close to the ridge;
- in addition they can be equipped with a grill;
- interwindow gaps should not exceed 1 m;
- It is necessary to position the device in this way: the lower border of the window should not be lower than 1 m from the level of overlap, the upper - not more than 1.9 m
Their design can be varied. Mostly builders select the form of ventilation devices depending on the type of construction and architectural concept.
Engineering System Tips
To determine the level of complexity of work during the installation of the system, we consider the ventilation features of the insulated residential and non-equipped cold attic space. We will figure out what are the differences in the organization of air exchange with a different type of room insulation and temperature conditions.
Air exchange prolongs the life of the roof, roof frame, equipped and not equipped rooms under the ramps. The system also prevents the accumulation of snow, icing of the roof, the formation of moisture.
Non-residential attic ventilation
A cold loft not equipped for living is a space under the roof without insulation and finished walls, floors, which serves as a technical floor. However, it also needs to be equipped with a ventilation system.
It is optimal to deal with this issue at the stage of project development and construction. To circulate air currents, the rafters and grilles should be partially open.
To organize the movement of air, use various devices. For the influx - spotlights with small holes, which cover the overhangs from the bottom up to the wall of the house. The special design prevents debris and insects from entering the room, but allows air masses to flow freely.
The panels are available in several versions. The most common types of products:
- solid - used for installation on gazebos, porches, terraces;
- perforated in the center - placed on the fronts, eaves overhangs of roofs;
- fully perforated - designed for roofs covered with bituminous tiles.
When covering the roof with slate, ondulinWithout the use of insulation materials, natural air exchange will occur. Therefore, in the attic you do not need to organize a special ventilation system.
Gable roofs are most often equipped ventilation ductsthat place in the fronts. If there are small gaps on the overhangs, air circulation will occur correctly.
If the stitching fits snugly over the eaves, you will need to make a few holes, according to the standards for organizing ventilation, or install special grilles with grids with a pitch of 80 cm along the entire overhang.
When arranging an air exchange system, it is necessary to take into account design features and shape. For a certain type of roof, a variety of ventilation elements are used.
For the efficient operation of the engineering system, devices are necessary not only for the inflow, but also the elements that will discharge the exhaust air masses. In practice, various options are used - deflectors, make the skate ventilated, leave a gap around the perimeter of the roof, others.
Warm attic: do I need air exchange?
The attic is an integral part of the house, which can be used as an additional area for permanent residence. However, this will require not only to insulate it, but also to properly organize the ventilation system.
For the attic, they design and arrange everything as they usually do in an organization ventilation of a two-story house. You should carefully consider the design and select the necessary elements of air exchange, taking into account the area of the attic.
Consider the basic ventilation equipment schemes for various types of roofs:
- From sheet material, flexible tiles - equip the ventilated zone by stripping strips on a continuous crate of plywood or OSB boards.
- Of metal tiles - It is recommended to use a rafter crate.
- From slate ondulin - for free entry and exit of air is not required counter grill. The material is attached to the crate, which will form a distance for the free entry of air flow at the eaves and exit through the ridge.
In modern homes, aerators are installed to remove exhaust air. Devices prevent the occurrence of condensation, and also prevent the penetration of precipitation into the room.
The living area should be ventilated no worse than other rooms. Air masses enter through attic windows and additional valves, and exit through the upper ventilation devices.
For the correct ventilation of the residential attic floor, use the following scheme:
- place pipes with a deflector on the roof;
- ventilation grates are installed in the gables;
- in the upper part of the roof or the outer wall heat insulated ventilation duct.
To install air exchange elements on the roof, only durable products that are resistant to wind gusts and precipitation should be used.
Conclusions and useful video on the topic
Popular ventilation methods for condensate removal:
Organization of ventilation of the room by making ventilation holes in the pediment:
Tips for arranging an air exchange system within the attic under a cold roof:
Arrangement of attic ventilation in a private house is a mandatory procedure. It is important to pre-perform calculations on the number of required openings and devices for air circulation. Since the microclimate in the premises deteriorates at low efficiency of the system, there is a risk of destruction of the roof structures and the life of the building is reduced.
Please write comments in the block form below, ask questions on the topic, post photographs. Share useful information that visitors to your site should know. It is possible that your recommendations will help to cope with the problem of dampness and condensation in the attic. | https://engineer.decorexpro.com/en/vent/montazh/ventilyatsiya-cherdaka-v-chastnom-dome.html |
Definition - What does Ventilator mean?
A ventilator in a greenhouse is a panel that is used to provide ventilation. It typically has hinges that allow it be opened and closed either naturally or mechanically.
Adequate ventilation is one of the most important aspects of growing crops within the confines of a greenhouse. A ventilator helps to regulate the greenhouse or grow room temperature, humidity, airflow, and oxygen. It also offers fresh air to the plants residing within the greenhouse, which helps prevent pest infestations and plant diseases such as fungal infections from occurring.
MaximumYield explains Ventilator
Ventilators should be located in the roof and the base of the greenhouse. Roof vents often feature solar openers that allow them to be opened and closed. A large vent in the roof lets excessive heat escape the greenhouse. Vents located near the base of the greenhouse provide cross ventilation.
Ideally, the ventilators should function by allowing air to flow through the vents near the base of the greenhouse. The air then blows across the plants, then the heated air rises and escapes through the vent in the roof of the greenhouse. Ventilators can be either natural or mechanical.
Natural ventilators rely on the wind and airflow to open and close, whereas mechanical ventilators operate by solar or electrical power such as fans to create air flow. | https://www.maximumyield.com/definition/2857/ventilator |
5 Ventilation Tips To Consider When Building A Horse Barn
Both you and your horses will appreciate a well-ventilated barn. You (and those who work in your barn) will appreciate that scents drift away and the temperature stays somewhat consistent when there is adequate ventilation. Your horses will appreciate that hot, stale air will have a place to go, allowing cooler, fresh air to be drawn into the barn. When designing and building your barn, there are several aspects of ventilation that you should keep in mind.
Consider Where the Prevailing Wind Comes From
When selecting the site and orientation of your barn, you should carefully consider where the prevailing wind usually comes from. Your barn door should not be facing the prevailing wind directly, as this will create a wind tunnel in your aisle, but it should allow the wind to push fresh air into your barn. Usually, you can offset the main door slightly from the prevailing wind, but make sure it is not facing more than 45 degrees away from it.
Install Multiple Doors to Increase Ventilation
Barns are often placed in open areas where wind comes from multiple directions depending on the day or the season. This may make it difficult to align your door so that it takes advantage of the wind. In this case, consider adding multiple doors. For large barns, you should have a door on each side, which you can open or close as necessary. For smaller barns, you may limit your doors to two sides, but be sure to include ventilation windows on the other sides.
Re-think the Loft
Many people consider lofts to be a great storage space. However, lofts can make natural ventilation much more difficult. You may find that hot air gets trapped underneath your loft and causes your horses to overheat in the summer. Getting rid of the loft allows hot air to rise and escape through your roofing vents. If you do insist on including the loft in your barn, make sure that the loft has ventilation screens in it so air can circulate around and through your loft area.
Install Vents and Windows Out of Reach of Your Horses
Windows or vents around your barn will allow hot air to escape. However, it is important that you place them properly. In general, windows and vents should be high enough that your horse cannot reach them. Just below the ceiling is a good location. If you need lower windows, consider installing an exterior split stall door or simple shuttered windows. Avoid glass at any height where your horse can reach it and potentially break it.
Consider Both Passive and Active Ventilation Solutions
If your barn is constructed with plenty of natural ventilation options and there is adequate wind in your area, then you will be able to get by with passive ventilation. This is simply opening vents in your roof and along your walls that will allow hot air to escape and naturally pull cool air into your barn. However, if your barn is located in a less-than-ideal location or your natural ventilation insufficient, you can pair it with an active ventilation system. This usually includes a fan that automatically turns on when the temperature or humidity inside your barn reaches a certain point.
Proper ventilation should be one of the most important aspects of your ideal barn. It will allow you to skip expensive extras such as heating and cooling systems and invest your money in other luxuries such as solar energy, hot water, and a barn restroom. If you are concerned about the ventilation of your barn, talk to an expert who can help you design an appropriate ventilation system. Contact horse barn construction workers for more information. | http://running-toulouse.com/2016/10/24/5-ventilation-tips-to-consider-when-building-a-horse-barn/ |
Are You Overworking Your Furnace?
Furnaces are designed to last for many years. However, they are not immune to abuse, overuse, neglect, and other forms of wear. Nobody wants a furnace that is not in good working order during the cold winter months. When not used properly, even a tough piece of equipment such as a furnace can wear down too soon. Ultimately, it might even break down entirely. Even if it does not actually break, furnace efficiency will be reduced, thus causing an increase in home heating costs and HVAC repairs. It is worthwhile to know how to care for your furnace correctly to keep it working well.
Contents
- 1 Are You Overworking Your Furnace?
- 1.1 When You Leave, Do You Turn Down Your Thermostat?
- 1.2 Are You Letting Cold Air In The House?
- 1.3 Do You Crank The Thermostat When You Are Cold?
- 1.4 Are Your Vents Blocked By Furniture Or Other Objects?
- 1.5 Are You Guilty Of Skipping Annual Furnace Maintenance Check-Ups?
- 1.6 Did You Choose The Cheapest Replacement Furnace?
- 2 Three Signs That You Are Overworking Your Heating System
Are You Overworking Your Furnace?
You may be ignoring early symptoms of furnace problems without even realizing it. Unfortunately, many homeowners often unintentionally contribute to their own furnace problems. In this article, you will learn six things you might be doing that stresses and overworks your heating system.
When You Leave, Do You Turn Down Your Thermostat?
Many homeowners keep their thermostats set at a constant temperature, even when they leave their home unoccupied for long periods. This is unnecessary as it consumes energy and makes your furnace work harder than it needs to. There is no point in keeping your home at an optimal temperature when no one is home.
If you want to keep your home comfortable while also cutting energy costs and not overworking your furnace, a programmable thermostat can help. Simply set the thermostat to the proper temperatures for occupied and unoccupied periods. In lieu of a programmable thermostat, you can also just turn the thermostat down to the desired “away” temperature before leaving your home. Keep your thermostat reliably set to your desired “at home” temperature as well.
Are You Letting Cold Air In The House?
Having your doors and windows open even a little bit will let cold air in. You may notice this on cold days when you feel a chilly draft in the room. Make sure your windows and doors are closed and locked. It can be helpful to learn methods for locating air drafts. Holes, gaps and cracks around windows doors are the first place to look. If you find any, get them fixed immediately.
Do You Crank The Thermostat When You Are Cold?
Immediately cranking up the thermostat every time you feel cold is an unnecessary habit that is hard on your furnace. The first step is verifying whether or not your thermostat is set to the correct temperature. If it is, then you should resist the urge to set the thermostat higher. Doing so will not actually warm you up any faster. Also, cranking your thermostat will overwork your furnace.
Are Your Vents Blocked By Furniture Or Other Objects?
Sometimes homeowners inadvertently block their air vents by allowing curtains, furniture pieces or other items to cover them. It can sometimes be tempting to do this when trying to position furniture, curtains or other items within the room. However, if the HVAC vents are blocked, airflow will be inhibited. Obstructed air vents will prevent the furnace from evenly distributing warm air. It is also a bad idea to position a bed over a vent, in the hopes of having toasty warm sheets. Your sheets might be warm, but warm air will not be flowing evenly throughout the room. The same holds true for those who close vents to unused rooms. This stresses the heating system and causes unnecessary wear and tear. Leave all of your air vents open for proper airflow instead.
Are You Guilty Of Skipping Annual Furnace Maintenance Check-Ups?
It is extremely important not to skip regular furnace maintenance checkups. By getting your furnace inspected regularly, potential small problems will be caught early. When these small problems are fixed promptly by an HVAC contractor, they do not end up causing even larger problems later. This keeps your furnace operating at peak efficiency, while also helping to reduce your energy costs.
It is also important to change your furnace filter according to the recommended schedule. Clogged filters result in your furnace working too hard. Every month, check your filter to ensure that it is clean and working as it should.
Did You Choose The Cheapest Replacement Furnace?
Every furnace eventually wears out and will need a replacement. As a furnace ages, it becomes less efficient. Eventually, it will succumb to the wear and tear of old age.
You will notice a big difference in home comfort, energy costs, and home air quality when switching to a new energy-efficient furnace. It might be tempting to try to save money by buying the cheapest replacement furnace you can find. However. it is important to remember that a furnace system is a long-term investment that will affect the comfort of your home for many years, and as such, is worth a higher cost.
Three Signs That You Are Overworking Your Heating System
Are Your Home Heating Costs Increasing?
It is normal to see a spike in heating costs during cold winter months. However, an unusual cost spike could indicate furnace problems. There are various reasons this may happen. Checking your furnace air filters, and replacing them if needed, is an excellent first step. If everything looks good with the air filter, call an HVAC contractor to have your heating system inspected.
Does Your Home Suffer From Uneven Temperatures?
Cold and hot spaces throughout the home can be an indication that your furnace may not be working correctly. If your furnace is not able to maintain your ideal temperature evenly throughout the home, it may be overworked. A furnace expert can diagnose your system and offer resolutions.
Does Your Furnace Need Frequent Repairs?
An overworked furnace tends to break down frequently and wears out sooner than it should. Continually overworking a furnace will ultimately end in replacing the furnace prematurely.
For All Your Home Heating Needs, Call McAllister Energy
Home heating is, of course, a science, but it is also an art. The key to success is understanding how your heating system works, and what maintenance it requires to maintain its efficiency. Talk to an HVAC contractor today if you want to learn how to keep your HVAC system in good working order. An HVAC contractor will also help you determine if your furnace is ready for a replacement.
McAllister Energy is the area’s top expert for HVAC services. Our experienced, knowledgeable NATE certified technicians can diagnose and resolve any home comfort issues in a friendly, fast, and knowledgeable manner. We can be relied upon to provide you with the area’s most competitive prices. Our work is guaranteed, and your satisfaction is ensured. Be sure to call McAllister Energy today and schedule your free in-home estimate.
You can click here to contact us now or call us at (856) 665-4545 to find out more! | https://www.mcallisterenergy.com/furnace-efficiency/ |
Ceiling vents are a critical part of an HVAC system. After all, they are the outlet through which that nice warm or cool air enters the room. Whether you're replacing your ceiling vents or are simply curious if your current setup is efficient, you might be wondering which direction the vents should point. We did the research to bring you the answer.
Ceiling vents, or registers, are generally located on the perimeter of any given room. They should point toward the rest of the room they are intended to help warm/cool. They can then be more precisely adjusted to provide the desired amount of airflow. Ceiling return vents should be oriented to minimize visibility.
If you still have some additional questions about which direction ceiling vents should point, don't worry. In this post, we'll discuss the topic in more detail. We'll also talk about which way return vents should face, how to adjust ceiling vents, whether you should keep all your vents open, whether ceiling vents need filters, and much more. Without further ado, let's get into it!
Optimal Orientation For Ceiling Vents
If you look closely at a ceiling air vent, you'll notice that the louvers are oriented in a particular way. A standard ceiling vent, like the one pictured above, is designed to direct air in three directions. The middle section of the louvers directs air in one direction, and the small sections of louvers direct air in opposite directions.
So, it's important to ensure that each air vent is oriented so that the middle section directs air toward the rest of the room. Otherwise, since ceiling vents are typically situated around a room's perimeter, the air would simply be directed toward the closest wall.
Which way should air return vents face?
The purpose of air return vents is to allow air from the room to return to the air conditioner unit. So, the orientation of these vents will not affect airflow. Believe it or not, the orientation of return vents comes down to aesthetics.
The standard practice is to position these vents so that one can't see through them to the ducting beyond.
So, return vents closer to the ground should be oriented pointing downward. Conversely, return vents closer to the ceiling should be oriented pointing upward. This will minimize the visible footprint of the ducting which might otherwise be unsightly.
So, someone standing in front of the return vent shouldn't be able to see past the louvers on the vent.
Unfortunately, if your air return vent is located on the ceiling, there's no way to completely erase the visible footprint of the ducting; anyone standing directly underneath it will be able to see through the louvers on the vent.
That said, the best approach is to orient it so that it faces away from higher-traffic areas.
For instance, if you have an air return vent on the ceiling of a major hallway that connects the living space to bedrooms or an office, consider orienting the return vent so that it points away from the living space. This way, guests will be less likely to see past the louvers.
How do I adjust my ceiling vents?
Earlier we mentioned that the airflow from ceiling vents can be adjusted. But how exactly do you do it?
Before we get into it, it's worth noting that the correct term for this kind of vent is a register. A register differs from a simple air vent (such as the return vent discussed above) because it has dampers or a set of flaps, that can be adjusted to modify the amount of airflow.
To adjust the airflow from ceiling vents, first, locate the lever on the side of the register. Then, simply adjust it in either direction to attain the desired amount of airflow.
As you adjust the lever, you should see the internal flaps open or close. Obviously, more air will be permitted to pass through the register with the flaps open and vice versa.
Should I keep all my vents open?
Now that you know about adjusting the registers throughout your house, you might be wondering whether you should keep them all open or close some of them. After all, why leave the vents open in parts of the house that are seldom frequented? Wouldn't selectively closing certain registers help save on energy?
This line of thinking appears to make sense, but in reality, it's not a good idea to close any registers in your house. Doing so will both adversely affect your energy bill as well as potentially cause damage to the HVAC system.
Closing the damper in a register doesn't actually reduce the amount of air being pumped through the system; it simply reroutes it to the other registers.
In turn, this rerouted air increases the pressure in the system, which can worsen any existing leaks there might be in the ductwork, or it might create new ones. And leaks can cost you money both in decreased energy efficiency and in future repairs.
The best approach is to leave every register open to ensure a balanced circulation of air and to promote overall system efficiency. Leaving the registers open will allow the house to be cooled/heated more uniformly which will reduce your energy bills.
How do I know if my ceiling vents are open?
Luckily, confirming that your ceiling vents (registers) are open is easy. Simply look up into the vent and determine whether the flaps of the damper are perpendicular to the ceiling. If they are, the vent is open.
Do ceiling vents need filters?
With all this talk about ceiling vents and registers, you might now be wondering about filters. Do ceiling vents need filters?
Ceiling vents need filters, but ceiling registers don't.
It's recommended to have filters in every return vent. This will ensure that the air is nice and filtered before entering the system. Having filters in return vents can prevent bigger issues with your HVAC system down the road.
Registers, however, don't have filters, as they don't need them. The air that passes through the registers is filtered on its way into the system as it passes through the return filter.
Read more: Which Side Of Furnace Filter Should Be Dirty?
What happens if you put an air filter in backward?
While both sides of an air filter look the same, they aren't. If a filter is installed backward, it will be more difficult for air to pass through it. In turn, this will increase the strain on the air handler, and this will result in higher electric bills and possibly damage to the system itself.
So, though it might seem trivial, an air filter's orientation is extremely important. Luckily, air filters have a little graphic with an arrow indicating the airflow direction. The arrow should face away from the return vent opening and toward the HVAC system.
If you're more of a visual learner, take a look at this YouTube video that outlines the process of changing a return filter with an emphasis on proper orientation.
In Closing
We hope this guide has helped you better understand the optimal orientation of ceiling vents. Simply altering their orientation can have a noticeable effect on the airflow in any given room.
And be sure to always keep ceiling registers open to ensure overall system efficiency. And now you know that there's an aesthetic explanation for the orientation of return vents.
Before you go, be sure to take a look at these other posts: | https://hvacseer.com/direction-of-ceiling-vents/ |
Submission date:
Supervisor:
Norwegian University of Science and Technology
Department of Biotechnology
Modelling and Analysis of a Synthetic
Bistable Genetic Switch
Sigurd Hagen Johansen
Acknowledgements
This work was conducted at the Department of Biotechnology at the Nor-
wegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) in the period August
2010 - May 2011.
First of all,I would like to thank my supervisor Professor Eivind Almaas
for inspiring guidance and for convincing me to choose this very interesting
field as the topic of my Master thesis.
Following,I would like to thank Rahmi Lale,PhD,for insightful com-
ments regarding my thesis and planning of experimental conduction of the
system described.
A great thanks to my housemates Kaan Yabar and Kristian Jenssen for a
good introduction to programming and helpful comments while revising my
thesis.Also thanks to Ida Maria Evensen for constructive comments.
Additionally,I would like to thank all my friends and family for giving
me moral support and believing in me.Finally,I would like to thank Eli for
being there for me whenever needed.
Trondheim,May 8,2011
Sigurd Hagen Joansen
Abstract
In the field of systems and synthetic biology there has been an increas-
ing interest for the use of genetic circuits during the last decade.Several
circuits have been successfully put together,many of which were based on
models.During this thesis a model for a toggle switch was analysed both
deterministically and stochastically.
The HOM2-circuit approximation for a bistable tuneable switch from
Ghim and Almaas (2009) was re-derived in order to make it asymmetrical.
Deterministic analysis was conducted yielding stability diagrams,describ-
ing the phase plane showing bistability for the genetic switch.Furthermore,
stochastic simulations of the approximation were conducted.This gave a
somewhat narrower bistable area than the deterministic analysis,possibly
due to the nature of saddle-node bifurcations.Parameter values for a switch
based on experiments were estimated for the approximation,and these were
used in a stochastic simulation.The result from this simulation was in cor-
respondence with the deterministic analysis.A stochastic simulation of the
complete circuit was conducted based on parameter values found in litera-
ture.For this simulation bistability was not shown.
In order to further explore the circuit,and validity of the approxima-
tion,experimental investigation is needed.This has been planned together
with Rahmi Lale,PhD,and Professor Eivind Almaas at the Department of
Biotechnology NTNU.
ii
Abbreviations
aa Amino acid
bp Base pairs
DNA Deoxyribonucleic acid
FPP Farnesyl pyrophosphate
iGEM International Genetically Engineered Machine
MIT Massachusetts Institute of Technology
mRNA messenger RNA
ODE Ordinary differential equation
PySCeS Python Simulator for Cellular Systems
RBS Ribosomal binding site
RNA Ribonucleic acid
RNAp RNA polymerase
SBML Systems Biology Markup Language
TetR Tet repressor
CONTENTS iii
Contents
1 Introduction 1
1.1 Thesis objectives.........................1
1.2 Systems and synthetic biology..................2
1.3 Modelling approaches in systems biology............8
1.4 Genetic circuits..........................9
1.5 Robustness in biological systems.................12
1.6 Stochasticity in genetic circuits.................13
1.7 Mathematical approaches.....................14
1.7.1 Characetization of points in a in linear systems....14
1.7.2 Non-linear systems....................16
1.7.3 Bifurcations........................16
1.7.4 Nondimensionalisation of an equation..........21
2 Materials and Methods 23
2.1 Deterministic analysis - MATLAB................23
2.2 Stochastic analysis - Dizzy....................24
3 Results 25
3.1 General circuit description....................25
3.2 Assumptions related to the circuit................28
3.3 Derivation of the approximative expression...........29
3.4 Numerical instability.......................33
3.5 Deterministic analysis......................33
3.6 Approximative parameter values.................36
3.7 Stochastic analysis of the approximation............38
3.8 Complete circuit parameters...................42
3.8.1 Dimerisation of the cI-repressor —K
1.1
........42
3.8.2 Binding of the cI repressor to DNA —K
2
.......44
3.8.3 Co-operative binding to the second operator site — r
and K
4
...........................45
3.8.4 Binding of the RNAp to the P
L
-promoter and tran-
scription initation —K
3
and α
m
............45
3.8.5 Rate of transcription —α
m
...............45
3.8.6 Rate of translation —α
p
.................45
3.8.7 Rate of mRNA degradation —γ
m
............46
3.8.8 Rate of protein degradation —γ
p
............46
3.8.9 Concentration of free RNAp — [RNAp].........46
3.8.10 Remaining parameters —s,K
5
,K
7
,σ.........46
3.9 Stocahstic analysis of the complete circuit...........46
4 Discussion 49
4.1 General description of the circuit................49
4.2 Validity of assumptions......................49
4.3 Stochastic analysis compared to deterministic.........50
4.4 Full circuit simulations......................50
4.5 Future prospects.........................51
5 Conclusion 53
1
1 Introduction
1.1 Thesis objectives
During the 90s the high throughput technologies in genetics laid the foun-
dation for the fields of systems and synthetic biology,and in year 2000 there
were published two genetic circuits.Among these was the genetic toggle
switch made by Gardner et al.(2000) consisting of two repressors able to
control each others expression .
In Ghim and Almaas (2009) there was introduced a model for a sym-
metric genetic switch,named HOM2,having very similar design as the one
produced by Gardner et al.(2000).In the model they included dimerisation
of the repressor before cooperative binding at two operator sites within the
promoter of the opposite gene.The model was made by starting out with a
total of 40 reactions and 20 coupled ordinary differential equations (ODEs)
and then making an approximation reducing the system to a set of only two
ODEs.Simulations of this approximation showed good agreement compared
to simulations for the entire system.In the approximation a few important
parameters were introduced which can be readily tuned by genetic modi-
fication,such as base gene expression and promoter leakage .However,
the model assumed symmetrical values for the parameters for both promoter
and repressor pairs,somewhat restricting the ease in which the model can
be related to an acutal circuit.During this thesis the circuit will be made
asymmetrical,allowing the different promoters to have different values to
their parameters.The parameter space allowing for bistability,where the
circuit will function as a switch,will be predicted using deterministic anal-
ysis,followed by stochastic simulations of both the approximation and the
complete circuit,having estimated parameters for both.
The use of genetic switches in genetic circuits have been proposed in
different systems like for instance biosensors .In order to put these to-
gether and achieve the desired functionality they need to have predictable
dynamics.This is often done through modelling,although a lack of kinetic
parameters highly restricts the use of such models in addition to a high need
for computational power.If the approximation is shown to be predictive it
could become a base for further development of genetic circuits consisting of
genetic switches,needing only to estimate a few parameters instead of about
40 and also reducing the amount of computational power.Additionally,the
approach used for making the approximation could also be used for other
components in a genetic circuit.
The following parts will introduce the fields of systems and synthetic bi-
ology,give a general description of basic modelling approaches,some more
2 1 INTRODUCTION
details regarding how genetic circuits are put together,description of ro-
bustness and stochasticity in biological systems and additionally some of the
basics to mathematics behind the analysis will be described.
1.2 Systems and synthetic biology
The scientific discipline of systems biology is described as a merging of the
growing array of biological data with sophisticated engineering applications
and analysis methods .The systems approach provide descriptions of
organisms as integrated and interacting network of genes,as opposed to
describing the isolated genetic elements and their products alone .From a
biochemical perspective,it is described as a study of the many biochemical
changes that occur in a cell as a function of genetic or environmental stress
.For the purpose of this thesis the term systems biology will be used
to describe biological research focusing on the interactions between different
biological components and how these interactions make a complete system.
This research aims to generate predictive knowledge about the system to be
applied in both research and industry.
Attempts of understanding the nature of biology in terms of mathemat-
ics was made already in 1948 by Norbert Wiener,while he at the same time
laid the foundations for the field known as cybernetics .A little more
than a decade later,Jacques Monod and François Jacob suggested that the
total level of enzymes in a cell was regulated by feedback mechanisms on
the transcription of elements resident at the level of genes .This was
one of the reasons for that they,together with André Lwoff,in 1965 was
awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine,"for their discoveries
concerning genetic control of enzyme and virus synthesis".Further com-
putational studies of biological systems was performed throughout the 1970s,
for instance by making biologically descriptive models by the use of logical
(Boolean) algebra and the nonlinearity of the chemical reactions within
a cell .Although descriptive,the amounts of data needed to verify these
models somewhat restricted their use.
During the 90s high-throughput technologies emerged,allowing the ge-
netic interactions of many thousands of genes to be investigated at the same
time .These technologies enabled the researchers to experimentally check
the agreement between computational models and the real biological sys-
tems .The high-throughput technologies have caused enormous amounts
of data to be produced,as illustrated by the number of sequenced genomes
and base pairs of DNA stored in GenBank as shown in Fig.1 .These
data needs to be analysed in order to have any significance,and this can not
be accomplished by the reductionist approach that was very popular before
1.2 Systems and synthetic biology 3
the emerging of the high-throughput methods.In order to get useful infor-
mation from these huge amounts of data there became a need to make use of
an approach focusing on the system as a whole.In this approach one gives
less attention to the individual parts themselves and rather focus on how
their interactions formed a complete functional biological unit (this biologi-
cal unit may be anything from a single metabolic pathway to a multicellular
organism) .As the gene copy numbers are normally small,the cells are
vulnerable to stochastic effects affecting their genes,potentially this could
completely alter the phenotypic behaviour of a cell.This has been theoreti-
cally proposed previously,although it has been difficult to prove experimen-
tally.Due to recent technological advancements in developing techniques for
single-cell experiments the stochastic effects have been validated and have
put down a platform giving insight to what processes that give rise to these
effects [15,16].The topic of stochasticity in gene expression is discussed
more carefully in Sec.1.6.
Figure 1:The growth of GenBank from1982–2008.The number of sequences
and base pairs obtained in GenBank during the period 1982–2008 are shown in
the graph by a red dotted line and a blue bar
The genetic toggle switch and the repressilator,see Sec.1.4,were pub-
lished in the same volume of Nature in 2000,establishing functional genetic
circuits with properties reflecting computational models that were made in
advance.These computational models predicted the circuit dynamics before
4 1 INTRODUCTION
the actual circuits were built [1,17].The modelling that was performed in
the making of the genetic toggle switch and the repressilator was carried
out using traditional methods from engineering and their tools,like Matlab
(Mathworks).During the rise of systems biology there have been developed
a myriad of programs that are specifically designed to model and analyze bi-
ological systems.Examples include Dizzy for making stochastic simulations
of genetic regulatory networks ,Cytoscape for visualization and analysis
of complex networks and the cellular modelling software PySCeS .
To enable the researchers to share their models and cooperate,the Systems
Biology Markup Language (SBML) was established in 2003 as a common
language all platforms could be translated to .
The modelling of systems can be used to generate synthetic circuits from
novel genes and transcription factors as in the repressilator,consisting of
three repressors acting on each others expression in a cyclic fashion,as de-
scribed in Sec.1.4 .These genetic circuits can be called synthetic in the
sense that they are not occurring in nature,and the creation of such genetic
circuits is a part of the field called synthetic biology.Synthetic biology is the
creation of novel biological systems based on principles from engineering and
components from biology.A defining goal for this new field appears to be
the generation of new genetic systems based upon computational modelling
.The biological system that is being built can be in any scale,from a
simple genetic circuit to a whole multicellular organism.This is usually ac-
complished by making use of rational modifications to the genetic material.
Compared to classical biotechnology the advance lies in the use of the engi-
neering methodology allowing for rational modifications to complex systems
with effects elucidated before the system is put together [23,24,25].
An illustration of the power and accessibility of synthetic biology is the
creation of Escherichia coli cells that are able to process images.This was
performed by the introduction of three genes from different origins put to-
gether with the existing signalling cascades of the host E.coli.Bacteria
expressing these genes were then enabled to produce pigments if not exposed
to light .It has been said that an ultimate goal for synthetic biology
would be to create a living cell from only synthetic components .A
major leap towards that goal was made by J.Craig Venter and his team
in 2010,with the synthetic production of an entire functional genome that
was transplanted into restriction-minus Mycoplasma capricolum recipient cell
.
In order to complete the project Venter and his co-workers had to engi-
neer an entire genome.This has,in close resemblance to the sequencing of
genomes,become significantly more feasible through techniques developed in
the later years.The development of synthesis of synthetic genes and genomes
1.2 Systems and synthetic biology 5
has gone through several steps from producing only short oligo-sequences by
means of organic synthesis to synthesizing entire genes by biochemical assis-
tance.Recent improvements have led to the use of in vivo synthesis of DNA,
enabling synthesis of complete genomes.These advances have made the pro-
duction cost of synthetic DNA drop significantly.This reduction in sequence
cost may prove crucial in verifying different models of genetic circuits and
help understanding the basics of life [28,29,30].
One of the most famous contributions from synthetic biology to medicine
so far is the production of the antimalarial drug precursor artemisinic acid
in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.The summarized modifications that were made
to the metabolic pathways of S.cerevisiae to produce the artemisinin drug
precursor artemisinic acid are depicted in Fig.2 .Although this undoubt-
edly was a great achievement for the field,the amount of work it took to get
there provides a glimpse of the complexity of such tasks.Jay Keasling,the
leader of the group who made this strain,has made a rough estimate that
150 person-years have been spent in the making of the final pathway.
There are great expectations related to synthetic biology,although some
major limitations still remain.One of them is concerning that many of the
parts or modules in use are not defined sufficiently to perform as they are
supposed to.It seems like many of the elements that are used are not char-
acterized well enough to the parameters needed for accurate modelling of
for instance a genetic circuit [32,33].Host incompatibility is also named
as a challenge where for instance codon-bias may affect the success rate for
having a functional genetic element in a different species than its origin .
Additionally,the design of genetic circuits based on classical engineering
principles may not be compatible with the fact that the cells are self repli-
cating,making evolution of implemented sequences to a potential challenge
.Another hindrance is that parts put together may not function as one
would expect.This problem might be reduced by modelling a system be-
fore putting it together .Further problems are caused by the enormous
complexity of biological systems.Labour-intensive work is required for elu-
cidating how genes,proteins and metabolites affect each other in order to
make precise and effective changes to the systems.Finally,the process of
making the cells behave as expected is impeded by the cells vulnerability to
stochastic fluctuations [32,33].All of these challenges need to be addressed,
and using computational tools of systems biology could be at least part of
the solution for some of them.
Important aspects that could help the development of synthetic biology
include expanding the available toolkit for synthetic biology and standard-
izing it,modelling and fine-tuning the properties of the synthetic gene net-
works,development of probes/tags to quantify the behaviour of the synthetic
6 1 INTRODUCTION
Figure 2:The engineered pathway in Saccharomyces cerevisiae to pro-
duce artemisinic acid,a precursor to the antimalarial drug artemisinin.
The genes from the mevalonate pathway that are directly upregulated are shown
in blue,the ones that are indirectly upregulated are shown in purple and the
downregulated ones are shown in red.Genes that are shown in green were intro-
duced to S.cerevisiae from Artemisia annua L.and constitute the biochemical
pathway from farnesyl pyrophosphate (FPP) to artemisinic acid.The artemisinic
acid is efficiently transported out of the cell,and can be purified from the culture.
The conversion of arteminisic acid to arteminisin is done by known high yielding
chemical reactions .
1.2 Systems and synthetic biology 7
network and creating test platforms for characterizing the interactions within
the network.Furthermore,decoupling of the field’s processes could show use-
ful and proving to standardize the parts even further.In this sense decoupling
involves the separation of different steps in the process of creating synthetic
systems,having different groups or companies specializing on one field,for
instance the production of DNA sequences could be one such field [33,3,34].
For further development of the field it seems necessary to produce a
strong educational system for synthetic biology.In 2003 the first Interna-
tional Genetically Engineered Machine (iGEM) competition was arranged at
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).This competition has grown a
lot from having only participants from MIT,to expanding having 155 teams
participating in 2011.During the iGEM undergraduate students are given
standardized parts from the Registry of Standard Biological Parts to develop
novel biological devices or parts.These are supposed to be stored in the reg-
istry and be freely accessible for anyone afterwards.The 2010 competition
winners,Slovenia,were able to create a repressilator using zinc-finger re-
pressors.Other examples from 2010 include the Kyoto team’s E.coli pen,
which make use of fluorescent proteins produced from H
2
O
2
inducible pro-
teins to make colourful drawings.The competition demonstrates the accessi-
bility of synthetic biology by having undergraduate students able to produce
completely new devices from standardized parts,and further establishes the
standard which is produced by The Registry of Standard Biological Parts
[34,35,36,37]
The field of synthetic biology has many potential applications,ranging
from environmental and medical purposes,food and pharmaceutical indus-
try,to the production of biomaterials and biosensing using bioreporters
[34,25,38].The possible environmental benefits from synthetic biology
are vast.For instance,chemical synthesis may be performed with a much
lower energy requirement,leading to a more sustainable synthesis industry.
Other examples include biodegradation of waste products and creation of
biodegradable plastics and biofuels [34,25].Bioreporters have been made to
detect both heavy metals and organic compounds that are potentially harm-
ful or toxic for the environment and humans.For improving the generation
of new and more efficient bioreporters there is a need for more streamlined
production,mechanisms to exploit noise,enhancement of the properties of
the regulatory cascades that enhance the signal and tune the strength of
the reporter signal.Even though these bioreporter assays prove to be both
efficient and cheap there are legislations in many countries restricting their
use because of their synthetic nature .Medical purposes include both
virus detection and vaccine development.The food industry could bene-
fit from synthetic biology through the production of important metabolites
8 1 INTRODUCTION
and nutrients,development of better preservatives and decrease the waste
production from the food industry.Biosensors could also be used in food
industry for detection of molecules giving rise to smell or taste in food prod-
ucts,may it be to control that the good taste is still preserved or that the
degradation of the food compounds have not started [34,25].Analysis tools
have been utilized to explore expression patterns of tomatoes when compar-
ing metabolic patterns of tomatoes overexpressing the Psy-1 gene compared
to the wild type,and its effect on carotenoid levels in the tomatoes.Results
of such system analysis together with modelling of the metabolic pathways
may help set future directions for where in the pathway the most effective
changes can be done to improve productivity of important nutrients,laying
the foundations for synthetic biology .
1.3 Modelling approaches in systems biology
When modelling genetic circuits there are three common approaches;logical
(Boolean),continuous and stochastic modelling .
Boolean descriptions of genetic regulatory networks are constructed of
discrete entities which are either on (1) or off (0).Predictions can be made
to such networks by the use of well developed analysis techniques for dis-
crete mathematics .This type of logical analysis has been employed for
decades already,as mentioned previously.Although seemingly simple,it can
still provide useful information and is highly applied by systems biologists
around the world.For instance Réka Albert and her group at Pennsylvania
State University have recently published Boolean descriptions of G-protein
action in plants based on transcriptome data and how segment polar-
ity genes affect the development of Drosophila segmentation .These
Boolean models are well suited for making large-scale descriptions as they
are less computational costly than more complex modelling.Although,the
Boolean models can only give qualitative information about a circuit,and for
smaller systems continous models are often preferred as they can give more
accurate predictions .
There are several different continuous modelling approaches including lin-
ear models and models of transcription factor activity,although the most
common apporoach for continuous modelling is by the use of ordinary diffren-
tial equations (ODEs).By describing the systems in a continous manner the
rate constants and concentration of all the species involved in each reaction
describing the circuit are accounted for.The high usage of detail enables
the models to be very accurate in their predictions giving good quantita-
tive predictions as an addition compared to Boolean models.ODEs can be
used for calculating steady state solutions for the system in hand and their
1.4 Genetic circuits 9
corresponding stabilities,as described in Sec.1.7.Examples for different
genetic circuits and how to model them can be found in .Although the
predictions will seem accurate and can give good results compared to exper-
imental results,there are still areas that need improvement.As the genetic
elements involved in genetic circuits may be scarce in numbers (low copy
numbers),the circuits may be highly affected by stochastic mechanisms and
the determinism produced by the continuous models may not be sufficiently
descriptive .
When the stochastic effects become significant a stochastic modelling ap-
proach may be able to capture a good picture of the behaviour of the cir-
cuit.Good examples of descriptions of genetic regultatory circuits described
by stochastic models are the development of the sea urchin and of the
lambda phage .Stochastic models are also called single-molecule level
models as they take the fluctuating concentrations of single molecules into
account when describing a circuit.The stochastic models are built up much
like the ODEs but instead of a reaction rate they make use of a reaction prob-
ability.The system can then be run with a stochastic simulator,like Dizzy
,using algorithms made for stochastic simulation of coupled chemical
reactions like the Gillespie Direct or Gibson-Bruck algorithms .
In summary the choise of what modelling appproach one wants to use
depends on what is being modelled.If the system is big and complex and
mostly qualitative information is required the ideal modelling approach would
probably be Boolean.If the system is of intermediate size and the amount of
quantitative information is higher one would prefer a continous representa-
tion of the system,possibly using ODEs to describe the system.If the system
is relatively small it could be possible to perform single-molecule level simu-
lations of the systemtaking stochasticity into account,giving highly accurate
predictions of the system .
1.4 Genetic circuits
As synthetic biology is a merging between biology and engineering,so is ge-
netic circuits a merging between genetics and electrical engineering.Electri-
cal circuits are based upon mathematical models and so are genetic circuits,
and many of the techniques in predicting outcomes of genetic circuits are
directly derived from electric circuits.Electric circuits often contain mod-
ular parts such as switches and oscillators,which have strong resemblance
to the two first published genetic circuits,a genetic toggle switch and the
repressilator respectively.
The genetic toggle switch consists of two mutually repressible promoters,
as schematically illustrated in Fig.3a.In the experiment the LacI-repressor
10 1 INTRODUCTION
was used as Repressor 2,repressing the promoter Ptrc-2 being inducible by
IPTG working as Inducer 2.Promoter 2 encodes either a heat inducible
cI repressor or anhydortetracycline (aTc) inducible tetR repressor that will
repress Promoter 1.If there is expression from Promoter 2 (the Ptrc-2 pro-
moter) there will be expression of a reporter protein,in this case in the form
of the GFPmut3 gene.The vector design used by Gardner et al.is shown in
Fig.3b.By using the construct design in E.coli strain JM2.300,they cre-
ated a genetic circuit with two separate stable expression states (bistable) in
which could be switched between by adding an inducer (chemical or physical)
to the medium .
(a)
(b)
Figure 3:A genetic toggle switch.(a) A schematic presentation of the genetic
toggle switch made by Gardner et al.Promoter 1 is repressed by the Inducer 1
inducible Repressor 1.Promoter 2 is repressed by the Inducer 2 inducible Repressor
2.(b) The vector design applied for demonstration of a genetic toggle switch.Both
figures are adapted from .
The repressilator was constructed by Elowitz and Leibler as a synthetic
oscillatory network of trancriptional regulators,a biological oscillator.Here
it was used three repressors acting in sequence on each other,as depiced
in Fig.4a.If it is being transcribed from the P
L
tet01 promoter in the
beginning there will be produced λ cI repressor and reporter protein.The cI
repressor will repress the λ P
R
promoter,and therefore there will be no lacI
repressor produced and the RNApolymerase will transcribe fromthe P
L
lac01
promoter,and the tetRrepressor will be produced.This repressor will repress
both P
L
tet01 promoters stopping the production of the reporter protein and
the λ cI repressor.This will leave open the λ P
R
promoter and there will be
produced lacI repressors.This will stop the production of the tetR repressor,
and thereby rendering the transcription from the P
L
tet01 promoters again
producing the reporter protein.This cyclic fashion of repression gives the
circuit an oscillating behaviour,as the fluorescence density graph in Fig.4b
illustrates.The two plasmids illustrated in Fig.4c was contained by a culture
1.4 Genetic circuits 11
of E.coli strain MC4100 to produce the oscillating behaviour.
(a)
(b)
(c)
Figure 4:The repressilator.(a) A schematic representation of the repressila-
tor.One of the two P
L
tet01 promoters encodes the λ cI-lite gene.The λ cI-lite
repressor can repress the λ P
R
promoter which encodes the lacI-lite gene.The
lacI-lite repressor can repress the P
L
lac01 promoter which encodes the tetR-lite
gene.The tetR-lite repressor can repress both the P
L
tet01 promoters and thereby
the expression of the reporter gene gfp-aav.This repression will occur in a cyclic
fashion creating oscillating patterns of reporter gene readouts.The -lite notation
on the repressors refer to the attachment of LVA-tails to the repressors to give rapid
degradation.Adapted from .(b) The repressilator produced the fluorescence
plotted in the graph.Fluorescence is produced by the GFP-aav protein.From
.(c) The vetor design applied for the creation of the oscillating repressilator
and reporter construct.From .
The inspiration from electronic circuits has continued in the last decade
and some of the circuits can be described as digital logic evaluators [49,50].
There has also been produced a genetic bandpass filter,by the combination
of lowpass and highpass filters in series ,more oscillators and sev-
eral other electronic circuit inspired genetic circuits.In addition one can
imagine getting these working as modular parts generating bigger systems,
as described by Lu et al.(2009) .
12 1 INTRODUCTION
1.5 Robustness in biological systems
The term robustness is used differently in litterature,but for the purpose
of systems biology it was defined by Hiroaki Kitano as;"Robustness is a
property that allows a system to mantain its functions despite external and
internal pertubations".
Robustness is a feature often observed when studying biological systems.
Observable phenomena that characterize such robustness is adaptability,in-
sensitivity to parameter changes and resistance to structural damages.Adap-
tive biological systems have the ability to change mode in a changing envi-
ronment but still maintain the same phenotype.It is often observed that or-
ganisms have a wide range of rate parameters for the catalysation of the same
biologcal reactions,although still able to produce very similar phenotypes.
Damage to the network structure of a biological organism is not necessarily
fatal,and usually consecutive random mutations would lead to a gradual
decrease in functional phenotype,called graceful degradation [12,52,53].
These robust phenomena emerges from the underlying properties of sys-
tem control,alternative mechanisms,decoupling and modularity resident in
the organism.System control is the primary feature for having a robust
system,and consist of mechanisms such as feedback and feed-forward loops.
This control makes it possible to regulate the flow of metabolites through
a system with a relatively constant flux,regardless of changes in internal
parameters or fluctuations in the metabolite availability.Alternative mecha-
nisms in biological systems can be divided in two different categories;one is
the existence of isozymes,enzymes able to catalyse the same reaction,mean-
ing the system will be able to survive despite a nonsense mutation in one of
the isozymes;the other is the existence of alternative pathways,where sev-
eral pathways lead to the same end product.Robust biological systems have
often developed ways to decouple the phenotype from the genetic material
to a certain extent.This allows mutations to occur in the DNA,although
the mutated DNA is not necessarily affecting the phenotype of the organism,
as proteins such as Hsp90 identifies and destroys misfolded proteins.Such
decoupling mechanisms therefore allow genetic diversity while maintaining
the phenotype.Modularity of biological systems is a property derived from
the spacial distribution of components separating different chemical species
from interaction.This can be illustrated by both membranebound proteins,
protein complexes and the compartementalization observed in eucaryotes.
When designing and studying biological systems these properties will be able
to ensure or explain the robustness of the system [12,52,53].
Robustness against external pertubations can be highly advantageous in
certian conditions,but it could also increase the fragility of an organism .
1.6 Stochasticity in genetic circuits 13
This can be illustrated for for extremophiles,organisms adapted to extreme
conditions,as they are extremely difficult to cultivate.This is because they
are very robust to the pertubations that may happen in the extreme en-
vironment,but when exposed to an unexpected pertubation (more normal
growth conditions) they are unable to survive .In additon,robustness
can cause proliferation of unwanted organisms and cells.For instance cancer
cells are highly robust,and the structure of the cell’s metabolismand defence
mechanisms of the body itself help them prevail .
1.6 Stochasticity in genetic circuits
Gene expression is exposed to stochasticity,caused by fluctuations in tran-
scription and translation,despite constant environmental conditions giving
rise to diversity and diffrentiation of cell types.As the cells only have a
few copies of every gene,the gene expression is vulnerable to fluctuations
and these can significantly alter the cells phenotypical behaviour .The
total noise in a cellular environment can be divided in the noise arising from
the gene expression itself,intrinsic noise,and that of the fluctuations in all
the other components of a cell,extrinsic noise,like transcription factors and
RNA polymerase abundancy.These have been experimentally validated and
measured .The sources for intrinsic noise in gene expression have been
shown to mainly be caused by translation,as each copy of mRNA can give
rise to many proteins .The cellular processes have to be robust in order
to cope with the noise,and the general mechanisms described in Sec.1.5
ensures that the cells are finetuned despite all the stochastic processes.Ad-
ditionally,cells are able to exploit noise by using it to give a phenotypic
diversity in cell cultures that seems to give the species an edge for surviving
changes in the environmental conditions.As an example many pathogenic
organisms show stochastically driven phase variations that makes it more dif-
ficult for the body to create antibodies against them.For instance Neisseria
gonorrheae have two different pili genes and which one being the active at
the time seems to be stochastically driven .
There are different ways to measure stochasticity,but some common mea-
sures include the coefficient of variation (CoV) and Fano Factor,
CoV = σ/
x (1)
Fano Factor = σ
2
/
x (2)
where σ is the standard deviation and
x is the mean .Additionally a
presentation of the effective potential lanscape is sometimes used .
14 1 INTRODUCTION
In order to model the effects of stochasticity in gene expression there have
been developed stochasitc models as described in Sec.1.3 and there has also
been developed software to handle simulations of these models as described
in Sec.2.2.
1.7 Mathematical approaches
1.7.1 Characetization of points in a in linear systems
A definition of two-dimensional linear systems is stated as
˙x
1
= ax
1
+bx
2
˙x
2
= cx
1
+dx
2
(3)
where the dot notation represents the operation
d
dt
.By introducing boldface
notation for vectors the system above becomes
˙x = Ax (4)
where
A =
a b
c d
and x =
x
1
x
2
(5)
Solutions of the two-dimensional linear system can be illustrated as trajec-
tories in a phase plane,making a phase portait,with vectors from the tra-
jectories having a direction in relation to fixed points,x
∗
.The fixed points,
x
∗
,for a system are the values of x that satisfies Ax = 0 meaning both time
derivatives are zero.For a linear system the point x
∗
= 0 will always be
a fixed point.These fixed points can have different behaviours as;nodes,
spirals,centers,stars,non-isolated fixed points,saddle points or degenerate
nodes.Their individual stability can be either stable or unstable,except
saddle points which are always unstable.To classify a fixed point it can be
evaluated as a two-dimensional linear system,˙x = Ax,and find the trace,τ,
and the determinant,Δ,to the matrix A.For a matrix descibed as A the
trace and the determinant values are found by
τ = trace(A) = a +d (6)
Δ = det(A) = ad −bc (7)
and the vaules can be evaluated in Fig.5 to determine what type of point
the fixed point is in the phase plane.From these predictions a phase portrait
of the system could be created .
1.7 Mathematical approaches 15
Figure 5:Classification of fixed points from the Δ and τ values.By
deciding the value of the trace,τ,and the determinant,Δ,of the matrix A for a
fixed point,the diagram plotted can be used to decide what type of fixed point x
∗
is.A fixed point with Δ < 0 is a saddle point,and if Δ = 0 it is a non-isolated
fixed point.For a fixed point with a Δ > 0 the classification depends upon the
values of τ and τ
2
− 4Δ.A fixed point with τ = 0 is a center.If τ
2
− 4Δ = 0
the point is either a star or a degenerate node,if τ
2
−4Δ > 0 it is a node and if
τ
2
−4Δ< 0 it is a spiral.The stability of a spiral,a node,a star or a degenerate
node is dependent upon the value of τ.If τ < 0 it is a stable point but if τ > 0 it
is an unstable point.From .
16 1 INTRODUCTION
1.7.2 Non-linear systems
Non-linear systems can be expressed as a vector field on a phase plane as
˙x
1
= f
1
(x
1
,x
2
)
˙x
2
= f
2
(x
1
,x
2
) (8)
where f
1
and f
2
are given functions.This can be written as
˙x = f(x) (9)
where x = (x
1
,x
2
),and f(x) = (f
1
(x),f
2
(x)).For this system x represents
a point in the phase plane and ˙x represents the velocity vector at that point.
The fixed points,x
∗
,for this system are the points that satisfy f(x) = 0,
thereby representin the steady state of a system.
The system described in Eq.(8) can be linearized to
˙u
˙v
=
∂f
1
∂x
1
∂f
1
∂x
2
∂f
2
∂x
1
∂f
2
∂x
2
u
v
(10)
Where
A =
∂f
1
∂x
1
∂f
1
∂x
2
∂f
2
∂x
1
∂f
2
∂x
2
(x
∗
1
,x
∗
2
)
(11)
is called the Jacobian matrix.This matrix can be used to classify fixed
points for the system using the same methods as described for fixed point
classification for linear systems above.Although,the fixed points described
in Fig.5 as non-isolated fixed points,centers,star nodes and degenerate
nodes are borderline cases,in which for a non linear system based solely on
the Jacobian are not necessarily correct.Methods for correct characteriza-
tion of such borderline cases can be found in the litterature,like"Nonlinear
Dynamics and Chaos"by Steven H.Strogatz (1994) .
1.7.3 Bifurcations
The number and stability of the steady states may change as the value of some
control paramter changes value.The critical value at which the qualitative
change of the steady states occur is called a bifurcation point.There are
different types of bifurcations,and they are described below using the simple
base functions of one-dimensional bifurcations to establish the terms.All the
bifurcations described are in essence the same for any dimensionality of the
system.
1.7 Mathematical approaches 17
The saddle-node bifurcations are the bifurcations where by changing the
control parameter two steady states,one stable and one unstable,will coa-
lesce and disappear.This can also happen the other way around where two
steady states suddenly appears as the control parameter is changed through
some critical value.An example of a saddle-node bifurcation is served by the
one-dimensional system described in Eq.(12).
˙x = r +x
2
(12)
where r is the control parameter.This system will have two steady states at
r < 0,one"half-stable"fixed point for r = 0 and when r > 0 there are no
steady states,as shown in Fig.6.
(a) r < 0
(b) r = 0
(c) r > 0
Figure 6:Saddle-node bifurcation.Stable steady states are marked as filled
circles and unstable ones as open circles.(a) When r < 0 there are two steady
states,one unstable and one stable.(b) When r = 0 there is only one fixed point,
which is"half stable".(c) When r > 0 there are no steady states,shown by the
curve for ˙x that never cross the x-axis From
A different way of visualising the bifurcation is by plotting the variable
values of the steady states as a function of the control parameter as shown
in Fig.7.
Transcritical bifurcations will have qualititative change of the stability of
a steady state.This can be exemplified by the one-dimensional system
˙x = rx −x
2
(13)
where r again is the control parameter.This system will always have one
steady state x
∗
= 0.In addition,there will be one fixed point at r = x
∗
.The
respective stabilities of the steady states will change as the control parameter
changes.While r < 0 the steady state x
∗
= 0 will be stable and the other
steady state have a negative value and will be unstable.When r > 0 the
18 1 INTRODUCTION
Figure 7:Saddle-node bifurcation diagram.Shows how the steady state val-
ues of x varies as a function of the control parameter r.The stippled curve repre-
sents unstable steady states,while the unbroken curve is stable steady states.For
r > 0 the two steady states that existed for r < 0 have coalesced and disappeared,
leaving no steady states.From
steady state x
∗
= 0 will become unstable,while the other steady state will
have a positive value and will be stable.The stability have been transferred
and hence the bifurcation point is transcritical.Fig.8 shows the vector field
around the steady states as r changes,while the bifurcation diagram for the
system is shown in Fig.9.
(a) r < 0
(b) r = 0
(c) r > 0
Figure 8:Transcritical bifurcation.(a) When r < 0 there are two steady
states,with one stable residing in x = 0 and one unstable at x < 0.(b) When
r = 0 there is only one steady state in x = 0 (c) When r > 0 there are two steady
states,whith one unstable residing in x = 0 and one stable at x > 0.From
There also exists bifurcations where one steady state gives rise to three
new steady states.These are called a pitchfork bifurcations,as the bifurca-
tion diagram will resemble a pitchfork.There exists two different pitchfork
1.7 Mathematical approaches 19
Figure 9:Transcritical bifurcation diagram.Shows how the steady state
values of x varies as a function of the control parameter r.The steady state in
x = 0 changes stability in r = 0,and goes from stable to unstable for increasing
r.There is another steady state for r = 0 which is unstable and have x < 0 for
r < 0,but becomes stable and x > 0 for r > 0.From
bifurcations;supercritical and subcritical.In the supercritcal bifurcation one
stable steady state will give rise to two new stable steady states and one
unstable steady state in the middle of them.One supercritical pitchfork is
the system
˙x = rx −x
3
(14)
where r is the control parameter.The vector plot of the systemin Fig.10
describes the system for different values of r.When r < 0 there is only
one steady state which is stable,at the bifurcation point r = 0 the system
changes,and for r > 0 there is 3 steady states where the steady state at
x = 0 is unstable and there are two stable steady states symmetrically placed
around the unstable steady state.
The bifurcation diagramfor the supercritical pitchfork is shown in Fig.11,
illustrating why the bifurcation is called a pitchfork bifurcation.
A subcritical pitchfork bifurcation will have one unstable steady state
giving rise to one stable and two unstable steady states.The steady states
at different parameter values for the system described by
˙x = rx +x
3
(15)
where r is the control parameter,will give rise to the bifurcation diagram in
Fig.12.
Stability diagrams are often used to illustrate the behaviour of a system
with more than one control parameter.For instance the system
20 1 INTRODUCTION
(a) r < 0
(b) r = 0
(c) r > 0
Figure 10:Supercritical pitchfork bifurcation.(a) When r < 0 there is only
one steady state in x = 0 which is stable.(b) When r = 0 there is still only
one steady state.(c) When r > 0 there are three steady states,where the steady
state in x = 0 is unstable,and two stable steady states are at equal distance from
x = 0.From
Figure 11:Supercritical pitchfork bifurcation diagram.The stable steady
state in x = 0 splits up into three steady states for r > 0.The shape of the curve
resembles a pitchfork.From
1.7 Mathematical approaches 21
Figure 12:Subcritical pitchfork bifurcation diagram.Three steady states,
one stable at x = 0 and two unstable symmetrically aligned around x = 0 merges
when r = 0,and for r > 0 there is only one steady state which is unstable.From
˙x = h +rx −x
3
(16)
have the two control parameters h and r.As one may vary either of the pa-
rameters it could be of use visualising where the bifurcations occur at certian
values of each parameter.This can be illustrated in a stability diagram as in
Fig.13 for Eq.(16) .
Figure 13:Stability diagram.Two separarate areas of the parameter space,
where one space contains 1 fixed point,while the other contains three fixed points.
Bifurcations giving rise to such patterns may be a saddle-node bifurcation or a
pitchfork bifurcation.From
1.7.4 Nondimensionalisation of an equation
When describing a large system using ODEs there are sometimes numerous
parameters which are hard to handle and will complicate the analysis of the
22 1 INTRODUCTION
system.Then a possible solution would be to nondimensionalise the system,
using dimensionless parameters.This would involve using the existing pa-
rameters to formulate new dimensionless parameters.A famous example is
the spruce budworm outbreak described by Ludwig et al.(1979) and
also described in Strogatz (1994) .Here a one-dimensional description is
formulated as,
˙
N = RN
1 −
N
K
−
BN
2
A
2
+N
2
(17)
where the change in the variable N ([#budworms]) per unit of time (the
dot operation
d
dt
,[months
−1
]) is described by the parameters R ([#bud-
worms/month]) for growth rate,K ([#budworms]) population carrying
capacity,A ([#budworms]) critical level for preditation and B ([#bud-
worms/month]).This equation can be nondimensionalised by first substitut-
ing the variable to a dimensionless variable
x =
N
A
giving
A
B
dx
dt
=
R
B
Ax
1 −
Ax
K
−
x
2
1 +x
2
(18)
Furthermore,one can introudce dimensionless time τ and two dimensionless
parameters r and k
τ =
Bt
A
,r =
RA
B
,k =
K
A
and inserting them into Eq.(18) yielding,
dx
dτ
= rx
1 −
x
k
−
x
2
1 +x
2
.(19)
And the expression from Eq.(17) have been nondimensionalised and hav-
ing only two parameters instead of four,and the expression has become
much more feasible for further analysis like the ones of bifurcation described
above.
23
2 Materials and Methods
2.1 Deterministic analysis - MATLAB
The deterministic analysis was used to find bifurcation points for different
values of certain parameter values,and thereby giving stability diagrams
(also called phase planes) as described in Sec.1.7.3.
Deterministic analysis of the genetic circuit was performed using MAT-
LAB.Especially,bifurcation analysis was performed using the built in func-
tion fsolve,solving a given non-linear set of equations for zero.The ’trust-
region-dogleg’ algorithm was chosen to be utilised with fsolve,as this is the
only algorithm specially designed to solve non-linear problems.This works
by giving fsolve an equation,fun,and initial values,x0,and tries to solve the
equations described by fun.The function proceeds in an iterative fashion un-
til the equation is solved within some predefinable limits.These limits can be
described as how close to zero the solution must be in order to be accepted.
fsolve gives the output solution as x .The fsolve-function is a numerical
solver,as opposed to an analytical solver,such as Maple or Mathematica.
A general approach to how the stability diagrams were made can be
described as follows.First,the function was defined along with several limits
for fsolve and some other constants used by user defined functions.The
function stestasea can be described as a brute force way of finding steady
states of the system at the given parameter values.Solving the system at
some initial parameter values gave a solution that was employed by later
functions.
Following,a log-log linear variation of the parameter values was per-
formed,and steady states were found using the rwrthom2nextss function.
This function takes in fun,the last computed solutions for steady states and
some values describing how far from the previous solution the new x0 values
will be.The funtion will return the steady states at the next set of parameter
values.The rwrthom2nextss function uses the simplhom2scan function with
different resolution,depending upon if simplhom2scan gives satisfying results
at the first set of resolution.If there is observed a change in the number of
steady states the resolution is increased to verify this change.The stability of
the individual steady states was determined by using the stabilityss function.
The log-log linear scan was then used as a base to find bifurcation points.
Starting from points that were bistable,the parameter values were varied
one at a time until monostability was found,again using the rwrthom2nextss
function.When monostability occurred,the last bistable point was again
used as input,and then taking smaller steps towards the monostable point,
thereby increasing the resolution to what point the bifurcation had occurred.
24 2 MATERIALS AND METHODS
The mean between the next identified monostable state and bistable state
was determined as a bifurcation point.The resulting set of bifurcation points
were used to plot stability diagrams as depicted in Sec.3.5.
All the above mentioned functions,except the built-in function fsolve,
were defined by the candidate.
2.2 Stochastic analysis - Dizzy
Dizzy is a stochastic simulator of chemical reactions,and was used for stocha-
stic simulations of the genetic circuit described in Sec.3.1.Both the com-
plete circuit and the approximation were simulated.All simulations were
performed using the Gibson-Bruck stochastic algorithm for stochastic simu-
lation of chemical systems [18,48].
25
3 Results
3.1 General circuit description
The analysed system is a genetic circuit composing of two genes each en-
coding a repressor controlling the other gene as homodimers,as depicted in
Fig.14.Each promoter has two operator domains for repressor binding,spe-
cific for the repressor encoded by the other gene.The homodimers will bind
cooperatively at the two binding sites.
Figure 14:Genetic Toggle Switch.Promoter 1,D
1
ab
,is the promoter for Gene
1,which encodes a repressor with specific binding for Promoter 2.Promoter 2,
D
2
ab
,is the promoter for Gene 2,which encodes a repressor with specific binding
for Promoter 1.
Reactions used for describing the system are listed in Tab.1.Here,the
promoter encoding the gene i is described as D
i
ab
,where a = number of
repressors bound at the promoter (0,1 or 2),and b is representing if the RNA
polymerase (RNAp) is bound (1),or unbound (0) at the promoter.All these
reactions can be described by using ordinary diffrential equations (ODEs) as
can be seen in the Eqs.(20) – (40).In the ODEs the dot notation will be
used,where ˙x =
dx
dt
,is describing the change in species x per unit of time.
The reversible reactions are listed in the table with arrows pointing in both
directions.For these reactions the parameters are k
i
for the forward rate and
q
i
for the reverse rate.These can be combined in one dissociation parameter
K
i
= q
i
/k
i
which can be seen later in the derivation.Many of the species
are in squrare brackets denoting that it describes the concentration of that
species.Although,note that the promoter elements are not in brackets,but
describe the exact number of that species.
26 3 RESULTS
Table 1:Reactions for Toggle Switch with homodimerizarion.In the first
coulumn the reaction is described in words.The reactions associated with Gene 1
are listed in the second column.The reactions associatied with Gene 2 are listed
in the third coulumn.The reaction rates are written above or below the arrows
describing the forward and reverse rate respectively.
Type of reaction
Gene 1
Gene 2
Repressor binding
D
1
00
+P
2
2
k
1.2
q
1.2
D
1
10
D
2
00
+P
1
2
k
2.2
q
2.2
D
2
10
D
1
10
+P
2
2
k
1.4
q
1.4
D
1
20
D
2
10
+P
1
2
k
2.4
q
2.4
D
2
20
RNAp binding
D
1
00
+RNAp
k
1.3
q
1.3
D
1
01
D
2
00
+RNAp
k
2.3
q
2.3
D
2
01
D
1
10
+RNAp
k
1.5
q
1.5
D
1
11
D
2
10
+RNAp
k
2.5
q
2.5
D
2
11
D
1
20
+RNAp
k
1.7
q
1.7
D
1
21
D
2
20
+RNAp
k
2.7
q
2.7
D
2
21
Transcription initiation
D
1
01
α
1.m
→ E
1
+D
1
00
D
2
01
α
2.m
→ E
2
+D
2
00
D
1
11
α
1.m
→ E
1
+D
1
10
D
2
11
α
2.m
→ E
2
+D
2
10
D
1
21
α
1.m
→ E
1
+D
1
20
D
2
21
α
2.m
→ E
2
+D
2
20
Elongation
E
1
α
1.m
→ M
1
+RNAp
E
2
α
2.m
→ M
2
+RNAp
Translation
M
1
α
1.p
→ P
1
+M
1
M
2
α
2.p
→ P
2
+M
2
Dimerization
P
1
+P
1
k
1.1
q
1.1
P
1
2
P
2
+P
2
k
2.1
q
2.1
P
2
2
Degradation
M
1
γ
1.m
→
M
2
γ
2.m
→
P
1
γ
1.p
→
P
2
γ
2.p
→
P
1
2
γ
1.p
/σ
1
→
P
2
2
γ
2.p
/σ
2
→
3.1 General circuit description 27
˙
[P
1
2
] =k
1.1
[P
1
]
2
+q
2.2
D
2
10
+q
2.4
D
2
20
−(γ
1.p
/σ
1
)[P
1
2
]
−q
1.1
[P
1
2
] −k
2.2
D
2
00
[P
2
2
] −k
2.4
D
2
10
[P
1
2
] (20)
˙
[P
1
] =α
1.p
[M
1
] +2q
1.1
[P
1
2
] −2k
1.1
[P
1
]
2
−γ
1.p
[P
1
] (21)
˙
D
1
00
=q
1.2
D
1
10
+q
1.3
D
1
01
+α
1.m
D
1
01
−k
1.2
D
1
00
[P
2
2
] −k
1.3
D
1
00
[RNAp] (22)
˙
D
1
10
=k
1.2
D
1
00
[P
2
2
] +q
1.4
D
1
20
+q
1.5
D
1
11
+α
1.m
D
1
11
−q
1.2
D
1
10
−k
1.4
D
1
10
[P
2
2
] −k
1.5
D
1
10
[RNAp] (23)
˙
D
1
20
=k
1.4
D
1
10
[P
2
2
] +q
1.7
D
1
21
+α
1.m
D
1
21
−q
1.4
D
1
20
−k
1.7
D
1
20
[RNAp] (24)
˙
D
1
01
=k
1.3
D
1
00
[RNAp] −q
1.3
D
1
01
−α
1.m
D
1
01
(25)
˙
D
1
11
=k
1.5
D
1
10
[RNAp] −q
1.5
D
1
11
−α
1.m
D
1
11
(26)
˙
D
1
21
=k
1.7
D
1
20
[RNAp] −q
1.7
D
1
21
−α
1.m
D
1
21
(27)
˙
[E
1
] =α
1.m
(D
1
01
+D
1
11
+D
1
21
) −α
1.m
[E
1
] (28)
˙
[M
1
] =α
1.m
[E
1
] −γ
1.m
[M
1
] (29)
˙
[P
2
2
] =k
2.1
[P
2
]
2
+q
1.2
D
1
10
+q
1.4
D
1
20
−(γ
2.p
/σ
2
)[P
2
2
]
−q
2.1
[P
2
2
] −k
1.2
D
1
00
[P
2
2
] −k
1.4
D
1
10
[P
2
2
] (30)
˙
[P
2
] =α
2.p
[M
2
] +2q
2.1
[P
2
2
] −2k
2.1
[P
2
]
2
−γ
2.p
[P
2
] (31)
˙
D
2
00
=q
2.2
D
2
10
+q
2.3
D
2
01
+α
2.m
D
2
01
−k
2.2
D
2
00
[P
1
2
] −k
2.3
D
2
00
[RNAp] (32)
˙
D
2
10
=k
2.2
D
2
00
[P
1
2
] +q
2.4
D
2
20
+q
2.5
D
2
11
+α
2.m
D
2
11
−q
2.2
D
2
10
−k
2.4
D
2
10
[P
1
2
] −k
2.5
D
2
10
[RNAp] (33)
˙
D
2
20
=k
2.4
D
2
10
[P
1
2
] +q
2.7
D
2
21
+α
2.m
D
2
21
−q
2.4
D
2
20
−k
2.7
D
2
20
[RNAp] (34)
˙
D
2
01
=k
2.3
D
2
00
[RNAp] −q
2.3
D
2
01
−α
2.m
D
2
01
(35)
˙
D
2
11
=k
2.5
D
2
10
[RNAp] −q
2.5
D
2
11
−α
2.m
D
2
11
(36)
˙
D
2
21
=k
2.7
D
2
20
[RNAp] −q
2.7
D
2
21
−α
2.m
D
2
21
(37)
˙
[E
2
] =α
2.m
(D
2
01
+D
2
11
+D
2
21
] −α
2.m
[E
2
] (38)
˙
[M
2
] =α
2.m
[E
2
] −γ
2.m
[M
2
] (39)
28 3 RESULTS
˙
[RNAp] =q
1.3
D
1
01
+q
1.5
D
1
11
+q
1.7
D
1
21
+α
1.m
[E
1
]
+q
2.3
D
2
01
+q
2.5
D
2
11
+q
2.7
D
2
21
+α
2.m
[E
2
]
−k
1.3
D
1
00
[RNAp] −k
1.5
D
1
10
[RNAp] −k
1.7
D
1
20
[RNAp]
−k
2.3
D
2
00
[RNAp] −k
2.5
D
2
10
[RNAp] −k
2.7
D
2
20
[RNAp] (40)
The total reaction set consist of 40 reactions described by 21 coupled
differential equations.Calculation the steady states for this system requires
a lot of computational power and a high degree of insight to the values
of the rate constants.Although,this set of ODEs can be re-written quite
extensively by making the following assumptions.
3.2 Assumptions related to the circuit
Firstly the concentration of free RNAp,[RNAp],was assumed to be constant.
˙
[RNAp] = 0 (41)
As the circuit is symmetrical all the following assumptions and the deriva-
tion later on will relate to both genetic elements and their transcripts,but
for simplicity only the regulation,transcription,translation etc.at genetic
element one will be described and the species index will be emitted for sim-
plicity.The active dimeric repressor controlling the gene 1-expression,P
2
2
,
will be named TF.Further,it is assumed that there is only one copy of each
genetic element.
ab
D
ab
= D
00
+D
10
+D
20
+D
01
+D
11
+D
21
= 1 (42)
With one copy of each gene in each cell,there will be only two binding
sites for each repressor.It can be condsidered a reasonable assumption that
with so few binding sites there will be almost no binding if the concentration
of the repressor is low.If the repressor concentration is high there might
be binding at the operator sequences,although at a high concentration the
binding of one repressor will cause only a small change in the total amount
of repressor.This lead to the assumption that the terms describing repressor
binding and unbinding to the promoter was left out from the expression in
Eq.(20) giving the following expression,
˙
[P
2
] =k
1
[P]
2
−q
1
[P
2
] −(γ
p
/σ)[P
2
] (43)
3.3 Derivation of the approximative expression 29
In order to simplify algebraic aspects of non-dimensionalising the system
(see Sec.3.3) two more assumptions were made;the repressor dimerisation
dissociation constants are assumed to be equal i.e.K
1.2
= K
2.2
= K
2
and
the degradation rates of each monomer is assumed to be equal i.e.γ
1.p
=
γ
2.p
= γ
p
.If both protein repressors contain the LVA degradation tail
the assumption of equal degradation rate seems more reasonable,although
not unreasonable by itself.
Additionally,in order to decrease the amount of different non-dimension-
alised parameters K
5
is assumed to be equal to K
7
.
3.3 Derivation of the approximative expression
By using the above mentioned assumptions it were possible to derive a system
consisting of two coupled differential equations instead of the 21 mentioned in
Sec.3.1.This was done by assuming steady state for all the equations,apart
from the two final ones,and also a non-dimensionalisation of the system.
As a starter,it was assumed that all the binding reactions at the DNA
are in steady state,giving the following expression for
˙
[E]
˙
[E] = α
m
(D
01
+D
11
+D
21
) −α
m
[E] = 0
α
m
[E] = f([TF]) = α
m
(D
01
+D
11
+D
21
) (44)
By then setting Eqs.(22)-(27) = 0 (at steady state) and solving for D
10
*,
D
20
*,D
01
*,D
11
* and D
21
*,where * denotes that it represents the steady
state condition of the related species,one gets
D
10
∗
=
k
2
D
00
[TF]
q
2
=
D
00
[TF]
K
2
(45)
D
20
∗
=
k
2
k
4
D
00
[TF]
2
q
2
q
4
=
D
00
[TF]
2
K
2
K
4
(46)
D
01
∗
=
k
3
D
00
[RNAp]
q
3
+α
m
=
D
00
[RNAp]
K
3
(47)
D
11
∗
=
k
2
k
5
D
1
00
[RNAp][TF]
q
2
(q
5
+α
m
)
=
D
00
[RNAp][TF]
K
2
K
5
(48)
D
21
∗
=
k
2
k
4
k
7
D
00
[RNAp][TF]
2
q
2
q
4
(q
7
+α
m
)
=
D
00
[RNAp][TF]
2
K
2
K
4
K
7
(49)
where the dissociation constant have been defined as K
i
= q
i
/k
i
,and as
K
i
>> α
m
(see Sec.3.8),(q
i
+ α
m
)/k
i
≈ q
i
/k
i
= K
i
.The expressions in
Eqs.(47),(48) and (49) can be inserted into Eq.(44)
30 3 RESULTS
f([TF]) = α
m
D
00
[RNAp](
1
K
3
+
[TF]
K
2
K
5
+
[TF]
2
K
2
K
4
K
7
) (50)
The steady state concentrations of the different states of the promoter,Eqs.
(45)–(49),can be inserted into Eq.(42),before solving for the number of free
promoter
1 = D
00
1 +
[TF]
K
2
+
[TF]
2
K
2
K
4
+[RNAp](
1
K
3
+
[TF]
K
2
K
5
+
[TF]
2
K
2
K
4
K
7
)
D
00
−1
= 1 +
[RNAp]
K
3
+(1 +
[RNAp]
K
5
)
[TF]
K
2
+
K
2
K
4
(1 +
[RNAp]
K
7
)(
[TF]
K
2
)
2
(51)
By introducing the following dimensionless parameters
s =
K
3
K
5
,u =
K
3
[RNAp]
,T =
[TF]
K
2
,r =
K
2
K
4
,µ =
u +s
1 +u
where s is a measure for promoter leakage,u is the RNAp-promoter dissoc-
itation constant scaled by the concentration of free RNA,T is the dimen-
sionless concentration of the repressor and r is a measure for cooperativity
in repressor-DNA binding.By using the assumption that K
5
= K
7
,these
parameters can be substituted into Eq.(51) and give the following expression
D
00
−1
= 1 +u
−1
+(1 +su
−1
)(T +rT
2
)
= (1 +u
−1
)(1 +µ(T +rT
2
)) (52)
Plugging this expression back into Eq.(50) and making use of the same
parameters again gives
f([TF]) = α
m
D
00
(
[RNAp]
K
3
+
[RNAp][TF]
K
2
K
5
+
[RNAp][TF]
2
K
2
K
4
K
7
)
f([TF])
α
m
= D
00
(u
−1
+u
−1
sT +u
−1
srT
2
)
=
u
−1
+su
−1
(T +rT
2
)
(1 +u
−1
)(1 +µ(T +rT
2
))
=
1
(1 +u/s)
1 +
ν
1 +µ(T +rT
2
)
(53)
3.3 Derivation of the approximative expression 31
where ν =
u(1−s)
s(1+u)
.The steady state concentration of mRNA,[M]
∗
,can be
expressed as
α
m
[E] −γ
m
[M] = 0
[M]
∗
= (γ
m
)
−1
f([TF])
[M]
∗
=
α
m
γ
m
(1 +u/s)
1 +
ν
1 +µ(T +rT
2
)
(54)
The systemcan be non-dimensionalised by scaling all concentrations with
K
2
and time with γ
−1
p
.By further restoring the species indices,Eq.(21) can
be rewritten as
˙p
1
=
α
1.p
[M
1
]
∗
+2q
1.1
K
2
T
1
−2k
1.1
(K
2
p
1
)
2
−γ
p
K
2
p
1
γ
p
K
2
=
α
1.p
[M
1
]
∗
K
2
γ
p
−p
1
−
2
K
2
γ
p
(k
1.1
(K
2
p
1
)
2
−q
1.1
K
2
T
1
)
=
α
1.p
α
1.m
K
2
γ
p
γ
1.m
(1 +u
1
/s
1
)
1 +
ν
1
1 +µ
1
(T
2
+r
1
T
2
2
)
−p
1
−2ψ(p
1
,T
1
) (55)
Now the variable p
1
is dimensionless and the dot over the variable denotes
the operation γ
−1
p
d
dt
and ψ is a function of p
1
and T
1
.By further introducing
the parameters
λ
1
=
β
1
1 +(u
1
/s
1
)
,β
1
=
α
1.p
α
1.m
K
2
γ
1.m
γ
p
where β
1
is the gene expression efficiency of gene 1,the expression becomes
˙p
1
= λ
1
1 +
ν
1
1 +µ
1
(p
2
1
+r
1
T
2
2
)
−p
1
−2ψ(p
1
,T
1
) (56)
By then calculating the steady state for the dimensionless form of Eq.(43)
˙
T
1
=
k
1.1
(K
2
p
1
)
2
−q
1.1
T
1
K
2
−γ
p
/σ
1
T
1
K
2
γ
p
K
2
= −(1/σ
1
)T
1
+
1
K
2
γ
p
(k
1.1
(K
2
p
1
)
2
−2q
1.1
K
2
T
1
)
= −(1/σ
1
)T
1
+ψ(p
1
,T
1
) = 0
ψ(p
1
,T
1
) = (1/σ
1
)T
1
(57)
32 3 RESULTS
Inserting Eq.(57) into Eq.(56) gives
˙p
1
= λ
1
1 +
ν
1
1 +µ
1
(T
2
+r
1
T
2
2
)
−(p
1
+(2/σ
1
)T
1
) (58)
The steady state for
˙
T
1
also gives
˙
T
1
=
k
1.1
(K
2
p
1
)
2
−q
1.1
T
1
K
2
−(γ
p
/σ
1
)T
1
K
2
γ
p
K
2
=
k
1.1
K
2
p
2
1
−q
1.1
T
1
−(γ
p
/σ
1
)T
1
γ
p
= 0
p
2
1
=
T
1
(q
1.1
−γ
p
/σ
1
)
K
2
k
1.1
≈
T
1
K
1.1
K
2
= T
1
/θ
1
p
1
=
T
1
/θ
1
(59)
where θ
1
= K
2
/K
1.1
.The following conditions must be satisfied
p
1
=
T
1
/θ
1
,
˙
T
1
=
dT
1
dp
1
dp
1
dt
⇒ ˙p
1
=
dp
1
dT
1
˙
T
1
=
1
2
√
θ
1
T
1
˙
T
1
in order to perform a variable change on Eq.(58);
˙
T
1
= 2
(θ
1
T
1
)λ
1
1 +
ν
1
1 +µ
1
(T
2
+r
1
T
2
1
)
−2
θ
1
T
1
(
T
1
θ
1
+
2T
1
σ
1
)
= 2
(θ
1
T
1
)λ
1
1 +
ν
1
1 +µ
1
(T
2
+r
1
T
2
2
)
−2(T
1
+
2
√
θ
1
T
(3/2)
1
σ
1
)
= 2
(θ
1
T
1
)λ
1
1 +
ν
1
1 +µ
1
(T
2
+r
1
T
2
2
)
−2(T
1
+
2T
(3/2)
1
√
θ
1
κ
1
) (60)
where κ
1
= σ
1
/θ
1
.All the same operations can be performed on the equations
describing reactions at Gene 2,giving the following dimensionless expression
for the repressor 2
˙
T
2
= 2
(θ
2
T
2
)λ
2
1 +
ν
2
1 +µ
2
(T
1
+r
2
T
2
1
)
−2(T
2
+
2T
(3/2)
2
√
θ
2
κ
2
) (61)
3.4 Numerical instability 33
By setting T
1
= x and T
2
= y one gets the expressions
˙x = 2
(θ
1
x)λ
1
1 +
ν
1
1 +µ
1
(y +r
1
y
2
)
−2(x +
2x
(3/2)
√
θ
1
κ
1
)
˙y = 2
(θ
2
y)λ
2
1 +
ν
2
1 +µ
2
(x +r
2
x
2
)
−2(y +
2y
(3/2)
√
θ
2
κ
2
) (62)
being close to the expression describing the HOM2 circuit in Ghim and Al-
maas (2009) .In this article all parameters were assumed having the exact
same values as it is investigated as a completely symmetrical circuit.This
assumption is probably not too realistic,although the expressions describing
the circuit could still be valid,even by making the circuit asymmetrical.
3.4 Numerical instability
The equation set in Eq.(62) was solved for steady state setting ˙x = 0 at
different sets of parameter values.Although for some parameter values the
solutions became very small (<10
−5
) and these steady state solutions were
difficult to find using the numerical solver in Matlab.This numerical problem
was caused by having the variables in the denominators of the expression.In
order to find the correct steady states the equation set had to be rewritten
to
˙x = 2
(θ
1
x)λ
1
(1 +µ
1
y +µ
1
r
1
y
2
+ν
1
) −2x
1 +
2
κ
1
x
θ
1
(1 +µ
1
y +µ
1
r
1
y
2
)
˙y = 2
(θ
2
y)λ
2
(1 +µ
2
x +µ
2
r
2
x
2
+ν
2
) −2y
1 +
2
κ
2
y
θ
2
(1 +µ
2
x +µ
2
r
2
x
2
)
(63)
3.5 Deterministic analysis
By solving a set of ODEs for the steady state at different parameter values the
number of steady states was deduced.By determining the stability of each
steady state the number of stable steady states at those particular parameter
values was found.The parameter values at which the number of steady states
change is called the critical value (a bifurcation point).These critical can
be used for analysing system behaviour at different parameters,and these
values correspond to the curves in stability diagrams,like the one in Fig.13
in Sec.1.7.3.The deterministic analysis of the gentic circuit,described by
34 3 RESULTS
Eq.(63),was composed of such analysis giving stability diagrams for some
important parameter values.Unless otherwise noted the parameter values
used are the same as in (based on the cI repressor from bacteriophage λ)
and as listed in Tab.2.These parameter values will also serve as a bistable
reference point in the phase plane (stability diagrams).
Table 2:Parameter Values.The parameter values used for deterministic analy-
sis of the system,in order to compute stability diagrams.All the values are based
on the values used in .The bistable state with all these parameter values serve
as a reference point in the following graphs.
Parameter
Value
K
2
20 nM
K
1.1
10 nM
r
1
25
s
1
0.01
β
1
17.5
u
1
3
σ
1
10
K
2.1
10 nM
r
2
25
s
2
0.01
β
2
17.5
u
2
3
σ
2
10
The leakage from each of the promoters,described by the parameters s
1
and s
2
,can have values independent of the other and can to a quite high
extent be modified by genetic manipulation.Therefore,it could be very
interesting to explore the stability diagram composed of these two parame-
ters.The stability diagram for s
1
vs s
2
was computed using Matlab running
the file s1vss2rwrthom2.mfromthe folder DeterminitsticAnalysis/s1s2 in the
attached zip-file,and is shown in Fig.15.
Similarly,the individual gene expression from each of the promoters,
described by the parameters β
1
and β
2
,are able to vary independently of
each other.This can also be highly modified by genetic manipulation,es-
pecially by modifiying the 5’UTR region,making the β
1
vs β
2
stability dia-
gram highly interesting.This was computed using Matlab running the file
beta1beta2rwrthom2.mfromthe folder DeterministicAnalysis/beta1beta2assym
in the attached zip-file and is shown in Fig.16.
Furthermore,one of the promoters and the corresponding gene can be
3.5 Deterministic analysis 35
Figure 15:Stability diagram for s
1
vs s
2
.The system is bistable in the shaded
area.All other parameters are as noted in Tab.2.The red cross indicates the
reference point,where all the parameter values are as in Tab.2.
Figure 16:Stability diagram for β
1
vs β
2
.The system is bistable in the shaded
area.All other parameters are as noted in Tab.2.The red cross indicates the
reference point,where all the parameter values are as in Tab.2.
36 3 RESULTS
kept untouched,while only modifying the properties of leakage and gene
expression of the other gene,corresponding to the parameters s
2
and β
2
respectively.By predicting the gene expression and the leakage of another
repressor and promoter pair (other than the cI-repressor,with two binding
sites for the repressor) relative to the cI parameters,it could be possible
to predict if the system would be bistable or not using a stability diagram
mapping the s
2
vs β
2
.This was computed using Matlab running the file
s2vsbeta2.m from the folder DetetrministicAnalysis/s2beta2 in the attached
zip-file and is shown in Fig.17.
Figure 17:Stability diagram for s
2
vs β
2
.The system is bistable in the shaded
area.All other parameters are as noted in Tab.2.The red cross indicates the
reference point,where all the parameter values are as in Tab.2.
Additionally,stability diagrams for s
1
vs s
2
with different values for both
β-values and for β
1
vs β
2
with different values for s was generated.The s
1
vs
s
2
-diagrams were was computed by running the file runthemall.m from the
folder DeterministicAnalysis/s1s2assym.The β
1
vs β
2
-diagrams were com-
puted running the file beta1beta2rwrthom2.m from each of the subfolders in
DeterministicAnalysis/beta1beta2assym.The resulting plots are illustrated
in Figs.18 and 19 respectively.
3.6 Approximative parameter values
For the HOM2 circuit described by Ghim and Almaas (2009) all the param-
eters were derived from the phage lambda repressor,cI.This lead to the
following values,
3.6 Approximative parameter values 37
Figure 18:Stability diagram for s
1
vs s
2
with different values for β.The
system is bistable within the borders of each curve,as in Fig.15.The different
curves corresponds to different values of β
1
and β
2
(both parameters are set to the
same value).The values of β are 2,3,17.5,100 and 900 represented by the black,
green,red,blue and cyan curves respectively.All other parameters are as noted
in Tab.2.
Figure 19:Stability diagram for β
1
vs β
2
with different values for s.The
system is bistable in the area of the curves,as in Fig.16.The different curves
correspond to different values of s
1
and s
2
(both paramters are equal for each
curve).The values of s are 0.002,0.01,0.03 and 0.1 represented by the black,red,
green and blue curves respectively.All other parameters are as noted in Tab.2.
38 3 RESULTS
s = 0.01,u = 3,β = 17.5,r = 25.
In the supplementary material to the first genetic toggle switch there
were made several measurements for promoter expression and leakage.Here
they tested both λ cI- (cI for simplicity) and TetR-controlled promoters.
This can be used as a base for designing a system composing of these two
repressors operating on each others promoters,fitting well with the model.
Some chosen measurements for the cI-controlled promoters were assumed
to be proportional to the gene expression (β
1
) and leakage (s
1
) of one of
the genes in the model.These reference values were estimated from the
experiments involving plasmids pBRT123 and pTAK107.By comparison to
the measurements made with the TetR-controlled promoters in the plasmids
pBAG103 and pIKE108,the parameters β
2
and s
2
were estimated.The
following relationship was used to estimate the β
2
parameter;
β
1
β
2
=
expression from bare cI-controlled promoter
expression from bare tetR-controlled promoter
β
2
=
β
1
∙ bare tetR-controlled
bare cI-controlled
β
2
=
17.5 ∙ 660
390
= 30 (64)
Further was be assumed that s is proportional to the leakage from the
repressed promoters relative to the expression from the bare promoters,so
that
s
1
s
2
=
(repressed cI-controlled/bare cI-controlled)
(repressed tetR-controlled/bare tetR-controlled)
s
2
=
s
1
∙ (repressed tetR-controlled/bare tetR-controlled)
(repressed cI-controlled/bare cI-controlled)
s
2
=
0.01 ∙ (5.8/660)
(2.0/387)
= 0.005 (65)
These values assume a linear relationship between the expression and
leakage of cells containing the promoters in high and low copy numbers,
which is usually not true .
3.7 Stochastic analysis of the approximation
The approximation can be explored further by exposing it to stochastic fluc-
tuations,to verify the existence of bistable regions and the stability of the
3.7 Stochastic analysis of the approximation 39
stable steady states therein.In the stochastic simulations an expression using
the monomers as variables were used and the expression was redimension-
alised.For p
1
this is done by inserting the relation fromEq.(59) into Eq.(58)
˙p
1
= λ
1
1 +
ν
1
1 +µ
1
(θ
2
p
2
2
+r
1
θ
2
2
p
4
2
)
−(p
1
+(2/σ
1
)θ
1
p
2
1
) (66)
As the expression can be divided into one positive and one negative term,
˙p
1
= F(p
2
) − G(p
1
),this can be interpreted as one term for the synthesis
and one for the degradation of the monomer.The syntesis and degradation
terms were redimensionalised
F(P
2
) = K
2
λ
1
1 +
ν
1
1 +µ
1
(θ
2
(P
2
/K
2
)
2
+r
1
θ
2
2
(P
2
/K
2
)
4
)
G(P
1
) = (K2(P
1
/K
2
)(1 +(2/σ
1
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Page Count: | https://www.techylib.com/en/view/mixedminer/modelling_and_analysis_of_a_synthetic_bistable_genetic_switch |
Characterization and quantification of diversity in plant genetic resources were important to identify cultivars and clones, decipher relationships including parentages, and to efficiently manage germplasm collections. The present studies was undertaken to find out genetic diversity among twenty-one genotypes of rose (Rosa species) using EST-SSR markers. Out of the total 35 EST-SSR primers screened, a set of 12 primers showed polymorphism. PCR amplification yielded a total of 31 amplified products with a range 2 and 4 bands per primer (amplified size 90bp -550bp). The polymorphic information content (PIC)value of the primers ranged from (0.22- 0.96) with Highest PIC and Marker Index (MI) was recorded by primers RS-18 followed by Primer RS-30 and RS-10. Hence, primer RS-18 and Primer RS-30 were found to be highly informative. Jaccard’s similarity coefficient ranged from 0.143 to 0.923. Minimum similarity was observed between the genotype (Lady X) and (Happiness) (0.143). The similarity coefficient used to construct a dendrogram using UPGMA cluster analysis. The dendrogram grouped the twenty-one rose genotypes into three distinct clusters. Therefore, from this study the genotypes (Lady X) and (Happiness) (0.143) possesses diverse genetic background which can also be used as parent for further hybridization programme. | https://www.ijcmas.com/abstractview.php?ID=17284&vol=9-5-2020&SNo=193 |
Sum of all alleles is the gene pool. Sum of all allele frequencies at a locus = 1.
- Frequency = p = number of all copies of an allele in a population/sum of all alleles
- Genotype frequency = number of individuals with a particular genotype in a population/total number of individuals in a population
If allele frequency of A is 0.6 (p) and a is 0.4 (q); prediction of AA frequency = 0.6 x 0.3 = 0.36 (psquared); Aa = 0.4 x 0.6 x 2 = 0.48 (2pq); aa = 0.4 x 0.4 = 0.16 (qsquared); total equals 1
Hardy-Weinberg law- in large randomly mating populations allele frequencies do not change over time in the absence of migration, mutation or selection
Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium is a model situation in which allele frequencies do not change. It is useful for predicting genotype frequencies from allele frequencies, model describes conditions if there were no evolution, frequency deviations should prompt a search for factors that cause the deviation (heterozygote advantage or assortative mating which is attraction to similar).
Carrier frequency can be estimated: disease incidence = q squared, gene frequency is q, carrier frequency is 2pq (p + q has to equal 1)
Factors disrupting Hardy-Weinberg are mutation, migration, positive or negative selection, genetic drift, non-random mating. If large variation from HW is found there is likely to be another mechanism involved. Gene flow is a result of the migration of individuals and movements of gametes between populations. Positive or negative selection can occur for alleles due to natural selection pressures.
If population is bottlenecked, genetic drift can reduce genetic variation. It also affects small populations that colonise a new region. Founder effect is equivalent to a bottleneck.
Several populations have higher rare autosomal recessive disease incidence, founder effect with geographical/social/religious isolation
Consanginuity is inbreeding. | https://viarevision.fandom.com/wiki/Population_genetics |
This is a chronological list of periods in Western art history. An art period is a phase in the development of the work of an artist, groups of artists or art movement. Contents. 1 Ancient Classical art; 2 Medieval art; 3 Renaissance; 4 Renaissance to ...
www.dummies.com/education/art-appreciation/art-history-timeline
If you're interested in art history, the first thing you should do is take a look at this table ... Movements, Characteristics, Chief Artists and Major Works, Historical Events ... Early and High Renaissance (1400–1550), Rebirth of classical culture ...
www.identifythisart.com/timeline-of-art-history
Art timeline poster of all art movements ... Before 500 - Ancient Art ... Includes Early Renaissance with its Late Gothic elements & Northern Renaissance from c.
www.invaluable.com/blog/art-history-timeline
Apr 12, 2019 ... Since these early examples, a plethora of art movements have ... Click on the genres below to learn more about key characteristics and leading contributors of Western art's pivotal periods. ... Ancient Art 30,000 B.C.–A.D. 400.
www.thoughtco.com/art-history-timeline-183476
May 23, 2019 ... Art History Timeline: From Ancient to Contemporary Art ... Many different styles of art were created over this long period. ... It began with the famous 15th-century artists like Brunelleschi and Donatello, who led to the work of ...
www.thoughtco.com/quick-rundown-of-art-eras-182703
May 23, 2019 ... Art History 101: A Brisk Walk Through the Eras ... 3200-1340 BC - Egypt - Art in ancient Egypt was art for the dead. The Egyptians built tombs, ...
www.visual-arts-cork.com/history-of-art-timeline.htm
Timeline For History of Western Art: A Chronology of Visual Arts: 2500000 BCE- Present. ... Modern and Postmodern movements, the timeline includes: styles of painting ... Also includes dates of ancient art from Egyptian (c.2500 BCE), Minoan ...
totallyhistory.com/art-history
Prehistoric art comprises of all arts and crafts that are produced in cultures that ... The quality of Egyptian art throughout the ancient period was observed to be of ... While there are no distinct “Renaissance” styles per se during this period, art by ...
www.theartstory.org/section-movements.htm
Movements and Styles in Modern Art (and related artists and modern art ideas) ... Modern Movements and Styles - Full List ... Early and Pre-War Modern Art. | https://www.ask.com/web?q=Arts+Art+History+Periods+and+Movements+Ancient+Art&%3Bamp%3Bqo=channelNavigation&%3Bamp%3Bqsrc=121&%3BpageToken=CAoQAA&%3Bpage=2%E2%88%A8derby=rating&duration=medium&qo=channelNavigation |
Discover the Old Masters of the Renaissence and Baroque Period. Guided tour of the National Gallery included.
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Art HistoryOnline Learning, Art History Course by Cabinteely Community School - Dublin
ONLINE A brief overview of art from beginnings to modern times, and also a detailed look at the work of some artists. Through a careful reading of art, we can better understand our common history. A key objective is to help you derive more from your gallery visits home and abroad. Gallery visit(s) included. Tutor:…
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Art History -Major Artists and Movements (An Introduction)Classroom Based, Art History Course by Marino College - Fairview, Co. Dublin
Introduction to Art History A foundation course of art history exploring the development of Western Art from Classical Antiquity to 20th Century. The survey of main periods in art history introduces to key concepts, major artists and iconic artworks. In these enjoyable classes topics are discussed together to develop visual skills enabling students to engage…View College DetailsAdd to Favourite
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Arts - History of ArtArt History Course by University College Cork (UCC) - Cork
Art History is an important and exciting subject, providing a valuable prism through which to view and to analyse the complex development of western culture. This one year taught programme introduces students to the history of art as an academic and a professional discipline. The course includes a general survey of the history of art,…
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Fine Art & Design - Visual CultureArts, Crafts & Hobbies Course by National College of Art & Design NCAD - Dublin
This twenty-one week course is available part-time to students who already have a general knowledge of the history of art and design, and have an interest in expanding their understanding of twentieth century art, design and visual culture. The course involves analysis of visual images, library research and group based discussion. This module is mandatory…
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Introduction to Irish ArtOnline Learning, Art History Course by Crumlin College of Further Education (CDETB) - Crumlin, Co. Dublin
Learn how to ‘read’ a painting and understand appreciate modern and contemporary Irish artists. This is now an ONLINE course due to COVID-19 restrictions. | https://www.courses.ie/course-category/art-history/ |
Note on Numbering/Strands:
V - Visual Literacy, CX – Contextual Relevancy, CR – Critical Response
Visual Literacy Essential Standard
Clarifying Objectives
K.V.1 Use the language of visual arts to communicate effectively.
- K.V.1.1 Identify various art materials and tools.
- K.V.1.2 Create original art that expresses ideas about oneself.
- K.V.1.3 Recognize various symbols and themes in daily life.
- K.V.1.4 Understand characteristics of the Elements of Art, including lines, shapes, colors, and texture.
- K.V.1.5 Recognize characteristics of the Principles of Design, including repetition and contrast.
K.V.2 Apply creative and critical thinking skills to artistic expression.
- K.V.2.1 Recognize that artists may view or interpret art differently.
- K.V.2.2 Use sensory exploration of the environment as a source of imagery.
- K.V.2.3 Create original art that does not rely on copying or tracing.
K.V.3 Create art using a variety of tools, media, and processes, safely and appropriately
- K.V.3.1 Use a variety of tools safely and appropriately to create art.
- K.V.3.2 Use a variety of media to create art.
- K.V.3.3 Use the processes of drawing, painting, weaving, printing, collage, mixed media, sculpture, and ceramics to create art.
Contextual Relevancy Essential Standard
Clarifying Objectives
K.CX.1 Understand the global, historical, societal, and cultural contexts of the visual arts.
- K.CX.1.1 Use visual arts to illustrate how people express themselves differently.
- K.CX.1.2 Recognize that art can depict something from the past (long ago) or present (today).
- K.CX.1.3 Recognize key components in works of art from different artists, styles, or movements.
- K.CX.1.4 Recognize key components of art from different cultures.
- K.CX.1.5 Recognize that an artist’s tools and media come from natural and human-made resources.
K.CX.2 Understand the interdisciplinary connections and life applications of the visual arts.
- K.CX.2.1 Identify examples of functional objects of art in the immediate environment, including home and school.
- K.CX.2.2 Identify relationships between art and concepts from other disciplines, such as math, science, language arts, social studies, and other arts.
- K.CX.2.3 Understand that artists sometimes share materials and ideas (collaboration).
Critical Response Essential Standard
Clarifying Objectives
K.CR.1 Use critical analysis to generate responses to a variety of prompts.
- K.CR.1.1 Identify the lines, colors, and shapes in works of art.
- K.CR.1.2 Explain personal art in terms of media and process. | https://www.wcpss.net/Page/28612 |
The way your mind functions has a lot to do with the way you are, and the things you do. Studying psychology is one of the best ways to understand why things happen to us the way they do, and justify our reactions for the same. Psychology is a science and it studies both human behavior and how the human mind works at both conscious and unconscious levels of thought. Psychologists research individuals and groups which helps them formulate general principles and theories. Alison’s “Diploma in Psychology” is an engaging course and is packed with features to help you understand and evaluate classic and contemporary psychology. Topics covered include classical conditioning, learning theory, the biological basis of behavior, visual perceptions, memory, and cognition.
This course will be of great interest to all learners who would like to learn more about key concepts and theories in psychology, or those who would like to pursue psychology as a career.
Diploma in Psychology Course Content
The program includes the following topics:
- The differences between classical conditioning and operant conditioning.
- Terms related to sleep research.
- Different states of consciousness.
- Perception and the characteristics of the visual sensory system.
- Different factors influencing depth perception.
- Conditions which affect sight in old age.
- Terms associated with memory.
- Research methodologies in relation to psychology.
- The correct way to reference different sources.
The Research Methodology section allows you to cast a critical eye on the research process, to explore the nature of psychology as an evolving science, and understand some of the ethical issues faced by psychologists.
The Dip[loma program comprises the following Modules: | https://www.bestonlinecourses.info/learn-key-concepts-and-theories-in-psychology/ |
We intend to support the hypothesis of humanities scholars (Jung, Eliade, Dumézil) of the universalism and contemplative effect of religious symbols with natural science methodology. Our primary purpose is to understand which non-representative visual features can play a role in creating the contemplative experience. We will use the following method to achieve our goal: We will create experimental artworks with the help of mandalas due to their well-known importance in meditative rituals: using digital analysis software, we will highlight mandalas' common visual features (proportion, color balance, main shapes etc.) and integrate the results into non-representative abstracted experimental artworks. We will project the artworks for the subjects and record their brain waves with a portable EEG device. We will compare the data with previous EEG results measured during Buddhist meditation, confirming the alpha wave increase during contemplation. Based on our findings, we will conclude which visual elements can contribute to the formation of a contemplative brain state. These results can be used by contemporary artists, meditators to improve meditation techniques, and academic scholars to reveal new connections in theoretical questions of contemplative science.
OVERALL AIM
The project aims to utilize mandalas in order to identify visual elements, such as line, shape, color, value, form, space, balance, contrast, emphasis, movement, pattern, rhythm, proportion, and unity (Brommer 2011), which occurs most often in them. The research intends to create experimental artworks highlighting these visual characteristics to measure their effectiveness on brain waves that alter the meditative state of mind. The project's overall purpose is to find visual features that can play a role in contributing to the contemplative experience.
HYPOTHESES
Some humanities scholars hypothesize that all world religions' depictions contain similar visual elements (Jung, Eliade, Dumézil, etc.) that can play a role in creating contemplation. Mandala art contains these visual patterns, which also appear in the art of the world's leading religions. (Jung, 2019)
Scientists hypothesize that art (including religious imagery) has an adaptive function and can alter brain activity (Sütterlin, Menninghaus, Horváth, etc.). In addition, art historians (such as Elkins) argue that visual art (including religious art) can evoke contemplative feelings. Although there is no unified idea of the brain areas responsible for religious experience, some peer-reviewed publications (Lagopolous, Travis, Kasamatsu) contain information about changes in alpha waves during Buddhist meditation, a type of religious contemplation.
HYPOTHESES OF OUR PROJECT
1. Based on the theories mentioned above, our project hypothesizes that certain non-representative visual elements can play a role in creating contemplation.
2. Religious symbols have survived cultural changes not only because of their meaning but also because of their visual characteristics participating in the creation of contemplation.
3. Humanities scholars (Jung, Eliade, Dumézil) hypothesis can be supported and confirmed by natural science methodology.
my supervisor was Sally M. Promey
Professor of Religion and Visual Culture; Coordinator of the Program in Religion and the Arts; Professor of American Studies and Religious Studies; and Director, Center for the Study of Material and Visual Cultures of Religion Yale University
I was researching religious depictions in the Robert B. Haas Family Arts Library and extended my knowledge of research methodology. | https://veronikaszendro.com/page2.html |
"All work of art reflect something of the culture out of which they came"
The medium of film/video has always mirrored the time and space in which it was documented, created or archived. The technological advancement, the cultural background, the political environment or the identity of the artists is often the sub-text of a piece of work.
Video has extensively been used as an artistic tool of creation . In this project, video plays the role of an Observer. The medium is used both as an objective tool recording an event without any editing and also a subjective lens through which the artists (the choreographer & film maker) choose the specific site/visual frame that needs to be captured and projected.
Perceived Identities . My investigation has been about the perception of the self in total isolation and also in a socio-political framework. The camera acts as a lens through which I examine these two perspectives within a definite time and space. More specifically it examines my self identity in the UK and my perception of the city of London during my time as a student at the Roehampton university. Just like the cctv camera I am both an inside-outsider and outside-insider.
The Period Eye
The Period Eye -
Painiting and experience in fifteenth century Italy - Michael Baxandall, 1972( Oxford Press , Pg 29 to 103
The process of human visual perception is described as the raw data of light and color that is interpreted by the brain through innate skills and relevant items such as stocks of patterns , categories , habits of inference and analogy. These further lend the fanatstical complex ocular data a s structure and therefore meaning.
The importance of culture , habit and experience in visual perception is emphasised by Baxandall in his writings. He also stresses on gestures and symbols that are used in renaissance paintings and demonstrates with examples how certain nuances and symbolism are particular to a set period and its culture.
This has helped me understand how certain hand gestures are codified in the art form of Bhartanatyam. Many of these gestures are used to depicts elements of nature, objects , mythological or religious elements that existed in a different period in history . For example gestures such as pathaka(flag), kartharimukha( scissor image) , soochi ( needle) , thrishoola ( trident ) are used to denote objects . Gestures such as mayoora( peacock), Ardha chandra( half moon) , Shukhathunda (parrots tail) , shikhara( peak) , sarpasheea( snake head) , mrigasheesha( animal head) , simhamukha ( lion face), alapadma ( lotus in bloom) , Bhramara( bee), hamsasya( swan) etc are used to depict elements of nature . There are a few more gestures like gandaberunda ( two headed phoenix) , shanka( sacred conch) and many others that are used to depict elements of a certain character of mythology. A deeper understanding of the time in which certain puranas ( mythological stories) and fables came into existence is required to understand the meaning of these gestures. Though many Indians would easily understand the meaning behind these gestures because of their cultural acquaintance , many movements are very intricate and elaborate and often a translation or subtext is required to understand it entirely.
Painting & process
Abstraction & Artifice in twentieth century art - Harold Osbourne , 1979, Claredon Press - Oxford
It has been interesting to find parallels of aesthetics in my approach to gestures and the nuances of painting . Upon Tamara's input I looked at 'Abstraction' in paintings. Trying to understand different kinds of abstractions and if abstraction is what defines or supports my process. The following passages are all extracts from the above mentioned book .
Kinds of Information - Semantic Information When work of art depicts or otherwise specififes some segment of the world apart from itself, weather real or imaginary , or some characteristics of the world in general , including social conditions , the values pertaining in a particular culture and so on , this is semantic information.
Syntactical Information- Works of art that transmit information about themselves , their own properties and structures , the relation among their parts , the material from which they are made etc.
Expressive Information - comprises information about emotional characteristics or concomitants of the work or what it depicts.
"To brand or categorize a piece of work it is important to study a piece of work in its historical perspective".
Selective Abstraction- Selection is essential, indeed it is what perception means . It is a selective focus of attention upon some items among the mass of sensory information with which we are bombarded and the imposition of order upon them by applying associations of relevance.
When we are confronted with an artistic representation instead of the reality , practical consideration fall into abeyance and we are able to give our attention more clearly alertly than usual to the pictorial quality of the visual image.
Selective abstraction closely describes what I would want to achieve with the image of gestures in a studio set up. Every frame and every detail is carefully chosen and choreographed. It definitely narrows down the image and gives a microscopic view of the artist's imagination and creativity. | https://www.veenadance.com/home/ma-project/research |
Art Appreciation Online Credit Recovery Single Semester
This one-Semester course will introduce learners to the various forms of the visual arts, such as painting, sculpture, film, and more. Students will learn how to look at a work of art, identify and compare key characteristics in artworks, and understand the role art has played throughout history. Through hands-on activities, virtual museum tours, discussion, and research, learners will develop an overall appreciation for the art they encounter in their daily lives.
Unit 1: Introduction
What is Art? | https://courses.keystoneschoolonline.com/Art-Appreciation-Online-Credit-Recovery-Single-Semester |
This year PETMEI will be organised as a dedicated conference track at the 17th European Conference on Eye Movements (ECEM 2013) in Lund, Sweden. Selected authors (based on review score) will be invited to submit extended versions of their accepted papers for inclusion in a PETMEI special issue in the Journal of Eye Movement Research.
Despite considerable advances over the last decades, previous work on eye tracking and eye-based human-computer interfaces mainly developed use of the eyes in traditional (“desktop”) settings that involved single user, single device and WIMP-style interactions. Latest developments in remote and head-mounted eye tracking equipment and automated eye movement analysis point the way toward unobtrusive eye-based human-computer interfaces that will become pervasively usable in everyday life. We call this new paradigm pervasive eye tracking – continuous eye monitoring and analysis 24/7. The potential applications for the ability to track and analyse eye movements anywhere and at any time call for interdisciplinary research to further understand and develop visual behaviour for pervasive eye-based human-computer interaction in daily life settings.
PETMEI 2013 will focus on pervasive eye tracking as a trailblazer for pervasive eye-based interaction and eye-based context-awareness. We provide a forum for researchers from human-computer interaction, context-aware computing, psychology, and eye tracking to discuss techniques and applications that go beyond classical eye tracking and stationary eye-based interactions. We want to stimulate and explore the creativity of these communities with respect to the implications, key research challenges, and new applications for pervasive eye tracking in ubiquitous computing. The long-term goal is to create a strong interdisciplinary research community linking these fields together and to establish the workshop as the premier forum for research on pervasive eye tracking. | http://ecem2013.eye-movements.org/program/petmei.html |
Topic:
कथक नृत्य-भारतीय शिल्प मध्ययुगीन लघुचित्र अंतर्लीन संबंध
Interrelation between Indian Sculpture - Medivial Miniature Paintings and Kathak Dance.
Fellowship awarded by Ministry of Culture & Tourism, Govt of India, New Delhi, 2002-2004
Over a decade Roshan has been doing research on Kathak Dance and its Ancient Art form, image, beauty and grace. An attempt has been made to explore reflections of Kathak in Ancient Dance Sculptures and Medieval Miniature Paintings. For that she has extensively travelled in the remote & smallest villages of Indian states of Rajasthan, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra to personally photograph evidences of Dance Sculptures from more than 80 monuments
(Stupaas / Caves / Ancient Temples.) For miniature paintings she has visited museums located at various Indian cities. She has done minute observation for the identification of finer details of dance movements as seen carved in these Dance Sculptures and drawn in miniature paintings and she attempts to bring to the surface the ‘Essence of Dance-form’. She has unfolded various elements of Kathak dance. Consistently she has been making efforts to bring on surface that there are reflections of similarity between the Ancient North Indian Dance-Sculptures / Miniature Paintings and Contemporary Kathak Dance because it is possible for one to recognize ‘Stylized Gestures’ of Contemporary Kathak
in Ancient Dance Sculptures.
Gandhar (3-5 C. AD), Pt. Birju Maharajji,
Nritta Karan: Vakshaswastika
Sarnath (4-5 C. AD), Pt. Durga Lalji,
Nritta Karan: Janita
Taranga (11 C. AD), Guru Rohiniji Bhate
Nritta Karan: Valita
Taranga (11 C. AD), Roshan Datye
Nritta Karan: Bhujanga Trasita
Ranakpur (15 C. AD), Ram Mohanji
Nritta Karan: Vrishchika
Past 1000 years North India has been under influence of different cultures as a result of which original Classical - Elements of the Kathak
(शास्त्रीय नृत्य तत्व)
went into oblivion. Roshan is of the opinion that those original Classical-Elements of Kathak need to be identified again and rejuvenated. Therefore, on her own, she has made the beginning of this work. In order to classically define Dance-Form she has critically analyzed the dance movements as prescribed in Bharat-Muni’s Natya-Shastra and Sharangdeva’s Sangeet-Ratnakar. She has done the fundamental research in exploring similarity
between Contemporary Kathak and Technical Aspect of Nritta from Natya Shastra: [that is
Nritta-Karnas
(नृत्तकरण),
Charis
(चारी),
Nritta-Hastas
(नृत्तहस्त) and her in-depth analytical study of
Karnas
(करण) and
Angharas
(अंगहार) has further extended her vocabulary and combinations of body movements within the scope of Kathak. With the help of Karnas and her Abhinaya she has been able to personify Expression and Essence of graceful dance sculptures. Her research shall be helpful to the Scholars of Kathak-Dance in times to come.
Pahadi School, Roshan Datye, Nayika: Vasaksajja
Raas Leela in Miniature Painting
In order to bring out in forefront the conclusion of her investigations Roshan has authored inferences of her research in the book titled ‘Kathak-Aadikathak’. In order to present Practical & Visual aspect of her research she has also choreographed a dance presentation under the same title ‘ Kathak-Aadikathak’ which got overwhelming response from the Kathak fraternity and also from Sculptors, Artists and Archaeologists.
Kathak-Aadikathak Book>
Kathak-Aadikathak Show>
She was blessed to have extensive discussions with Subject-Authorities in order to verify her ‘findings’: Guru Kathak-Pandita Rohini Bhate, Guru Brajvallabh Mishra, Kathak Guru Birju Maharaj, Archeologist Shri G B Deglurkar, Guru Smt Maya Rao, Guru Smt Kumudini Lakhia, Guru Shri Munnalal Shukla, Shri Jayant Kastuar, Shri Rajendra Gangani, Smt Prerna Shrimali, Indologist Shri Udayan Indoorkar and many National Level Kathak Dancers and Critic. The Onsite Photography was done by Roshan Datye, Chittaranjan Datye and Girish Samant.
VISITS TO ARCHEOLOGICAL SITES
AND MUSEUMS
In order to understand the subject in-depth; Roshan has personally visited and photographed Ancient Temples, Stupas and Caves & Museums located at following different States of India. The number indicated ahead of the name of each place shows the quantity of temples visited. | https://roshandatyekathak.com/research.php |
About this Item: Museum of Modern Art. Paperback. Condition: New. 156 pages. Dimensions: 9.0in. x 8.5in. x 0.6in.The Photographers Eye by John Szarkowski is a twentieth-century classic--an indispensable introduction to the visual language of photography.... In addition to The Photographer's Eye, Szarkowski is the author of numerous books about the medium, including Looking at Photographs (1974), still required reading for photography students.
Books Advanced Search Best Sellers Top New Releases Deals in Books School Books Textbooks Books Outlet... The Photographer‟s Eye. John Szarkowski (1964) Photography as Art Szarkowski‟s book argues that photography is art but instead of trying to make elements of the real world appear in a different form – as is the case with painting and sculpture – a photographer is choosing the elements of the real world to take and create art.
John Szarkowski has 51 books on Goodreads with 12421 ratings. John Szarkowski’s most popular book is William Eggleston's Guide.... In addition to The Photographer's Eye, Szarkowski is the author of numerous books about the medium, including Looking at Photographs (1974), still required reading for photography students. "About this title" may belong to another edition of this title.
“John Szarkowski’s book The Photographers Eye is based on an exhibition held at the Museum of Modern Art in New York talks about the thing itself. Szarkowski claims one of the key characteristics of photography is the thing itself .
9/11/2014 · John Szarkowski was the director of photography at the MoMA. New York for close to 30years. He was held in high regard and shaped photographic practices and criticism for a generation. New York for close to 30years.
Photography is a system of visual editing. At bottom, it is a matter of surrounding with a frame a portion of one's cone of vision, while standing in the right place at the right time.
27/10/2017 · This piece of research is focused on the introductory essay that formalist critic John Szarkowski wrote for his highly influential work. The book, included in the reference list for Expressing your vision, is fundamentally an study of photography’s visual characteristics and their reasons through the medium’s history. | http://why-not.com/south-australia/the-photographer-eye-john-szarkowski-pdf.php |
General Education Student Learning Outcomes
The significance of a university degree is that the graduate possesses certain valuable and important characteristics that transcend any particular major or professional training. Shawnee State University’s General Education Program (GEP), which all graduates must complete, is designed to enhance the various major courses of study in order to ensure that every graduate is a well-educated person. Well-educated people are guided by a spirit of inquiry; they are independent learners, broadly learned and capable of seeking out and understanding new information; they are creative and careful thinkers and communicators; and they are able to take a historical, global, and ethical perspective, which helps them to imagine and pursue change. Most importantly, well-educated people are able to recognize the interconnectivity of ideas from a variety of disciplines. They are also able to balance varying disciplinary perspectives and remain comfortable with ambiguity. The following represents a detailed description of a well-educated person.
Cluster One: Critical Thinking and Communication Competencies
1.1 Critical thought. The ability to think independently, logically, and creatively. Graduates will:
- a. Identify theses and conclusions, supporting evidence and arguments, and stated and unstated assumptions;
- b. Evaluate evidence and arguments;
- c. Synthesize multiple perspectives on a given topic or issue.
- d. Generate their own hypotheses, arguments, and positions.
1.2 Written communication. Graduates will:
- a. Understand the rhetorical situation: the relationship between writer, audience, and text;
- b. Adapt written communication to different audiences (within and beyond one’s own discipline), contexts, and media;
- c. Incorporate research from primary and secondary sources into their writing;
- d. Employ a flexible writing process that involves multiple drafts and revisions;
- e. Provide meaningful feedback to other writers and incorporate feedback from others;
- f. Employ academic and ordinary language conventions for writing, including genre, style, diction, organization, citation, grammar and syntax.
1.3 Oral and interpersonal communication. Graduates will:
- a.Deliver effective oral presentations in a variety of contexts;
- b.Exchange ideas, arguments, and constructive criticism in productive ways;
- c.Cooperate in a variety of interpersonal settings.
1.4 Information literacy. Graduates will:
- a.Recognize a need for information;
- b.Recognize the various formats through which information is conveyed;
- c.Locate information using a variety of sources;
- d.Evaluate the reliability, accuracy, and appropriateness of information;
- e.Integrate primary and secondary research into their own arguments.
Cluster Two: Literary, Visual, and Performing Arts
2.1 Interpretation. Graduates will:
- a. Recognize the interrelationship between literary, visual, and performing works of art and their cultural and historical context;
- b. Apply disciplinary techniques and theories in order to interpret literary, visual and performing works of art;
- c. Articulate how the literary, visual, and performing arts both reflect and shape the human experience.
2.2 Aesthetics. Graduates will:
- a. Explore how the literary, visual, and performing arts shape collective and individual identity and enhance human life;
- b. Appreciate the formal and intrinsic qualities of literary, visual, and performing arts.
Cluster Three: Natural World Inquiry
3.1 Scientific reasoning. Graduates will:
- a. Understand the different forms of scientific methodology, including deductive vs. inductive reasoning, discovery-driven vs. inquiry-driven studies, and laboratory vs. field studies.
- b. Apply fundamental scientific methodology to collect data, formulate hypotheses, test hypotheses and draw meaningful conclusions, even if these conclusions are contrary to what is expected.
- c. Understand that knowledge gained through scientific inquiry is not absolute, but that the degree of certainty attained is much greater than through other forms of inquiry regarding natural phenomena.
- d. Understand the importance of scientific theories as robust, encompassing structures of explanation for natural phenomena.
- e. Distinguish between scientific and nonscientific forms of inquiry, as well as distinguish true science from pseudoscience.
3.2 Quantitative reasoning. Graduates will:
- a. Interpret mathematical models such as formulas, graphs, tables, and schematics, and draw inferences from them;
- b. Represent mathematical information symbolically, visually, numerically, and verbally;
- c. Use arithmetical, algebraic, geometric and/or statistical methods to solve problems;
- d. Estimate and check answers to mathematical problems in order to determine reasonableness, identify alternatives, and select optimal results;
- e. Recognize that mathematical and/or statistical methods have limits.
Cluster Four: Historical and Cultural Inquiry
4.1 Engaged citizenry. Graduates will:
- a. Understand American history, politics, and culture;
- b. Evaluate primary sources influential to American history, politics, and culture;
- c. Analyze America’s role in global history, politics, and culture.
4.2 Historical perspectives. Graduates will:
- a. Describe ideas and movements central to the development of multiple cultures;
- b. Analyze how these ideas develop across time and major cultural shifts;
- c. Apply the resultant historical and cultural understanding to the contemporary world.
4.3 Contemporary global perspectives. Graduates will:
- a. Understand the complex connections of a modern global society;
- b. Understand the ideas and movements that shape multiple civilizations, and how they affect the way cultures view and engage one another;
- c. Appreciate how ideas and movements are influenced by culture and how they influence cultures’ views of each other.
4.4 Technological literacy. Graduates will:
- a. Understand the nature of technology and its relationship with engineering and science;
- b. Understand the interrelationship of technology and society;
- c. Apply critical thinking in the application of technology to the solution of problems.
Cluster Five: Human Nature and Flourishing
5.1 Ethical insight and reasoning. Graduates will:
- a. Analyze classical and contemporary ethical theories (attempts to understand the nature of the good and what makes an action ethical);
- b. Apply those theories to a variety of contemporary ethical issues;
- c. Defend rationally their own answers to ethical questions in the context of open and civil dialogue with others;
- d. Evaluate the relationship between ethics and civic life.
5.2 Human behavior. Graduates will:
- a. Analyze various specific factors that affect individual and group behavior and flourishing;
- b. Understand theoretical and scientific explanations of social, behavioral, or cognitive processes;
- c. Contrast various methods of understanding the origins of human behavior.
The GEP consist of ten categories. For essential learning outcomes (ELO) in bold type below a course in a particular category needs to address all subcomponents of the ELO. ELOs not in bold would only require the course address only some subcomponents.
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Category
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MINIMUM HOURS
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ELOs
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English Composition
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6
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1.1, 1.2, 1.4
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Oral Communication
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3
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1.1, 1.3
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Literature
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3
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1.1, 1.2, 1.4, 2.1, 2.2
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Fine Arts
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3
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1.1, 2.1, 2.2
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Natural Sciences
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7
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1.1, 3.1
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Quantitative Reasoning
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3
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1.1, 3.2, 4.4c
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Engaged Citizenry
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3
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1.1, 4.1
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Global Perspectives
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3
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1.1, 1.4, 4.3, 4.4a&b
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Historical Perspectives
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3
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1.1, 1.4, 4.2,
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Ethical insight and reasoning
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3
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1.1, 1.2, 5.1
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Human Behavior
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3
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1.1, 1.4, 5.2
Students must take a capstone course and two courses flagged as writing intensive (WI). Both courses may include within the GEP categories and outside of the GEP may be flagged as WI. | http://www.shawnee.edu/academics/GEP-essential-learning-outcomes/index.aspx |
In automobile and modernism essay the focus will be mainly on American modernism, as the evolution of automobile industry initiated there. Thus, the majority of the examples will be intentionally selected to fit both the timeline and the location, alongside the historical and societal events...
Art Movements Essay Examples
An art movements essay typically analyzes a particular art movement to highlight its philosophy, goals, key characteristics, the time period when it occurred, as well as the most representative artists promoting it. Analyzing the succession of art movements throughout history is equivalent to understanding the evolution of art itself. Hence, learning about the legacy of different art movements is important in educating new artists – as part of their work, they will likely borrow or combine elements from different movements and would tend to create their distinctive style. Essays might also analyze certain masterpieces and argue why they relate to a particular movement in art. The essay’s structure would normally follow the goal – check out the samples below for confirmation. | https://samplius.com/free-essay-examples/art-movements/ |
According to major scholars, there are three main different types of public administration and approaches to field of public administration and management. Approaches help us to understand importance and functions of public administration. Key types of public administration include; Classical Public Administration, New Public Management, and lastly the Postmodern Public Administration.
These theories offer different perspectives for how administrators and managers practice public administration, including its relevance as an academic study. Public administration plays major role through its complex functions, mainly to improve economic growth, social development promotion, infrastructure establishment, human development, policy formulation and protecting people’s interest through programs and outsourcing of through partnerships to improve efficiency. Below are modern and classical theory of public administration which define types of public administration.
Classical Public Administration Theory
Classical theory of public administration, otherwise better known as the structural theory of public administration, centers on major variables.. It does not include other theories of administration but promotes the managing of government institutions through bureaucracy. The authors of this, namely Henri Fayol and prominent social scientist Luther Gulick, explained bureaucratic features, major importance’s and elements of classical theory, include; Unity, Efficiency, Atomism, Specialization and Command.
New Public Management Theory
New public management is an ideological perspective that aims to improve organizational performance. New public management reforms place emphasis on the need to make public Organizations business like. NPM emphasizes that, public organizations have become competing entities with the private sector, hence there is need for adoption of business model.
New public management introduces important key elements to improve efficiency, by shifting from the traditional model of administration. Importance of new public management, elements and characteristics, include; cutting the red tape, make people based economy, customer first business approach, and evaluation of competition on the market.
Post Modern Public Administration Theory
Post modern public administration theory was founded by Charles Fox and Hugh Miller in the year 1995. Post modern public administration theory, proposes discourse to improve model of public administration, enhance policy-making procedures and structures. Post modern theory of public administration has created another discipline, within its scope to manage complexity. Major efforts of this theory introduces way to dive into empirical research, policy analysis and administrative discourse. Fox and Miller’s proposition through post-modern theory of public administration, methodologically broadens the sphere of public administration principle, and generated set of major empirical discoveries in public administration. | https://www.zambianguardian.com/types-of-public-administration/ |
a.Recognize an emotion expressed in dance movement that is watched or performed. b.Observe a dance work. Identify and imitate a movement from the dance, and ask a question about the dance.
a.Recognize and name an emotion that is experienced when watching, improvising, or performing dance and relate it to a personal experience. b.Observe a work of visual art. Describe and then express through movement something of interest about the artwork, and ask questions for discussion concerning the artwork.
a.Find an experience expressed or portrayed in a dance that relates to a familiar experience. Identify the movements that communicate this experience. b.Observe illustrations from a story. Discuss observations and identify ideas for dance movement and demonstrate the big ideas of the story.
a.Describe, create, and/or perform a dance that expresses personal meaning and explain how certain movements express this personal meaning. b.Respond to a dance work using an inquiry-based set of questions (for example, See, Think, Wonder). Create movement using ideas from responses and explain how certain movements express a specific idea.
a.Compare the relationships expressed in a dance to relationships with others. Explain how they are the same or different. b.Ask and research a question about a key aspect of a dance that communicates a perspective about an issue or event. Explore the key aspect through movement. Share movements and describe how the movements help to remember or discover new qualities in these key aspects. Communicate the new learning in oral, written, or movement form.
a.Relate the main idea or content in a dance to other experiences. Explain how the main idea of a dance is similar to or different from one’s own experiences, relationships, ideas or perspectives. b.Develop and research a question relating to a topic of study in school using multiple sources of references. Select key aspects about the topic and choreograph movements that communicate the information. Discuss what was learned from creating the dance and describe how the topic might be communicated using another form of expression.
a.Compare two dances with contrasting themes. Discuss feelings and ideas evoked by each. Describe how the themes and movements relate to points of view and experiences. b.Choose a topic, concept, or content from another discipline of study and research how other art forms have expressed the topic. Create a dance study that expresses the idea. Explain how the dance study expressed the idea and discuss how this learning process is similar to, or different from, other learning situations.
a.Observe the movement characteristics or qualities observed in a specific dance genre. Describe differences and similarities about what was observed to one’s attitudes and movement preferences. b.Conduct research using a variety of resources to find information about a social issue of great interest. Use the information to create a dance study that expresses a specific point of view on the topic. Discuss whether the experience of creating and sharing the dance reinforces personal views or offers new knowledge and perspectives.
a.Compare and contrast the movement characteristics or qualities found in a variety of dance genres. Discuss how the movement characteristics or qualities differ from one’s own movement characteristics or qualities and how different perspectives are communicated. b.Research the historical development of a dance genre or style. Use knowledge gained from the research to create a dance study that evokes the essence of the style or genre. Share the study with peers as part of a lecture demonstration that tells the story of the historical journey of the chosen genre or style. Document the process of research and application.
a.Relate connections found between different dances and discuss the relevance of the connections to the development of one’s personal perspectives. b.Investigate two contrasting topics using a variety of research methods. Identify and organize ideas to create representative movement phrases. Create a dance study exploring the contrasting ideas. Discuss how the research informed the choreographic process and deepens understanding of the topics.
a.Analyze a dance to determine the ideas expressed by the choreographer. Explain how the perspectives expressed by the choreographer may impact one’s own interpretation. Provide evidence to support one’s analysis. b.Collaboratively identify a dance related question or problem. Conduct research through interview, research database, text, media, or movement. Analyze and apply information gathered by creating a group dance that answers the question posed. Discuss how the dance communicates new perspectives or realizations. Compare orally and in writing the process used in choreography to that of other creative, academic, or scientific procedures.
a.Analyze a dance that is related to content learned in other subjects and research its context. Synthesize information learned and share new ideas about its impact on one’s perspective. b.Use established research methods and techniques to investigate a topic. Collaborate with others to identify questions and solve movement problems that pertain to the topic. Create and perform a piece of choreography. Discuss orally or in writing the insights relating to knowledge gained through the research process, the synergy of collaboration, and the transfer of learning from this project to other learning situations.
a.Review original choreography developed over time with respect to its content and context and its relationship to personal perspectives. Reflect on and analyze the variables that contributed to changes in one’s personal growth. b.Investigate various dance related careers through a variety of research methods and techniques. Select those careers of most interest. Develop and implement a Capstone Project that reflects a possible career choice. | https://www.deartsstandards.org/content/synthesize |
the West. Fee $20.
AH 2: Survey of World Art: Africa, Asia and the Americas
This course, intended for beginning students in any major, examines the evolution of art in Asia, Africa, and the Americas. The course offers students a general introduction to the history and methodology of art history in non-western countries. Fee $20.
ATC 80: Art Theory
This course introduces students to the conceptual terrain of 20th & 21st century critical theory and its relationship to artistic practice. The class will proceed via seminar format based on close readings of seminal texts and will traverse a broad array of interdisciplinary topics and critical approaches ranging from psychoanalysis and philosophy to anthropology and political economy. Assignments will include research and creative projects. Students majoring in art as well as other fields are equally encouraged to enroll. Fee $60. Satisfies both the theory and practice components of the SMC Core Curriculum Artistic Understanding Learning Goal.
ART 1: Studio Foundations 1: Drawing and Painting
This course introduces beginning students to basic two-dimensional art forms such as drawing, painting, collage, and digital photography. In order to explore essential characteristics of visual expression, the class examines basic two-dimensional (2d) design elements and techniques as well as the psychological implications of creative composition in relation to various media. The class functions as a laboratory for experimentation with multi-media work, collaboration, and documentation and includes drawing from live figures and local landscapes. Fee $60. Satisfies the practice component of the SMC Core Curriculum Artistic Understanding Learning Goal.
ART 2: Studio Foundations 2: Sculpture and Installation
This course is an introduction to three-dimensional art forms including sculpture, installation, and performance. Assignments include the use of classical materials such as clay and plaster, as well as found objects, public interventions, and 2d/4d methods. Presentations of various artists’ work and assigned readings provide a springboard for discussion of theory, practical application, and critical thinking, in both historical and contemporary terms. Students are encouraged to apply this material to their own work, with a focus on process rather than results. Fee $60. Does not satisfy an Area requirement.
ART 3: Basic Design
This course introduces students to the fundamental principles of design underlying a wide variety of visual art forms. Topics will include composition, design principles, layout, color and light theory, and typography as applied to two-dimensional formats. Techniques will be contextualized by relevant discussions of psychology and politics, rooted in the study of representative examples and project work. Fee $60. Does not satisfy an Area requirement.
ART 55: Digital Foundations 1: Photo, Video, Sound
This introductory course investigates the digital editing tools, processes, and concepts through which digital technology extends traditional 2d and time-based art practices. Students will develop digital imaging, video, and sound projects using Adobe Photoshop and Apple Final Cut Suite. The course will combine extensive software demonstrations, hands-on exercises, theoretical and technical readings, discussion of a broad range of examples of media art, and group critiques. Fee $100. Satisfies both the theory and practice components of the SMC Core Curriculum Artistic Understanding Learning Goal.
ART 65: Digital Foundations 2: Web Design and Interactive Media
This course introduces the digital editing tools, processes, and concepts of web design and interactive art. Students will study web layout and interface design principles, color theory, typography, information architecture, and other topics that will prepare them to produce compelling website design. The theory of interactive design and new media will help contextualize student work and broaden the creative possibilities for the use of interactive structures for the purposes of artistic expression. Students will develop projects using Adobe Creative Suite software. Fee $60. Does not satisfy an Area requirement.
Upper Division
ATC 111: Philosophy of New Media Art
This course examines the historical, philosophical, and socio-political basis of contemporary new media art. We read theoretical and historical statements that articulate the concepts driving new media art production, coupled with studying examples of representative work, including photography, experimental film and video, installation and net art. Project assignments integrate a critical and creative exploration of concepts. Fee $20.
ATC 117: Art Criticism, 1900 – the Present
This course is an exploration of the history of critical writing about art. A broad sampling of 20th-century texts from art historians, critics, philosophers, social scientists, and artists are brought together for discussion and reflection. Fee $20.
ATC 166: Issues in Twentieth-Century Art
This course, for students who have taken at least one art history course, examines the history of avant-garde art movements in the 20th Century. This course provides students with a focused study of specific types of innovative, modern art. Topics include: Art and Social Change and Art between the Wars. Fee $20.
ATC 180: Seminar in Theory & Practice of Art
Advanced study in critical theory and its relation to art practice. Variable topics may include psychoanalysis, semiotics, post-structuralism, cultural studies, Frankfurt School, to name a few. Assignments will integrate critical and creative process as a form of artistic “praxis.” The course may be repeated for credit as topics vary. Fee $60. Prerequisite: Art 80: Art Theory.
ATC 192: Capstone Project
Art Theory & Criticism majors are required to complete a thesis project as a capstone to their studies. This project typically entails the writing of a work of art theory or criticism, or the curating and production of an art exhibition. This course provides the time and credit for students to pursue their capstone project under the supervision of a departmental faculty member. The course is limited to upper division students in the major, minor, and split majors.
ATC 195: Curatorial Studies Workshop
AH 118: Art since 1930
This course focuses on the major stylistic movements in Europe and the United States from the Great Depression to the Digital Age. Topics covered include existentialism, the Beat Generation, pop art, politics and postmodernism, and art in cyberspace. Students are encouraged to develop an understanding of the trends and debates in contemporary art. Fee $20.
AH 193: Museum Internship Project
Work-practice program conducted in an appropriate museum internship position. Normally open to junior and senior art and art history majors. Permission of instructor and departmental chair required.
AH 194: Special Topics in Art History
This course, intended primarily for departmental majors and minors, examines a specific research topic in depth. This course provides students with a focused study of a theme within the history of art. Topics include: The History of Women Artists and Art of the 19th
Century. Fee $20.
Curriculum from Outside the Art & Art History Department
Lower Division
Perfa 1: Perceiving the Performing Arts
Professional artists in the fields of dance, music and theatre introduce students to the fundamental concepts of their respective disciplines. Students go to Bay Area performances in each art form studied. Team taught.
Perfa 10: Rock to Bach: Introduction to Music
Students in this class cultivate the ability to listen more deeply. They study the evolution of classical music, jazz, blues and early rock through exposure to more than three dozen composers—from Bach to Miles Davis to Little Richard.
Perfa 50: Interactive Theatre
Interactive Theatre offers creative tools to effectively engage in difficult dialogues about the intersections of race, gender, sexual
orientation, and class in dynamic and innovative ways. Students learn to build non-threatening environments and promote community-centered problem-solving. Open to actors and non-actors. Satisfies Diversity and Ethnic Studies requirements.
Phil 5: Practical Logic
A course in the analysis and evaluation of everyday arguments. Recognition of patterns of argumentation, fallacies, and ambiguities in English is stressed. This course aims primarily at refining and disciplining the student’s natural ability to think critically. May not be counted for major credit.
Upper Division
Anth 120: Visual Anthropology
Film and photography are powerful media for the representation (or misrepresentation) of social and natural worlds. Because we live in an image-saturated society, this course aims to help students develop a critical awareness of how visual images affect us and how they can be used and misused. The course examines photographic and cinematic representations of human lives with special emphasis on the
documentary sue of film and photography in anthropology. The course has historical, theoretical, ethical, and hands-on components, and students will learn to use photos, PowerPoint and video to produce a coherent and effective presentation.
Anth 124: Museum Studies
Museum Studies is offered in cooperation with Saint Mary's Hearst Art Gallery and Museum and as part of the Archaeology/Art and Art History split major. In this course students study the history of museums and the ethical issues involved in the collection and exhibition of cultural artifacts. The course give students hands-on experience researching artifacts for inclusion in an exhibition, designating an exhibition at the Hearst Gallery, and designing and writing the explanatory wall text, posters and brochures for a show. Students also learn to serve as docents and to convey information about museum exhibitions to different audience. Offered occasionally when an exhibition appropriate for student involvement is scheduled at the Hearst Art Gallery and Museum.
Comm 100: Communication Theory*
This course provides students with a review of major theories applicable to communication among individuals, within organizations, in politics and in the elite and mass media. Through readings and discussion of seminal core texts, students are encouraged to judge for themselves the strong and weak portions of alternative concepts, models and theoretical concepts, as well as to evaluate the empirical methods from which these theories are derived.
Comm 109: Visual Communication*
In this course, students study visual culture, learn to do visual analysis, and explore key ideas in visual communication including visual methodologies, such as compositional interpretation, semiotics, discourse analysis, and psychoanalytic analysis. Possible topics include exploration of the visual components of gay window advertising, video games, video camera technology, photography, film, television, news, the body, comics, theme parks, and museums. Other possibilities include discussing art, representations of race, and taking a walking visual tour of campus.
Eng 170: Problems in Literary Theory
This course is for the student who is uncertain about or even frightened by such labels as "New Criticism," "New Historicism," "Feminism," "Post-Colonialism," "Deconstruction," etc. The only prerequisite is openness to considering new, sometimes foreign ideas or ways to study and think of literature. The aim of the course is to break down the fear and resulting mistrust or mysticism that grows up around these terms and to encourage a more sophisticated reading of texts than that based on mere common sense and impression.
Perfa 118: Twentieth-Century Composers
Students will become familiar with the 20th century’s most important classical music composers such as Stravinsky, Bartok, Copland, Debussy and Cage, as well as the music and aesthetics of living composers.
Perfa 160: Special Topics in Performing Arts
Offered every other year, this course covers in-depth a specific aspect of the performing arts only touched on in other courses. Rotating topics include: African-American Dance, Great Composers, American Musicals, Dance and Film, Theatre and Social Justice, and Directing for the Stage, among others. Although this upper-division course is open to all interested students without prerequisites, prior completion of Performing Arts 1 is strongly recommended.
Perfa 184: Dance in Performance
A course in dance analysis and criticism. Various aspects of dance as a performing art are studied through attendance at dance performances offered in the Bay Area by local companies and national troupes performing on tour. Prerequisite: Performing Arts 1
Phil 111: Philosophy of Art
An analysis of doing and making, of truth, good, beauty, the visible and invisible, of figure and finality, as these reveal the intellectual and spiritual universes disclosed by painters, sculptors, poets, etc.
* Students should consult the department regarding possible
substitutions, as certain courses vary their content. | https://www.stmarys-ca.edu/art-and-art-history/art-theory-and-criticism/course-descriptions |
What is it called when trees remove carbon dioxide?
Photosynthesis of plants: A summary Trees are known as ‘carbon sinks’ because of their ability to store carbon. This is done through a process called photosynthesis. Trees absorb carbon dioxide through their leaves and turn them into sugars needed for them to grow.
What is it called when trees make air?
These gases are part of a process called photosynthesis. Trees take in carbon dioxide from the air, use sunlight as energy to turn that carbon dioxide into sugars, and then uses those sugars as their food. In this process, trees also make oxygen.
How does plants convert carbon dioxide to oxygen?
In a process called “photosynthesis,” plants use the energy in sunlight to convert CO2 and water to sugar and oxygen. The plants use the sugar for food—food that we use, too, when we eat plants or animals that have eaten plants — and they release the oxygen into the atmosphere.
What is sequestration process?
Carbon sequestration is the process of capturing and storing atmospheric carbon dioxide. It is one method of reducing the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere with the goal of reducing global climate change. The USGS is conducting assessments on two major types of carbon sequestration: geologic and biologic.
What is forest sequestration?
Forest carbon sequestration is the process of increasing the carbon content of the forest through processes that remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere (i.e. photosynthesis). Once sequestered the carbon is stored in the forest within living biomass, soil and litter and contributes to the forest carbon stock.
What is the process of oxygen plant?
The oxygen plant flow process is arranged in such a way that highly absorbable gas mixture components are taken in by adsorbent, while low absorbable and non-absorbable components go through the plant.
Do trees pee?
Trees also excrete water vapour containing various other waste products during this process. While this is an excretion, you may not consider this akin to pooping and peeing, perhaps more like breathing. After all, humans expel carbon dioxide, water vapour and certain other substances while breathing.
What is it called when a plant gives off water vapor?
Overall, this uptake of water at the roots, transport of water through plant tissues, and release of vapor by leaves is known as transpiration. Water also evaporates directly into the atmosphere from soil in the vicinity of the plant.
What is the first stage of photosynthesis called?
Photosynthesis occurs in two stages. In the first stage, light-dependent reactions or light reactions capture the energy of light and use it to make the hydrogen carrier NADPH and the energy-storage molecule ATP.
Why do trees absorb CO2 as well as O2?
We all know that plants take in carbon dioxide that humans and other animals breathe out, and use that to release oxygen out into the air. But many aren’t aware that plants actually release carbon dioxide as well! When plants go through the process of photosynthesis, they also release half of the carbon dioxide they take in back into the atmosphere via a process called respiration.
How much CO2 a tree convert into oxygen per day?
If it grows by five per cent each year, it will produce around 100kg of wood, of which 38kg will be carbon. Allowing for the relative molecular weights of oxygen and carbon, this equates to 100kg of oxygen per tree per year.
How many trees are needed to reduce CO2?
There is enough room in the world’s existing parks, forests, and abandoned land to plant 1.2 trillion additional trees, which would have the CO2 storage capacity to cancel out a decade of carbon dioxide emissions, according to a new analysis by ecologist Thomas Crowther and colleagues at ETH Zurich, a Swiss university.
How does a tree turn carbon dioxide into oxygen?
Using energy from sunlight, they turn carbon dioxide and water into sugar and oxygen. They use the sugars for food. Some oxygen is released into the atmosphere. But oxygen is also used up. Most living cells use it to make energy in a process called cellular respiration. | https://www.digglicious.com/questions/what-is-it-called-when-trees-remove-carbon-dioxide/ |
What is carbon sequestration?
Carbon dioxide is the most commonly produced greenhouse gas. Carbon sequestration is the process of capturing and storing atmospheric carbon dioxide. It is one method of reducing the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere with the goal of reducing global climate change. The USGS is conducting assessments on two major types of carbon sequestration: geologic and biologic.
Related Content
How does carbon get into the atmosphere?
How much carbon dioxide does the United States and the World emit each year from energy sources?
Has the USGS made any Biologic Carbon Sequestration assessments?
Which area is the best for geologic carbon sequestration?
What’s the difference between geologic and biologic carbon sequestration?
How much carbon dioxide can the United States store via geologic sequestration?
Making Minerals-How Growing Rocks Can Help Reduce Carbon Emissions
Following an assessment of geologic carbon storage potential in sedimentary rocks, the USGS has published a comprehensive review of potential carbon storage in igneous and metamorphic rocks through a process known as carbon mineralization.
Groundwater Sampling Method Key to Monitoring Success of Carbon Sequestration
TECHNICAL ANNOUNCEMENT: Monitoring, verification and accounting are key parts to demonstrating the feasibility or success of integrated carbon capture and storage technologies.
Methane from Some Wetlands May Lower Benefits of Carbon Sequestration
Methane emissions from restored wetlands may offset the benefits of carbon sequestration a new study from the U.S. Geological Survey suggests.
USGS Receives International Endorsement for Geologic Carbon Sequestration Methodology
The USGS methodology for assessing carbon dioxide (CO2) storage potential for geologic carbon sequestration was endorsed as a best practice for a country-wide storage potential assessment by the International Energy Agency (IEA).
Carbon Sequestration: Implications for Wyoming
U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) research hydrologist Dr. Yousif Kharaka will present a talk in Cheyenne, Wyo. about the feasibility and implications of capturing and storing the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide underground in depleted oil fields and deep rock formations with salty aquifers.
New Science Gauges Potential to Store CO2
A new method to assess the nation's potential for storing carbon dioxide could lead to techniques for lessening the impacts of climate change, according to Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar, who praised a U.S. Geological Survey report in an energy teleconference today.
"Carbon farm" project will study ways to capture atmospheric CO2
Imagine a new kind of farming in the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta - "carbon-capture" farming, which traps atmospheric carbon dioxide and rebuilds lost soils.
USGS Scientist Discusses Feasibility of CO2 Burial...
Depleted gas reservoirs can provide enough storage to limit carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuels for at least 20 years, to levels set for the U.S. under the 1997 Kyoto Treaty on Global Warming, according to Dr. Robert Burruss of the U.S. Geological Survey.
How Does Carbon Get Into the Atmosphere?
A short video on how carbon can get into the atmosphere.
A valley with smog pollution from Carbon Sequestration.
Uncovering the Ecosystem Service Value of Carbon Sequestration in National Parks. Photo by Robert Crootof, NPS.
PubTalk 1/2011 — Capture and Geologic Sequestration of Carbon Dioxide
Is Sequestration Necessary? Can We Do It at an Acceptable Total Cost?
By Yousif Kharaka, USGS National Research Program
- Combustion of fossil fuels currently releases approximately 30 billion tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) to the atmosphere annually
- Increased anthropogenic emissions have dramatically raised
Can We Move Carbon from the Atmosphere and into Rocks?
A new method to assess the Nation's potential for storing carbon dioxide in rocks below the earth's surface could help lessen climate change impacts. The injection and storage of liquid carbon dioxide into subsurface rocks is known as geologic carbon sequestration.
USGS scientist Robert Burruss discusses this new methodology and how it can help mitigate climate...
Carbon emissions associated with land change for the Sierra Nevadas
For the A1B-LUD scenario, cumulative emissions associated with land use, land use change, and disturbance (left) and projected land use, land cover, and disturbance area (right). | https://www.usgs.gov/faqs/what-carbon-sequestration?qt-news_science_products=0 |
It’s been a million years for the earth to sustain life, and the changes it had faced within the last few decades have abolished its unique identity. These changes, however, cannot be completely retrieved but could be subdued if certain measures are incorporated. One such measure is limiting our carbon emissions.
The carbon footprint is one of the factors contributing to global warming. Global warming is the phenomenon of a gradual rise in the temperature of the earth’s surface. This rise is due to the trapping of heat waves by gases in the atmosphere known as greenhouse gases. The gases responsible are carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, methane, ozone, water vapor, etc. Carbon dioxide, being a heavier gas, has a tendency to trap more heat waves resulting in warming the earth’s surface.
Carbon is present in all forms of life and exists in nature in various forms. Naturally, in the presence of oxygen, carbon reacts to form carbon dioxide. But, commonly, it is produced due to human-induced activities such as the burning of fossil fuel, natural disasters such as volcanic outgassing, forest fires, etc., decomposition of organic matter, and from the respiration process of living organisms. The quantity of carbon dioxide released into the environment as a result of our daily human activities is termed as a carbon footprint. It is measured in equivalent tons of CO2 and is associated with an individual or an organization. This generation is mainly from the production and consumption of fossil fuels, food, manufactured goods, materials, and transportation.
Carbon sequestration is one of the methods in abating or controlling carbon emissions. It is defined as the process of capturing and securing the storage of carbon in plants, soil, and in oceans destroying its potential to become CO2 gas. It ultimately prevents CO2 from entering the earth’s atmosphere. The objective is to stabilize carbon in solid and dissolved forms, thus preventing the atmosphere from warming. The process has helped in reducing the human “carbon footprint” which is the major cause of global warming.
Carbon sequestration (CS) occurs naturally or by man-made activities. It has three types: Geological, Biological, and Technological. Geological CS is the process of capturing carbon from industrial sources and storing it underground geologic formation, e.g. – rocks, reservoirs, etc. In the Biological CS process, the carbon is stored in vegetation. i.e., forest cover and grassland, in soil or in oceans. About 25% of carbon dioxide or carbon emissions are captured by the oceans and about 25% is captured by the forest cover. In the Technological CS process, carbon dioxide is used as a raw material to produce an end product. Typical examples include the production of Graphene, a material used to create screens for smartphones. Other examples are Direct Air Capture (DAC) and engineered molecules.
The sources or materials which retain the carbon and prevent it from entering into the atmosphere is known as a carbon sink. It is an ongoing process of capture and release. For instance, a plant captures carbon dioxide for the process of photosynthesis and releases it when it dies.
Even if carbon sequestration is new in technology, naturally it has been in existence from the time earth has to sustain life. When forest count was more in comparison to that of humans. Mangroves are one of the best carbon sequesters. They capture carbon and store it underneath their roots. Current population growth and its effect on earth derive an urgent need to cultivate more trees and increase the forest cover. This could be only possible if afforestation is practiced at a global level. Reducing the carbon footprint at an individual level could sum up prodigiously. Plantation should be encouraged by succinctly developing prospect ideas and creating awareness about such techniques at each level of education. Awareness must be created at the regional and local levels. Even the Government has introduced many schemes for the people who are successful in developing the green cover. Industries that are major contributors to global warming should improvise their green belt area.
References
https://www.britannica.com/technology/carbon-sequestration
https://climatechange.ucdavis.edu/science/carbon-sequestration/biological/
https://climatechange.ucdavis.edu/science/carbon-sequestration/
https://www.sciencedaily.com/terms/carbon_dioxide.htm#:~:text=Carbon%20dioxide%20is%20a%20chemical,component%20of%20the%20carbon%20cycle. | https://www.gy4es.org/post/carbon-sequestration |
At BGS we research the ways in which CO2 can be stored in rocks under the ground.
Carbon capture and storage (CCS) is one of the ways that Britain and the world can maintain electricity supplies and economic growth while not changing the atmosphere and the climate.
CCS involves capturing carbon dioxide (CO2) from large emission sources and then transporting and storing or burying it in a suitable deep geological formation. CCS can also mean the removal or scrubbing of CO2 from the open atmosphere followed by storage in a deep geological formation.
Learn about the causes of climate change and the greenhouse effect, and how mankind is accelerating the process as a result of a rapid rise in world population and the need for energy to power our homes, for transport, and industry.
Climate change means a long term change in the weather that can be felt or experienced or can be identified by statistical tests on weather measurements. These changes will persist for long periods, typically decades or longer.
Climate change may be due to natural Earth processes (such as interactions between the atmosphere and the oceans; volcanic activity and to changing concentrations of ‘greenhouse gases’ such as carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere) or due to human activities (e.g. industrialisation, changes in agricultural practice, increased generation of greenhouse gases from fossil fuel combustion).
On a timescale of decades, climate change can result from interactions between the atmosphere and the oceans.
These are very complex and produce oceanic changes such as the El Niño Southern oscillation, the Pacific decadal oscillation, the North Atlantic oscillation, and the Arctic oscillation. These oscillations and their impacts on climate owe their existence, at least in part, to the different ways that heat is stored and moves in the oceans.
Volcanic activity (volcanism) moves material and gases (including greenhouse gases) from the depths of the Earth to the surface. Volcanic eruptions, geysers and hot springs are all part of the volcanic process and also release particulates such as ash into the atmosphere.
A single eruption of the kind that occurs several times per century can affect climate, causing cooling for a period of a few years or more.
The eruption of Mount Pinatubo in 1991, for example, affected the climate substantially by lowering global temperatures by about 0.5°C, mainly by reducing the transparency of the atmosphere.
Much larger eruptions occur only a few times every hundred million years, but can reshape climate for millions of years and cause extinctions of life. Dust ejected into the atmosphere from large volcanic eruptions affects temperature only temporarily.
Volcanoes also release carbon dioxide but estimates suggest that human activities generate more than 130 times the amount of carbon dioxide emitted by volcanoes. Further information on monitoring volcanoes see Volcanology. | http://tetrapods.co.uk/discoveringGeology/climateChange/CCS/home.html |
Capital Power Corporation continues to advance its Genesee Carbon Capture and Storage project with the Board of Directors approval of a limited notice to proceed for the project.
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December 02, 2022
Wintershall Dea expands CCS activities in Denmark
BY Wintershall Dea
Wintershall Dea is expanding its activities related to the long-term and safe underground storage of CO2 offshore in Denmark.
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Enbridge Inc. and Oxy Low Carbon Ventures announced that the parties intend to work towards jointly developing a carbon dioxide sequestration hub in the Corpus Christi area of the Texas Gulf Coast.
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November 29, 2022
Kent wins CCS contract for INEOS-led project Greensand in Denmark
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Kent have been awarded a major contract win by INEOS Energy for Project Greensand in Denmark. Project Greensand works to reduce CO2 emissions into the atmosphere by capturing CO2 from the emitters, transporting, and storing the CO2 in the subsurface.
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November 29, 2022
Viking CCS pipeline progresses towards DCO with consultation
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Harbour Energy announced that Viking CCS has recently opened the statutory consultation process for a Development Consent Order for its onshore pipeline.
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November 29, 2022
CEMEX strengthens commitment to decarbonize construction
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CEMEX announced new CCUS projects as it seeks to accelerate its implementation of the game-changing technology as part of its decarbonization roadmap.
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November 29, 2022
ExxonMobil, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Form Tech Alliance
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ExxonMobil and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries have joined forces to deploy MHI’s leading CO2 capture technology as part of ExxonMobil’s end-to-end carbon capture and storage solution for industrial customers.
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November 22, 2022
Gulf Coast Sequestration and Climeworks Sign MOU for DAC
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Gulf Coast Sequestration and Climeworks announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding. Their partnership will aim to enable the permanent removal of one million tons of carbon dioxide from the air annually by 2030.
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November 21, 2022
Vopak and PETRONAS sign MoU for CCUS value chain solutions
BY Vopak
Vopak and PETRONAS signed a Memorandum of Understanding for the development of the value chain for CCS in the Southeast Asia region.
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New Times Energy is committed to achieving net-zero emissions, with plans to deploy carbon sequestration and other state of the art technologies, as part of the global transition to a low-carbon energy economy.
Carbon Capture and Sequestration (CCS), also known as carbon capture, utilization, and sequestration (CCUS), is the process of capturing carbon dioxide molecules in the atmosphere and removing them to storage deposits where they can no longer contribute to global warming and climate change. It is a potential means of mitigating the contribution to global warming and ocean acidification of carbon dioxide emissions from industry and heating. Although CO2 has been injected into geological formations for several decades for various purposes, including enhanced oil recovery, the long term storage of CO2 is a relatively new concept. (Proven technology with a new purpose)
New Times Energy is working with industry experts, energy regulators and other stakeholders to implement CCUS across our Canadian assets to achieve net-zero emissions. | https://www.nt-energy.com/project/carbon-capture-and-sequestration/ |
What is carbon sequestration?
“Carbon sequestration is the long-term removal of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere to be stored in plants, soils, geologic formations or oceans.”
This sentence very simply defines what carbon sequestration is, but I will explain a bit more about what it actually means and how soils and sustainable farming practices can have a major impact on reducing global warming by reducing the carbon dioxide (CO2) levels in the atmosphere.
Soil carbon sequestration is a natural process powered by growing plants, through the process of photosynthesis. Plants photosynthesise with the energy from sunlight, taking CO2 out of the atmosphere and converting this into new plant material, both above and below the soil surface, locking up the carbon and releasing the oxygen back to the atmosphere. The process works in symbiosis with the minerals, water, bacteria, fungi and other organisms in the soil. Plants grow, die and decay, feeding the soil and the life within it. Over the long term, CO2 is removed from the atmosphere, locked into the soil and, stored in the plants. This is carbon sequestration and the soil is known as a carbon sink.
What is soil?
Soils are naturally made up of four different components, a typical soil consists of:
50% Mineral
20-25% Water
20-25% Air
1 to 12% Organic matter
Obviously, the specific percentages will vary from one soil to another and whether or not it is in wet or dry conditions for example. In winter soils will contain more water than in the summer. The organic matter is made up from all the living and dead material: bacteria, plant roots, dead leaf litter and animal manure for example. This organic matter is full of carbon that is locked in the soil. Different soils will have different soil organic matter (SOM) contents and therefore different carbon contents. For example, a sandy soil will have a low SOM of around 1%, where as a peat-based soil will be at the top end, with clay soils somewhere in between.
A bit of soil history
Around 10,000 years ago man evolved from being a hunter gatherer to a farmer as they started growing crops and grazing animals. They managed the soils, changing the natural habitat to one more favourable to their needs. Right from the first farmers, man has not been very successful at looking after our soils. In fact, every empire in human history has eventually failed due to starvation, mainly bought about by soil degradation. From the Roman Empire, to the more recent collapse of the Soviet Union.
President Franklin Roosevelt once stated, “A nation that destroys its soil, destroys itself.” Wise words indeed, based on thousands of years of proof. However, when Roosevelt made this statement, he was probably thinking of the dust bowls in the mid-west of the American prairies and the loss of the natural habitat caused by farmers ploughing up their land to grow crops. He was very aware of the nutritious soil literally being blown away and was no doubt aware that unless farming practices changed, in time this land would not be able to produce food. But he was probably not aware that the general degradation of the soil was also releasing many thousands of tonnes of CO2 into the atmosphere, adding to what we know today as Global Warming.
Traditionally farmers plough the land, a process to turn the soil over to create good conditions in which to plant the following crop or pasture. However, when the soil is moved intensely as it is in ploughing, the carbon that is locked into that soil is suddenly exposed to our oxygen-rich atmosphere, resulting in the carbon combining with the oxygen to make carbon dioxide, which is released into the atmosphere. At this point the soil changes from being a carbon sink (removing CO2 from the atmosphere) to become a carbon source (releasing CO2 into the atmosphere). Over a few short decades, soils will lose their carbon content and thus reduce the soil organic matter, not only releasing global warming CO2, but also making the soil less nutritious and resilient to extreme weather conditions, which is not good for the farmer.
How are we improving our soils on Bottom Farm?
There is a better way we can grow our crops and graze our animals, using sustainable practises carried out by the likes of LEAF farmers (Linking Environment And Farming). These sustainable farming practises have three crucial but simple requirements to make soils healthy:
– Reduce soil disturbance from intensive cultivation and ploughing
– Keep something growing in the soil all year
– Vary the crops and livestock grown on the soil
By reducing cultivation, and especially ploughing of the soil, the loss of CO2 is greatly reduced. By keeping something growing in the soil as long as possible, not only are the plants utilising the power of the sun, photosynthesising and actively absorbing CO2 from the atmosphere, but the roots are feeding all the microbes in the soil to keep a healthy biodiversity. Finally, by varying the crops and livestock grown on the soil, the farmer better mimics what would happen in nature keeping the soil in good health.
If farmers follow these simple principles, they can again turn the soil back into a carbon sink, sequestering carbon in the soil and increasing the soil organic matter. I have done this on our farm over the last two decades and on one field which I have been monitoring, I have increased the soil organic matter from 3.8% to 6.3% between 2002 and 2016. To put this into context, if every farmer around the world practiced sustainable soil principles, our soils have the ability to remove 1 trillion tonnes of CO2 from the atmosphere, taking us back to pre-industrial levels. So, the prize is extremely big and very worthwhile aiming for. | https://www.farrington-oils.co.uk/carbon-sequestration/ |
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