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Over the past three years, the “Notes from the Bench” series has focused on either choral works sung during our worship, or the organ voluntaries. This year, I would like to present a series of articles on the various hymns that we sing during our services. Christian hymnody has a long, rich history; numerous authors and composers have contributed liturgical texts and music for Christian worship, and continue to do so through the present day. The word “hymn” is derived from the Greek word “hymnos” which refers to a song of praise. Hymns are religious, poetic texts that are usually sung, and are prayers or expressions of praise and adoration. Hymns are not unique to the Christian tradition; many religions have their own repertoire of hymns. Christian hymnody can trace its origins to the Psalms and poetic passages of Scripture referred to as canticles. Over the centuries, numerous texts have been written that praise God or express religious themes. If you open to almost any hymn in our hymnal, you may notice beneath the printed music and text an abundance of information about the author of the text, the translator if the original text was written in a different language, the composer of the melody, and arranger of the harmony or accompaniment. Frequently these components were written by different people, and not necessarily at the same time or in the same place. Each hymn tune is given a name that helps identify the particular melody. Hymn tune names frequently have a connection with the composer, are names of saints, are names of places, or the texts most frequently associated with a melody. At the bottom right of each hymn, you may notice some numbers such as “87. 87” or “10 10. 10 10.” These markings represent the meter of both the text and the melody, indicating the number of syllables for the lines of each stanza of the hymn. Letters abbreviations indicate frequently encountered meters: CM or Common Meter (86. 86.), LM or Long Meter (88. 88), and CMD or Common Meter Doubled (86. 86. 86. 86.) are just some of the abbreviations used. Congregations often sing hymn texts to whatever melodies they know that have the appropriate meter. Therefore a text may be sung using various melodies. The present pairing of hymn texts with melodies is the work of many editors publishing their recommendations, a practice that dates back to the 1600s. The Hymnal 1982 contains a “rich repertoire which constitutes the singing tradition of the people of God.” (Preface, Hymnal 1982) I hope that over the course of this year, we all gain a better understanding and appreciation of the contents found in this treasure.	https://allsaintsmusic.info/2015/09/13/bench-notes-100/
The Italian Government decided to “manage” the Lockdown exit-strategy based on an “Evaluation of reopening policies using social contacts and occupational exposure risk“. This risk analysis, being based on a statistical model, is supposed to provide a “scientific” ground to support the operational choices to return to the (a)normality. “It’s about time!” you could say, “finally someone decided to use the numbers correctly, instead of calculating percentages on unreliable data and deducing “trends” of mortality and lethality based on confused and unclear definitions! The enthusiasm for a newfound rigour in policing-by-numbers, however, ends immediately after reading the first pages of the report: The epidemic spread is simulated based on a stochastic SIR transmission model structured by age. The model takes into account the Italian demographic structure, the heterogeneity of social contacts at different ages and in different places of aggregation and the risk of exposure estimated for different professional categories. What does that mean? It means that the scientific committee chose a statistical model whose results depend on the reliability of the information in input. If the data are good, the results are good too, otherwise, all you get are unreliable results. This is made clear by a study by Prof. Andrea Pugliese of the University of Trento that explains how the spreading of infection can be assessed with the help of statistics. By reading this paper, it is clear that: - to calculate the probability that a subject is still infected after the infection and that whoever comes into contact with him is, in turn, infected, it is necessary to know the time of the infection, - the time interval between infection and onset of symptoms must be known, to calculate the incubation period’s length, - the calculation of the so-called “serial interval”, the time distance between the onset of symptoms in an infected person and the onset of symptoms in an infected person, also depends on the possibility of knowing these values, - the model works better if there is the possibility of identifying a time interval short enough to allow deaths for other causes to be ignored. Another factor of intrinsic uncertainty in the results of an epidemiological model is that the evaluation of contagiousness can be estimated (I stress, estimated) in two ways: with the “law of mass action” applied to the dynamics of contagion (anyone can infect anyone regardless of past contacts) or with more complex models that introduce more variables. The law of mass action works for the molecules of gases which, even though “shaking” individually in a random way, on the whole, can be thought as all moving in the same direction. It is evident even to an inexperienced person like me that the application of this law to the dynamics of contagion is unrealistic. Still, citing the study of Prof. Pugliese textually, the simplicity of the law of mass action makes it possible to carry out precise theoretical analysis and therefore to reach powerful conclusions. Another methodological choice affecting the results produced by an epidemiological model is to decide whether the distribution of the contagion is “exponential” or not. I say “decide” not “calculate” because (I always quote Prof. Pugliese’s study) The hypothesis that the period of infectivity follows the exponential distribution is tantamount to supposing that the probability of healing does not depend on how long an individual has been infected; as is intuitive, the actual distributions are usually very far from the exponential. But the exponential distribution has the great advantage of transforming the system (1) consisting of a differential equation and an integral coupled equation into a system of ordinary differential equations that are much easier to analyse and approximate on the computer. In other words: we must choose to use a less precise but more “powerful” method or a more precise but less effective one. Mind, I do not mean that statistical models are useless or that they shout random number but that, like all scientific theories, they have a value according to the hypotheses and assumptions based on which they are developed. They are useful and essential, but you need to know how to “handle” them. Consequently, the fundamental thing to understand, when reading statistical models, is that they provide the tools to obtain values, but do not provide “truth”. In other words, once the model has been built according to certain assumptions and a correctly applied mathematics, the results depend not only on the “design choices” but also on the inputs. Virtual the inputs, virtual the results all the same or, in a shorter sentence: garbage in, garbage out. All that said, I would have expected the Scientific-Technical Committee to disclose the rationale of its choices, but it did not, as it just points out the assumptions with no further explanation: In the model, we have therefore assumed that in the lockdown phase in Italy the social contacts outside home/school/work (i.e. in transport, leisure and other social activities) have been reduced to 10% of those observed in the absence of epidemic. The data provided by INAIL also suggest that 15% of workers use public transport. On the basis of this evidence, it is reasonable to think that in case of reopening of some productive sectors there could be an increase in the use of transport both by workers and by the public and we have assumed that contacts due to public transport will increase to 20%. We have also assumed that in correspondence with the opening of the commercial sector and the consequent necessary reduction of restrictions on the movement of people, contacts due to “Other activities? (i.e. those due to frequenting shops and services) return to normal values (100%). We have also assumed that leisure contacts increase only in the event of the reopening of accommodation and catering; on the basis of time use data provided by ISTAT, we have calculated that time spent in catering establishments account for 24% of activities. We have therefore assumed an increase in this type of contact from 10% to 34%. It is assumed that there is no increase in contact due to outdoor activities, sports and recreational activities. (all emphasis added). The document continues with a list of further “assumptions” (i.e. assumptions about the value of certain variables and not an objective measure of them) that populate the different “scenarios”. Now, even “assuming” that the statistical model used is correct, if the initial values are “assumptions” (i.e. “arbitrary”) the results contained in the document have a purely virtual value. As William Thompson (better known as Lord Kelvin) said: When you can measure what you are speaking about, and express it in numbers, you know something about it, when you cannot express it in numbers, your knowledge is of a meager and unsatisfactory kind; it may be the beginning of knowledge, but you have scarely, in your thoughts advanced to the stage of science. But, as it was easy to predict (even without the use of “stochastic models”), the media have absolutised the largely “virtual” results of this report by spreading fear and uncertainty by stressing the upcoming possible increase of new overloads of intensive cares and casualty numbers rise at First World War levels. They did so, facilitated in their “mission” by the ambiguity of the official communications. The Government and of the Scientific Technical Committee should have clearly stated what the limits of this study were and why certain decisions were “taken”, instead of shielding themselves behind “science told me so” (at least because science did not actually do.) One consideration emerges clearly from this story, and that is that complicating things breaks down the ability to understand them in the face of the progressive “infantilization” of Western culture induced by the use of smartphones and tablets. Frankly, I don’t believe that this document was deliberately written and “communicated” in bad faith. It could, “simply” be a tool to formally sustain a political choice or to deflect its negative consequences and controversies by “passing the responsibility of the decision on to science“, as happened, for example, in the ’80, when the Ministry of Health declared the “legal potabilization” of water even though contaminated by high levels of atrazine. In general terms, it is certainly time to add to the first law of the apocryphal Goebbels, “repeat a lie a hundred, a thousand, a million times and it will become truth”, the second law of propaganda: “complicate enough a lie, and everyone will take it for true”.	https://blog.andreamonti.eu/?p=1740
Tierkreis (1974–75) is a musical composition by the German composer Karlheinz Stockhausen. The title is the German word for Zodiac, and the composition consists of twelve melodies, each representing one sign of the zodiac. Once described as "melodic naïveté" in the form of "cheerful, empty-headed little tune[s]", who nevertheless soon changed his mind, Tierkreis has proved to be Stockhausen's most popular composition. Tierkreis was originally written for music boxes as a component part of a theater piece for percussion sextet titled Musik im Bauch (Music in the Belly), which has been interpreted variously as "a fairy tale for children" or else as "a ritual played out in Mexican Indian scenery". These twelve melodies (with or without their accompaniments) form an autonomous work which can be played by any suitable instrument, and exist also in versions to be sung. The striking simplicity of the melodies has led some writers to see them (together with other of Stockhausen's works from after 1966) as precursors of the German New Simplicity movement that began in the late 1970s. On the initiative of the Committee for Art and Culture of the City Council of Cologne, from 6 July 2009 the melody from Tierkreis corresponding to the current Zodiac sign is played daily at noon on the newly restored 48-bell carillon in the tower of the Cologne City Hall as a tribute to the composer. Bert Augustus, a campanologist from the Dutch company Royal Eijsbouts programmed the melodies on a computer, with the collaboration of Suzanne Stephens and Kathinka Pasveer of the Stockhausen Foundation for Music.( The twelve melodies of Tierkreis are character pieces, representing the twelve signs of the Zodiac. They are serial in conception and all are based on tone rows, though some have more than twelve notes—Libra, for example, has fourteen, with F♯ and D♯ recurring in different octaves. Because music boxes preclude any significant variation in dynamics or timbre, the structure of the Tierkreis melodies emphasize pitch and rhythm. Each melody is centered on a different chromatic pitch, with "Leo" (Stockhausen's own sign) = A, Virgo = A♯, Libra = B, Scorpio = C, etc., and each has its own distinctive tempo, chosen from the "chromatic" tempo scale first described in the composer's famous article, "... How Time Passes ...". Like the pitches, the rhythms are also organized serially and strive for contrast amongst the melodies rather than relatedness ( Kohl 1983 , 150). Various scales of durations are employed: Fibonacci numbers (1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, ... ), arithmetic series (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, ... ), and "second order" arithmetic series, in which the difference between consecutive members increases arithmetically (2, 3, 5, 8, 12, 17, ... ). One melody, "Aries", mixes all three of these scale types, at different levels of the durational organization. A complete performance begins with the melody corresponding to the zodiac sign within which the day of the performance falls, and proceeds through the twelve melodies of the cycle, ending with a return to the starting melody. Each melody is to be played at least three times through, with variations or improvisations, which in some performances have been very extensive. Though performances documented in recordings last between 12 and 63 minutes, a complete performing version by the violin-piano duo of Andrew and Gail Jennings is claimed to last 96 minutes, but they have declined to play their version complete in public. The melodies can also be played individually, or in smaller numbers. In addition to Musik im Bauch, Stockhausen employed the Tierkreis melodies in the central "wheel" section of Sirius (1975–77), an hour-and-a-half-long chamber opera for soprano and bass voices, trumpet, bass clarinet, and eight-channel electronic music. Fragments of several of the melodies are also quoted in act 3, scene 1 of Donnerstag aus Licht , in part three ("Starry Sky") of the third Light Composition, where the signs of the zodiac are shown, one after the other, in the night sky. Stockhausen also prepared a number of versions for various specific forces: vocal versions for five different voice ranges (high soprano or high tenor, Nr. 412⁄3; soprano or tenor, Nr. 413⁄4; mezzosoprano, alto, or low tenor, Nr 414⁄5; baritone, Nr. 415⁄6; bass, Nr. 416/7 all 1975), version for chamber orchestra, Nr. 41 7/8 (1977), version for clarinet and piano, Nr. 418/9 (1981), a "trio version" for clarinet, flute/piccolo, and trumpet/piano, Nr. 419/10 (1983), a "version 2003" for soprano or tenor with chording instrument, Nr. 41 10/11 (2003), and, finally, two orchestral versions of five melodies each, titled Fünf Sternzeichen, Nr. 4111/12, and Fünf weitere Sternzeichen, N. 4112/13. The latter was his last completed composition, finished on 4 December 2007, the night before he died. Stockhausen was planning further work in January 2008, which was probably the orchestration of the remaining two pieces, "Cancer" and "Leo". Karlheinz Stockhausen was a German composer, widely acknowledged by critics as one of the most important but also controversial composers of the 20th and early 21st centuries. He is known for his groundbreaking work in electronic music, for introducing controlled chance into serial composition, and for musical spatialization. Kontra-Punkte is a composition for ten instruments by Karlheinz Stockhausen which resolves contrasts among six instrumental timbres, as well as extremes of note values and dynamic levels, into a homogeneous ending texture. Stockhausen described it: "Counter-Points: a series of the most concealed and also the most conspicuous transformations and renewals—with no predictable end. The same thing is never heard twice. Yet there is a distinct feeling of never falling out of an unmistakable construction of the utmost homogeneity. An underlying force that holds things together—related proportions: a structure. Not the same Gestalten in a changing light. But rather this: various Gestalten in the same light, that permeates everything." Licht (Light), subtitled "Die sieben Tage der Woche", is a cycle of seven operas composed by Karlheinz Stockhausen between 1977 and 2003. The composer described the work as an "eternal spiral" because "there is neither end nor beginning to the week." Licht consists of 29 hours of music. Sirius: eight-channel electronic music and trumpet, soprano, bass clarinet, and bass is a music-theatre composition by Karlheinz Stockhausen, composed between 1975 and 1977. It is Nr. 43 in the composer's catalogue of works, and lasts 96 minutes in performance. Klang —Die 24 Stunden des Tages is a cycle of compositions by Karlheinz Stockhausen, on which he worked from 2004 until his death in 2007. It was intended to consist of 24 chamber-music compositions, each representing one hour of the day, with a different colour systematically assigned to every hour. The cycle was unfinished when the composer died, so that the last three "hours" are lacking. The 21 completed pieces include solos, duos, trios, a septet, and Stockhausen's last entirely electronic composition, Cosmic Pulses. The fourth composition is a theatre piece for a solo percussionist, and there are also two auxiliary compositions which are not part of the main cycle. The completed works bear the work (opus) numbers 81–101. Montag aus Licht is an opera by Karlheinz Stockhausen in a greeting, three acts, and a farewell, and was the third of seven to be composed for the opera cycle Licht: die sieben Tage der Woche. The libretto was written by the composer. In Freundschaft is a composition by Karlheinz Stockhausen, number 46 in his catalogue of works. It is a serial composition for a solo instrument, first for clarinet, and later arranged by the composer for many other instruments, often in friendship to specific performers. Jubiläum (Jubilee) is an orchestral composition by Karlheinz Stockhausen, work-number 45 in the composer's catalogue of works. Samstag aus Licht is an opera by Karlheinz Stockhausen in a greeting and four scenes, and was the second of seven to be composed for the opera cycle Licht: die sieben Tage der Woche. It was written between 1981 and 1983, to a libretto written by the composer and incorporating a text by Saint Francis of Assisi, and was first staged in Milan in 1984. Donnerstag aus Licht is an opera by Karlheinz Stockhausen in a greeting, three acts, and a farewell, and was the first of seven to be composed for the opera cycle Licht: die sieben Tage der Woche. It was written between 1977 and 1980, with a libretto by the composer. Mittwoch aus Licht is an opera by Karlheinz Stockhausen in a greeting, four scenes, and a farewell. It was the sixth of seven to be composed for the opera cycle Licht: die sieben Tage der Woche, and the last to be staged. It was written between 1995 and 1997, and first staged in 2012. Musik im Bauch is a piece of scenic music for six percussionists and music boxes composed by Karlheinz Stockhausen in 1975, and is Number 41 in his catalog of works. The world premiere was presented on 28 March 1975 as part of the Royan Festival. The performance was given by Les Percussions de Strasbourg in the haras in the town of Saintes, near to Royan. Its duration is roughly 38 minutes. Spiral, for a soloist with a shortwave receiver, is a composition by Karlheinz Stockhausen, written in 1968. It is Number 27 in the catalogue of the composer's works. Zeitmaße is a chamber-music work for five woodwinds composed in 1955–1956 by German composer Karlheinz Stockhausen; it is Number 5 in the composer's catalog. It is the first of three wind quintets written by Stockhausen, followed by Adieu für Wolfgang Sebastian Meyer (1966) and the Rotary Wind Quintet (1997), but is scored with cor anglais instead of the usual French horn of the standard quintet. Its title refers to the different ways that musical time is treated in the composition. Punkte (Points) is an orchestral composition by Karlheinz Stockhausen, given the work number ½ in his catalogue of works. Stop is a composition for orchestra by Karlheinz Stockhausen, work-number 18 in the composer’s catalogue of works, where two performing realisations are also found as Nr. 18½ and Nr. 18⅔. Oktophonie (Octophony) is a 1991 octophonic electronic-music composition by Karlheinz Stockhausen. A component layer of act 2 of the opera Dienstag aus Licht, it may also be performed as an independent composition. It has a duration of 69 minutes. Solo for a melody instrument with feedback is a work for a soloist with live electronics composed in 1965–66 by Karlheinz Stockhausen. It is Nr. 19 in his catalogue of works. Performance duration can vary from 10½ to 19 minutes. Für kommende Zeiten is a collection of seventeen text compositions by Karlheinz Stockhausen, composed between August 1968 and July 1970. It is a successor to the similar collection titled Aus den sieben Tagen, written in 1968. These compositions are characterized as "Intuitive music"—music produced primarily from the intuition rather than the intellect of the performer(s). It is work number 33 in Stockhausen's catalog of works, and the collection is dedicated to the composer's son Markus. Michael Svoboda is an American composer and trombonist who lives and works in Switzerland.	https://wikimili.com/en/Tierkreis_%28Stockhausen%29
This video shows you how to calculate the percentage yield in chemistry. To find the percentage yield, you will need to divide the actual yield by the theoretical yield. Then, multiply it by 100: i.e. % yield = actual yield/theoretical yield x 100. An actual yield is the amount of a substance produced in an actual laboratory experiment. It is based on an actual physical measurement of a quantity. The theoretical yield is the yield as is calculated on paper: i.e. through calculations. Therefore, for this equation, you would plug in the volume from your lab experiment on top and divide it by the number arrived at through calculations.	https://math.wonderhowto.com/how-to/calculate-percent-yield-341646/
A firm’s behavior in case of outages While studying the firm’s behavior in the presence of regular and constant outages we assume the firm operates in a competitive atmosphere while pursuing its major objective of profit maximization considering the size of the firm. Following can be the possible consequences: - In case if power outages are considered to be somehow everlasting in nature then the optimal size of the firm is lower than in the absence of outages. Henceforth we see the possibility of the firm to let go some labor. - The chance of the firm to make some appropriate adjustments to pull through some of the output which was lost depends on the following characteristics. - The degree of the market situation to be favorable towards the firm - If the firm’s dependency of the production process is less on electricity then it is more likely that the firm will make an adjustment. - If the cost of adjustment is low the firm is most likely to go for it. - The firm will undertake an adjustment if the power outages are large and are expected to be continued for a long period of time. \|Figure 3.1 \| Adjustment of a Firm towards Outages Visual representation of the alteration of the equilibrium of a firm in the existence of power outages. Regarding the Type I firm we see that initially when it is faced with outages it resultantly reduces its production from . At the point the space between price and marginal cost is AB. The larger the amount of outages the bugger the space of AB is going to be. XY represents the marginal cost curve of adjustment by the firm. Henceforth incase the XY is too high, then the firm makes no adjustment. Now if we see the case of type II firm. We see that Y lies between A and B. Therefore the firm decides to make an adjustment which takes its new production level to . So type I firm reduced its output by) whereas the loss of output faced type II firm is). The profit loss faced due to outages by type I firm is ABC. Whereas loss of profit of type II firm is BYZC. Henceforth some adjustments can prove to be favorable under some circumstances. So I have used given theoretical framework to develop the methodology for the quantification of the cost of outages. Methodology for quantification of costs of outages As discussed before that in the existence of regular and constant outages the firms tend to make adjustments. But the coverage and character of these adjustments will depend on a number of features that I have mentioned above. The methodology that I have used for the quantification of the cost of outages is majorly based on that developed by Pasha, Ghaus and Mallik . I have narrowed down the costs related to outages into two types. The first type is direct costs. The second type is adjustment costs. While undertaking any type of adjustment mechanisms to recover their lost output, it is going to be based on cost minimization. A firm will go for an adjustment which it considers will be less expensive than the other available options. Therefore a firm can opt for more than one adjustment at one time, which depends on firm’s size and the amount of outages. Direct Costs Through following methodology we are going to calculate the direct costs of outages. = number of times of incidence of outage daily on average of duration i. i = 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. The durations are 0-1/2 hr; ½ hr to 1 hr; 1 hr to 2 hrs; 2 hrs to 3 hrs; 3 hrs and above. = amount of output lost during an outage of duration i = restart time after an outage of duration i. The total number of outages during the year is given by \|NOUT =\|\|..……………………………………………………(2)\| The total time lost due to outage is \|TOUT =\|\|……..………………………………………………(3)\| Where is the duration of the outage. The probable extent of output loss due to outages is given by \|LOUT =\|\|.……………………………………………………(5)\| But there is a possibility that the firm might not operate for the entire year and for twenty four hours every day. Henceforth, if H is the normal hours worked during the year, the actual output lost is given by \|ACOUT =\|\|….…………………………………………………(5)\| We will calculate the value of this loss through following method. \|VOUT = ACOUT.V\|\|.……………………………………………………(6)\| Where V is the value added by the firm per hour. Nevertheless, the firm might undertake adjustment mechanisms to recover its lost output. If we take as the degree of output which was recovered then we have the the net idle factor cost, NIFC, as follows: \|NIFC = (1-λ) VOUT\|\|……………………………………………………(7)\| Now we will represent the spoilage costs. = spoilage cost (in rupees) in each outage of duration i Then the spoilage cost, SPC, is derived as follows: \|SPC =\|\|……….…………………………………………….(8)\| Now we can calculate the direct costs of outages. \|TDC = NIFC + SPC\|\|…………………………………………………………(9)\| Adjustment Costs Generators Cost In Pakistan we have generally observed that the foremost adjustment undertaken by a firm is the investment in generator where they can control the source of energy supply. This is the outcome of the frequent and prolonged hours of power outages since 2007 and the realization by the firms that these outages are going to stay for a long time and it might even get worse along with gas shortages. In order to go for a substitution of the main source of electricity which is supplied by the DISCOs, the firm considers its concentration on energy required. While luring on other less expensive adjustments and the arrangements for the availability of initial capital for the possession of generators. The cost of capital for getting hold of generators is high relatively to small scale units as compared to large firms. In order to calculate the total costs of owing and running a generator, we have narrowed it down to specifics. - A unit owns a generator or not - The capital cost of the generator - Monthly running cost of fuel for operating the generator - Other costs (including labor, repairs and maintenance cost, etc.) on a quarterly basis. On these bases we are going to calculate the costs of generator. = capital cost of generator foc = fuel operating cost per month opc = other operating costs quarterly So the calculation of the annual generator cost (GENCO) is as follows: \|GENCO = () + 12(foc) +4(opc)\|\|……………………………………………………(10)\| stands for the cost of capital and is the rate of depreciation. The combined value of is taken as 0.32. Once we have considered a firm to be operating a generator it means that firm is saving on the energy supplied by the local DISCO. So now the (NGENCO), is given by \|NGENCO = GENCO – k (TOUT) (ADJG)tf.\|\|………..………………………………(11)\| Where K = electricity consumption per hour in Kwh TOUT = total hours lost as derived in equation (3) ADJG = extent of adjustment by use of generators tf = tariff per Kwh of the DISCO. Other Adjustments These adjustments are more or less short run in nature when power outages are considered to be momentary in nature: - A firm can consider utilizing its present plant, equipment and machinery more intensively in presence of power outages. - Loss of output can be recovered by working overtime or by adding more labor and work shifts. - It can be considered to change the working hours and timings to more suitable slot according to timetable of power load shedding. The costs related to these adjustments are not large but majority of the firms have not undertaken these adjustments. The methodology used for the quantification of these costs has been taken from Pasha, Ghaus and Mallik. They are represented by OTC. Overall, the total adjustment cost, TAJCO, is derived as \|TAJCO = NGENCO + OTC\|\|……………………………………………………….(12)\| OTC stands for monthly overtime cost And the total outage cost, TOUTCO, as follows:	http://economicsessays.com/estimation-of-cost-of-load-shedding/
Moving into its final half, the Daylight Music autumn 2019 season reaches November with a selection of duo/trio encounters (both longstanding and spontaneous), October Daylight’s piano star Matthew Bourne returning to curate and direct his own positional/vocal-orientated event, and an afternoon of current Welsh music. * * * * * * * * The first of the gigs, on 2nd November, involves a number of collaborations. The headlining ensemble is a trio put together by percussionist Bex Burch, a specialist in the gyil (or Ghanaian/Dagaare xylophone) and the bandleader for the Ghanaian minimalist/jazz/post-punk group Vula Viel. She’s picked “soulgaze” drummer Beanie Bhebhe (whose roster of colleagues and employers across dance, funk, indie and dream pop includes Rudimental, Bastille, Paloma Faith and Action Beat) and former Polar Bear bassist Tom Herbert. Bex says “I wanted to curate a band to play together for the first time. Tom is a bassist I’ve known since watching Polar Bear as a teenager, and we will both be meeting Beanie for the first time on stage. I’m excited to play with two incredible voices in the U.K. scene. This will be a one-time performance: the music that comes through never to be heard again.” “Three Strings & Two Breaths is the duo of Çiğdem Aslan (voice and frame drums) and Tahir Palalı (Turkish kopuz and bağlama lutes). They focus on Alevi songs from Anatolia – mostly songs of love and mysticism from the fourteenth to the twentieth century. “As a belief system, the Alevi path is based on love and respect for all people, attitudes, knowledge, sharing and science. Oral tradition is directly relevant… an important source of Alevi beliefs and thoughts are the mystical poems and musical ballads (deyisler, nefesler) that have been passed down from generation to generation, many of which have not been recorded in writing. Alevis believe that one must respect and have knowledge of nature, and the principles of love, tolerance and humanism are significant to Alevi philosophy. “A meeting of kindred spirits, the music of pianist Maria Chiara Argirò and guitarist Jamie Leeming is a dialogue between two unique artists inspired by jazz, Latin, classical and folk music. At the heart of the duo is a vibrant sense of spontaneity, which embraces the myriad of colours, textures and sounds they create between them. Combined with free improvisation and an intuitive level of interplay, each performance is a one-off experience. They will be presenting music from the upcoming duo album entitled ‘Flow,’ which will be out in 2020.” * * * * * * * * The 9th November concert provides “a rare opportunity to hear new music inspired by the landscape and culture of Wales. Expect an afternoon of carefully crafted pieces that blur the boundaries between contemporary Wales and the otherworldly delights of Annwn. “Based in Cardiff, Gareth Bonello is and has performed for over a decade under the stage name The Gentle Good. Known for his intricate guitar playing and captivating acoustic arrangements, Gareth was awarded the Welsh Music Prize in 2017 for his fourth album ‘Ruins/Adfeilion’. This concert sees him working in a new trio project with fingerstyle guitarist Toby Hay and singer/harpist Georgia Ruth. “Toby writes beautifully evocative instrumentals that instantly transport the listener to the mountains and rivers of mid Wales. Twice nominated for the Welsh Music Prize, Toby has toured the UK and Ireland extensively over the last few years and has built a reputation as a captivating live performer. Georgia is a songwriter and musician from Aberystwyth in West Wales. A skilful harpist with a voice of silver, Georgia collaborated with the Manic Street Preachers on their ‘Futurology’ album and was awarded the Welsh Music Prize for her debut album ‘Week Of Pines’ in 2013.” Also performing is “half-Dutch, half-Welsh singer-songwriter Angharad Van Rijswijk, a.k.a. Accü (who) has been involved in production since her teens and collaborated with writer and comedian Stewart Lee, Cornershop, and Richard James, as well as producing a collage radio series for the BBC. In her music, she brings together a love of production and a turbulent approach to song-writing – which earned her debut album ‘Echo The Red’ the title of ‘Welsh Album of The Year’ by Wales Arts Review. She will be joined at Union Chapel by long-time collaborator and exceptional Welsh songwriter Richard James (formerly of Gorky’s Zygotic Mynci).” * * * * * * * * The next two Daylights are being done in collaboration with the EFG London Jazz Festival and present various Daylight-friendly spins on jazz and improvisation. On the first of these two shows, Norwegian Hardanger fiddle player Nils Økland will be playing “instrumental melodies (which) will react and resonate with the chapel’s nineteenth-century space, taking us on a hushed, deep journey far beyond our resting place in the pews.” From Tomorrow’s Warriors, improvisers Kaidi Akinnibi (saxophone) and Lorenz Okello-Osengor (piano, keyboards) “constantly search for new inspiration, as can be seen in their recent collaboration with the Urdang dance company. They will for the first time incorporate the chapel’s Henry Willis Organ.” Opening the show, saxophonist Helena Kay and pianist Sam Watts “marry their wildly eclectic backgrounds and influences and give us an opportunity to eavesdrop on a conversation between their two instruments.” On the second show, Jherek Bischoff will be headlining: “a Los Angeles-based composer, arranger, producer, and multi-instrumental performer whose numerous collaborators include the likes of Kronos Quartet, David Byrne, Neil Gaiman, and Robert Wilson. Bischoff is currently composing music for two new theatre productions and scoring for film and television. His most recent album Cistern, released on the Leaf Label, contains a suite of string-drenched instrumentals.” One of the latter, from a previous Daylight Music visit, is showcased below. Also on the bill, the performance of saxophonist Robert Stillman and 12-string guitarist Anders Holst “will draw upon the chapel’s resonant acoustics as a platform for their own works alongside those of Ornette Coleman, John Fahey, and Moondog”. Rosie Frater-Taylor (singer-songwiter, jazz guitarist and ukuleleist) will provide lapping, warm, skilful songcraft to warm everyone up. * * * * * * * * Much is made of the Union Chapel’s terrific acoustics: pianist and improviser Matthew Bourne (relatively fresh from his recent Daylight collaboration with Keith Tippett) is intending to make full use of them on the 30th November when he presents his “voix outré” project of handpicked collaborators, stationing them at different points throughout the building (to present a concert that’s as much about sound spacing as the notes produced) while acting as both audience guide and artist accompanist. “Seaming To is a composer, vocalist and multi-instrumentalist who has performed and recorded with Robert Wyatt, Jean Claude Vannier, Punchdrunk, Leila, Leon Michener, Larry Goves, Snack Family and Matthew Bourne. She has studied opera at the Royal Northern College of Music and began her career as part of Manchester supergroup Homelife and Graham Massey’s Toolshed. “Keeley Forsyth is a composer, singer and actor from Oldham. Built upon sparse arrangements, her music is centred around a singular, emotionally raw and magnetic vocal delivery, by turns devastating and uplifting. The characters who populate her songs tell stories of the high and low tides; of freedom and entrapment, of hard won triumphs and the darker corners of domestic life. “Polly Gone Wrong is an all-female vocal trio singing original songs baked with folk, blues, elements of playful obscurity, and close harmonies. Sometimes they are accompanied by a saw, a bass, a drum, or even beatboxing; sometimes they’re just three female voices in harmony and unison. “Andrew Plummer is a vocalist, guitarist and composer-producer from Exeter, Devon. Plummer has been the creative force – composing, performing and touring nationally, producing nine albums under his own name, with his musical leviathan World Sanguine Report and with Snack Family (the avant-rock trio co-founded in 2011). He draws on a wealth of influences and pens music that reinterprets musical genre, loaded with visceral tales from the dark side of life, love and death. “Poet Dorothy Lehane (the author of three poetry publications and a Lecturer in Creative Writing at the University of Kent) will read selected sonnets from her latest publication, ‘Bettbehandlung’.” * * * * * * * * All gigs are at Union Chapel, 19b Compton Terrace, Islington, London, N1 2UN, England, with a suggested donation of five pounds. Dates below:	https://misfitcity.org/tag/anders-holst/
Flooding in Milton is a seven-person, multi-issue facilitated negotiation among local government, community, business, and environmental representatives trying to reach agreement on a strategy for managing climate change risks in a mid-size coastal city. The game focuses on managing increased probability of river flooding through hard and soft infrastructure solutions, as well as land use planning. . It is one of four exercises developed as part of the New England Climate Adaptation Project.* The Milton game highlights potential financing strategies for various flood risk adaptation options, as well as dilemmas surrounding new commercial and residential development on undeveloped, flood-prone land along rivers. Scenario: Milton, a coastal city of 80,000 people, has a flooding problem. Milton recently experienced a major flooding event, during which the Granite River that runs through the city overflowed its banks, destroying or damaging many homes, businesses, and roads. The threat of flooding appears to be getting worse due to two different trends. First, over the last 50 years, as Milton and the surrounding metropolitan region have been developed, hard surfaces like roads and buildings have caused rainwater runoff to flow quickly into swollen creeks and rivers rather than drain into the ground. Second, climate projections indicate that Milton will see more rainfall and more severe storms in the future. Heavy rainfall not only causes the Granite River to flood, but it can also result in sewer collection systems overflowing onto streets and into storm drains, thus polluting Milton’s beaches and fishing waters. In response to public concern, the mayor convened the River Flooding Task Force to generate recommendations about how flood risks in Milton can be managed now and into the future. The Task Force is a small working group of city officials and community leaders. If they can reach agreement on a set of actions to be taken, the mayor will make it his priority during the remainder of his administration to implement the recommendations. Major lessons - Climate change adaptation poses difficult planning choices, but there are actions cities and towns can take now to protect themselves that will be beneficial regardless of how severe climate change risks turn out to be. - Development, conservation, and infrastructure investments decisions made today will continue to affect communities far into the future. Short-term actions that do not take long-term climate change risks into account could prove extremely costly in the long run. - A community-wide approach to managing the collective risks associated with climate change can create opportunities to address other issues while reducing vulnerability and enhancing community resilience. - Communities must assess their vulnerabilities and decide which adaptation strategies are most appropriate. - Stakeholders may have conflicting interests that shape their views about which public policy choices make the most sense. By working collaboratively and taking science into account, communities can find creative solutions that meet the interests of diverse stakeholders. - At-risk towns and cities will have to consider how the financial responsibility for reducing climate risks will be distributed and whose responsibility it is to implement adaptation measures. Mechanics: This exercise requires seven roles: six stakeholders and one facilitator. Multiple groups of seven can play at the same time. Where there are uneven multiples of seven, players may be doubled up in certain roles. Total time requirements: 2 – 3 hrs Preparation: 30 minutes Negotiation: 60 – 75 minutes Debriefing: minimum of 30 minutes, during which players can reflect on the game experience and how it relates to real life situations Teaching Materials: For all parties: - General instructions, including a climate change risks assessment memo and floodplain map Role-specific - Confidential instructions for: - Planning Director - Public Works Director - Executive Director, Community Action Partners - President, Chamber of Commerce - Chairperson, Geneva Heights Neighborhood Association - Executive Director, Alliance for Watershed Health - Facilitator Teacher’s Package - All of the above - Teaching Notes * The other three exercises developed as part of the New England Climate Adaptation Project include: Coastal Flooding and Climate-Related Risks in Launton Flooding and Climate Change Risks in Northam Coastal Flooding in Shoreham: Responding to Climate Change Risks Flooding in Milton Attributes - Time required: - 2-3 hours - Number of participants: - 7 - Teams involved: - No - Agent present: - No - Neutral third party present: - Yes - Scoreable: - No - Teaching notes available: - Yes - Author: - New England Climate Change Adaptation Project PON Teaching Negotiation Resource Center Soft copy vs. hard copy You may order this role simulation in either soft copy (electronic) or hard copy (paper) format. If you select the soft copy option, you will receive an e-mail with a URL (website address) from which you may download an electronic file in Adobe Acrobat PDF format. You will have one week to download your materials from when you receive the email. You are then only authorized to use, print, or share the materials as many times as the number of copies you purchase. The TNRC charges for use of this simulation on a per-participant basis. Therefore, you must purchase a separate copy of this simulation for each person who will be participating, regardless of the number of roles in the simulation. You will only receive a link to one electronic file, which includes all general instructions, confidential instructions, and any teaching notes for the simulation. You should separate out the instructions before distributing to participants. If you select the hard copy option, you will receive paper copies of this role simulation via the shipping method you select. For additional information about the soft copy option, please visit our FAQ section, or contact the PON Teaching Negotiation Resource Center at [email protected] or 800-258-4406 (within the U.S.) or 301-528-2676 (outside the U.S.). Please note: At the present time, Teaching Negotiation Resource Center soft copies are compatible with the following versions of the Adobe Acrobat Reader: English, German, French, Spanish, Swedish, Portuguese, Japanese, and Korean. If you have a different version of the Acrobat Reader, you may wish to download one of these at http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html, or contact the PON Teaching Negotiation Resource Center at [email protected], 800-258-4406 (within the U.S.), or 301-528-2676 (outside the U.S.) for further assistance. This restriction does not apply to the freely available Teacher’s Package Review Copies. Ordering a single copy for review If you wish to review the materials for a particular role simulation to decide whether you’d like to use it, a PDF, or soft copy, version of the Teacher’s Package for the simulation is available as a free download from the description page of most role simulations and case studies. All Teacher’s Packages include copies of all participant materials. In addition, some Teacher’s Packages (but not all) include additional teaching materials such as teaching notes or overhead masters. Ordering copies for multiple participants To order multiple copies of a role simulation for use in a course or workshop, simply enter the total number of participants in the box next to “Quantity.” There is no need to calculate how many of each role is required. If you are ordering hard copies, the Teaching Negotiation Resource Center will calculate the appropriate numbers of each role to provide, based on the total number of participants. For example, if you wish to order a 2-party role simulation for use with a class of 30 students, you would enter “30” in the box next to “Quantity.” You then would receive 15 copies of one role and 15 copies of the other role, for use with your 30 participants. As another example, if you ordered 30 participant copies of a 6-party role simulation, you would receive 5 copies of each role. In the event that the number of participant copies you order is not evenly divisible by the number of roles in the simulation, you will receive extra copies of one or more roles. Participants receiving the extra roles may partner with other participants playing the same role, thus negotiating as a team. So, for instance, if you ordered 31 copies of a 2-party role simulation, you would receive 15 copies of the first role and 16 copies of the second role. One of the participants playing the second role would partner with another participant playing that same role, and the two would negotiate as a team.	https://www.pon.harvard.edu/shop/flooding-in-milton-collectively-managing-climate-change-risks/
Local Housing Allowance (LHA) is a way of working out Housing Benefit for private tenants. If you are renting a property or room from a private landlord, Local Housing Allowance is used to work out how much Housing Benefit you get. The amount of Housing Benefit you get will depend on where you live and who lives with you. Benefit is based on the number of bedrooms you need and not how much the rent is. Local Housing Allowance rates are set for different types of accommodation in each area. The rates range from a single room in a shared house, up to properties with four bedrooms. The rates that are set are the maximum amounts, the actual amount of entitlement will depend on your income, savings and circumstances. Local Housing Allowance ensures that people with the same circumstances, living in the same area, will receive the same amount of benefit. You can choose accommodation, knowing how much rent we will use to work out your benefit, from the LHA rates set by the Valuation Office Agency (VOA). Local Housing Allowance applies to anyone who lives in private rented accommodation and has made a new claim for Housing Benefit, or has changed their address or had a break in their claim, on or after 7 April 2008. the Rent Officer has decided that a large part of the rent you pay for your tenancy is for meals cooked for you. If any of the above groups apply to you, please see the Housing Benefit section for information on how your Housing Benefit is worked out. If you move address or stop claiming Housing Benefit for at least one week, we may work out your new claim under the LHA rules. The LHA rate used to work out your Housing Benefit depends on how many people are in your household. What LHA rate am I entitled to? the rate set by the Valuation Office Agency (VOA) for this number of bedrooms for the area you live in. The rates that are set by the VOA are the maximum amounts, the actual amount of entitlement will depend on your personal and financial situation. The maximum rate for Local Housing Allowance is the four-bedroom Local Housing Allowance rate. If your family needs 5 or more bedrooms, you will be restricted to the 4 bedroom rate. We will decide how many rooms according to the Housing Benefit rules you need. If you live in one room and share some facilities (for example a kitchen or bathroom) with other people, you will only receive the rate for shared accommodation. If you are under 35 and live on your own, you will only be entitled to the rate for shared accommodation. Single claimants aged 35 and over, care leavers aged 22 and under and childless couples will qualify for the one bedroom rate of LHA, but if you choose to live in shared accommodation you will only receive the rate for shared accommodation. If you are severely disabled, or live with a severely disabled partner, and have no dependent children, your benefit will be based on the one bedroom Local Housing Allowance rate. a child (someone under 16). your children are unable to share a bedroom because of severe disabilities – we will assess your individual circumstances and decide where it is inappropriate for the children to be expected to share a room. Please note if you have an adult child or children who are away from home serving as a member of the Armed Forces, a bedroom will continue to be allowed for them as long as they have an intention to return to your property. You can use the online LHA bedroom calculator to check your bedroom entitlement. The maximum Housing Benefit you will receive is the LHA rate for the size of your household in your area. If your rent is more than this figure, you will need to make up this shortfall yourself. If you are having difficulties, you may be able to apply for a discretionary housing payment. The maximum Housing Benefit you can receive will not be more than your rent. Ryan lives with his 2 children, Alison who is 4 and Luke who is 10. They require a three bedroom property, so the three bedroom LHA rate will apply. In this example the three bedroom LHA rate is £167.31 per week. The rent for the property is £750 per month, which works out at £173.08 per week. As the LHA rate is lower than the rent we will calculate Ryan’s Housing Benefit based on £167.31 per week. Brooke and Nathan live with their two female children, Rachael and Peyton, twins aged 5. They require a two bedroom property, so the two bedroom LHA rate will apply. In this example the LHA rate is £120 per week. The rent for their property is £520 per month, which works out at £120 per week. As the LHA rate is the same as the rent we will calculate Brooke and Nathan’s benefit based on £120 per week. Charlotte lives with her 5 month old baby, John. They require a two bedroom property, so the two bedroom LHA rate will apply. In this example the LHA rate is £144.23 per week. The rent for their property is £600 per month which works out at £138.46 per week. Even though Charlotte has found a property cheaper than the LHA rate, we cannot pay more than the rent so we will calculate Charlotte’s Housing Benefit based on £138.46 per week. Emma and Daniel live with their 5 year old daughter, Samantha. They rent a three bedroom property, with a rent of £750 per month, which works out at £173.08 per week. Under LHA rules, they require a two bedroom property, so the two bedroom LHA rate will apply. In this example the LHA rate is £150 per week. As their rent is more than the LHA rate, we will calculate Emma and Daniel’s benefit based on £150 per week, meaning they would have to pay a top up of at least £23.08 per week. Sophie and Oliver live with their two children Ellie, 12, and Carl, 8. They rent a two bedroom property, with a rent of £525 per month, which works out at £121.15 per week. Under LHA rules, they require a three bedroom property, so the three bedroom LHA rate will apply. In this example the LHA rate is £138.46 per week. Even though Sophie and Oliver have found a property cheaper than the LHA rate, we cannot pay more than the rent so we will calculate their benefit based on £121.15 per week. How does the rent officer set the rent? The Valuation Office Agency (VOA) is an executive agency of HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC). The VOA provides valuations for local authorities in England, for use in the assessment of claims for Housing Benefit where the tenant is renting from a private landlord. The Valuation Office Agency has divided the country into broad rental market areas (BRMAs). These are made up of a number of neighbourhoods. In each area there is a wide mix of property types within a reasonable distance of various public services such as health, education, leisure, personal banking and shopping. The Rent Officer uses these BRMAs to set the Local Housing Allowance rates. There are a number of different rates for each area based on the number of rooms each household needs. Local Housing Allowance is mainly paid to claimants direct. Claimants can no longer choose to have their allowance paid direct to their landlord. As a result, most claimants will have their LHA paid directly into their bank account and will therefore be responsible for managing their own finances and paying their own rent. In recognition that some claimants may have difficulty with the responsibility of budgeting for, and paying their rent, a system of safeguarding has been put into place. Being safeguarded means that a decision is made to make payments to the landlord, not the claimant. Information on when we may pay benefit direct to landlords is detailed in our Safeguard Policy (PDF). For us to make payments direct to the landlord, a direct payment form must be completed.	https://www.thanet.gov.uk/info-pages/local-housing-allowance-lha/
Quote: What creates the arpeggiator feeling is the accompaniment role, not the melodic role ;) The normal melody role produces a complete melody with a maximum range of 2 Octaves. You can also add multiple melodies in the same block. The engine is now working very well and some melodies are really surprising ! Yes it produces a full orchestration mockup, you can choose all the instruments/articulations/roles/dynamics very easily. When you switch to the DAW, it's usually to work on the details. Hope my answer helps ;) \| \| Thanks a lot, it helps, yes :) one last question - when i load a midi, can the AI develop it in a uniquely original way each time? for instance, if i put in a classic mozart melody, can i get a mock-up with the AI, based on this melody, which will be completely original and stand on its own? \| \| Quote: why only 2 octaves? what's the reason/logic behind this limitation? \| \| Quote: \| \| Quote: Orb Composer is meant to experiment ideas, this idea would actually be fun to test ! (maybe an idea for a future video ;) ) \| \| Quote: A competing, not-to-be-named-here product I'm using allows the user to set up to three ranges per instrument (low, mid, high, those may even overlap) \| \| Quote: Bring it on! cooge \| \| Quote: as much as I know SF [had the demo running for a bit] - it's an excellent prototyping tool, but it's not meant for generating music from scratch, as well as orchestrating large timeframes as it focuses on phrases. I'm not judging at all, just saying that i wouldn't empirically put them side by side, as they don't belong to the same category and are to be used for different purposes altogether. If anything, I reckon that experimenting with the midi files from ORB in SF can be quite a fascinating process - for those whose workflow is phrases-driven. Personally, I don't belong to this category as I don't quite engage with linear composition/arranging. \| \| What a great Tool! Congrats! \| \| Quote: \| \| Quote: How is it more than just an automatic arranger with pre-programmed rules? (On the website you write that users can create own musical styles - so is the user able to foster his own AI - working without choosing one of six templates and creating his own?) Is there harmonization of imported melodies? During the import of a melody, does ORB detect chords and proposes an infinite number of potential progressions [depending on instrument articulations, user choices etc']? Does it take into account the first theme to make a 1st and 2nd variations? Thanks! \| \| I would also like to see answers to those questions... Quote: \| \| Quote: \| \| Waiting for the answers also. \| \| Just preordered Orb Composer. Hope this lives up to the expectations. \| \| Quote: \| \| Quote: As soon as I have this baby up and running I'll post a video screencast on my YouTube channel (see link in signature). \| \| I wonder why we get no answers... \| \| Thinking maybe it is because the release is so close, must be a busy time. \| \| Quote: \| \| Oh okay, makes sense, will wait though. \| \| boing Only a few hours left until release... boing unless it gets delayed for some reason or another... Can hardly await it. \| \| Quote: \| \| Quote: \| \| „Orb Composer will be available April'3 at 11h59 pm (Pacific time)“ It seems they realised that we today still have easter holiday in europe..... \| \| Quote: \| \| Hello :) Sorry for not being more available these days, as Heiko kindly stated, we are preparing the release. It will be available in 22 hours from now ... There will be a demo ready with the launch, and I will come back here to answer the questions (including your previous ones remarkable) Thanks for your patience. \| \| Orb Composer will be available in 0 : 00 : 00 : 00 DRAMA :) \| \| Now available! \| \| I still have no access to it. My order is in state "processing", no downloads available for me.	https://www.gearslutz.com/board/new-products-coming-soon/1203333-orb-composer-ai-music-pre-order-offer-2-print.html?s=e17b419829218450d80aba9cc6abc95e
Strength of intermolecular forces depends on the in... Solutions are written by subject experts who are available 24/7. Questions are typically answered within 1 hour.*See Solution Q: Why is the formation of iron hydroxide, Fe(OH)2, from Fe2+ and OH- not considered a REDOX reaction? ... A: Redox reaction is a kind of chemical reaction in which transfer of electrons occurs between two chem... Q: < E session.masteringchemistry.com MasteringChemistry: HW 8 <HW 8 Applications for Dilution Calculat... A: From the given data in the question, sayThe final concentration of the diluted solution = cVolume o... Q: Which of the following bonds would be the most polar? a. C-Br b. C-I c. Cl-Cl d. C-F A: The most polar bond among the given options is to be selected-a. C-Brb. C-Ic. Cl-Cld. C-F Q: What do the Roman Numerals represent in the naming system? A: Roman numerals are used while naming a compound containing transition metals. Roman number is given ... Q: What is the daughter nucleus (nuclide) produced when 213Bi undergoes alpha decay? A: Alpha decay leads to formation of a product that contains atomic number two less and mass number fou... Q: What is the OH- concentration in a 7.5 x 10-3 M Ca(OH)2 solution? A: Calculate the OH- concentration in a 7.5 x 10-3 M Ca(OH)2 solution. Q: What would the theoretical yield and then reaction yield % be for esterification. My data point incl... A: Theoretical yield is the amount of product predicted based on the stoichiometric ratio of the reacta... Q: Dcc/EN ok Amme Prodechmg Group GMNCI Br Na CEN CEN hosH T 2-2 A: Product of the reaction has to be identified.(a) Protected amino acid reaction with DCC (N,N'-Dicycl... Q: I don't know how to work out how many isomers of this molecule? A: Optical isomers:The compounds have a structural molecular formula but different in the arrangements ...	https://www.bartleby.com/questions-and-answers/rank-the-following-molecules-in-order-of-increasing-strength-of-intermolecular-forces.-1st-attempt-i/8b2488e3-1903-4af3-8492-ecd42ba6e40c
Genius? Plagiarist? Or both? Handel’s so-called “borrowings” can be found in all his groups of works and a large number of pieces from a wide variety of origins. The maestro not only used music by other composers, but reused also his own works. In fact, the numerous borrowings from other artists are most probably outweighed by an even larger number of segments borrowed from his own creations. It is also an indisputable fact that such borrowings were not uncommon in Handel’s time. As an illustrative example of his free use of material composed by other musicians, it is worth citing a few works by Georg Philipp Telemann. His music was a frequent source of inspiration for Handel. You can get a lasting impression of the extent of his borrowings by comparing “Postillons” from Telemann’s Musique de table with the sinfonia in the second act of Handel’s three-part oratorio Belshazzar. It doesn’t take a musically trained ear to notice the striking similarity between the two pieces. That would be a clear case of plagiarism by today’s standards. And even Handel’s contemporaries would occasionally criticise his methods. He was confronted with a number of accusations during his lifetime, above all from his fellow composer Johann Mattheson in Hamburg, who openly used the word “plagiarism” in a letter. There is a suspicion that Handel therefore tended to use the material of musicians who were less well known in Great Britain, which would make it easier to disguise his free exploitation of other people’s works. For example, this applies to his older colleague Reinhard Keiser, a German opera composer in whose orchestra Handel played as a young man at the “Oper am Gänsemarkt” in Hamburg. Ever since Handel’s tendency to borrow and adapt material became part of the academic discourse in the 19th century, scholars have attempted to find explanatory and evaluative approaches to this compositional practice, ranging from the defence of the genius to his condemnation as a plagiarist. The experts have always taken a completely different view of the matter. For a long time, established musicologists refused to call Handel’s practice plagiarism and coined the term “borrowing” instead, arguing that Handel, an original genius, had merely taken the works as a basis and made something completely different and magnificent out of them. In doing so, he was said to have refined the original works and upgraded them to a new level of quality. However, recent research has favoured a more neutral approach which first attempts to gain an overview of his various reworking methods and their respective scope and character. This research is far from over. There might not even be an end to it. But at least there is now a large collection of evidence that facilitates a systematic approach to the phenomenon. Finally, it should be noted that although Handel liked to be “inspired” by other composers, he himself was far from amused when other musicians gave him a taste of his own medicine. He even had the royal privilege of having his works published and printed exclusively – arguably in an attempt to monitor such thievery. In summary, it may be said that Handel fed off his contemporaries like hardly any other composer of his era. He is the embodiment of the argumentative tension created by the clash between the claim to originality and the practice of borrowing within the artistic creative process. In this discussion, it is also important to further systematise the academic contributions on the topic and encourage further research into the practice of borrowing, as there is still a wealth of knowledge to be unearthed on this phenomenon. The international research community made a step in the right direction in 2017 when 50 musicologists from around the world attended a conference at the University of Halle to discuss whether Handel was an original genius or a plagiarist, focusing on his compositional method and its interpretations. Those who attended the conference realised that the practice of borrowing is so diverse that it is difficult to devise a systematic approach. If we want to gain a better understanding of Handel’s practice, we also have to deal with the historical and theoretical foundations of artistic creation. An important concept in this regard is that of the “original genius”, whereby musical creation in the 19th century and beyond was envisaged as a process by which a composer “received” and wrote down a melody out of nowhere – as if by natural or divine inspiration and purely with the power of invention or imagination – and the ideas were then transformed into works of art in an equally direct creative process. This idea was characteristic of people’s perception of Handel and only began to falter in the later 19th century when they became aware of the large extent to which he had based his own creations on the works of other composers. Whatever conclusions may be drawn from further research into the topic, I will not waver in my appreciation of Handel’s tremendous talent. Yes, he made use of other people’s material, but it was only with his pen that the borrowings became merged into a whole new finished artwork and became what they are to this day: great music! Professor Wolfgang Hirschmann has been teaching historical musicology at the MLU since 2007. His main research interests include Handel and Telemann, the history of music in the 17th and 18th centuries, and edition philology. Since 2009, the scholar has been the president of the George Frideric Handel Society, an international association based in Halle that was founded in 1955.	https://www.campus-halensis.de/en/artikel/genie-plagiator-oder-beides/
From the middle of the 16th century music-making at home was a popular and widespread pursuit in the Netherlands. There were no royal or aristocratic courts with court chapels, and in the Protestant Churches only congregational psalm singing was allowed. So in the privacy of the home and in public places like taverns music was made and became a significant activity. Part of the repertoire were songs, often so-called contrafacta where existing music was overlaid with new texts. In the second half of the 16th century and in the 17th century poetry blossomed in the Netherlands. Many poems give indications as to the melodies to which they could be sung. But these are mostly not printed which makes it difficult to be sure which music was intended. Over the last couple of decades much research has been done, and right now a database of melodies and texts is available. Experts have compared texts and melodies on the basis of number and length of lines and the metrical structure. As a result a number of poems can be sung. For this disc Margot Kalse has done some research of her own: "[F]or beautiful texts I have tried to find fitting tunes, and for beautiful tunes fitting, interesting texts". This disc offers a selection from the large number of song books which were published in the Netherlands from the middle of the 16th century to the early 18th century. Most pieces date from the first half of the 17th century, when the Netherlands were in the midst of their 'Golden Age'. Some of the best poets of the time are represented, like Joost van den Vondel and Pieter Corneliszoon Hooft. The songs span a wide variety of subjects. Some deal with love, often written for a specific woman, others are of a religious or political nature. In the poems there are references to mythology and word-games. Some of them are explained, but Margot Kalse, who has written the liner-notes, could have been more forthcoming. And in the interest of foreign purchasers of this disc some explanation of the political connotations in several songs would have been very helpful. Even some Dutch readers may not understand what these songs are about as the knowledge of their country's history is often limited. The music is also various: most melodies or songs are of French or Italian nature. And again, the notes in the booklet are rather sparse. It is mentioned that Hooft's poem Sterflijck geslacht, uw suchten schorst (O mortal race, do stop your sighs) [track 14] is sung to the tune Cessez, mortels de souspirez, but the composer is not mentioned. It is Pierre Guédron, a composer of many airs de cour in 17th century France. In fact, this poem is an adaptation of the text Guédron used, but that is also not mentioned. Some melodies are of a truly international nature. The first item, for instance, is sung to the tune Doulce mémoire, one of the most famous chansons of the 16th century. And track 7, Helena antwoort tot Paris (Helena answers Paris) is sung on the melody of Tant que vivray, a famous French chanson. There are also sacred tunes. Track 2 uses the melody of the rhymed version of the Magnificat as it was composed in the circles of the Huguenots and included in the Genevan Psalter. From this collection also come the melodies of tracks 6 and 8, Psalms 48 and 128 respectively. And in track 16 we hear the original melody of what today is the Dutch national anthem, Wilhelmus van Nassouwe. The disc ends with two songs from the early 18th century which are of a quite different character. They are written by Jacob Campo Weyerman, one of the main literary representatives of the Enlightenment in the Netherlands. He was especially known for his satirical writings, and Sa! Laat ons dan rustig raazen is a specimen of that genre. The text is from a magazine, and as the liner-notes tell "Weyerman introduces an armchair that speaks about its occupants. Here we meet a 'podagrist', one who suffers from the gout but is nonetheless on a drinking bout, following the advice of a drunken doctor." Margot Kalse studied Dutch, and specialized in Renaissance literature at Leiden University. She knows her way around this kind of repertoire, and has no problems with the correct pronunciation of the 17th-century texts. She gives very fine interpretations of the songs, and most performances seem complete. I am less happy with her pretty consistent use of a slight vibrato. But it doesn't diminish my enthusiasm for this disc which brings together first-rate texts and beautiful tunes. Elly van Munster delivers good support on the lute and contributes two fine solo pieces. The programme notes are indeed rather sparse, but the booklet contains all lyrics with an English translation. Since only few composers have been mentioned I have only given the names of the poets in the track-list (names enclosed in brackets), except the composers of the lute pieces.	http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2010/June10/O_muse_ACDHJ0402p.htm
We all sort of know what classical music is - as used in this general sense - but it’s very hard to define. In the same way, the term “folk music” is a term of which most of us have some sense, but when it comes down to it, writers on music have been arguing for centuries about what constitutes and defines folk music. When I was in primary school in the 60s we regularly had classes in “folk dancing”. Our teachers would bring out a record player and music of all sorts which sounded rather exotic (but which always seemed to include a piano accordion) was used as the basis for dances which allegedly came from different national traditions. It often sounded like this: [listen] Doubtless this was part of our physical eduction curriculum rather than our music curriculum, but still, the assumption that “folk” equated with some sort of nationalism was very clearly implied. Composers in the western classical tradition have often incorporated traditional folk elements into their works. The “folk influence” in classical music has generally taken one of three forms. Sometimes composers have written works which seek to recreate a traditional, folk or nationalistic ambience without quoting actual traditional melodies. On other occasions recognisable folk melodies are incorporated into larger works. And in other cases, composers have simply made arrangements of folk melodies for classical instruments or ensembles without developing them much. The first of these - the creation of a folk ambience or a national style - can be heard in the music of Tchaikovsky. Tchaikovsky did this in so much of his music, but perhaps never better than in the second of his four orchestral suites. The scherzo in this suite recreates the feel of the Russian trepak and at its climax even uses four accordions in the orchestra. The first appearance of the accordions in this recording is just before the two minute mark. [listen] The use of folk influences in music was an important aspect which marked the increasing nationalism in music across Europe in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. No longer were composers content to write within a larger “international” style, as had been the case before 1800. Even early in the 19th century, composers like Chopin had written music which was unashamedly nationalistic and which expressed this in terms of folk culture, such in the writing of mazurkas: piano works based on a traditional Polish dance. But it was in the later 19th century that composers, especially those in central and eastern Europe, unashamedly used the music of their national traditions in otherwise “serious” works. Antonín Dvořák wrote works which were based on folk styles but which didn’t actually quote folk melodies, but in other works his melodies are clearly derived from folksongs. For example, in the first of his five Bagatelles op 47, Dvořák quotes a Czech folksong, the title of which is translated as “The bagpipes were playing at Popuda”. Even the scoring of the Bagatelles has a folksy element about it, with two violins and a cello being joined by a harmonium (they can also be performed with piano if a harmonium isn't available). The harmonium (a sort of reed organ which requires the player by pump the bellows with pedals) has an interesting and often underestimated part in the music of some of the biggest names in music, but it has an undeniably home-spun feel about its sound, especially when folk songs are involved. [listen] Tchaikovsky, too, quoted actual folk melodies in his larger works, such as the Russian song “In the field a little birch tree stood”, which is used in the finale of his fourth symphony. This melody is first heard a mere 15 seconds into the movement, and it becomes the basis of some amazingly inventive writing on the part of the composer. [listen] So many composers wrote dance movements which reflected their national traditions, such as Grieg’s Norwegian Dances, or Dvořák’s Slavonic Dances. Hungarian composers, too, wrote music which reflected their national traditions. One of the most important figures, not only in Hungarian music, but in music education internationally, is Zoltan Kodály, who lived from 1882 to 1967. [Note to English speakers: Hungarian is a non-anacrusic language, so "Kodály" is pronounced with the stress on the first syllable.] Not only was Kodály influenced by Hungarian folk music in his compositions; he spent a large proportion of his life researching and notating traditional Hungarian music and using its principles as the basis of a system of music education which not only revolutionised the teaching of music in Hungary, but is also taught around the world, including Australia. Viewing the importance of singing in the rural music he studied, Kodály believed in the power of singing, but not only as an educational tool. Right at the end of his life, he wrote: Our age of mechanization leads along a road ending with man himself as a machine; only the spirit of singing can save us from this fate. This is reflected in the fact, while today Kodály is perhaps best-remembered for his orchestral works, such as the suite from his opera Háry Janos, or the Dances of Galánta, the majority of his works are choral. He stands with Benjamin Britten as one of the few 20th century composers to devote so much of his output to music for choir, and so much of Kodály’s choral music is based on Hungarian folk music or poetry. The Mátra Pictures from 1931 employ songs from the Mátra region of Hungary, and the five movements are arranged so as to provide a continuous narrative. [listen] In his orchestral works, too, there is ample evidence of Kodály’s preoccupation with his country’s folk music. The Dances of Galánta - based on hybrid gypsy music rather than authentic Hungarian folk music - are very well-known. Less-often played are the Dances of Marosszék which date from 1929. These are based on what Kodály regarded as authentic Hungarian folk music. [listen] Kodály’s compatriot, Béla Bartók, is of course one of the most important names in European music of the 20th century, and like Kodály he spent a huge part of his career researching and transcribing traditional Hungarian music. Bartók had the highest regard for Kodály as a composer, and Bartók’s music shows strong influences of folk music from various regions as well. Bartók’s Romanian Folk-Dances were originally written for solo piano in 1915, and arranged for orchestra by the composer in 1917. They are based on actual melodies Bartók transcribed. He keeps the melodies themselves exactly as he found them, but provides delicate and fascinating accompaniments to create some absolutely magical miniatures. [listen] There was a popular movement among British and Irish composers in the early 20th century to similarly incorporate traditional melodies, or aspects of traditional musical culture, into otherwise “serious” works. Ralph Vaughan Williams researched English folksong in much the same way as Kodály and Bartók researched its Hungarian equivalent. Vaughan Williams’ Fantasia on English Folksongs from 1910 is, unfortunately, lost, but the English Folksong Suite for military band, dating from 1923, is a standard of the band repertoire and which - in a reversal of the usual practice - has been arranged by Gordon Jacob for orchestra. In this work Vaughan Williams unashamedly tackles two areas traditionally looked-down upon by the cognoscenti: folk song and military bands. The result is music which is not only superbly crafted - a hallmark of everything he wrote - but which is actually fun as well. [listen] Benjamin Britten returned again and again throughout his composing career to folksong, most notably in his superb and original arrangements of British, Irish, French and American folksongs for voice and piano. In terms of sheer brilliance and ingenuity, these stand alongside Beethoven’s British folksong arrangements. From the 1940s onwards, Britten published several volumes of folk song arrangements, in which the melodies are largely traditional (but occasionally subjected to adaptation), accompanied by truly fascinating piano parts which underscore the intent of the song with uncanny psychological insight. Here are just two: Come you not from Newcastle? [listen] O Waly, Waly [listen] Britten’s last orchestral work, completed in 1974, was his Suite on English Folk Tunes: “A Time there Was...”. The five movements of this suite for small orchestra show Britten’s ability to incorporate elements of folk music into a dark, brooding orchestral texture. The first two movements of the suite demonstrate this well, and could not be more contrasted in moods. The first movement, Cakes and Ale, is a boisterous jig with dark side scarcely hidden from view, whereas the second movement, The Bitter Withy, is a tranquil and icy soundscape featuring the harp. [listen] When I originally made this program for Keys To Music, I included one more example, one of my favourite Australian works: the ballet Once Around the Sun by Graeme Koehne. Composed in 1988, the gentle and touching music of this score has a deceptive air about it. It sounds so simple, but its skill lies in a multitude of details which come together to make a delicate and gentle masterpiece. Unashamedly inspired by Aaron Copland, and Appalachian Spring in particular, the end of Once Around the Sun is based on the Australian folk song Moreton Bay. Its inclusion is unforced and elegant, and in the context of the ballet, brings to a close a “summer of memories”. Sadly, I could not find a recording of this work available online, but it has been recorded on the Tall Poppies label (TP115) if you can get hold of the CD. This article is based on a Keys To Music program first aired on ABC Classic FM (now ABC Classic) in January, 2006.	https://www.grahamsmusic.net/post/folk-music-influences
Calculating the internal hourly rate enables an agency to answer the question as to the turnover that it needs to generate in order to cover its human resources costs and general operating expenses. It is therefore an important basis for the calculation of the external hourly rate (which will be covered here in more detail soon). The formula used to calculate the internal hourly rate can be simplified as: Gross annual salary costs + assignable additional expenses per year Available working days per year * daily target A company car is an example of assignable additional expenses. The number of available working days is the number of working days remaining after weekends, public holidays and estimated days of absence/sickness have been deducted. The daily target is specified in hours. Two different bases of assessment are available, namely either using the working hours contractually agreed for each member of staff or choosing the average number of hours actually worked per day. The daily average based on the actual number of hours worked, which leads to more realistic results, can be easily determined using a full-time recording tool in agency software. This will also reveal the fluctuations caused by the different agency workloads. These fluctuations are incidentally also the reason why the basis used for the calculation of the internal hourly rate may indeed change.	https://www.proadsoftware.com/en/blog/entries/2016/02/smart-in-60-seconds-part-05-internal-hourly-rate.php
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Contact forms To assist with sending you requested information, we use MailChimp to collect and store your email address. MailChimp outlines their use of your personal data and anonymized data here. You may opt out of the collection of your data by unsubscribing (we will remove your data) and contacting them using the instructions on their privacy page. Log Files Like many other Web sites, this Site makes use of log files. These files merely logs visitors to the site – usually a standard procedure for hosting companies and a part of hosting services’s analytics. The information inside the log files includes internet protocol (IP) addresses, browser type, Internet Service Provider (ISP), date/time stamp, referring/exit pages, and possibly the number of clicks. This information is used to analyze trends, administer the site, track user’s movement around the site, and gather demographic information. IP addresses, and other such information are not linked to any information that is personally identifiable. Cookies If you leave a comment on our site you may opt-in to saving your name, email address and website in cookies. These are for your convenience so that you do not have to fill in your details again when you leave another comment. These cookies will last for one year. If you visit our login page, we will set a temporary cookie to determine if your browser accepts cookies. This cookie contains no personal data and is discarded when you close your browser. When you log in, we will also set up several cookies to save your login information and your screen display choices. Login cookies last for two days, and screen options cookies last for a year. If you select "Remember Me", your login will persist for two weeks. If you log out of your account, the login cookies will be removed. If you edit or publish an article, an additional cookie will be saved in your browser. This cookie includes no personal data and simply indicates the post ID of the article you just edited. It expires after 1 day. Embedded content from other websites Articles on this site may include embedded content (e.g. videos, images, articles, etc.). Embedded content from other websites behaves in the exact same way as if the visitor has visited the other website. Analytics We may use third-party Service Providers to monitor and analyze the use of our Site. - MailChimp – MailChimp is a service used for delivery of post notifications or newsletters. We store your name and email addresses for the purpose of delivering these communications. How we use your data - Visitor comments may be checked through an automated spam detection service. - To send you emails including newsletters and promotional items - To respond to your questions and comments - To offer support if you need it - To measure and track advertising on the Site - To create an account for you Transfer of Data Your information, including Personal Data, may be transferred to — and maintained on — computers located outside of your state, province, country or other governmental jurisdiction where the data protection laws may differ than those from your jurisdiction. If you are located outside United States and choose to provide information to us, please note that we transfer the data, including Personal Data, to United States and process it there. How long we retain your data If you leave a comment, the comment and its metadata are retained indefinitely. This is so we can recognize and approve any follow-up comments automatically instead of holding them in a moderation queue. For users that register on our website (if any), we also store the personal information they provide in their user profile. All users can see, edit, or delete their personal information at any time (except they cannot change their username). Website administrators can also see and edit that information. What rights you have over your data If you have an account on this site, or have left comments, you can request to receive an exported file of the personal data we hold about you, including any data you have provided to us. You can also request that we erase any personal data we hold about you. This does not include any data we are obliged to keep for administrative, legal, or security purposes. Where we send your data Visitor comments may be checked through an automated spam detection service. Third parties have access to your data as noted within this agreement. How we protect your data The security of your data is important to us, but remember that no method of transmission over the Internet, or method of electronic storage is 100% secure. While we strive to use commercially acceptable means to protect your Personal Data, we cannot guarantee its absolute security. What third parties we receive data from We may employ third party companies and individuals to facilitate our Site (“Service Providers”), to provide the Site on our behalf, to perform Site-related services or to assist us in analyzing how our Site is used. These third parties have access to your Personal Data only to perform these tasks on our behalf and are obligated not to disclose or use it for any other purpose. Children's Privacy Our Site does not address anyone under the age of 18 (“Children”). We do not knowingly collect personally identifiable information from anyone under the age of 18. If you are a parent or guardian and you are aware that your Children has provided us with Personal Data, please contact us. If we become aware that we have collected Personal Data from children without verification of parental consent, we take steps to remove that information from our servers. Personal Information Public Information If you create and account or a user profile on this website, some of your information may be shown publicly. Information like your username, profile picture, and website information. Your email address will not be shown. Consent Affiliate Disclosure The Site may engage in affiliate marketing, which is done by embedding tracking links into the Site. If you click on a link for an affiliate partnership, a cookie will be placed on your browser to track any sales for purposes of commissions. The Site is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and links to Amazon.com. As part of this Amazon Associates program, the Website will post customized links, provided by Amazon, to track the referrals to their website. This program utilizes cookies to track visits for the purposes of assigning commission on these sales. Mediavine Programmatic Advertising (Ver 1.1) The Website works with Mediavine to manage third-party interest-based advertising appearing on the Website. Mediavine serves content and advertisements when you visit the Website, which may use first and third-party cookies. A cookie is a small text file which is sent to your computer or mobile device (referred to in this policy as a “device”) by the web server so that a website can remember some information about your browsing activity on the Website. First party cookies are created by the website that you are visiting. A third-party cookie is frequently used in behavioral advertising and analytics and is created by a domain other than the website you are visiting. Third-party cookies, tags, pixels, beacons and other similar technologies (collectively, “Tags”) may be placed on the Website to monitor interaction with advertising content and to target and optimize advertising. Each internet browser has functionality so that you can block both first and third-party cookies and clear your browser’s cache. The "help" feature of the menu bar on most browsers will tell you how to stop accepting new cookies, how to receive notification of new cookies, how to disable existing cookies and how to clear your browser’s cache. For more information about cookies and how to disable them, you can consult the information at All About Cookies. Without cookies you may not be able to take full advantage of the Website content and features. Please note that rejecting cookies does not mean that you will no longer see ads when you visit our Site. In the event you opt-out, you will still see non-personalized advertisements on the Website. The Website collects the following data using a cookie when serving personalized ads: - IP Address - Operating System type - Operating System version - Device Type - Language of the website - Web browser type - Email (in hashed form) Mediavine Partners (companies listed below with whom Mediavine shares data) may also use this data to link to other end user information the partner has independently collected to deliver targeted advertisements. Mediavine Partners may also separately collect data about end users from other sources, such as advertising IDs or pixels, and link that data to data collected from Mediavine publishers in order to provide interest-based advertising across your online experience, including devices, browsers and apps. This data includes usage data, cookie information, device information, information about interactions between users and advertisements and websites, geolocation data, traffic data, and information about a visitor’s referral source to a particular website. Mediavine Partners may also create unique IDs to create audience segments, which are used to provide targeted advertising. If you would like more information about this practice and to know your choices to opt-in or opt-out of this data collection, please visit National Advertising Initiative opt out page. You may also visit Digital Advertising Alliance website and Network Advertising Initiative website to learn more information about interest-based advertising. You may download the AppChoices app at Digital Advertising Alliance’s AppChoices app to opt out in connection with mobile apps, or use the platform controls on your mobile device to opt out. For specific information about Mediavine Partners, the data each collects and their data collection and privacy policies, please visit Mediavine Partners.	https://midwestniceblog.com/privacy-policy/
July 31, 2020. Personal Information We Collect Information you give us. Personal information that you may provide through the Service or otherwise includes: - Contact data, such as your first and last name, billing and mailing address, email address and telephone number; - Profile data, such as your username and password that you set to establish an online account with us, age, gender, biographical details, photograph, and preferences including any health information you choose to provide; - Self-reported data, such as details related to the personal lives of users (e.g., whether you are married, your anniversary date, etc.). - Identity data that we may collect to conduct identification verification and security checks (or in the case of providers, background checks and other screens permitted by law), such as a social security number, tax identification number, passport number, state or local identification number, or professional license number, and an image of the relevant identity card; - Communications that we exchange, including when you contact us with questions, feedback, or otherwise; - Transactional data, such as the information needed to complete your orders and/or payments on or through the Service (including but not limited to name, credit card information, bank account number, billing and shipping information), and information about payments to and from you and other details of products and services you have purchased from us; - Marketing data, such your preferences for receiving marketing communications about our products, activities, events and publications, and details about how you engage with them; and Data from other sources. We may combine personal information we receive from you with personal information we obtain from other sources, such as: - Users, including providers or customers, who can provide ratings and feedback on their spa experiences through the Service; - Business partners, such as ISM SPA LLC, Chicago City Spa, Privai and other facilities or distribution partners. - Screening providers, such as providers of background check or other screening services. - Data providers, such as information services and data processors; and - Public sources, such as social media platforms. Data collected automatically. We, our service providers, and our business partners may automatically log the following information about you, your computer or mobile device, and your activity over time on the Site and other online services: - Device data, such as your computer or mobile device operating system type and version number, manufacturer and model, browser type, screen resolution, IP address, unique identifiers, and general location information such as city, state or geographic area; - Usage data, such as the website you visited before browsing to the Site, pages or screens you viewed, how long you spent on a page or screen, navigation paths between pages or screens, information about your activity on a page or screen, access times, and duration of access; and - Precise geolocation data, such as when you authorize the App to access your location. Some of our automatic collection is facilitated by: - Cookies, which are text files that websites store on a visitor‘s device to uniquely identify the visitor’s browser or to store information or settings in the browser for the purpose of helping you navigate between pages efficiently, remembering your preferences, enabling functionality, helping us understand user activity and patterns, and facilitating online advertising. - Web beacons, also known as pixel tags or clear GIFs, which are typically used to demonstrate that a webpage or email was accessed or opened, or that certain content was viewed or clicked, to compile statistics about usage of websites and the success of marketing campaigns. - Software development kits, or SDKs, which are used to incorporate third party computer code into our App that allows our third party service providers or advertising partners to collect data directly from it for a variety of purposes, including to provide us with analytics regarding the use of the App, to integrate with social media, add features or functionality to the App, or to facilitate online advertising. How We Use Your Personal Information We use your personal information for the following purposes or as otherwise described to you at the time of collection: Service delivery. We may use your personal information to: - provide, operate, maintain, and improve the Service; - set up appointments; - conduct background checks and other screens permitted by law; - establish and maintain your profile on the Service; - process provider payments; - communicate with you regarding the Service, including by sending you Service announcements, technical notices, updates, security alerts, and support and administrative messages; - process your Service transactions and process your related payments: - understand your needs, interests and spa preferences, and personalize your experience with the Service and our communications; and - provide support for the Service and respond to your requests, questions and feedback. Research and development. We may use your personal information for research and development purposes, including to analyze and improve the Service and our business and develop other products and services. As part of these activities, we may create aggregated, de-identified or other anonymous data from personal information we collect. We make personal information into anonymous data by removing information that makes the data personally identifiable to you. We may use this anonymous data and share it with third parties for our lawful business purposes, including to analyze and improve the Service and promote our business. Marketing. We and our third party advertising partners may collect and use your personal information for marketing and advertising purposes: - Direct marketing. If you request information from us, use the Service or participate in our surveys, promotions or events, we may send you Spa Space-related marketing communications as permitted by law, including by email and mail. You may opt-out of our marketing communications as described in the “Marketing communications” section below. Compliance and protection. We may use your personal information to: - protect our, your or others’ rights, privacy, safety or property (including by making and defending legal claims); - audit our internal processes for compliance with legal and contractual requirements and internal policies; - protect, investigate and deter against fraudulent, harmful, unauthorized, unethical or illegal activity, including cyberattacks and identity theft; and - comply with applicable laws, lawful requests and legal process, such as to respond to subpoenas or requests from government authorities. Other purposes with your consent. In some cases we will ask for your consent to collect, use or share your personal information for other purposes. For example, we may ask for your consent to send you marketing emails where required by law or to post your testimonial or endorsement. How We Share Your Personal Information - Business partners. We may work with business partners, such as ISM SPA LLC, Chicago City Spa and Privai, - Advertising partners. We may work with third party advertising companies that collect information about your activity on the Site and other online services to help us advertise our services (including, through interest-based advertising), and/or use hashed customer lists that we share with them to deliver ads to them and similar users on their platforms. - Professional advisors. We may disclose your personal information to professional advisors, such as lawyers, bankers, auditors and insurers, where necessary in the course of the professional services they render to us. - Compliance and protection. We may disclose your personal information as we believe appropriate to government or law enforcement officials or private parties (a) for the compliance and protection purposes described above; (b) as required by law, lawful requests or legal process, such as to respond to subpoenas or requests from government authorities; (c) where permitted by law in connection with any legal investigation; and (d) to prosecute or defend legal claims. Please keep in mind that whenever you voluntarily make your personal information available for viewing by third parties on our Services, that such information can be seen, collected and used by others besides us. We cannot be responsible for any unauthorized third-party use of such information. Your Choices Access or update your information. If you have registered for an account with us, you may review and update the personal information in their registration profile by logging into your account or emailing us at [email protected]. Marketing communications. You may opt out of marketing-related emails by logging in and changing your account settings or by following the opt-out prompt in the email. You may continue to receive Service-related and other non-marketing emails. Cookies. Most browsers let you remove and/or stop accepting cookies from the websites you visit. To do this, follow the instructions in your browser’s settings. Many browsers accept cookies by default until you change your settings. If you do not accept cookies, however, you may not be able to use all functionality of the Service and our Site may not work properly. For more information about cookies, including how to see what cookies have been set on your browser and how to manage and delete them, visit www.allaboutcookies.org. Privacy settings and location data. Users of our App can disable our access to their device’s precise geolocation in their mobile device settings. Advertising choices. You can limit use of your information for interest-based advertising by: - Browser settings. Blocking third party cookies in your browser settings using or ad-blocking browser plug-ins/extensions. - Mobile device settings. Using your mobile device settings to limit use of the advertising ID associated with your mobile device for interest-based advertising purposes. - Platform settings. Using Google’s and Facebook’s interest-based advertising opt-out features: - Google: https://adssettings.google.com/ - Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/about/ads - Ad industry tools. Opting out of interest-based ads from companies participating in the following industry opt-out programs: - Network Advertising Initiative: http://www.networkadvertising.org/managing/opt_out.asp - Digital Advertising Alliance: - aboutads.info, which lets you opt-out of interest-based ads on websites. - AppChoices mobile app, available at https://www.youradchoices.com/appchoices, which lets you opt-out of interest-based ads in mobile apps. The opt-out preferences described above must be set on each device for which you want them to apply. Not all companies that serve interest-based ads participate in the ad industry opt-out programs described above, so even after opting-out, you may still receive some cookies and interest-based ads from other companies. If you opt-out of interest-based advertisements, you will still see advertisements online but they may be less relevant to you. Do Not Track. Some Internet browsers may be configured to send “Do Not Track” signals to the online services that you visit. We currently do not respond to “Do Not Track” or similar signals. To find out more about “Do Not Track,” please visit http://www.allaboutdnt.com. Declining to provide your personal information. If you do not provide information indicated as required or mandatory within the Service, or that is otherwise necessary to provide a requested service or feature within the Service, that portion or all of the Service may be unavailable to you. Other Sites and Services The Service may contain links to other websites and services operated by third parties, such as social media platforms, advertising services and other websites and applications. These links are not an endorsement of, or representation that we are affiliated with, any third party. We do not control third party websites, applications or services, and are not responsible for their actions. Other websites and services follow different rules regarding their collection, use and disclosure of your personal information. We encourage you to read their privacy policies to learn more. Security The security of your personal information important to us. We take a number of organizational, technical and physical measures designed to protect the personal information we collect, both during transmission and once we receive it. However, no security safeguards are 100% secure and we cannot guarantee the security of your information. International Data Transfer We are headquartered in the United States and may use service providers that operate in other countries. Your personal information may be transferred to the United States or other locations where privacy laws may not be as protective as those in your state, province, or country. Children The Service is not intended for use by children under 16 years of age. If we learn that we have collected personal information from a child under 16 without the consent of the child’s parent or guardian as required by law, we will delete it. Contact Us Spa Space App, Inc.	https://spaspaceapplication.com/privacy-policy/
1. Collection of Information and Personal Data Personal data in this sense refers to all individual pieces of information regarding the personal or material circumstances of an identified or identifiable natural person, such as name, address, or email address as well as IP address. If you visit our Game or use the Contact Form, the collection, processing, and use of personal data will take place. We collect information about you when: - You provide some of it directly (such as by registering for an account). - We record some of it automatically (including with technologies like cookies). - We receive some of it from third parties (social media companies). We also collect information, such as usage statistics, by using cookies, server logs, and similar technologies. The particular kinds of information we gather are dependent on how you interact with World War Online. 1.1. Information you provide to us We collect information you choose to provide or give to us in any manner. For example, we collect information that you provide when you create an account or communicate with us. We collect information you enter or otherwise provide on World War Online, including: - Contact information (such as name, email address, codename and password); - Profile information (such as profile photo); - Your messages to the Service (such as chat logs and customer support tickets); - Your name, payment method, and other details we collect to help process purchases you make; - Other data you choose to give us (such as data to identify a lost account). World War Online also offers social features like forums and chat. When you use these features, the information you share is public information – this means we may collect and use the information you provide, and in some cases it may also be collected or used by others without your knowledge. In addition to information about yourself, you may choose to share information about yourself in other content ("Content"), such as in products. Any action you perform with other users are considered public, and at your own discretion. When you use a product with social network features like ours, note that some information will be publicly accessible to others, such as your game statistics and performance. We may record gameplay and related information (such as Username, Military Rank, and in-game actions), and replay or otherwise make it available to other users without further notice to you. 1.2. Information we collect automatically - Data about your account and game progress; - Your IP address and mobile device identifiers (such as your device ID, advertising ID, MAC address, IMEI); - Data about your device, such as device name and operating system, browser type and language; - Data we collect with cookies and similar technologies (see more below); - General location data; - Data about your use of the Service, such as gameplay data and your interactions with other players inside the Service. 1.3. Information We Collect From Third Parties - Data we receive if you link a third party tool with the Service (such as Facebook or Google); - Demographic data (such as to determine the coarse location of your IP address); - Data to fight fraud (such as refund abuse in games or click fraud in advertising); - Data from platforms that the games run on (such as to verify payment); - Data for advertising and analytics purposes, so we can provide you a better Service. 2. How We Collect Information 2.1. Cookies & Related Technologies: 2.2. Analytics & Third Party Advertising Companies: In order to provide the best possible service and to allow us to make certain internal reports and make recommendations, we collect aggregate information about the use of World War Online, including information about users accessing the Chilltime site or playing World War Online and other Chilltime games or using SNS Apps on other sites, such as internet protocol addresses, browser type, browser language, referring / exit pages and URLs, other browser history, platform type, number of clicks, domain names, landing pages, pages viewed and the order of those pages, the amount of time spent on particular pages, and the date and time (“Activity Information”). Chilltime does not provide any Personally Identifiable Information to third-party advertising companies. 2.2.1. Google Analytics This website uses Google Analytics, a web analysis service of Google Inc. Google Analytics uses so-called "Cookies", text files which are stored on your computer or smartphone and which allow an analysis of the use of our website by you. The information generated by the Cookie about your use of this website (including your IP address) is transferred to a server by Google in the USA and is stored there. Google will use this information to evaluate your use of the website in order to put together a report about the website activities for the website operators and to produce linked services with the website use and the Internet use. Also Google will transfer this information if necessary to third parties, provided that this legally prescribed or as far as third parties process these data on behalf of Google. Google will associate in no circumstances your IP address with the other data that are stored by Google. 3. How We Use Your Information 3.1. Legal Basis: We use and share your information (i) to provide the services under the Terms, (ii) with your consent, (iii) in your and our legitimate interests (such as safety and security, and providing a tailored service), and (iv) for other legal reasons. We rely on a number of legal bases to collect, use, share, and otherwise process the information we have about you for the purposes described in this Policy. These legal bases include: - where you have consented to the processing, which you may revoke at any time; - for Chilltime to comply with a legal obligation, a court order, or to exercise and defend legal claims; - occasionally to protect your vital interests, or those of others; - where necessary in the public interest; - where necessary for the purposes of Chilltime or a third party’s legitimate interests, such as those of visitors, users or partners. 3.2. Using Information: We use the information we collect (both individually and in combination with other information collected under this policy) to help us operate our business, provide and improve our products and services, communicate with you, and advertise effectively. The particular ways we use your information often depend on how you choose to use the Chilltime services. Some of the most common examples of how we use information include: - To respond to inquiries, fulfil requests, and process transactions (like helping you create an account, and resolve Feedback issues); - To deliver and tailor our communications with you, like by sending you important account-related announcements or promotional communications that we believe may interest you; - To administer surveys, contests, and similar offerings (such as confirming your eligibility or sending you a prize if you win); - To monitor, analyze, protect, test, and improve our services and operations (like measuring how World War Online performs, tracking usage patterns, and fixing bugs or errors); - To research and better understand the Chilltime services and how they’re used; - To promote products and services and measure the effectiveness of those campaigns; - To personalize your World War Online experience, including by presenting content or features better tailored to your interests; - To improve and provide updates for World War Online (like patching our game and releasing new features); - To operate and expand our business; - To facilitate the use of or integration with the Chilltime services, social sharing, and related functionality (such as supporting chat features and forums). We may also use, disclose, and preserve information to: - Comply with applicable law or respond to legal process (like requests from law enforcement or other public or government authorities); - Securely operate the Chilltime services (like stopping attacks on our systems); - Protect users and third parties (such as to help prevent serious injury or crime); 3.3. Sharing Information We do not share any kind of information about you, including but not limited to name, email address, password, payment details, messages sent to us or others using our services, and all other data you share with us or that we automatically collect. Chilltime may disclose information about you to our partners in order to provide the Service, resolve service problems and correct errors in the Service, to communicate with you about the Service, to provide you with advertising and promotional information in connection with the Service, and to enhance your experience on the Service. However, we do not give our partners an independent right to share this information. 3.4. Transfers of Information By using the Chilltime services and World War Online, you acknowledge and agree that your information may be processed outside your country of residence, including in other jurisdictions (namely Portugal) that may have different data protection frameworks than your region. We’ve implemented and maintain a framework consistent with applicable law and this policy for transfers of information outside the country of collection. For example, when we transfer personal data collected in the European Union to locations outside the European Economic Area, we rely on transfer mechanisms adopted by the European Commission to help establish adequate safeguards, like Standard Contractual Clauses. We may also need to transfer your information to provide the Chilltime services to you in accordance with our existing agreements with you, such as the Terms of Service. 3.5. Public Chat or Forums We’ve empowered our users to help police compliance with our policies related to certain in-game behavior. Our product users may report each other and submit descriptions of their in-game activity and actions to help us determine if the reported behavior constituted a violation of rules and procedures that apply to user conduct, as well as any potential repercussions (such as temporary or permanent account suspensions or chat restrictions). We also record and store, and reserve the right (but have no obligation) to monitor chat and similar details about in-game interactions for a period we determine in our sole discretion is appropriate to help us, among other things, detect and prevent toxicity, enforce our rules and policies, and foster a more positive gaming community for our users. We use both manual (like many user Support tickets) and automated (such as machine learning) tools and techniques to support these efforts. If you choose to use means outside of World War Online to communicate with us, such as social media platforms, we recommend you check their respective Privacy Policies. Some examples: - Facebook Messenger: https://www.messenger.com/privacy - Reddit: https://www.redditinc.com/policies/privacy-policy-january-10-2020 - Discord: https://discordapp.com/privacy 4. Age Limits We do not knowingly collect or solicit personal data about or direct or target interest based advertising to anyone under the age of 13 or knowingly allow such persons to use our Services. If you are under 13, please do not send any data about yourself to us, including your name, address, telephone number, or email address. No one under the age of 13 may provide any personal data. If we learn that we have collected personal data about a child under age 13, we will delete that data as quickly as possible. If you believe that we might have any data from or about a child under the age of 13, please contact us through [email protected]. 5. Security The security, integrity, and confidentiality of your information are extremely important to us. In order to help ensure a secure and safe player experience, we are continuously developing and implementing administrative, technical and physical security measures to protect your data from unauthorized access or against loss, misuse or alteration. Chilltime takes appropriate precautions to protect users' information. Your account information is located on a secure server behind a firewall. When you enter sensitive information (such as credit card number or your password), we encrypt that information using secure socket layer technology (SSL). (Learn more about SSL, here. 5.1. Data Retention We retain your data for as long as your account is active or as needed to provide you the Service. We will for example periodically de-identify unused game accounts and we regularly review and de-identify unnecessary data. Note that if you ask us to remove your personal data, we will retain your data as necessary for our legitimate business interests, such as to comply with our legal obligations, resolve disputes, and enforce our agreements. 6. Your Choices You can review and change information about you or deactivate your account in your account settings, but we may retain certain information. You may deactivate your account by editing your account settings or by sending an email to [email protected]. 7. Your Rights and Options 7.1. Opt-out of marketing emails and other direct marketing You may opt-out of receiving promotional communications, such as marketing emails from us by following the instructions in such communications. 7.2. Opt-out of targeted advertising You can opt-out of interest-based advertising on mobile applications by checking the privacy settings of your Android or iOS device and selecting "limit ad tracking" (Apple iOS) or "opt-out of interest based ads" (Android). 7.3. Access the personal data we hold about you If you request, we will provide you a copy of your personal data in an electronic format. We respond to all requests that we receive from individuals who wish to exercise their data protection rights in accordance with applicable data protection laws. You can make a data request by submitting a ticket. Learn more about GDPR Data Access Requests here. 7.4. Other Rights Other rights that you may have, depending on the country in which you live, include: - Accessing, correcting, updating, or requesting deletion of your information. - Objecting to processing of your information, asking us to restrict processing of your information, or requesting the portability of your information. - Withdrawing your consent at any time if we have collected and processed your information with your consent. Withdrawing your consent will not affect the lawfulness of any processing that we conducted prior to your withdrawal, nor will it affect processing of your information conducted in reliance on lawful processing grounds other than consent. - Complaining to a data protection authority about our collection and use of your information. For more information, please contact your local data protection authority. Contact details for data protection authorities in the European Union are available here. We will respond to all requests within a reasonable timeframe. This policy may be updated periodically to reflect changes in our personal information practices or relevant laws. We will indicate at the bottom of this policy when this policy was last updated. Please review this policy every time you access or use World War Online to make sure that you have reviewed the most recent version. 9. Contact Us Under European data protection law, the controller of your information is Chilltime, Lda.	https://guides.worldwaronline.com/docs/privacy/
Harris and Zei Ltd takes the confidentiality of personal data seriously. 2. THE DATA PROTECTION ACT 1998 Harris and Zei Ltd website complies with the principles of the Data Protection Act 1998. 3. USE MADE OF PERSONAL INFORMATION Personal information provided to Harris and Zei Ltd via Harris and Zei Ltd. website will be used for the purposes outlined at the time of collection. In addition, personal information may be used for statistical analysis. Personal data will be collected and processed by Harris and Zei Ltd for the following purposes: to provide goods and services, including marketing, advertising and promotions, unless a user elects to opt-out of receiving such communications. Your personal details will not be made available to any third parties. 4. CONSENT 5. USE OF DATA FOR DIRECT MARKETING PURPOSES At each point of data collection users are given the opportunity to opt-out of receiving future direct marketing material from Harris and Zei Ltd. Where users do not opt-out of such communications, Harris and Zei Ltd l may provide information on The company’s products, membership services, events, and training and education programmes. If at any time users want Harris and Zei Ltd to stop sending such communications they should write to: Harris and Zei Ltd, 10-12 Ratcliffe Cross Street, London,	http://www.harrisandzei.com/privacy-policy/
Last update: February 12th, 2019 The categories of information we collect can include: Information you provide to us directly. We may collect personal information, such as your name, phone number, mailing address, location, payment information, and e-mail address when you register for our Service, take our personalized skincare survey, order products, or otherwise communicate with us. We may also collect any communications between you and BASE and any other information you provide to BASE. Data collected through the use of the Service. We collect information about how you use the Service and your actions on the Service. Location Information.We collect your unique user identifier and your location through GPS, WiFi, or wireless network triangulation in order to obtain your location for the purposes of providing our Service. We maintain location information only so long as is reasonable to provide the Service and then delete location data tied to your personal information. We may maintain de-identified location data for a longer period of time in order to analyze aggregate trends and metrics. If you want to opt-out of the collection of your location data, please adjust your settings in your mobile device to limit the Service's access to your location data. Please see "Control Over Your Information" below to learn more. We may share your personal information in the instances described below. For further information on your choices regarding your information, see the "Control Over Your Information" section below. We may share your personal information with: With third parties who may have products or services we think you may enjoy; Third-party vendors and other service providers that perform services on our behalf, including, without limitation, Mailchimp, as needed to carry out their work for us, which may include identifying and serving targeted advertisements, providing mailing services, providing tax and accounting services, web hosting, or providing analytic services; The public when you provide feedback. For example, if you comment on our social media sites, your information, such as your first name, last initial, state of residence, and your comments, may be displayed on our Site or on our social media pages; Other parties in connection with a company transaction, such as a merger, sale of company assets or shares, reorganization, financing, change of control or acquisition of all or a portion of our business by another company or third party, or in the event of a bankruptcy or related or similar proceedings; and Third parties as required by law or subpoena or if we reasonably believe that such action is necessary to (a) comply with the law and the reasonable requests of law enforcement; (b) to enforce the BASE End User License Agreement and Terms of Service or to protect the security or integrity of our Service; and/or (c) to exercise or protect the rights, property, or personal safety of BASE , our visitors, or others. Profile and Data Sharing Settings: You may update your contact information, such as your name, and may change some of your data sharing preferences by emailing us at [email protected]. Access to your Device Information: You may control the App's access to your device information through your "Settings" app on your device. For instance, you can withdraw permission for the App to access your address book, location, photo stream and camera. How to control your communications preferences: You can stop receiving promotional email communications from us by clicking on the "unsubscribe link" provided in such communications. We make every effort to promptly process all unsubscribe requests. You may not opt out of service-related communications (e.g., transactional communications, changes/updates to features of the Service, technical and security notices). Modifying or deleting your information: If you have any questions about reviewing, modifying, or deleting your information, you can contact us directly at [email protected]. We may not be able to modify or delete your information in all circumstances. We may share, or we may permit third party online advertising networks, social media companies and other third party services, to collect, information about your use of the Service over time so that they may play or display ads that may be relevant to your interests on the Service as well as on other websites or apps, or on other devices you may use. Typically, though not always, the information we share is provided through cookies or similar tracking technologies, which recognize the device you are using and collect information, including hashed data, click stream information, browser type, time and date you visited the site, and other information. This information is used to display targeted ads on or through our Site or on other websites or apps, including on Facebook. We or the online advertising networks use this information to make the advertisements you see online more relevant to your interests. As noted above, depending on your browser or mobile device, you may be able set your browser to delete or notify you of cookies and other tracking technology by actively managing the settings on your browser or mobile device. You may also be able to limit interest-based advertising through the settings on your mobile device by selecting "limit ad tracking" (iOS) or "opt-out of interest based ads" (Android). To learn more about interest-based advertising and how you may be able to opt-out of some of this advertising, you may wish to visit the Network Advertising Initiative's online resources, at http://www.networkadvertising.org/choices, and/or the DAA's resources at www.aboutads.info/choices, and you may also adjust your ad preferences through your Facebook settings. You may also be able to opt-out of some – but not all – interest-based ads served by mobile ad networks by visiting http://youradchoices.com/appchoices and downloading the mobile AppChoices app. If you have any questions about opting out of the collection of cookies and other tracking/recording tools, you can contact us directly at [email protected] BASE does not knowingly collect or solicit any information from anyone under the age of 13 on through the Service. In the event that we learn that we have inadvertently collected personal information from a child under age 13, we will delete that information as quickly as possible. If you believe that we might have any information from a child under 13, please contact us at [email protected] The Service may contain links to and from third party websites of our business partners, advertisers, and social media sites and our users may post links to third party websites. If you follow a link to any of these websites, please note that these websites have their own privacy policies and that we do not accept any responsibility or liability for their policies. We strongly recommend that you read their privacy policies and terms and conditions of use to understand how they collect, use, and share information. We are not responsible for the privacy practices or the content on the websites of third party sites.	https://www.base.co.id/privacy-policy
10.1 Personal data processing: access to some sections of the site and/or any requests for information and services from users of the Site may require users to enter personal data. The Data Controller is WBS who will ensure that the data is processed pursuant to Italian Legislative Decree 196/2003 "Code on the Protection of Personal Data" (hereinafter referred to as the "Code") and the Article 12 of the EU General Data Protection Regulation (hereinafter referred as “GDPR”) .This information note aims to inform users on how WBS will use their personal data before they access the various sections of the Site and before they enter their data. Therefore, users are required to read this information note before compiling the boxes in the various sections of the Site. 10.2 Purpose of data processing: Your personal data are processed as follows: A) Without your declared approval (art. 24 lett. a), b), c) Codice Privacy and art. 6 lett. b), e) GDPR), for the following purposes: B) Only upon your declared authorization(artt. 23 e 130 Codice Privacy and art. 7 GDPR), for the following purposes: 10.3 Processing procedures: The processing of your personal data is carried out by means of the operations indicated in art. 4 of the Privacy Code and art. 4 n. 2) GDPR and more precisely: collection, registration, organization, storage, consultation, processing, modification, selection, extraction, comparison, use, interconnection, blocking, communication, cancellation and destruction of data. Your personal data are processed either on paper or electronically and / or automated, through the use of a website hosted by Serverplan in Italy. The Data Controller will process the personal data for the time necessary to fulfill the aforementioned purposes and in any case for no more than 10 years from the termination of the Service 10.4. Security The Owner has taken a variety of security measures to protect your data against the risk of loss, misuse or alteration. In particular: has adopted the measures referred to in Articles 32-34 of the Privacy Code and art. 32 GDPR; uses the data encryption technology established by the AES Standards (BCrypt) and the protected data transmission protocols known as HL7 and HTTPS; complies with the ISO / IEC 27000, WG3 and WG4 standards. 10.5. Access to data Your data may be made accessible for the purposes referred to in art. 2.A) and 2.B): • to the employees and collaborators of the Data Controller, in their capacity as persons in charge and / or internal process managers and / or system administrators; 10.6. Data communication Without your express consent (pursuant to Article 24 letter a), b), d) Privacy Code and art. 6 lett. b) and c) GDPR), the Data Controller may communicate your data for the purposes referred to in art. 2.A) to Supervisory Bodies, Judicial Authorities and to all the other subjects to whom the communication is mandatory by law for the accomplishment of said purposes. Your data will not be disclosed. 10.7. Data transfer The management and storage of personal data will take place in Europe, on servers located in Italy of the Data Controller and / or third-party companies appointed and duly appointed as Data Processors. 10.8. Nature of the provision of data and consequences of refusal to respond The provision of data for the purposes referred to in art. 2.A) is mandatory. In their absence, we can not guarantee you neither the registration to the Site nor the services of the art. 2.A). The provision of data for the purposes referred to in art. 2.B) is optional. You can therefore decide not to give any data or to subsequently deny the possibility of processing data already provided: in this case, you can not receive e-mail invitations to events, newsletters and opinion polls and approval. In any case, you will continue to be entitled to the Services referred to in art. 2.A). 10.9. Rights of the interested party In your capacity as interested parties, you have the rights set forth in art. 7 of the Privacy Code and art. 15 GDPR and precisely the rights of: • i. obtain confirmation of the existence or not of personal data concerning you, even if not yet registered, and their communication in an intelligible form; • ii. obtain the indication: a) of the origin of personal data; b) of the purposes and methods of the processing; c) of the logic applied in case of treatment carried out with the aid of electronic instruments; d) of the identification details of the owner, the managers and the designated representative pursuant to art. 5, paragraph 2 of the Privacy Code and art. 3, paragraph 1, GDPR; e) the subjects or categories of subjects to whom the personal data may be communicated or who may become aware of it in their capacity as designated representative in the territory of the State, managers or agents; • iii. obtain: a) updating, rectification or, when interested, integration of data; b) the cancellation, transformation into anonymous form or blocking of data processed unlawfully, including data whose retention is unnecessary for the purposes for which the data were collected or subsequently processed; c) the attestation that the operations referred to in letters a) and b) have been brought to the attention, also as regards their content, of those to whom the data have been communicated or disseminated, except in the case where such fulfillment is it proves impossible or involves a use of means manifestly disproportionate to the protected right; • iv. to object, in whole or in part: a) for legitimate reasons, to the processing of personal data concerning you, even if pertinent to the purpose of the collection; b) to the processing of personal data concerning you for the purpose of sending advertising or direct sales material or for carrying out market research or commercial communication, through the use of automated call systems without the intervention of an operator by e-mail and / or through traditional marketing methods by telephone and / or paper mail. It should be noted that the right of opposition of the interested party, set out in point b) above, for direct marketing purposes through automated methods extends to traditional ones and that in any case the possibility remains for the data subject to exercise the right to object even only partially. Therefore, the interested party can decide to receive only communications using traditional methods or only automated communications or none of the two types of communication. Where applicable, you also have the rights referred to in Articles 16-21 GDPR (Right of rectification, right to be forgotten, right of limitation of processing, right to data portability, right of opposition), as well as the right of complaints to the Guarantor Authority.10. How to exercise your rights You may at any time exercise your rights by sending: • a registered letter to a. Carlo Amaddeo, Via Gregorio VII, 198, 00165 Rome • an e-mail to [email protected] 11. The Owner does not intentionally collect personal information about minors. In the event that information on minors were unintentionally registered, the Data Controller will delete them in a timely manner, at the request of users. 12.1 Types and management of Cookiea) Technical cookies or "technical cookies": (i) necessary cookies or "strictly necessary cookies": They are necessary for navigation on a website and the use of its features, such as to allow a correct display or access to restricted areas. Therefore, disabling these cookies does not allow these activities (ii) Performance cookies or "performance cookies": They collect information on the efficiency of the responses of a website to the user's requests in an anonymous form, for the sole purpose of improving the functionality of the Internet site; for example, which pages are most frequently visited by the user, and if there have been errors or delays in the delivery of web pages (iii) Function cookies or "functionality cookies": Allow the site to remember the choices made by users and re-propose them to subsequent accesses in order to provide better and personalized services: for example, they can be used to offer content similar to those previously requested by the user. b) Cookies for targeted advertising or "cookie targeting": to offer users potentially close to their interests, as detected during browsing. For example, they are used to limit the administration of a given advertisement, or to deduce the effectiveness of a campaign from the frequency of display of the related advertising. These cookies can also be administered by third parties, also on behalf of advertisers. The user can accept or refuse these cookies expressing their consent ("opt in") prior to the administration of the same. 12.2 Disabling ("opt-out") for cookies: The rules on the protection of personal data provide that the user can disable cookies already given ("opt-out"). The opt-out is scheduled for cd. "Technical cookies" (Article 122 of the Code), as well as for cookies that do not fall under "previously accepted" technical cookies ("opt in") by the user. By virtue of this distinction, the user may proceed with the disabling and / or cancellation of cookies ("opt-out") through the relevant settings of their browser and the disabling and / or deletion of individual cookies not "technical" administered by third parties parties by accessing the website operated by the European Interactive Digital Advertising Alliance (EDAA) at www.youronlinechoices.eu. 13. Owner, manager and agent of the personal data management is WBS Games of Carlo Amaddeo with registered office in Rome Via Gregorio VII, 198. External manager of the treatment, is Dott. Gaspar Fedeli, Via Gaetano Donizetti, 20 00198 Rome, for tax and tax purposes . 14. Changes to this Statement: This statement may be subject to change. It is therefore advisable to regularly check this information.	http://www.gameshop.wbsgames.com/en/content/5-privacy
Last modified: October 25, 2021 1. Introduction. CONNECTIVE MED, LLC. (“CONNECTIVE MED,” “we,” “our,” or “us”) respects your privacy, and we are committed to protecting it through our compliance with this policy. This policy applies to information we collect: - on our Website; - in emails, text message, phone conversations, audio and video interactions and other electronic messages between you and our Website; - when you interact with our advertising and applications on third party websites and services, if those applications or advertising include links to this policy. It does not apply to information collected by: - us offline or through any other means, including on any other website operated by CONNECTIVE MED or any third party; - any third party, including through any application or content (including advertising) that may link to or be accessible from or on the Website or Application. 2. Children Under the Age of 18. Our Website and Services are not intended for children under the age of 18. 3. Information We Collect About You and How We Collect It. We collect different types of information about you, including information that may directly identify you,information that is about you but individually does not personally identify you, and information that we combine with our other users. This includes information that we collect directly from you. Generally We collect several types of information from and about users of our Website (collectively, “Personal Information”), specifically information: - by which you may be personally identified, such as name, address, e-mail address, home, work, and mobile telephone numbers, date of birth, credit or debit card number (for payment purposes only), audio (including recordings and transcripts), images and videos of you, gender; - about your Internet connection, the equipment you use to access our Website and usage details, such as traffic data, logs, referring/exit pages, date and time of your visit to our Website, error information, click stream data, and other communication data and the resources that you access and use on the Website. We collect this information: - directly from you when you provide it to us; - automatically as you navigate through the Website. Information collected automatically may include usage details, IP addresses, and information collected through cookies and other tracking technologies; and - from third parties, for example, our business partners. Information You Provide to Us The information we collect on or through our Website is: - information that you provide by filling in forms on our Website or the videos, images and recordings when interacting with a Provider on our Website. This includes information provided at the time of registering to use our Website as well as information provided when using our Provider consultation services, purchasing products, or requesting further services. We may also ask you for information when you report a problem with our Website; - records and copies of your correspondence (including email addresses), if you contact us; and - details of transactions you carry out through our Website and of the fulfillment of your orders. You may be required to provide financial information before placing an order through our Website. You also may provide information to be published or displayed (hereinafter, “posted”) on public areas of the Website or transmitted to other users of the Website or third parties(collectively, “User Contributions”). Your User Contributions are posted on and transmitted to others at your own risk. Although we limit access to certain pages, please be aware that no security measures are perfect or impenetrable. Additionally, we cannot control the actions of other users of the Website with whom you may choose to share your User Contributions. Therefore, we cannot and do not guarantee that your User Contributions will not be viewed by unauthorized persons. Information We CollectThrough Automatic Data Collection Technologies As you navigate through and interact with our Website, we may use automatic data collection technologies to collect certain information about your equipment, browsing actions, and patterns,specifically: - details of your access to and use of the Website, including traffic data, location data,logs, and other communication data and the resources that the end user accesses and uses on or through the Website; - information about your mobile device and internet connection, including the device’s unique device identifier, IP address, operating system, browser type, mobile network information, and the device’s telephone number; The information we collect automatically may include Personal Information or we may maintain it or associate it with Personal Information we collect in other ways or receive from third parties. It helps us to improve our Website and to deliver a better and more personalized service by enabling us to: - estimate our audience size and usage patterns; - forecast future needs, functions, and uses of our services, the Website; - better understand user satisfaction levels and experiences; - store information about your preferences, allowing us to customize our Website according to your individual interests; - recognize you when you return to our Website; - in other ways to improve your experience and the quality of our Website and services. The technologies we use for this automatic data collection may include: - Facebook. We use Facebook Pixel, a web analytics and advertising service provided by Facebook Inc.(“Facebook”) on our Website. With its help, we can keep track of what users do after they see or click on a Facebook advertisement, keep track of users who access our Website or advertisements from different devices, and better provide advertisements to our target audiences. The data from Facebook Pixel is also saved and processed by Facebook. Facebook can connect this data with yourFacebook account and use it for its own and others advertising purposes, in accordance with Facebook’s DataPolicy which can be found at https://www.facebook.com/about/privacy/. Please click here if you would like to withdraw your consent for use of your data with Facebook Pixel https://www.facebook.com/settings/?tab=ads#_=_.Please also refer to Choices About How We Use and Disclose Your Information below for more information about tracking technologies, targeted advertising and your choices relating to the use of your information for these purposes. 4. How We Use Your Information. We use your Personal Information for various purposes described below, including to: - provide our Website to you; - provide services to you; - provide you with information you request from us; - enforce our rights arising from contracts; - notify you about changes; and - provide you with notices about your account. We use information that we collect about you or that you provide to us, including any Personal Information: - to provide and improve our Website and services. - to provide you with information, products, or services that you request from us or that may be of interest to you; - for purposes of treatment, quality, improvement of health status, customer and patient experience, customer and patient engagement and/or behavior modification, peer review, payment, efficiency, cost effectiveness and/or other purposes relating to operations and provision of telehealth services; - to process, fulfill, support, and administer transactions and orders for products and services ordered by you; - to provide you with notices about your CONNECTIVE MED account; - to contact you in response to a request; - to administer surveys; - to fulfill any other purpose for which you provide it; - to carry out our obligations and enforce our rights arising from any contracts entered into between you and us or between us and health plans or other benefit programs, including for billing and collection; - to notify you about changes to our Website, or any products or services we offer or provide though them; - in any other way we may describe when you provide the information; and - for any other purpose with your consent. We may also use your information to contact you about goods and services that may be of interest to you, including through newsletters. If you wish to opt-out of receiving such communications, you may do so at anytime by clicking unsubscribe at the bottom of these communications. Health Information Some information CONNECTIVE MED collects constitutes protected health information (“PHI”) under the U.S. Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (“HIPAA”). As set forth above, CONNECTIVE MED will provide you with a Notice of Privacy Practices describing its collection, use and disclosure of your PHI, not CONNECTIVE MED, Inc. CONNECTIVE MED is a “business associate” (as that term is used under HIPAA) that provides services to and for CONNECTIVE MED Medical Group, other health care providers and health care plans, referred to as “covered entities” under HIPAA, and enters into business associate agreements with these covered entities. CONNECTIVE MED will use and disclose PHI only in accordance with the business associate agreements and HIPAA. We may de-identify your Personal Information so that it no longer reasonably identifies you. In this case, we may use this de-identified data without restriction and for any purpose, including to improve our Website and products and services. 5. Disclosure of Your Information - our affiliates and third party service providers that we use to support our business; - to a company we merge, acquire, or that buys us, or in the event of change in structure of our company of any form; - to comply with our legal obligations; - to enforce our rights; and - with your consent. - to affiliates, contractors, service providers, and other third parties we use to support our business. The services provided by these organizations include providing IT and infrastructure support services, and ordering, marketing, and payment processing services; - to a buyer or other successor in the event of a merger, divestiture, restructuring, reorganization,dissolution, or other sale or transfer of some or all of our assets, whether as a going concern or as part of bankruptcy, liquidation, or similar proceeding, in which Personal Information held by CONNECTIVE MED about our Website users are among the assets transferred; - to fulfill the purpose for which you provide it. For example, we may disclose your personal information to aProvider; - for any other purpose disclosed by us when you provide the information; - with your consent. We may also disclose your Personal Information: - to comply with any court order, law, or legal process, including to respond to any government or regulatory request; - if we believe disclosure is necessary or appropriate to protect the rights, property, or safety of CONNECTIVE MED, our customers, or others. This includes exchanging information with other companies and organizations for the purposes of fraud protection and credit risk reduction. 6. Choices About How We Use and Disclose Your Information We offer you choices on how you can opt out of our use of tracking technology, disclosure of your Personal Information for our advertising to you, and other targeted advertising. We do not control the collection and use of your information collected by third parties. We strive to provide you with choices regarding the Personal Information you provide to us. We have created mechanisms to provide you with control over your Personal Information: - Promotional Offers from CONNECTIVE MED. If you do not wish to have your email address used by CONNECTIVE MED to promote our own products and services, you can opt-out at any time by clicking the unsubscribe link at the bottom of any promotional emails or other marketing communications you receive from us. This opt out does not apply to information provided to CONNECTIVE MED as a result of a product purchase, or your use of our services. - Targeted Advertising. To learn more about interest-based advertisements and your opt-out rights and options, visit the Digital Advertising Alliance and the Network Advertising Initiative (NAI)websites (www.aboutads.info and www.networkadvertising.org). Please note that if you choose to opt out, you will continue to see ads, but they will not be based on your online activity. We do not control third parties’ collection or use of your information to serve interest-based advertising. However, these third parties may provide you with ways to choose not to have your information collected or used in this way. You can also opt out of receiving targeted ads from members of the NAI on its website. 7. Your Rights Regarding Your Information and Accessing and Correcting Your Information With respect to any PHI in our possession, you have certain rights under HIPAA as described in the Notice ofPrivacy Practices provided to you by your healthcare Provider. 8. Do Not Track Signals We currently do not use automated data collection technologies to track you across websites. We currently do not honor do-not-track signals that may be sent by some browsers. Some web browsers permit you to broadcast a signal to websites and online services indicating a preference that they “do not track” your online activities. At this time, we do not automatically honor such signals. However,please review other portions of this Policy regarding your ability to disable tracking technologies (e.g., Information We Collect Through Automatic Data CollectionTechnologies, Choices About How We Use and Disclose YourInformation). 9. Data Security Information transmitted over the Internet is not completely secure, but we do our best to protect your Personal Information. You can help protect your Personal Information and other information by keeping your password to our Website confidential. We have implemented measures designed to secure your Personal Information from accidental loss and from unauthorized access, use, alteration, and disclosure. The safety and security of your information also depends on you. Where you have chosen a password for the use of our Website, you are responsible for keeping this password confidential. We ask you not to share your password with anyone. Unfortunately, the transmission of information via the Internet is not completely secure. Although we work diligently to try and protect your Personal Information, we cannot guarantee the security of your Personal Information transmitted to our Website. Any transmission of Personal Information is at your own risk. We are not responsible for circumvention of any privacy settings or security measures contained on the Website, in your operating system. 12. Contact Information You may contact us through the contact information below.	https://www.connectivemed.com/privacy-policy/
By using our Services, you acknowledge and agree to that all personal information is collected, processed and stored in accordance with EU Regulation 2016/679. By using our Service you also acknowledge and agree to that personal information may be used as set out below. 2. Purpose 3. Scope 3. TRANSPARENCY/NOTICE—TYPES of Personal Information We Collect and How We Use It The types of Personal Information we may collect (directly from you or from third-party sources) and our privacy practices depend on the nature of the relationship you have with AVA Stories and the requirements of applicable law. Some of the ways that AVA Stories may collect Personal Information include: - You may provide Personal Information directly to AVA Stories through interacting with the Services. - As you navigate the Services, certain passive information may also be collected about your visit, including through cookies and similar technologies as described below. We endeavor to collect only that information which is relevant for the purposes of Processing. Below are the ways we collect Personal Information and how we use it. 3.1 Types of Personal Information We Collect AVA Stories collects Personal Information regarding its current, prospective, and former users and visitors to our Site. - Information You Provide Directly to Us. When you use the Services or engage in certain activities, such as registering for an Account with AVA Stories , requesting Services or information, or contacting us directly, we may ask you to provide some or all of the following types of information: - Communications with Us. We may collect Personal Information from you such as your email address when you choose to request information about our Services, or register for AVA Stories ’s waitlist or newsletter, request to receive customer or technical support, or otherwise communicate with us. - Automatic Data Collection. We may collect certain information automatically through our Services or other methods of web analysis, such as your Internet protocol (IP) address, cookie identifiers, mobile carrier, mobile advertising identifiers, MAC address, IMEI, Advertiser ID, and other device identifiers that are automatically assigned to your computer or device when you access the Internet, browser type and language, geo-location information, hardware type, operating system, Internet service provider, pages that you visit before and after using the Services, the date and time of your visit, the amount of time you spend on each page, information about the links you click and pages you view within the Services, and other actions taken through use of the Services such as preferences. - Information from Other Sources. We may receive information about you from other sources, including through third-party services and organizations to supplement information provided by you. For example, if you access our Services through a third- party application, such as an App Store or SNS, we may collect information about you from that third-party application that you have made public via your privacy settings. Information we collect through App Stores or SNS accounts may include your name, your SNS user identification number, your SNS user name, location, sex, birth date, email, profile picture, and your contacts on the SNS. This supplemental information allows us to verify information that you have provided to AVA Stories and to enhance our ability to provide you with information about our business and Services. 3.2 How AVA Stories Uses Your Information We acquire, hold, use, and Process Personal Information about individuals for a variety of business purposes, including: - To Provide Services or Information Requested. AVA Stories may use information about you to fulfill requests for our Services or other information including to: - Generally manage individual information and Accounts; - Respond to questions, comments, and other requests; - Provide access to certain areas, functionalities, and features of AVA Stories ’s Services; - Contact you to answer requests for customer support or technical support. - Administrative Purposes. AVA Stories may use Personal Information about you for its administrative purposes, including to: - Measure interest in AVA Stories ’s Services; - Develop new Services; - Ensure internal quality control; - Verify individual identity; - Communicate about individual Accounts and activities on AVA Stories ’s Services and systems, and, in AVA Stories ’s discretion, changes to any AVA Stories policy; - Send email to the email address you provide to us to verify your Account and for informational and operational purposes, such as Account management, customer service, or system maintenance; - Process payment for purchases related to our Services; - Process transactions; - Prevent potentially prohibited or illegal activities; - Enforce our Terms. - Marketing AVA Stories Services. AVA Stories may use Personal Information to provide you with materials about offers and Services that may be of interest, including new content or Services. AVA Stories may provide you with these materials by phone, postal mail, facsimile, or email, as permitted by applicable law. Such uses include: - To tailor content, advertisements, and offers; - To notify you about offers and services that may be of interest to you; - To provide Services to you and our sponsors; - For other purposes disclosed at the time that individuals provide Personal Information; or - Otherwise with your consent. You may contact us at any time to opt-out of the use of your Personal Information for marketing purposes, as further described in Section 5 below. - Research and Development. AVA Stories may use Personal Information to create non-identifiable information that we may use alone or in the aggregate with information obtained from other sources, in order to help us to optimally deliver our existing Services or develop new Services. From time to time, AVA Stories may perform research (online and offline) via surveys. We may engage third-party service providers to conduct such surveys on our behalf. All survey responses are voluntary, and the information collected will be used for research and reporting purposes to help us better serve individuals by learning more about their needs and the quality of our Services. The survey responses may be utilized to determine the effectiveness of our Services, various types of communications, advertising campaigns, and/or promotional activities. If an individual participates in a survey, the information given will be used along with that of other study participants. We may share anonymous individual and aggregate data for research and analysis purposes. - Services via Mobile Devices. AVA Stories provides Services that are specifically designed to be compatible and used on mobile devices, including our App. AVA Stories will collect certain information that your mobile device sends when you use such Services, like a device identifier, user settings, location information, mobile carrier, and the operating system of your device. Information about use of mobile versions of the Services may be associated with your Account. - Anonymous and Aggregated Information Use. AVA Stories may use Personal Information and other information about you to create anonymized and aggregated information, such as de-identified demographic information, de-identified location information, information about the computer or device from which you access AVA Stories ’s Services, or other analyses we create. Anonymized and aggregated information is used for a variety of functions, including the measurement of visitors’ interest in and use of various portions or features of the Services. Anonymized or aggregated information is not Personal Information, and AVA Stories may use such information in a number of ways, including research, internal analysis, analytics, and any other legally permissible purposes. We may share this information within AVA Stories and with third parties for our or their purposes in an anonymized or aggregated form that is designed to prevent anyone from identifying you. - Sharing Content with Friends or Colleagues. AVA Stories ’s Services may offer various tools and functionalities. For example, AVA Stories may allow you to forward or share certain content with a friend, such as an email inviting your friend to use our Services. Email addresses that you may provide for a friend or colleague will be used to send your friend or colleague the content or link you request, but will not be collected or otherwise used by AVA Stories or any other third parties for any other purpose. - Other Uses. AVA Stories may use Personal Information for which we have a legitimate interest, such as direct marketing, individual or market research, anti-fraud protection, or any other purpose disclosed to you at the time you provide Personal Information or with your consent. 3.3 Cookies, Pixel Tags/Web Beacons, Analytics Information, and Interest- Based Advertising - Cookies. Cookies are small text files placed in visitors’ computer browsers to store their preferences. Most browsers allow you to block and delete cookies. However, if you do that, the Site may not work properly. - Pixel Tags/Web Beacons. A pixel tag (also known as a web beacon) is a piece of code embedded on the Site that collects information about users’ engagement on that web page. The use of a pixel allows us to record, for example, that a user has visited a particular web page or clicked on a particular advertisement. - Analytics. We may also use Google Analytics and Google Analytics Demographics and Interest Reporting to collect information regarding visitor behavior and visitor demographics on some of our Services, and to develop website content. This analytics data is not tied to any Personal Information. For more information about Google Analytics, please visit www.google.com/policies/privacy/partners/. You can opt out of Google’s collection and Processing of data generated by your use of the Services by going to tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout. Our uses of such Technologies fall into the following general categories: If you would like to opt-out of the Technologies we employ on our Services, you may do so by blocking, deleting, or disabling them as your browser or device permits. 3.4 THIRD-PARTY SERVICES The Site may contain links to other websites and other websites may reference or link to our Site or other Services. These other domains and websites are not controlled by us, and AVA Stories does not endorse or make any representations about Third-Party websites or social media platforms. We encourage our users to read the privacy policies of each and every website and application with which they interact. We do not endorse, screen or approve, and are not responsible for the privacy practices or content of such other websites or applications. Visiting these other websites or applications is at your own risk. AVA Stories ’s Services may contain links and interactive features with various social media platforms (e.g., widgets). If you already use these platforms, their cookies may be set on your device when using our Site or other Services. You should be aware that Personal Information which you voluntarily include and transmit online in a publicly accessible blog, chat room, social media platform or otherwise online, or that you share in an open forum may be viewed and used by others without any restrictions. We are unable to control such uses of your information when interacting with a social media platform, and by using such services you assume the risk that the Personal Information provided by you may be viewed and used by third parties for any number of purposes. 3.5 Third-Party Payment Processing We sell Subscriptions (as defined in our Terms) to our Services. When you make purchases through the Services, we process your payments through a third-party application, including the Apple App Store (together with any similar applications, “App Stores”). The third-party application may collect certain financial information from you to process a payment on behalf of AVA Stories , including your name, email address, address and other billing information. 4. Onward Transfer—AVA Stories May Disclose Your Information 4.1 Information We Share - We Use Vendors and Service Providers. We may share any information we receive with vendors and service providers. The types of service providers (processors) to whom we entrust Personal Information include service providers for: (i) provision of IT and related services; (ii) provision of information and services you have requested; (iii) payment processing; (iv) customer service activities; and (v) in connection with the provision of the Site and App. AVA Stories has executed appropriate contracts with the service providers that prohibit them from using or sharing Personal Information except as necessary to perform the contracted services on our behalf or to comply with applicable legal requirements. - Business Partners. AVA Stories may share Personal Information with our business partners and affiliates for our and our affiliates’ internal business purposes or to provide you with a service that you have requested. AVA Stories may also provide Personal Information to business partners with whom we may jointly offer products or services, or whose products or services we believe may be of interest to you. In such cases, our business partner’s name will appear, along with AVA Stories . AVA Stories requires our affiliates and business partners to agree in writing to maintain the confidentiality and security of Personal Information they maintain on our behalf and not to use it for any purpose other than the purpose for which AVA Stories provided them. - Marketing – Interest-Based Advertising and Third-Party Marketing. Through our Services, AVA Stories may allow third-party advertising partners to set tracking tools (e.g., cookies) to collect information regarding your activities (e.g., your IP address, page(s) visited, time of day). We may also share such de-identified information as well as selected Personal Information (such as demographic information and past purchase history) we have collected with third-party advertising partners. These advertising partners may use this information (and similar information collected from other websites) for purposes of delivering targeted advertisements to you when you visit non-AVA Stories related websites within their networks. This practice is commonly referred to as “interest-based advertising” or “online behavioral advertising. We may allow access to other data collected by the Site to facilitate transmittal of information that may be useful, relevant, valuable or otherwise of interest to you. If you prefer that we do not share your Personal Information with third-party advertising partners, you may opt-out of such sharing at no cost by following the instructions in Section 5 below. - Disclosures to Protect Us or Others (e.g., as Required by Law and Similar Disclosures). We may access, preserve, and disclose your Personal Information, other Account information, and content if we believe doing so is required or appropriate to: (i) comply with law enforcement or national security requests and legal process, such as a court order or subpoena; (ii) respond to your requests; (iii) protect yours’, ours’ or others’ rights, property, or safety; (iv) to enforce AVA Stories policies or contracts; (v) to collect amounts owed to AVA Stories ; (vi) when we believe disclosure is necessary or appropriate to prevent physical harm or financial loss or in connection with an investigation or prosecution of suspected or actual illegal activity; or (vii) if we, in good faith, believe that disclosure is otherwise necessary or advisable. In addition, from time to time, server logs may be reviewed for security purposes—e.g., to detect unauthorized activity on the Services. In such cases, server log data containing IP addresses may be shared with law enforcement bodies in order that they may identify users in connection with their investigation of the unauthorized activities. 4.2 Data Transfers All Personal Information collected via or by AVA Stories may be stored anywhere in the world, including but not limited to the United States, in the cloud, on our servers, on the servers of our affiliates or the servers of our service providers. Your Personal Information may be accessible to law enforcement or other authorities pursuant to a lawful request. By providing information to AVA Stories , you consent to the storage of your Personal Information in these locations. 5. Opt-Out (RIGHT TO RESTRICT PROCESSING) General You have the right to opt out of certain uses and disclosures of your Personal Information. Where you have consented to AVA Stories ’s Processing of your Personal Information, you may withdraw that consent at any time and opt-out to further Processing by contacting support@AVA Stories stories.com. Even if you opt-out, we may still collect and use non- Personal Information regarding your activities on our Sites and/or information from the advertisements on third-party websites for non-interest based advertising purposes, such as to determine the effectiveness of the advertisements. Email and Telephone Communications Mobile devices AVA Stories may occasionally send you push notifications through our App with other notices that may be of interest to you. You may at any time opt-out from receiving these types of communications by changing the settings on your mobile device. AVA Stories may also collect location-based information if you use our App. You may opt-out of this collection by changing the settings on your mobile device. “Do Not Track” Do Not Track (“DNT”) is a privacy preference that users can set in certain web browsers. DNT is a way for users to inform websites and services that they do not want certain information about their webpage visits collected over time and across websites or online services. Please note that we do not respond to or honor DNT signals or similar mechanisms transmitted by web browsers. Cookies and Interest-Based Advertising As noted above, you may stop or restrict the placement of cookies on your computer or remove them from your browser by adjusting your web browser preferences. Please note that cookie-based opt-outs are not effective on mobile applications. However, on many mobile devices, App users may opt out of certain mobile ads via their device settings. The online advertising industry also provides websites from which you may opt-out of receiving targeted ads from our data partners and our other advertising partners that participate in self-regulatory programs. You can access these, and also learn more about targeted advertising and consumer choice and privacy, at www.networkadvertising.org/managing/opt_out.asp, or www.youronlinechoices.eu/ and www.aboutads.info/choices/. You can also choose not to be included in Google Analytics chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/google-analytics-opt- out/fllaojicojecljbmefodhfapmkghcbnh?hl=en. Delete Facebook Application Data To remove your data that is connected to your facebook account, proceed with this following steps: - Go to this link https://www.facebook.com/settings?tab=applications - Find “Ava Stories” in the list of active applications - Check the box to the right - Click the button that says “Remove” - Confirm the action. 6. Rights of Access, Rectification, Erasure, and Restriction Although AVA Stories makes good faith efforts to provide individuals with access to their Personal Information, there may be circumstances in which AVA Stories is unable to provide access, including but not limited to: where the information contains legal privilege, would compromise others’ privacy or other legitimate rights, where the burden or expense of providing access would be disproportionate to the risks to the individual’s privacy in the case in question or where it is commercially proprietary. If AVA Stories determines that access should be restricted in any particular instance, we will provide you with an explanation of why that determination has been made and a contact point for any further inquiries. To protect your privacy, AVA Stories will take commercially reasonable steps to verify your identity before granting access to or making any changes to your Personal Information. 7. Data Retention 8. Security of Your Information By using the Site or providing Personal Information to us, you agree that we may communicate with you electronically regarding security, privacy, and administrative issues relating to your use of the Site. If we learn of a security system’s breach, we may attempt to notify you electronically by posting a notice on the Site or sending an e-mail to you. You may have a legal right to receive this notice in writing. 9. Children’s Privacy The Services are not directed to users under 18, and AVA Stories does not knowingly collect Personally Identifiable Information from children under 13 (and in certain jurisdictions under the age of 16) years of age. If you are under the age of 18, you must have your parent’s permission to access the Services. AVA Stories urges parents to instruct their children never to give out their real names, addresses, or phone numbers, without parental permission, when online. If you learn that your child has provided us with Personal Information without your consent, you may alert us at [email protected]. If we learn that we have collected any Personal Information from children under 13 (and in certain jurisdictions under the age of 16), we will promptly take steps to delete such information and terminate the child’s Account. 10. Redress/Compliance and Accountability - New Uses of Personal Information. Additionally, before we use Personal Information for any new purpose not originally authorized by you, we will endeavor to provide information regarding the new purpose and give you the opportunity to opt- out. Where consent of the individual for the Processing of Personal Information is otherwise required by law or contract, AVA Stories will endeavor to comply with the law or contract.	https://www.avastories.com/privacy-policy/
on our Website; in email, text, and other electronic messages between you and our Website; when you interact with our advertising and applications on third-party websites and services, if those applications or advertising include links to this policy. Information We Collect About You We collect, or may collect, several types of information from and about users of our Website, specifically information: by which you may be personally identified, such as name, postal address, billing address, work address, shipping address, e-mail address, telephone numbers (home, work, and mobile), driver’s license number and other government identification numbers, date of birth, credit or debit card number (for payment purposes only), gender, race, religion, political orientation, salary, photos of you, and other personal information; that is about you but individually does not identify you, such as traffic data, location data, logs, referring/exit pages, date and time of your visit to our Website, error information, clickstream data, and other communication data and the resources that you access and use on the Website; about your internet connection, the equipment you use to access our Website and usage details. How We Collect Information About You We collect Personal Data directly from you when you provide it to us, automatically as you navigate through the Website and from third parties, for example, our business partners. The information we collect on or through our Website provided by you may include: information that you provide by filling in forms on our Website. This includes information provided at the time of registering to use our Website, completing a questionnaire or form, or requesting further services. We may also ask you for information when you report a problem with our Website; records and copies of your correspondence (including email addresses), if you contact us; your responses to surveys that we might ask you to complete; and details of transactions that may be tracked through our Website and of initiation of services. You may be required to provide financial information as part of initiation of services through our Website. We may also collect information about you, including Personal Data, automatically. The information we collect automatically may include personally identifiable information or we may maintain it or associate it with personally identifiable information we collect in other ways or receive from third parties. It helps us to improve our Website and to deliver a better and more personalized service by enabling us to: estimate our audience size and usage patterns; verify your location to ensure we can provide you with our services; store information about your preferences, allowing us to customize our Website according to your individual interests; recognize you when you return to our Website. The technologies we use for this automatic data collection may include: Cookies (or browser cookies) Web Beacons . Pages of our Website and our emails may contain small electronic files known as web beacons (also referred to as clear gifs, pixel tags, and single-pixel gifs) that permit us, for example, to count users who have visited those pages, used those screens, or opened an email and for other related Website statistics (for example, recording the popularity of certain Website content and verifying system and server integrity). Analytics . We use web analytics services to collect certain information relating to your use of the Website. Our analytics services use “cookies”, which are text files placed on your computer, to help the Website analyze how users use the site. How We User Your Information We use information that we collect about you or that you provide to us, including any Personal Data: to communicate with you about our products and services, including other brands owned and operated by Soundry, Inc.; to send newsletters, advertisements, or other promotional materials to you regarding our products and services; to provide you with information, products or services you request from us; to register and service your account; to provide you with notices about your account; to administer quizzes, surveys, sweepstakes, promotions, and contests; to contact you in response to a request; to carry out our obligations and enforce our rights arising from any contracts entered into between you and us; to enforce our rights arising from contracts or our intellectual property rights; to notify you about changes to our Website or any of our products and services; in any other way we may describe when you provide the information; to fulfill any other purpose for which you provide it; for any other purpose with your consent. Disclosure of Your Information to our contractors and third-party service providers that we use to support our business and our brands; to a company we merge, acquire, or that buys us, or in the event of change in structure of our company of any form, such as a sale or transfer of some of all of our assets, or a bankruptcy, liquidation or similar proceeding; to our subsidiaries and other brands owned and operated by Soundry, Inc.; to affiliates and third parties for their commercial purposes; to enforce or apply our and other agreements; to affiliates and third parties to market their products or services to you if you have not opted out of these disclosures; to comply with our legal obligations; if we believe disclosure is necessary or appropriate to protect the rights, property, or safety of us, our customers, or others (including without limitation exchanging information with other companies and organizations for the purposes of fraud protection and credit risk reduction); to enforce our rights; to resolve any potential fraud or perceived irregularity in any audits of the accuracy of any documentation or information submitted to us by you or on your behalf, as deemed appropriate by us; to comply with any court order, law, or legal process, including to respond to any government or regulatory request; to fulfill the purposes for which your provide it; for any purpose disclosed by us when you provide the information; and with your consent. We may also disclose aggregated information about our users, and information that does not identify any individual, without restriction. Not Covered by HIPAA Your relationship us is not considered a legally confidential relationship like your relationship with a legal or medical professional. That means that your communications with us are not subject to the protection of any legally recognized privilege. That also means that any information you disclose to us is not covered by Health Information Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, as amended (“HIPAA”). We do not represent that we comply with HIPAA. Choices About How We Use and Disclose Your Information We offer you choices on how you can opt out of our use of tracking technology, disclosure of your Personal Data for our advertising to you, and other targeted advertising. We do not control the collection and use of your information collected by third parties described above in Disclosure of Your Information. These third parties may, however, aggregate the information they collect with information from their other customers for their own purposes. In addition, we strive to provide you with choices regarding the Personal Data you provide to us. We have created mechanisms to provide you with control over your Personal Data: Tracking Technologies and Advertising Promotional Offers from Us . If you do not wish to have us use your email address to promote our products and services, you can opt-out at any time by emailing us at the contact information below. This opt out does not apply to information provided to us as a result of your purchase or use of our products and services. Disclosure of Your Information to Affiliates and Third Parties . By using our Website, you consent to our sharing of your Personal Data with our affiliates and third parties for their promotional purposes. If you wish to unsubscribe from such affiliate and third parties’ promotions, you can do so by clicking the unsubscribe link at the bottom of any email or other marketing communications you receive from them. Targeted Advertising . We belong to ad networks that may use your browsing activity across participating websites to show you interest-based advertisements on those websites. To learn more about interest-based advertisements and your opt-out rights and options, visit the Digital Advertising Alliance and the Network Advertising Initiative websites (www.aboutads.info and www.networkadvertising.org). Please note that if you choose to opt out, you will continue to see ads, but they will not be based on your online activity. We do not control third parties’ collection or use of your information to serve interest-based advertising. However, these third parties may provide you with ways to choose not to have your information collected or used in this way. You can also opt out of receiving targeted ads from members of the NAI on its website. Promotions for Our Products and Services We may use your Personal Data to contact you about products and services that may be of interest to you, including through newsletters. If you wish to opt-out of receiving such communications, you may do so at any time by emailing us at the contact information below. For more information, see Choices About How We Use and Disclose Your Information. Advertising Partners Links to Other Websites Contests and Sweepstakes We may operate contests, sweepstakes, or other promotions (each, a “Promotion”) through our Website, which may require registration on our Website or through our social media channels in order to enter. Your Personal Data may be used by us to contact you for winner notification, prize delivery confirmation, or other promotional purposes. Your entry may also result in your being added to our marketing lists. If you win a Promotion, your acceptance of a prize may require you (unless prohibited by law) to allow us to post publicly some of your Personal Data on our Website or elsewhere, such as on a winner’s page. SMS/MMS Mobile Messaging Marketing Program We may use your telephone number for the purpose of sending you SMS messaging related to marketing messages, order and shipping confirmations, and other order updates if you have opted in to receive such messaging. You may opt-out from receiving SMS messaging from us, at any time, by responding STOP to any of our messages. Messaging will be sent by an automated system initiated by our third party messaging provider. We do not share your telephone number with third parties for the purposes of receiving third party marketing messages. We also will not send messages to you promoting the goods or services of third parties. For additional information regarding our SMS messaging program, please read our Terms of Service or reach out to us at the contact information below. Your Rights Regarding Your Information and Accessing and Correcting Your Information You may review and change your Personal Data by emailing [email protected]. You may also notify us through the Contact Information below of any changes or errors in any Personal Data we have about you to ensure that it is complete, accurate, and as current as possible or to delete your Personal Data. We may also not be able to accommodate your request if we believe it would violate any law or legal requirement or cause the information to be incorrect. Do Not Track Signals We also may use automated data collection technologies to collect information about your online activities over time and across third party websites or other online services (behavioral tracking). Some web browsers permit you to broadcast a signal to websites and online services indicating a preference that they “do not track” your online activities. At this time, we do not honor such signals and we do not modify what information we collect or how we use that information based upon whether such signal is broadcast or received. Data Security We have implemented measures designed to secure your Personal Data from accidental loss and from unauthorized access, use, alteration, and disclosure. The safety and security of your information also depends on you. Where you have chosen a password for the use of our Website, you are responsible for keeping this password confidential. We ask you not to share your password with anyone. Unfortunately, the transmission of information via the internet is not completely secure. Although we do our best to protect your Personal Data, we cannot guarantee the security of your Personal Data transmitted to our Website. Any transmission of Personal Data is at your own risk. We are not responsible for circumvention of any privacy settings or security measures contained on the Website or in your operating system. Children Under the Age of 18 Our Website is not intended for children under 18 years of age. No one under age 18 may provide any information to or through the Website. We do not knowingly collect Personal Data from children under 18. If you are under 18, do not use or provide any information on our Website or on or through any of their features, including your name, address, telephone number, email address, or any screen name or user name you may use. If we learn we have collected or received Personal Data from a child under 18, we will delete that information. If you believe we might have any information from a child under 18, please contact us using the contact information listed below. Contact Information You may contact us through the contact information below. Soundry, Inc.	https://www.soundryhealth.com/privacy-policy
This page informs you of our policies regarding the collection, use, and disclosure of personal data when you use our Website and the choices you have associated with that data. It also applies to information we collect in email, text or other electronic messages between you and the Website. We use your data to provide customer service and provide and improve the Website. By using the Website, you agree to the collection and use of information in accordance with this policy. Personal Data: Personal Data means data about a living individual who can be identified from those data (or from those and other information either in our possession or likely to come into our possession). Usage Data: Usage Data is data collected automatically either generated by the use of the Website or from the Website infrastructure itself (for example, the duration of a page visit). Cookies: Cookies are small pieces of data stored on a User’s device. Data Processor (or Service Providers): Data Processor (or Service Provider) means any person (other than an employee of the Data Controller) who processes the data on behalf of the Data Controller. We may use the services of various Service Providers in order to process your data more effectively. For example, a virtual assistant, email marketing platform or marketing consultant. Data Subject: Data Subject is any living individual who is the subject of Personal Data. User: The User is the individual using our Website. The User corresponds to the Data Subject, who is the subject of Personal Data. Our Website is not intended for anyone under 13 years of age (“Children”). We do not knowingly collect personally identifiable information from Children. If you are under 13 years of age, please do not use or provide information on this Website or on or through any of its features/register on the Website, make any purchases through the Website, use any of the interactive or public comment features of this Website or provide any information about yourself to us, including your name, address, telephone number, email address or any screen name or user name you may use. If you are a parent or guardian or believe we might have any Personal Data from or about a child under 13, please contact us at [email protected]. If we become aware that we have collected Personal Data from Children without verification of parental consent, we will take steps to remove that information from our servers as soon as possible. When you access the Website, we will learn certain information about you during your visit. We collect several different types of information for various purposes to provide and improve our Website for you. Information You Provide To Us. The Website provides various places for users to provide information. We collect information that users provide by filling out forms on the Website, communicating with us via contact forms, responding to surveys and calling the business or podcast phone number, search queries on our search feature, providing comments or other feedback, and providing information when ordering a product or service via the Website. Such information can include: We use information you provide to us to deliver the requested product and/or service, to improve our overall performance, and to provide you with newsletters, marketing or promotional materials and other information that may be of interest to you. You may opt out of receiving any, or all, of these communications from us by following the Unsubscribe link or instructions provided in any email we send or by contacting us at [email protected]. Information We Collect Through Automatic Data Collection Technology. As you navigate through our Website, we may use automatic data collection technologies including Google Analytics to collect certain information about your equipment, browsing actions, and patterns. This is known as usage data. This will generally include information about your location, your traffic pattern through our website, and any communications between your computer and our Website. Among other things, we will collect data about the type of computer you use, your Internet connection, your IP address, your operating system, and your browser type. The information we collect automatically is used for statistical data and will not include personal information. We use this data to improve our Website and our service offerings. To the extent that you voluntarily provide personal information to us, our systems will associate the automatically collected information with your personal information. Dia Bondi Communications, LLC uses the collected data for various purposes: Similar to other commercial websites, our website utilizes a standard technology called “cookies” and server logs to collect information about how our site is used. Information gathered through cookies and server logs may include the date and time of visits, the pages viewed, time spent at our site, and the websites visited just before and just after our own, as well as your IP address. A cookie is a very small text document, which often includes an anonymous unique identifier. When you visit a website, that site’s computer asks your computer for permission to store this file in a part of your hard drive specifically designated for cookies. Each website can send its own cookie to your browser if your browser’s preferences allow it, but (to protect your privacy) your browser only permits a website to access the cookies it has already sent to you, not the cookies sent to you by other sites. The Company reserves the right to use technological equivalents of cookies, including social media pixels. These pixels allow social media sites to track visitors to outside websites so as to tailor advertising messages users see while visiting that social media website. The Company reserves the right to use these pixels in compliance with the policies of the various social media sites. We do not control these third parties’ tracking technologies or how they may be used. If you have any questions about an advertisement or other targeted content, you should contact the responsible provider directly. If you choose to correspond with us directly through email or through an online form that creates an email, we may retain the content of your email messages together with your email address and our responses. We provide the same protections for these electronic communications that we employ in the maintenance of information received online, by mail, and by telephone. This also applies when you register for our website, sign up through any of our forms using your email address or make a purchase through this site. For further information see the email policies below. We are committed to keeping your email address confidential. We do not sell, rent, or lease our subscription lists to third parties, and will not disclose your email address to any third parties except as allowed in the section titled Disclosure of Your Information. We will maintain the information you send via email in accordance with applicable federal law. In compliance with the CAN-SPAM Act, all emails sent from our organization will state who the email is from and provide clear information on how to contact the sender. In addition, all email messages will contain concise information on how to remove yourself from our mailing list so that you receive no further email communication from us. Our emails provide users the opportunity to opt-out of receiving communications from us by reading the unsubscribe instructions clearly located at the bottom of any email they receive from us at anytime. Users who no longer wish to receive our newsletter or promotional materials may opt-out of receiving these communications by clicking on the Unsubscribe link in the email footer. If you have any issues with this, please contact [email protected]. We collect your information in order to record and support your participation in the activities you select. If you register to download a book or resources, sign up for our newsletter, participate in a program and/or purchase a product from us, we collect your information. We use this information to track your preferences and to keep you informed about the products and services you have selected to receive and any related products and/or services. As a visitor to this Website, you can engage in most activities without providing any personal information. It is only when you seek to download resources and/or register for services that you are required to provide information. If you opt to receive any free resources, participate in any free training programs, register for a webinar, register for a live event, register for a seminar, or purchase any products sold by the Company on this Website, you will be notified that we will automatically enroll you to receive our free email newsletter. If you do not wish to receive this newsletter, you can unsubscribe anytime. We include an “Unsubscribe” link at the bottom of every email we send. If you ever have trouble unsubscribing, you can send an email to [email protected] requesting to unsubscribe from future emails. We use personal information for purposes of presenting our Website and its contents to you, providing you with information, providing you with offers for products and services, providing you with information about your subscriptions and products, carrying out any contract between you and the Company, administering our business activities, providing customer service, and making available other items and services to our customers and prospective customers. From time-to-time, we may use the information you provide to us to make you offers to purchase products and services provided by third parties in exchange for a commission to be paid to us by such third parties. Should you opt to take part in such promotions, the third parties will receive your information. As a general rule, we do not sell, rent, lease or otherwise transfer any information collected whether automatically or through your voluntary action. The only exceptions may be: Delivery of Service: We may disclose your personal information to our subsidiaries, affiliates, and service providers for the sole purpose of providing our services to you. Business Transaction: We may provide your information to any successor in interest in the event of a merger, divestiture, restructuring, reorganization, dissolution, or other sale or transfer of some or all of the Company’s assets and/or business. Law Enforcement: We may disclose information when legally compelled to do so, in other words, when we, in good faith, believe that the law requires it or for the protection of our legal rights or the safety of our user, to prevent or investigate possible wrongdoing in connection with our Website or services, or when compelled by a court or other governmental entity to do so. We may also disclose your personal information to a third party, including a lawyer or collection agency, when necessary to enforce our terms of service or any other agreement between you and the Company. We may employ third party companies and individuals to facilitate our Website (“Service Providers”), to provide services on our behalf, to perform Website-related services or to assist us in analyzing how our Website is used. These third parties have access to your Personal Data only to perform these tasks on our behalf and are obligated not to disclose or use it for any other purpose. We may use third-party Service Providers to monitor and analyze the use of our Website. Google Analytics is a web analytics service offered by Google that tracks and reports website traffic. Google uses the data collected to track and monitor the use of our Website. This data is shared with other Google services. Google may use the collected data to contextualize and personalize the ads of its own advertising network. For more information on the privacy practices of Google, please visit the Google Privacy & Terms web page right here. * Google AdWords: Google AdWords remarketing service is provided by Google Inc. You can opt-out of Google Analytics for Display Advertising and customize the Google Display Network ads by visiting the Google Ads Settings page right here. Google also recommends installing the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on or your web browser. Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on provides visitors with the ability to prevent their data from being collected and used by Google Analytics. For more information on the privacy practices of Google, please visit the Google Privacy & Terms web page here: Twitter: Twitter remarketing service is provided by Twitter Inc. You can opt-out from Twitter’s interest-based ads by following their instructions here. Facebook: Facebook remarketing service is provided by Facebook Inc. You can learn more about interest-based advertising from Facebook by visiting this page. To opt-out from Facebook’s interest-based ads follow these instructions from Facebook listed here. Facebook adheres to the Self-Regulatory Principles for Online Behavioral Advertising established by the Digital Advertising Alliance. You can also opt-out from Facebook and other participating companies through the Digital Advertising Alliance in the USA , the Digital Advertising Alliance of Canada in Canada, or the European Interactive Digital Advertising Alliance in Europe, or opt-out using your mobile device settings. For more information on the privacy practices of Facebook, please visit Facebook’s Data Policy here. *LinkedIn: Remarketing service is provided by LinkedIn, Corporation. You can learn more about interest-based advertising from LinkedIn by visiting this page. To opt-out from LinkedIn’s interest-based ads follow these instructions from LinkedIn here. LinkedIn adheres to the Self-Regulatory Principles for Online Behavioral Advertising established by the Digital Advertising Alliance. You can also opt-out from LinkedIn and other participating companies through the Digital Advertising Alliance in the USA , the Digital Advertising Alliance of Canada in Canada or the European Interactive Digital Advertising Alliance in Europe, or opt-out using your mobile device settings. For more information on the privacy practices of LinkedIn, please visit LinkedIn’s Data Policy here. We may provide paid products and/or services within the Website. In that case, we use third-party services for payment processing (e.g. payment processors). Security Standards Council, which is a joint effort of brands like Visa, Mastercard, American Express and Discover. PCI-DSS requirements help insure the secure handling of payment information. We use different payment processors based on which product and service is offered. The payment processors we work with are: We have no control over and assume no responsibility for the content, privacy policies or practices of any third party sites or services. The security of your data is important to us, but remember that no method of transmission over the Internet, or method of electronic storage is 100% secure. While we strive to use commercially reasonable methods to ensure the security of the information you provide to us and the information we collect automatically, we cannot guarantee its absolute security. This includes using standard security protocols and working only with reputable third-party vendors. Email is not recognized as a secure medium of communication. For this reason, we request that you do not send private information to us by email. However, doing so is allowed, but at your own risk. Some of the information you may enter on our website may be transmitted securely via a secure medium known as Secure Sockets Layer, or SSL. Credit Card information and other sensitive information is never transmitted via email. The Company may use software programs to create summary statistics, which are used for such purposes as assessing the number of visitors to the different sections of our site, what information is of most and least interest, determining technical design specifications, and identifying system performance or problem areas. For site security purposes and to ensure that this service remains available to all users, the Company uses software programs to monitor network traffic to identify unauthorized attempts to upload or change information, or otherwise cause damage. Dia Bondi Communications, LLC aims to take reasonable steps to allow you to correct, amend, delete, or limit the use of your Personal Data. Whenever made possible, you can update your Personal Data directly within your account settings section. If you are unable to change your Personal Data, please contact us at [email protected] to make the required changes. If you wish to be be informed what Personal Data we hold about you and if you want to be removed from our systems, please contact us at [email protected] In certain circumstances, you have the right: Please note that we may ask you to verify your identity before responding to such requests. If you are within the European Union, you are entitled to certain information and have certain rights under the General Data Protection Regulation. Those rights include: We will retain the any information you choose to provide to us until the earlier of: (a) you asking us to delete the information, (b) our decision to cease using our existing data providers, or (c) the Company decides that the value in retaining the data is outweighed by the costs of retaining it. We require only the information that is reasonably required to enter into a contract with you. We will not require you to provide consent for any unnecessary processing as a condition of entering into a contract with us. Email Address: [email protected] DISCLAIMER The concepts and content presented in Ask Like An Auctioneer ("Materials") and any other educational, personal and professional development content and materials are provided with the understanding that Dia Bondi Communications, LLC ("Company") is not engaged in rendering professional advice or services; that the Services are not intended to serve as or shall be deemed investment, legal, tax, accounting or other regulated advice; and that the User remains solely responsible for User's use of the Materials and acknowledges that any reliance upon the Materials shall be entirely at User's sole option and risk. The Company shall have no liability or responsibility for any information provided in linked websites or by third parties. The Materials are provided “as is” without warranty of any kind, either express or implied, including, without limitation, implied warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose. TALENT/PARTICIPANT AND CONTENT RELEASE The Dia Show invites listeners to call a phone number and leave a voice message or to email us at a specific email address with questions, comments and contributions. We will, from time to time, use those voice messages, emails and comments and the content therein on the show. All callers, contributors (Participants) into The Dia Bondi hereby grants to Dia Bondi Communications, LCC ("Producer") with respect to and in connection with the The Dia Bondi Show ("Podcast") the nonexclusive right and license to use callers, voice, and performance, written content or comments on any channel related toThe Dia Bondi Show, such as YouTube, Simplacast or other third party sites. Specifically, and without limiting the generality of the foregoing, those who call into the show, respond to calls for participation via email or other platforms agrees as follows: 1. Producer shall have the right to film, tape and/or record and store the content provided by the caller or participant. Producer shall be the sole and exclusive owner of all right, title, and interest in and to the Podcast, including, but not limited to, the copyright therein. Undersigned’s participation in the Podcast shall be considered a work made for hire and Producer shall be considered the author of the Podcast for purposes of copyright. 2. Producer shall have the right to edit any and all film, tapes, written content and/or recordings of participants at the Producer's discretion. Participant waives any and all rights of inspection and/or approval of such film, tapes, written content and/or recordings contributed to The Dia Bondi Show’s email, voicemail, website or related social channels. 3. Producer shall have the right to use the participants name and likeness in all media now known or hereafter devised, worldwide, in perpetuity in connection with the reproduction, transmission, exhibition, distribution, packaging, and exploitation of the Podcast and in connection with the advertising, promotion, marketing, publicizing, and commercial exploitation of the Podcast; provided, however, that such usage shall not in any manner constitute or imply an endorsement by the participant of any product or service. 4. The rights granted herein to Producer shall be for the benefit of Producer and all persons, firms, corporations, and entities who may hereafter acquire from Producer the right to transmit, exhibit, distribute, package, advertise, promote, market, publicize, and commercially exploit the Project. 5. Undersigned represents and warrants that Undersigned has the right to grant the rights granted herein and Undersigned is under no prohibition, disability, or restriction which would prevent Producer or any third part(y)(ies) from fully utilizing and exploiting such rights. 6. This release shall be governed and construed under and in accordance with California law and the sole and exclusive jurisdiction in connection with any matter arising out of this Release shall be in the courts of the State of California, Contra Costa County or the Federal Courts located in the State of California. REPUBLISHING POLICY If you see something on the diabondi.com website, social channels or use any of the free tools, blogs, articles we welcome you to re-publish it on your own site, in your magazine, in your book, or anywhere else that you like with attribution. Attribution includes the name Dia Bondi, & link back to the website: DiaBondi.com. Please notify us via email at [email protected] so we can say thanks and possibly promote your work. “COMMENT” policy. WE accept Comments at diabondi.com on the blog and encourage you to share your thoughts. Please keep all comments thoughtful and respectful. No personal attacks, inflammatory speech or hate speech will be accepted or your Comment will be removed. Comment and content in the comments section is moderated with the full discretion of Dia Bondi Communications, LLC. These return/refund policies differ by offering and will be posted within the offering page OR spelled-out in the contract (if applicable). In general:	https://www.diabondi.com/privacy-policy
- Before or at the time of collecting personal information, we will identify the purposes for which information is being collected. - We will collect and use of personal information solely with the objective of fulfilling those purposes specified by us and for other compatible purposes, unless we obtain the consent of the individual concerned or as required by law. - We will only retain personal information as long as necessary for the fulfillment of those purposes. - We will collect personal information by lawful and fair means and, where appropriate, with the knowledge or consent of the individual concerned. - Personal data should be relevant to the purposes for which it is to be used, and, to the extent necessary for those purposes, should be accurate, complete, and up-to-date. - We will protect personal information by reasonable security safeguards against loss or theft, as well as unauthorized access, disclosure, copying, use or modification. - We will make readily available to customers information about our policies and practices relating to the management of personal information. We are committed to conducting our business in accordance with these principles in order to ensure that the confidentiality of personal information is protected and maintained. We may collect and share data with third parties for advertising and marketing purposes. You may opt-out of Interest-Based Advertising by visiting the NAI consumer opt-out page.THE SOFTWARE To get started, a User must first download the Software. While installing the Software some information will be collected as described more fully below. Software Registration Information During the installation process, the software may collect certain non-personally identifiable information about you, such as country, language, version ID, setup ID, affiliate IDs, and installation date. OUR USE OF THE INFORMATION YOU PROVIDE The company will only use information that is provided in order to provide Users with important information about the Software (such as upgrades, modifications, etc.) and to announce new products and services available to Users. Except as necessary to perform the functions of the Software and/or Site, the company will not share, sell or lease any personally identifiable information about any User to any unaffiliated third party for any purpose without that User's permission. Non-Personally Identifiable Information The company may use certain non-personally identifiable information provided by Users for the following purposes: a) To create aggregate, non-personal, demographic reports about the Users of the software. b) Provide Users with certain content that may be of interest to that User based on the information the User provides. GENERAL USAGE PATTERNS The company may gather information related generally to Users' use of the Software. This information, which will only be collected and maintained in aggregate, anonymous form, will be used, among other things, to: a) Provide a better understanding of how Users use the Software and the various features thereof; b) Help to create and provide new services and offerings to Users; and c) Conduct and publish aggregate, anonymous, market research results. COMPUTER SETTINGS The company may collect settings, technical and other information from Users' computers, such as a computer's operating system, browser versions used, various communication parameters and other information related to the operation and interaction of the Software, subject to the provisions herein. COOKIES 'Cookies' are pieces of information that are placed on an individual's computer hard drive to enable the individual to more easily communicate and interact with the Site. The company currently contracts with several online partners to help manage and optimize its Internet business and communications. The company may use the services of a marketing company to help it measure the effectiveness of its advertising and how visitors use this Site. The type of information collected may include the pages visited, the product codes and prices that visitors purchase and coupons that were used during purchase. By supplementing, this information helps the company learn things like what pages are most attractive to visitors of the Site, which of the products most interest its customers, and what kind of offers our customers like to see. The marketing company manages the information generated from the Site, controls how that data may and may not be used. IP ADDRESSES An Internet Protocol address is a number that's automatically assigned to a computer when using the Internet. Web servers can automatically identify individual computers by their IP address. the company may collect IP addresses to: Facilitate system administration; Diagnose system problems; Report aggregate User information; and Avoid hacking attacks on the servers. CONSENT TO PROCESSING Users, including without limitation, Users in the European Union, fully understand and unambiguously consent to the collection and processing of their non-personally identifiable information, in the United States. If you have any questions or concerns about your privacy or anything in this policy, we encourage you to contact us. You may also send correspondence to:	https://fastcleaner.org/privacy.html
WWF Germany takes the protection of personal data very seriously. For this reason, we would like to inform users of our website about which data is stored and how this data is used. Responsible Authority WWF Germany A Civil Law Foundation Reinhardtstr. 18 10117 Berlin Phone: 030 311777-0 Fax: 030 311777-199 E-Mail: info(at)wwf.de Additional details can be found on the Legal Notice page. Data Protection Officer If you have any questions regarding the processing of your personal data, you can contact our Data Protection Officer in writing. WWF Germany Data Protection Officer Reinhardtstr. 18 10117 Berlin Phone: 030 311777-0 datenschutz(at)wwf.de Rights of Data Subjects and Right of Appeal to a Supervisory Authority You have the right to receive information about your stored data from WWF at no cost. The following rights apply: - Right of access to information – The right to know what data was collected and how it was processed - Right of data correction – The right to request the modification of personal data if it is not up to date - Right to data erasure – The right to have personal data deleted - Right to restrict processing – The right to limit the processing of personal data - Right to data portability – The right to transfer personal data directly from one system to another (in machine-readable form) - Right of objection – The right to revoke the consent given or to object to the processing of personal data (for example, in case of legitimate interest). Complaints against WWF Germany may be submitted to the supervisory authorities. The entity responsible for WWF Germany is: Berlin Commissioner for Data Protection and Freedom of Information Friedrichstr. 219 10969 Berlin E-Mail: mailbox(at)datenschutz-berlin.de Collection, Storage and Use of Data Personal data is also collected, stored and used when you use our website. Personal data refers to individual details about personal or factual circumstances of a specific or identifiable natural person, which provide information about their behavior or their characteristics. This includes your name, address, telephone or fax number, e-mail address, but also details about personal interests or your spending behavior, if these details can be assigned to you directly or indirectly. The provision of your personal data is neither required by law nor by contract for the use of our websites. We need some information from you so that you can subscribe to our newsletter, so that we can respond to your requests, and so that you can participate in petitions, campaigns or competitions or use the forms on the Donate&Help pages. This includes, for example, your name and address as well as your e-mail address, your date of birth, your bank details or credit card details. Your details will be used exclusively for the indicated purposes. If you have participated in a petition or campaign action and do not wish to receive any further information from us, your data required to complete the petition or campaign activities will be deleted after the petition or campaign activities have ended. We collect and process your data to collect the donations, sponsorships and memberships commissioned by you as well as to maintain the ongoing support relationship and to send you information about our current projects. Participating credit institutions only receive your data to the extent necessary to complete the collection of donations. For the technical implementation of data processing, we use external service providers in some cases. Registration/Login To use our services, such as participating in one of our campaigns or petitions, you may be required to register with your personal information, such as your first name, last name and e-mail address. The data will be used exclusively for the provision and use of our offers and services. Analysis or distribution to third parties is prohibited. As a registered user you can delete your account at any time. We also offer you the option of a simpler registration. For example, you can use your Facebook or Google user account. If you choose to sign up with your Facebook or Google account, you will first be directed to Facebook or Google in a pop-up window. There you will be asked to log in or register on Facebook or Google. If you are already logged in at that time, this registration request will be skipped. We will not know your access data. Facebook and Google only provide us with the data for registration. You can also use this option to speed up the entry of your data in a form. In this case, Facebook and Google will provide us with the data required to complete the form, provided that this data is available and you agree to this. Before sending the form, you can check the data again and correct it if necessary. WWF uses the login information provided by Facebook and Google solely to provide you with the relevant offer or service. Any further processing is excluded. Legal Basis for the Use of Your Data The processing of your data is based in particular on one of the following legal bases: - your validly obtained consent (article 6, paragraph 1a of the General Data Protection Regulations – DSGVO), which you may revoke at any time; - to establish or execute a contract or other responsibilities directly related to a contract (article 6, paragraph 1b of the General Data Protection Regulations – DSGVO); - for the protection of legal obligations (article 6, paragraph 1b of the of the General Data Protection Regulations – DSGVO); - to pursue the legitimate interests of WWF, unless your interests or fundamental rights prevail (article 6, paragraph 1b of the General Data Protection Regulations – DSGVO); (The following list contains examples, but is not exhaustive). \| \| Legal foundations \| \| Examples of Processes \| \| Examples of Data Types \| \| Consent (which you may revoke at any time) \| \| Subscribe to our newsletter \| \| E-mail address, name \| \| Performance of a Contract \| \| Donations, memberships \| \| Name, address, telephone number, payment methods \| \| Legal Obligations \| \| Disclosure of data to meet obligations to authorities \| \| Payment method, name \| \| Justifiable interest (company management; ensuring the security of the company and established and operating companies; improving service; target group-oriented marketing) \| \| Fraud prevention investigations; customer surveys to improve service; targeting; tracking \| \| IP address, device ID, name, e-mail address Data Recipient In certain cases, your personal data may be disclosed to other companies or legal entities, in particular to service providers (such as hosting partners, social media companies, payment providers), campaign partners and government authorities (such as the tax office for tax-relevant information). Transmission of your Data Abroad WWF Germany operates globally. Some of your data will also be processed in countries outside the European Union (“EU”) or the European Economic Area (“EEA”). In these cases, for example, we use contractual agreements with our business partners or service providers to ensure that an adequate level of data protection is guaranteed for your data, or we ask for your express consent. Recording Every time a user accesses a page from the WWF Germany website and every time a file is retrieved, data about this process is stored in a log file. Depending on the access protocol used, the log data record contains information with the following contents: - IP address of the requesting computer, - name of the requested file, - date and time of the request, - access methods/functions requested by the requesting computer, - access status of the Web server (file transferred, file not found, command not executed, etc.) and - the URL from which the file was requested or the desired function was initiated, - operating system and browser type or browser settings. It is not possible for us to link the IP address and any personal data that may exist. The stored data is used exclusively for the purposes of identifying and tracking unauthorized access attempts/access to the web server and for statistical evaluations such as visitor numbers and page popularity. The evaluation is conducted only by employees authorized by us. In order to make your visit to our website attractive and to enable the use of certain functions, we use so-called cookies on several pages. These are small text files that are stored on your device. Some of the cookies we use are deleted at the end of the browser session, i.e. after closing your browser (so-called session cookies). Other cookies remain on your device and enable us or our partner to recognize your browser on your next visit (persistent cookies). You can set your browser so that you are informed about the setting of cookies and decide individually whether to accept them or to exclude the acceptance of cookies for certain cases or in general. The failure to accept cookies may limit the functionality of our website. Categories of Cookies Absolutely necessary cookies are required so that you can navigate a website and use its functions. Without these cookies, certain features, such as actions during a visit (ex: text input), cannot be guaranteed even when navigating between website pages. Functional cookies enable a website to store information already provided (ex: user name, language selection or your current location) and improve the user’s ability to offer personal features. These cookies collect anonymous information and cannot track your movements on other websites. Performance cookies collect information about the use of a website – for example, which pages visitors visit most frequently and whether they receive error messages from a page. These cookies do not store any information that would allow the user to be identified. The information collected is summarized and made anonymous. These cookies are used exclusively to improve the performance of a website and thus its user-friendliness. Cookies for marketing purposes are used for the purpose of target-oriented advertising relevant to the user and adapted to the user’s interests. They are also used to limit the frequency of an ad and to measure the effectiveness of advertising campaigns. They record whether you have visited a website or not. This information may be distributed to third parties (ex: advertisers). To improve targeting and advertising, cookies are often linked to third-party functions. Google Analytics We use Google Analytics, a web analysis service of Google Inc. “(“Google”), for the demand-oriented design of web offers. WWF Germany only receives evaluations of data without any personal reference. Google Analytics uses “cookies”, which are text files placed on your computer, to help the website analyze how users use the site. The information generated by the cookie about your use of this website (including your IP address) will be transmitted to and stored by Google on servers in the United States. IP anonymization has been activated on this website so that the IP addresses of users of Google within Member States of the European Union or in other signatory states to the Agreement on the European Economic Area are shortened in advance. Only in exceptional cases will the full IP address be transmitted to a Google server in the USA and shortened there. On behalf of the operator of this website, Google will use this information to evaluate the use of the website by users, to compile reports about website activities and to provide the website operator with further services associated with the use of the website and the Internet. Google may also transfer this information to third parties if this is required by law or if third parties process this data on behalf of Google. Google will not associate your IP address with any other data held by Google. You can also prevent Google from collecting the data generated by the cookie and relating to your use of the website (including your IP address) and from processing this data by Google by downloading and installing the browser plug-in available at the following link: https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout?hl=de. In those cases where the plug in cannot be used on smart phones, for example, you can also prevent it from being captured by Google Analytics by clicking on the following link. When you visit this website, an opt-out cookie is set to prevent the future collection of your data: Deactivate Google Analytics Google AdWords Conversion-Tracking We partly use the on-line advertising program “Google AdWords” on our websites and in this context, we use conversion tracking. The conversion tracking cookie is set when a user clicks on an ad served by Google. These cookies expire after 180 days and are not used for personal identification. If the user visits certain pages of this website and the cookie has not yet expired, we and Google can see that the user has clicked on the ad and has been redirected to this page. Each Google AdWords customer receives a different cookie. Cookies cannot therefore be traced through the websites of AdWords customers. VG Wort Copyright Association Our websites and our mobile website use the “Scalable Central Measurement Method” (SCM) from INFOnline GmbH to determine statistical parameters for ascertaining the copy probability of texts. This serves to determine the remuneration of legal claims of authors and publishers. Anonymously measured values are collected. The access number measurement alternatively uses a session cookie or a signature (METIS counting pixels), which is created from various automatically transmitted information from your browser, to recognize computer systems. IP addresses are only processed in anonymous form. The procedure was developed with data protection in mind. The sole goal of the procedure is to determine the likelihood of copying individual texts. Individual users are never identified at any time. Your identity is always protected. You will not receive any advertising through the system. Advertising On WWF’s web pages, with the help of the following service providers - Criteo GmbH, Gewürzmühlstraße 11, 80538 Munich, - Sociomantic Labs GmbH, Paul-Lincke-Ufer 39/40, 10999 Berlin, - Google Inc., 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, USA, - Performance Advertising GmbH, ABC-Straße 21, 20354 Hamburg, - Rocket Fuel GmbH, Neuer Dovenhof, Brandstwiete 1, 20457 Hamburg - iAdvize Societe par actions simplifiees, 9 Rue Nina Simone, F-44000 Nates, Frankreich und - Facebook Incorporated, 1601 S. California Ave, Palo Alto, CA 94304, USA Information about the browsing behavior of website visitors for marketing purposes and for the continuous improvement of our offers and services is collected and stored in anonymized and/or pseudo-anonymized form. With the help of a so-called “web bug”, page visitors can be identified technically and without personal reference and pseudo-anonymous profiles can then be created. The data is then stored on your computer in encrypted and compressed form using cookies. This cookie is only accessible to the visitor and the service provider. The service providers analyze the browsing behavior and can then display targeted product recommendations as personalized advertising banners on other websites. Under no circumstances can this data be used to personally identify the visitor to this website. The data collected will only be used to improve the offer. Any other use of the data or distributing it to third parties is prohibited. The data transmitted by the offer does not contain any personal data. You can object to the pseudo-anonymous analysis of your browsing behavior: Criteo and Facebook If you no longer wish to receive personalized advertising from Criteo, you can unsubscribe by clicking the opt-out button at this Link If you would like to object to Facebook’s use of your profile for analysis and marketing purposes, you can do so at https://www.facebook.com/ads/preferences/?entry_product=ad_settings_screen. For more options to disable Rocketfuel, Criteo and Facebook, go to the Network Advertising Initiative opt-out platform or the Digital Advertising Alliance platform. Sociomantic If you no longer wish to receive personalized advertising from Sociomantic, you can unsubscribe by clicking the opt-out button at this Link. If you no longer wish to receive personalized advertising from Google, you can unsubscribe by clicking the opt-out button at this Link. Performance Advertising If you no longer wish to receive personalized advertising through Performance Advertising, you can unsubscribe by clicking the opt-out button at this Link. We would like to point out that this only blocks the advertisements displayed by the individual service provider. You can opt out of all personalized advertising by deactivating cookies in your browser. iAdvize On WWF’s websites we offer you additional support options with the help of the service provider iAdvize – via a small window at the bottom of the browser screen. iAdvize processes the data exclusively within the scope of order data processing for WWF Germany. Data for the iAdvize service is stored on your computer via cookies. Data is not stored on iAdvize servers until you start a communication process with one of our consultants. You can modify the local storage on your computer with the usual browser settings for cookie control. The consultant receives information about your visit to our website and the standard web data (ex: browser identification and operating system) so that you can receive assistance as quickly as possible. The data will only be collected, processed or used for the purpose of user support and will under no circumstances be distributed to third parties. For your future consultation and to further optimize our website and services, the communications activities are stored for 30 days. For quality assurance purposes, it is possible for team leaders to randomly monitor individual chats or listen in on phone calls. If you do not wish this, please inform your consultant. Use of Social Plug-ins or the “Share” Function WWF uses social plug-ins or “share” functions from the following providers on some of its Internet services: - Facebook Inc., 1601 South California Avenue, Palo Alto, CA 94304, USA - Google Inc., 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, USA - Twitter Inc., 1355 Market Street, Suite 900, San Francisco, CA 94103, USA - Tumblr Inc., 35 East 21st St, 10th Floor, New York, NY 10010, USA - Pinterest Inc., 808 Brannan St, San Francisco, CA 94103, USA The plug-ins allow you to share content and images with other people. When using the plug-ins, WWF Germany would like to ensure that user data is only transferred if this is desired. We have therefore decided to use the so-called “2-click solution”. By default, the plug-in is disabled. Only when you as a user click on one of the buttons, it is activated and a connection to the servers of the providers is established. With the second click you can then use the button. Additional explanations about the so-called “2-click solution” can be found here. By using the plug-ins, the providers receive notification that you have visited our website. If you click one of the buttons while logged into your respective account, you can link to the contents of our pages on your profile. This allows the provider to assign the visit to our pages to your user account. We would like to point out that, as the provider of the website, we have no knowledge of the content of the data transmitted or how it is used by Facebook & Co. Log-In via Facebook Connect The “Connect Procedure” allows the user to sign up or register for WWF petitions using a social media account. If you log in with a user account via Facebook, Facebook will provide us with certain information about your Facebook account. Facebook will inform you of the exact scope of access and ask for your prior consent. Social Media Stream In our website’s social media stream, your participation in some of our campaigns is shown on social networks. All contributions that are created under a hashtag and made publicly accessible are recorded, aggregated and presented in our social media stream. The articles also contain personal data such as the profile picture, other published pictures, the user’s name and information in the posts. The data will be used exclusively for the above purposes. Analysis or distribution of the data to third parties is prohibited. Data Storage Secure Data Transmission Personal data that you provide to us via the forms on the Donate & Help page, when ordering a newsletter or making contact requests is transmitted to us via a secure connection in encrypted form. The security procedure used (SSL-Secure Sockets Layer) corresponds to the usual state of the art. WWF Germany uses – depending on your browser – the most secure standard encryption in Germany with up to 256 bits, as used by banks, for example. All WWF Germany employees who handle your data must comply with the data protection regulations. Access to the system is via an authorization procedure. SSL encryption (recognizable by https:// in the address line of the browser and a lock symbol in the status bar at the very bottom of the browser) is a protocol for encrypting data during transmission from the web server to the browser. This transmission offers particularly high security. During transmission, your personal data is encrypted between your computer and our SSL server using the SSL protocol. Liability for Links WWF Germany hereby expressly declares that no illegal content was discernible on the linked pages at the time the links were created. WWF Germany has no influence on the current and future design, content or authorship of the linked pages. Therefore, it hereby expressly dissociates itself from all contents of all linked pages that were changed after the link was posted. This statement applies to all links and references posted within its website. For illegal, incorrect or incomplete contents and in particular for damages arising from the use or non-use of information presented in this way, only the provider of the page to which reference was made is liable, not the person who merely refers to the respective publication via links. Newsletter We are pleased to offer you the WWF newsletter about current topics and our projects concerning environmental protection. Will we only use your e-mail address to send you the WWF newsletter if you give us your consent on our website or with one of our partners (co-registration). To receive our newsletter, it is sufficient to provide an e-mail address. The additional voluntary information about you is only used to personalize the newsletter. 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Global procurement mechanisms are a major potent force in successful global health programming. Such mechanisms purchase key technologies such as vaccines, antiretroviral drugs, and contraceptives for distribution across many countries. However, many more critical technologies, particularly those affecting maternal and newborn health, require advancement of local markets for ultimate sustainability and public health impact. Unfortunately, many of these markets suffer from a basic dysfunction: the lack of sufficient market incentive to stimulate production and distribution as well as complicated local supply chains and delivery systems to reach those most in need. A multifaceted approach is needed to address the basic causes of dysfunction in the market for public health commodities. In this article, we present 6 case studies of technologies recently introduced into developing-country markets (Oxytocin in Uniject, careHPV, Helping Babies Breathe, Woman's Condom, Safe Water, and Ultra Rice). We use a market introduction framework as an organizing structure to highlight key elements that may have contributed to varying degrees of success and, when lacking, to certain challenges in these markets. Through these examples, we hope to contribute to the global discussion on best practices for creating healthy markets as the global health community works together to accelerate access to lifesaving technologies. MARKET TYPES: GLOBAL, INSTITUTIONAL, AND CONSUMER To cultivate the market for a given commodity, it is important to first understand key characteristics of that market. Although the boundaries between different market classifications are somewhat permeable, there are generally 3 types of markets for global health technologies: - Globally coordinated markets, where technologies such as vaccines are procured and financed through centralized channels. Typically, in these types of markets a small number of buyers, such as the GAVI Alliance (formerly the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization), the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, purchase large volumes of product through pooled procurement at low prices, which are then distributed through relatively well-organized channels. - Local institutional markets, in which national institutions, such as a ministry of health, purchase technologies such as drugs used for obstetric care, whether through their own resources or from donor grants or loans. These markets require strong facility inputs, such as skilled health workers, complex clinical protocols to ensure proper use of commodities, robust logistics systems to ensure commodities and equipment remain continuously available at health facilities, and local health budgets. - Consumer markets, in which a large number of disaggregated consumers buy health goods, such as oral rehydration salts or water filters, for their own use. Although the value proposition may be clearer and the products easier to use than those in institutional markets, these products require purchase by consumers, who often do not consider health-related purchases a high priority. These markets also require significant investments in distribution and marketing by private-sector companies that naturally prefer to serve consumers with higher incomes due to the potential for greater profit margins and more consistent demand. The crucial role of the latter two, or “local,” markets is amply demonstrated by the work of the UN Commission on Life-Saving Commodities for Women and Children (UNCoLSC), which is leading global efforts to improve access to 13 potentially lifesaving commodities essential to maternal and neonatal health (Table). The Commission has developed key recommendations to address the most critical bottlenecks facing product introduction, from innovation and global market-shaping to local delivery and demand generation. Compared with global procurement, both institutional and consumer markets have less defined advocacy and policy pathways and often suffer from lack of donor funding to continue purchasing the product beyond initial introduction pilots, as they do not have large-scale, committed funding mechanisms behind them. Manufacturers are often left with insufficient demand to continue supply, while buyers have limited experience with and understanding of the value of the technology and, hence, have weak motivation to purchase. In institutional and consumer markets, manufacturers are often left with insufficient demand to continue supply, while buyers have limited experience with and understanding of the value of the technology. Beyond the lack of financing, there are several additional reasons that these markets have not been effectively established. The framework we offer attempts to capture the broad range of elements required for effective introduction of global health products into local institutional and consumer markets. MARKET INTRODUCTION FRAMEWORK A broad search of the published literature revealed that few market introduction frameworks for global health technologies exist. Most players involved in shaping global health markets rely on informal, unpublished frameworks that generally describe the market problems (such as high price), identify specific causes (such as risk for manufacturers), and then focus on interventions to address the root cause (such as enhancing demand through advanced purchase).1 These approaches tend to focus on the traditional market levers of price, volume, information, and quality. They are useful analytical frameworks that can help us identify which market interventions might address the problem most effectively. However, by defining the market introduction sphere more broadly, we are better able to consider the larger range of causes for success or failure in these markets, and consequently, a broader range of potential interventions. This thinking has been captured in some excellent frameworks addressing the diffusion of health innovations. For example, Atun et al. point out the need to clearly delineate the problem, the willingness of major stakeholders to support adoption, and the readiness of health systems infrastructure.2 Free also considers a wide range of factors, such as appropriate design of the technology and engagement of gatekeepers.3 By defining the market introduction sphere more broadly, we are better able to consider the larger range of causes for success or failure in these markets. Our market introduction framework builds on this critical systems-wide thinking; it is a modified version of a framework initially developed by Hozumi et al., through interviews with stakeholders with scale-up experience and through retrospective evaluations of global health interventions advanced by PATH.4 This empirically driven framework serves as more of a “how-to” guide than an analytical framework. It focuses on critical market design factors related to the introduction of global health products, assuming that external elements, such as a strong leader and relevance of the product to the global health context, are already in place. (Often, even relevant products with strong champions still fail to reach market.) Developing, deploying, and scaling up global health technologies is a multistep, iterative process taking many years, starting with research/design and development/validation, through regulatory approval, introduction, and scale up. This framework elaborates only on the introduction phase of this typical value chain for technologies. Introduction, particularly for institutional and consumer markets, has several elements that must come together to ensure both the availability of the commodity and its effective use. In fact, the introduction phase is often where global health technologies destined for local markets falter. This phase can be broken down into its essential components of both supply and demand, as illustrated by the 4 pathways in the Figure: (1) supply chain, (2) finance, (3) clinical use, and (4) consumer use. The supply chain and finance pathways are relevant to both institutional and consumer markets, while clinical use pertains only to institutional markets and consumer use only to consumer markets. These critical pathways tend to run in parallel. The introduction phase is often where global health technologies destined for local markets falter. 1. Supply Chain Pathway Within the introduction phase, the supply chain pathway in both institutional and consumer markets focuses on conventional supply-chain development. For technologies that are capital-intensive or where quality manufacturing cannot be established locally, a centralized, global manufacturer may be the most effective commercialization strategy. However, as quality improves, technologies have increasingly been licensed to regional or local manufacturers, and appropriate manufacturing equipment needs to be purchased. A formal transfer of the technology is then conducted and manufacturing is validated. Also, distribution channels to appropriate clinical facilities, retail stores, and other outlets need to be established. 2. Finance Pathway The finance pathway focuses on enhancing demand through appropriate financing for the buyers of these technologies. For institutional markets, advocacy is often required to ensure appropriate institutional financing mechanisms, whether through government or private facilities, to support ongoing clinical use of the technology. This requires cultivating multiple champions in the ministries of health and finance to advocate the necessary budget allocations. Tiered pricing strategies, vouchers, and full subsidies may need to be considered by institutional buyers who pass a portion of their costs to distributors, health facilities, or consumers. Consumer products may also require financing, sometimes in the form of low-cost loans, particularly for more costly durable goods such as water filtration systems; low-income consumers often cannot pay the full cost upfront. These financing mechanisms can be provided through microfinance institutions and other businesses focused on consumer finance. Sometimes incentives, such as longer payback periods, are needed for consumers to take advantage of these financing mechanisms. 3. Clinical Use Pathway A third and very important introduction pathway, particularly for institutional markets, is creating demand among providers and institutions by developing the clinical capacity to use the technology within health facilities. This is a rigorous undertaking in itself; it entails generating operational evidence on use of the technology in clinic settings, developing formal clinical policy to guide how the technology would be used appropriately within a clinical protocol, training to ensure that health workers understand the revised clinical guidelines, and establishing enforcement mechanisms, such as supervisory systems, to ensure sustained use. Lack of movement down this pathway has significantly slowed the adoption of many new global health technologies. A very important introduction pathway is creating demand by developing capacity to use the technology in health facilities. 4. Consumer Use Pathway The demand side for consumer markets usually requires social marketing to influence consumer purchase of products sold through retail channels, which may or may not be partially subsidized. Traditional behavior-change techniques also are used to encourage uptake of consumer products distributed through public and private-sector channels. For instance, village leaders may discuss healthy behaviors with mothers groups; in doing so, they may encourage the use of health products for their family, such as oral rehydration salts to treat diarrhea or soap to prevent infection. These introduction activities, if carefully orchestrated and pursued in parallel, provide the basis for successful market introduction of global health products. As noted in the Figure, introduction success is achieved through early signs of market penetration, sustainability through public, private, and nongovernmental partners, and, ultimately, health impact in target markets. More significant penetration of these outcomes would indicate achievement of scale. We use this introduction framework in a retrospective analysis of 6 technologies—3 from institutional markets and 3 from consumer markets—each with varying degrees of success and failure. This framework can also serve as a guide for new market introduction efforts. CASE STUDIES FROM INSTITUTIONAL MARKETS Oxytocin in Uniject* Injection System: Supply Chain and Financing Hinder Market Introduction Oxytocin in Uniject is an example of an introduction pathway complicated by high costs, leading to difficulty in establishing the supply chain with manufacturers and distribution partners, and, consequently, a financing pathway as well. Thus, the market for Oxytocin in Uniject has not yet been established. There is a strong public health case for this technology. Hemorrhage is the leading cause of maternal death in low-income countries, responsible for an estimated one-third of such deaths annually,5 and postpartum hemorrhage accounts for the majority of obstetric hemorrhage cases.6 For prevention of postpartum hemorrhage, oxytocin (10 IU) is the drug of choice, recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO). Oxytocin is temperature-sensitive and needs to be injected intramuscularly. Its use has generally been restricted to medically trained staff in health facilities. Oxytocin in Uniject was developed to simplify oxytocin administration through a single-use, prefilled device that delivers the correct dose. In deliveries attended by auxiliary health workers, Oxytocin in Uniject provides a feasible alternative for delivery of prophylactic oxytocin.⇓ There is good-quality clinical and operational evidence to support clinical policy permitting use of Oxytocin in Uniject by auxiliary health workers and outside facilities, including effectiveness and feasibility studies.7–9 The product attributes have been tested to ensure that they meet the need at both the community and higher levels of health service. A recent trial in Ghana demonstrated the feasibility at the community level of home delivery for prevention and early treatment.10,11 Thus, the clinical use pathway has largely been followed, even though in some countries, medical associations have objected to policies that would allow for task shifting of oxytocin administration to community health care workers. However, the greatest challenge for Oxytocin in Uniject has been in reaching sustainable levels of supply and demand-side financing to catalyze the market. Cost has been the root problem. Current pricing is more than US$1 per unit, which far exceeds the approximately $0.25 cost of a needle, syringe, and ampoule of oxytocin. To date, buyers are unwilling to pay the premium for oxytocin in a prefilled Uniject device. Furthermore, it is not a needed product at higher levels of the health system, as facilities are well-stocked with needles, syringes, and ampoules of oxytocin. A study in Argentina, however, has demonstrated higher compliance with Oxytocin in Uniject than with conventional administration.12 One of the reasons for the higher cost of Oxytocin in Uniject is that it requires pharmaceutical manufacturers to invest significant upfront capital to procure and commission specialized filling and packaging equipment. Donor funding to defray these costs has not been available to the various manufacturers of oxytocin. Additionally, as with any drug in a new form of primary packaging, the pharmaceutical producer would need to apply for and obtain drug regulatory approval in each country where the product would be sold—a long and expensive process that creates further disincentive to supply. This is especially true for those drug and vaccine manufacturers that are in highly competitive generic markets, such as oxytocin, as the investment may not shift in market share of their product. For those manufacturers in highly competitive markets, an investment in a new delivery mechanism may not shift market share of their product. We have collaborated with a number of pharmaceutical producers over the past decade to try to establish a sustainable supply of Oxytocin in Uniject. Three producers went as far as producing pilot batches and undertaking the costly stability studies. Due to the lack of clear demand at a price that would be commercially attractive, 2 producers dropped the project before completing development and regulatory approval. One producer stated it had cost close to US$100,000 to conduct the stability studies to WHO's prequalification standards. If that producer could theoretically earn a $0.20 per-dose profit above the manufacturing cost, the company would have to sell 500,000 doses just to recoup the cost of the stability study, which is only one component of the total investment needed to produce and sell Oxytocin in Uniject. The one producer that took Oxytocin in Uniject to market in a number of Latin American countries has not achieved sustainable sales in private-sector channels, and also, as discussed, the institutional markets have not developed. It is not clear whether that producer will keep Oxytocin in Uniject in its product line. Lack of movement down the finance pathway, also due to price, has further contributed to the difficulty of establishing a sustainable market for the product. Various groups have modeled the cost-effectiveness of Oxytocin in Uniject and have found that its value proposition remains very sensitive to the final price of the product. The current high price has made it difficult to advocate the product's cost-effectiveness, leading to the lack of financial commitment from institutional buyers. Lessons Learned Regardless of the potential public health benefit and apparent elegance of the approach, an innovation must be extremely affordable relative to the alternatives for institutional uptake to occur. Simply put, we now understand the difficulty of putting an inexpensive product such as oxytocin into a relatively expensive injection device such as Uniject. Additionally, we have learned that, in the absence of a concerted demand-side intervention, market mechanisms are unlikely to produce sufficient demand to yield significant economies of scale. We had expected the unit price to drop over time as manufacturers achieved economies of scale through high-volume production. We also expected sales in private markets at higher prices to cross-subsidize lower-priced sales in public-sector markets. Neither scenario has materialized. We have also learned to moderate our expectations of how much drug and vaccine manufacturers in highly competitive generic product markets will invest in regulatory and market introduction of new delivery mechanisms for their products, even with support from the global health community, and especially if demand is unclear. Finally, we learned that, if pricing does not fall within the target range for institutional buyers as development, manufacturing, and introduction progress, the public health community must consider withdrawing further support sooner in order to redirect energy and resources toward more marketable endeavors that may consequently have more impact. Without market penetration, it follows that sustainability and health impact have yet to be realized from this product. careHPV†: Lack of Operational Evidence on Clinical Use Slows Pace of Adoption Despite a clear supply pathway and good evidence of its effectiveness, use of careHPV remains limited. The careHPV test is an example of how lack of movement down the clinical use pathway, starting with the need for operational evidence of use within facilities, has slowed the pace of adoption. The careHPV test is a screening test that detects the presence of human papillomavirus (HPV), the primary cause of cervical cancer, through cervical or vaginal samples. It was specifically designed for use in developing countries through collaboration between its manufacturer and PATH. Clinical studies, involving more than 20,000 women in 3 countries, have established that careHPV is almost twice as accurate as existing screening methods, such as the Pap Smear and Visual Inspection by Acid (VIA), when used as a primary screening method.13,14 Although the cost per test for careHPV is higher than for other screening methods, its lower rate of false negatives make it a strong public health tool, considering the high morbidity and mortality if cervical cancer goes undetected. The lower rate of false positives also avoids unnecessary costs associated with follow up. Finally, since careHPV can be used with vaginal samples, it can help avoid a pelvic exam, assuming clinical guidelines are in place for self-sampling. However, no country has yet adopted such a practice. Stakeholder interviews revealed that, in general, clinicians in developing countries are not clear about which screening-to-treatment strategies to use for patients with HPV, since use of HPV tests as the primary screening method is new to both developed and developing countries. WHO guidelines were finally released in 2013, stating that practitioners can go directly from screening with careHPV to treatment in low-resource settings, without the need for cytology followed by a diagnostic test such as colposcopy.15 It will take time and effort for these guidelines to be mainstreamed into clinical practice. In addition, policy makers in developing countries are uncertain about how to design the implementation program most appropriate for their local situation as well as about the implications of that approach for their human and financial resources. For instance, since careHPV requires processing at a lab, it is unclear how many lab facilities should be enabled within a given district's unique size and capacities in order to maximize both cost efficiencies and appropriate coverage. Lessons Learned One key lesson learned from the careHPV experience is the clear need for operational studies to answer many of these questions, so that appropriate clinical guidelines can be established. This evidence is especially important in the absence of model clinical policies from the developed world that can be followed. In addition, these studies may need to be pursued in several countries to test feasibility in different clinical environments. Simultaneously, financial mechanisms for purchase by ministries of health need to be identified and developed to create a viable and sustainable market. However, since the financial mechanisms may not be established before the evidence is generated and clinical use policies are modified, additional funding from the global health donor community will be required. There is simply insufficient market incentive for the private sector to invest in the operational studies and advocacy required for enabling this market. Without these elements in place, the pace of adoption for careHPV will continue to be slow. Again, due to the lack of market penetration at this point, neither sustainability nor health impact has yet been achieved. Operational evidence is especially important in the absence of clinical use policies from the developed world that can be followed. Helping Babies Breathe: Well-Coordinated Supply Chain, Financing, and Clinical Capacity Pathways Provide a Model for Success The Helping Babies Breathe (HBB) initiative exemplifies the successful introduction of medical equipment into local institutional markets through well-coordinated supply chain, financing, and clinical use pathways. HBB's success is attributable to the U.S. Agency for International Development's (USAID) strong Global Development Alliances (GDAs) model, as well as to the commitment of Laerdal, the key equipment supplier and a founding member of HBB, to saving the lives of newborns in low-resource countries. As such, HBB took the role of a “backbone organization” to orchestrate the various actors and activities along the various introduction pathways. As a GDA funded by USAID, HBB now includes 20 partners from the private and public sectors. In 2010, HBB began offering evidence-based training and high-quality, affordable neonatal resuscitation equipment to birth attendants in developing countries. As of November 2013, 60 countries had implemented the HBB curriculum, of which 18 have national plans coordinated by governments. In the 60 countries, approximately 130,000 health care providers were trained. In addition, HBB supplied 120,000 bag-and-mask resuscitation devices, 150,000 suction bulbs, and 50,000 simulators on a not-for-profit basis, and donated another 4,500 HBB training kits. Laerdal supplies high-quality resuscitation equipment at reasonable cost to HBB partners that support the program. Laerdal has also donated simulators and other equipment to enhance use and spark further demand. Additionally, HBB's master training programs, a critical element of the clinical use pathway, provides health care personnel with important operational experience with resuscitation equipment. In selected developing countries, Laerdal also offers grants to support implementation of the training program as well as guidelines on purchasing and maintaining equipment. The training not only increases competencies of birth attendants but also meets their latent need for higher-quality resuscitation equipment. This is important groundwork for creating sustainable, institutional demand from within public-sector facilities. Lessons Learned Clearly, HBB is a model to follow. HBB has stimulated the supply side of the market through affordable equipment and the demand side through training and implementation grants. In turn, this has created a viable market, maintaining engagement of the many partners and stakeholders involved. While HBB still needs to shift from being mostly donor-driven to country-driven, the initiative's effective coordination role and the demand it has helped to establish by normalizing use of these products in clinic settings bodes well for adoption and scale up of this program by public health institutions in developing countries. It is likely that the role of the market coordinator is an underused mechanism in the uptake of global health products. This example demonstrates clear market penetration, with sustainability now emerging as HBB training guidelines are adopted by various ministries of health and incorporated into global health projects related to newborn resuscitation. Significant health impact is likely to follow. CASE STUDIES FROM CONSUMER MARKETS Woman's Condom: Lack of Coordination Between Supply and Demand Limit Market Penetration The Woman's Condom exemplifies the challenge of trying to establish a sustainable supply and distribution chain for a new product when it is not coordinated with an equally well-resourced, demand-generation effort. The Woman's Condom is a new female condom whose design and early-stage validation was funded initially by USAID to expand contraceptive options for women in developing countries. PATH and its research partners employed a user-centered design process to develop a product that has proved to be highly acceptable.16–19 User acceptability has been a key barrier to use of other female condom products.⇓ Female condoms are primarily a consumer product, in which the decision to purchase and use the product lies with the end user. However, during the first 20 years of introduction, female condom purchasers largely have been bilateral and multilateral institutions, such as USAID, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), and ministries of health, that distribute condoms through government-sponsored programs at free or highly subsidized rates. Although this is a legitimate strategy for introducing a new product class in the absence of robust funding to support demand generation, it has not allowed female condoms to become established as a consumer class product. Manufacturers have focused more attention on sales to institutional buyers, and while new female condom products, such as the Woman's Condom, are helping to enlarge and differentiate the class, consumers are still conditioned to receiving the product for free. The absence of sustained demand generation is not the only issue. Female condoms are more costly than male condoms, which further reduces demand from both institutional and consumer buyers. For instance, in 2009, donors purchased 71 male condoms for every 1 female condom.20 To address these issues, PATH and its manufacturing partner, Dahua Medical Apparatus Company of Shanghai, China, have established a partnership to build a sustainable supply chain for the Woman's Condom, which leverages both public-sector and commercial retail channels. The market penetration strategy is to first generate revenue from private-sector sales to help cover Dahua's costs, thus allowing the company to offer more affordable pricing to low-resources settings served by the public sector in the longer term. The Woman's Condom has received South Africa Bureau of Standards certification marking (2013), Shanghai Food and Drug Administration approval (2011), and CE (Conformité Européene, or European Conformity) marking (2010), which allow for distribution and marketing in private-sector retail channels in South Africa, China, and Europe, respectively. Early introduction efforts in China and South Africa are underway but have already faced challenges. One significant challenge is finding in-country distribution partners willing to invest in the extensive marketing and sales required to generate demand for an unfamiliar product. The cross-subsidy model requires sufficient sales in the commercial sector to cover the costs not recouped through lower prices offered to the public sector. However, due to the investment involved, the revenue from commercial sales is difficult to generate. In China, for example, public-sector sales have exceeded commercial sales, forcing Dahua to sell the product below costs at this time. This situation further reduces Dahua's ability and incentive to invest in the marketing necessary to cultivate private-sector markets. Lessons Learned A key lesson is the need to pursue aggressive demand-generation efforts simultaneously while establishing supply and distribution chains in order to create strong incentives for actors along the supply chain to engage. Several demand-side elements have been built into the project, including market research with women in China and South Africa, market tests to target consumer markets, and advocacy with the governments in both countries to create a supportive policy environment for female condoms more generally. However, the investment and scale of the demand generation effort has likely been underappreciated. In fact, no real social marketing campaign has yet been launched in either country. Due to the inherent risks involved for manufacturers and distributors, a more significant investment by the donor community may be warranted in order to catalyze this market. Similar to other examples, without market penetration, sustainability and health impact have yet to be achieved with this product. A significant investment in demand generation is needed for new classes of consumer products. Safe Water: Coordinated Supply, Financing, and Consumer Demand Demonstrate Viability of Market Our Safe Water Project has experimented with several pilot strategies for developing the retail market to sell household water filters to consumers at the base of the economic pyramid. The most successful strategies have involved tight coordination between supply, availability of financing, and consumer demand generation efforts for enhancing the perceived value of the product. A pilot study in Madhya Pradesh, India, offered consumers free water filters, manufactured by PATH's commercial partner, Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL), in an effort to draw them into the market. Although 44% of these consumers later took a loan for 2 replacement cartridges from our microfinance partner, Spandana Sphoorty Financial Limited, 35% of consumers reported gifting or selling the water filter. For those who used the product, current and consistent use dropped to 19.1% after 6 months, and then eventually to zero at 10 months.21 Since the water filter was a “giveaway,” neither the salespeople nor con-sumers appreciated its value. Therefore, salespeople did not have an incentive to make a strong sales pitch. In contrast, in Tamil Nadu (Erode), India, the same water filter was offered to consumers without a subsidy. After 10 months, 21% of consumers reported currently using the filters,20 suggesting that the strategy succeeded in attracting consumers who valued the product and decided to try it based on their perception of its merits.⇓ The strongest results were observed in Cambodia, where a water filter (Super Tunsai) manufactured by Hydrologic Social Enterprise was paired with a loan scheme offered by the microfinance institution VisionFund. The original Tunsai water filter was not perceived as desirable because of its very basic design and large subsidies to support its use. We worked with Hydrologic to redesign the original Tunsai filter to make it more appealing to customers—both from an aesthetic and functional point of view. The redesigned Super Tunsai filter was then marketed as a desirable product targeting consumers' aspirations toward attaining middle-class status. In spite of the fact that the Super Tunsai cost twice as much as the original Tunsai filter, customers were willing to take full loans from VisionFund to purchase the product. After 10 months, 39% of consumers reported currently using the filter.21 After marketing the redesigned Super Tunsai water filter toward consumers' aspirations to attain middle-class status, use improved among consumers. Lessons Learned Pricing at full retail value is preferable to subsidies, as it attracts more committed consumers and avoids undermining the value of the product, as demonstrated in the Tamil Nadu pilot. We have observed an even stronger effect in Cambodia when this strategy was complemented with social marketing around desirability and affordable replacement cartridge costs. In fact, Hydrologic's replacement cartridges are approximately US$5–$10 per year compared with $25 for the HUL filter used in India. Hydrologic and VisionFund are now scaling up their winning strategy to 11 provinces in Cambodia. Additionally, PATH is using the best practices from its water filter pilots to launch new programs, including a plan to make latrines available in Cambodia through similar schemes, as well as cook stoves, solar lamps, and insecticide-treated bed nets in other markets. The Cambodia pilot, in particular, has demonstrated reasonable market penetration, while signs of sustainability and health impact are emerging. Ultra Rice Fortification Technology‡: Sustainability Plans for Both Supply and Demand Drive Scale Up Efforts to introduce Ultra Rice in Brazil show how creating pillars of sustainability on both the supply and demand sides of the market can enable replication and scale up by local organizations. While PATH's Ultra Rice technology has a 15-year history of fits and starts, the approach in Brazil has created the knowledge and understanding of how to achieve sustainability before the end of each country-specific funding stream under the umbrella project. The Ultra Rice technology is a formulation and method for creating reconstituted rice grains packed with micronutrients such as iron, thiamin, zinc, and folic acid. When blended with conventional rice, typically at a 1:100 ratio, the resulting fortified rice can provide up to 50% of the recommended daily intake of a range of micronutrients. This helps bridge dietary gaps in micronutrient intake, especially among populations for whom rice constitutes a large portion of their caloric intake.⇓ In Brazil, the market introduction process for fortified rice started by transferring the technology to local companies, including Urbano Agroindustrial, one of the nation's largest rice millers, and Adorella Aliementos, a medium-sized pasta manufacturer. These companies continue to produce fortified rice kernels, which will not only be incorporated into their own fortified rice products but, as an obligation under PATH's license, also be sold to other millers in order to create a competitive market. Additionally, we have directly licensed the Ultra Rice technology to a preeminent agribusiness university, the Federal University of Viçosa, giving that institution both the right and the obligation to license the technology to additional manufacturers in the future as the market grows. Establishing a small subset of current suppliers as well as an engine for further growth bodes well for supply-side sustainability. On the demand side, instead of marketing the product primarily to lower-income market segments, which suffer disproportionately from the consequences of micronutrient malnutrition, we are targeting the widest possible range of consumers. In order to establish consumer confidence, the social marketing campaign is built around a quality seal on the packaged rice, conveying aspiration for the product. The Federal University of Viçosa and the national rice millers association, Abiarroz, verify the quality of the fortified grains and homogeneity of their blend into traditional rice. This process is open to all rice brands, including those typically purchased by consumers with lower incomes. While millers of both higher- and medium-price rice brands have led the way, lower-priced brands are likely to move through the verification process in due course, thus leveling the playing field with respect to fortified rice quality. This marketing strategy avoids any stigma that might develop if only the lower-cost brands were fortified and has already reached hundreds of thousands of consumers in the first 6 months since the launch of fortified rice in commercial retail markets. Additionally, to further enhance demand, we have produced marketing materials for our partners and have negotiated rights to use cartoon characters owned by Turma da Monica (a local “Disney equivalent”), which are well-recognized by Brazilians. Prior to the end of the project, we plan to have these rights transferred to Abiarroz, so that the cartoon characters continue to be used as ambassadors to the product in order to stimulate demand. Also, we have enlisted a number of well-known and highly respected supporters, ranging from noted journalists to well-recognized health experts, who have now established micronutrient malnutrition as one of their social causes. Lessons Learned Although not all elements of this market penetration strategy can be replicated across rice markets in Africa and Asia, we have learned the value of closely coordinating the various introduction pathways as well as building sustainability into the product introduction plans from the outset. Donor-supported projects that are designed to stimulate global health markets are most successful when engines of further growth for both supply and demand are established well before project funding expires. In other words, planning for sustainability should commence at the start of the project, not after the pilot project has launched and tested the product. In Brazil, planning for sustainability required identifying the array of local organizations that can take ownership of the product and laying out the market development process well before PATH and partners exit. This example demonstrates early signs of significant market penetration and sustainability, although health impact in the target market may be achieved at a slower pace as fortified rice gains further traction in the Brazilian market. Planning for sustainability should begin at the start of the project. SUMMARY While the global health community has decades of experience bringing technologies, such as vaccines, bed nets, antiretroviral therapies, and malaria drugs, to scale through global procurement mechanisms, we are only now reflecting more systematically on our experience in developing local institutional and consumer markets, especially in light of UNCoLSC's focus on these types of commodities. Global procurement markets require complex coordination among WHO, the GAVI Alliance, UNICEF, and other multilateral institutions to organize purchase and distribution at scale; however, the global health community wrestles even more with local market introduction. The lack of incentives on both demand and supply sides of the market creates natural dysfunction, but our accumulated experience can serve as guideposts as we navigate these challenges. Among the salient lessons learned from these 6 case studies is the need to design more effective projects (Box). Sometimes, our failure to scale is a failure of design; we either do not recognize all the critical supply and demand elements that need to be pursued or assume other players in the market ecosystem will take them on. One critical design consideration is the need to build supply and demand simultaneously, not only to avoid a fatal imbalance, but also to ensure that all relevant demand-side pathways are included in the technology introduction plan, as captured in our framework. BOX. Lessons Learned From Introducing Global Technologies Into Local Markets - Build supply and demand simultaneously. - Consider the need for one organization to lead, oversee, and coordinate the entire market introduction activity. - From the start, have a strong vision and intention to reach full scale through bold, holistic project concepts. - Pay strong attention to the incentives and profitability of the private sector involved. Local market introduction of global health products can also benefit from a lead organization. Too often in the public health arena, each player, whether a nongovernmental organization (NGO), government, or private-sector firm, supports only a few elements of the required market-development activity, such as generating evidence of operational feasibility or pursuing advocacy for policy change. These small steps are vital elements on the critical path toward scale. Generally, however, no one organization takes on the important role of driving the market introduction process forward—often a necessity in these largely dysfunctional markets. The lack of such a lead is a natural consequence of the piecemeal nature of donor funding and the niche competencies that NGOs have developed to win grants. Few general contractors exist in global health markets. Consequently, we often have ample evidence of potential impact, several interested manufacturers, and strong data to support advocacy, but, despite all this, many of these markets have failed to flourish. A lead organization provides the natural base from which to plan and execute activities along all 4 of the introduction pathways captured in our framework. Market orchestration also requires a strong vision and intention to reach scale—a goal that needs to be built into the project design from its inception and that is embodied within the set of supply and demand-side pathways captured in the framework. Projects driving toward sustainability within their life span create stronger and faster impact. The project nature of donor funding is a cumbersome mechanism for developing local markets. We need to develop stronger models that more closely mirror the required process for reaching scale, such as longer grant periods, flexibility to adjust funding levels to changing market needs, and more holistic project designs. Finally, but most importantly, we need to pay stronger attention to the incentives for profitability of the private sector, which will continue to play an increasingly important role in public health. This is a key element of the supply-side pathway described in the framework. For new technologies, the private sector is often faced with a cost structure that requires pricing above status quo alternatives and uncertain demand due to such issues as the lack of clear distribution channels, clinical policies, and value proposition for the buyer. This most often leads to significant risk and, consequently, an underinvestment in market development by the private sector. While the global health community has developed some effective risk-reduction strategies for products entering global procurement markets, such as advanced market commitments for vaccine development, expedited regulatory pathways for orphan drugs, and graduated copays for vaccine purchases by ministries of health, we need to develop similar, enabling innovations for those products entering local markets. We also need to better analyze the upfront risks to assess whether there would be natural incentives to both supply and adoption of the technology once the risks are sufficiently reduced through an infusion of grant funding. Effective market introduction is paramount and the only way to achieve sustainability. CONCLUSION Our experience underscores the widespread understanding that there is no universally applicable market introduction strategy for products of global health importance. The framework introduced in this article is a starting point, reflecting the general elements of market introduction that may be emphasized differently for each unique product, market, and cultural context. We hope that others continue to build upon the framework with additional insights gained from their experiences. Such empirically-driven frameworks may help minimize our missteps in design, which can be costly and time-consuming and can stymie our collective effort to create health impact in the most vulnerable groups. As a global health community, we need to continue sharing our rich experiences in developing markets for global health products to ensure that global initiatives, such as UNCoLSC, with so many important products destined for local institutional and consumer markets, maximize their potential to save lives. Acknowledgments The authors would like to thank Patricia Coffey, Steve Brooke, Neeti Nundy, Maggie Kilbourne-Brook, Greg Zwisler, Tim Elliott, Elizabeth Blanton, Lorelei Goodyear, Peiman Milani, Corwyn Ellison, and Amie Batson for their contributions to this article. The views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect those of the institutions with which the authors are affiliated. Footnotes Notes Competing Interests: None declared. Peer Reviewed Cite this article as: Matthias DM, Taylor CH, Sen D, Metzler M. Local markets for global health technologies: lessons learned from advancing 6 new products. Glob Health Sci Pract. 2014;2(2):152-164. http://dx.doi.org/10.9745/GHSP-D-13-00131 - Received: 2013 Sep 13. - Accepted: 2014 Apr 4. - Published: 2014 May 1. - © Matthias et al.	https://www.ghspjournal.org/content/2/2/152.full
...Learning Team Reflection: Supply Chain and Demand Model Team A ECO/372 June 11, 2014 Learning Team Reflection: Supply Chain and Demand Model What is a Supply Chain? Supply Chain Management? A supply chain is a network of companies and services that have products available to consumers. For example, grocery stores hire farmers to raise vegetables and contract with different transportation agencies to bring them fresh into the stores. The supply chain gets “a good or service from the supplier to the customer (“Supply Chain”, 2014). Goods are often produced anywhere in the world, not necessarily at the local level; supply chain management makes them available in local neighborhood stores so we don’t have to travel overseas just for a pair of jeans, coffee, etc. They make sure we get the best quality and prices. What is the Supply and Demand Model? Supply and Demand is one of the most frequently used terms in economics (Heakal, 2014). More specifically, demand is referring to a quantity and how much of a product or service is desired by its consumers. Demand does not factor in want or desire; it is based on the number that consumers are ready and willing to actually pay money for. Supply is representative of how much the market can offer. Sufficient supply to meet steady demand leads to an equal balance in Supply and Demand. What is the law of supply? Law of demand? Law of supply is explained as the price of a good or service increases, the quantity of those goods...... Words: 811 - Pages: 4 ...The bullwhip effect (or whiplash effect) is an observed phenomenon in forecast-driven distribution channels. It refers to a trend of larger and larger swings in inventory in response to changes in demand, as one looks at firms further back in the supply chain for a product. The concept first appeared in Jay Forrester's Industrial Dynamics (1961) and thus it is also known as the Forrester effect. Since the oscillating demand magnification upstream a supply chain is reminiscent of a cracking whip, it became known as the bullwhip. Because customer demand is rarely perfectly stable, businesses must forecast demand to properly position inventory and other resources. Forecasts are based on statistics, and they are rarely perfectly accurate. Because forecast errors are a given, companies often carry an inventory buffer called "safety stock". Moving up the supply chain from end-consumer to raw materials supplier, each supply chain participant has greater observed variation in demand and thus greater need for safety stock. In periods of rising demand, down-stream participants increase orders. In periods of falling demand, orders fall or stop, thereby not reducing inventory. The effect is that variations are amplified as one moves upstream in the supply chain (further from the customer). This sequence of events is well simulated by the Beer Distribution Game which was developed by MIT Sloan School of Management in the 1960s. The causes can further be divided into behavioral and...... Words: 790 - Pages: 4 ...Introduction In today's global business, there are two basic types of companies: production driven and market driven. In general, market driven companies make their business decisions based on marketing and sales, and production driven companies on the other hand, make their decisions based on technical superiority of products. Compared to the production driven companies who heavily invest in product development, market driven companies prefer to invest in creating the value of good branding, meaning that they mainly rely on the market forces rather than technical achievement. Market driven bank As one of the big five banks in Canada, TD bank terribly concerns the consequences to its clients in the long term from the services it provides. For example, along with the popularization of Internet, TD was aware of the market demand for online banking, and thus developed the first online banking system in Canada so called "Easyweb" in the 80s. The new technique was a light spot at that time, and greatly benefited the bank from attracting a large base of new clients. In the following years, TD bank continued to improve the Easyweb system based on market reaction and provide exceptional banking services to its clients. After 20 years endeavour, TD bank is now ranked the second largest bank in Canada, with the largest customer base. Logistics strategy A company's logistics strategy should be matching to its overall business strategy to take effect. A logistics design strategy,... Words: 889 - Pages: 4 ...benefits of integrating your global supply chain by recognizing the cross-functional links throughout the supply chain, from supplier to customer relationships. Integrating supply chain processes allow companies to manage relationships more effectively, which reduces cost, increases the overall internal efficiency and improves customer relationships and service. &txt2=The program's faculty include Thoma Prof. Hau Lee of Stanford University and professors Marc Sachon, Brian Subirana, and Paddy Miller of IESE Business School. The faculty will provide a holistic vision of global business operations around the world and the necessary tools to face the challenges that globalization is exerting over the supply chain. &txt3=During this three-day program you will learn about the benefits of integrating your global supply chain by recognizing the cross-functional links throughout the supply chain, from supplier to customer relationships. Integrating supply chain processes allow companies manage relationships more effectively, which reduces costs, increases overall internal efficiency and improves customer relationship and service. Customers' demands are the final drivers of your business supply chain activities. This program will give you vision for demand driven supply chains and will address the key hurdles to be overcome to effectively put into action your strategies. As Information Technology is revolutionizing the supply chain, information driven strategies provide you...... Words: 1033 - Pages: 5 ...Supply Chain A supply chain consists of all parties involved in receiving and filling a customer request. It requires transformation of components, natural resources and raw materials into a finished product that has to be delivered to the customer. Such activities begin when a customer has placed an order and end when the customer pays for his/her purchase. Most of the supply chains actually work as supply networks. There has to be a constant flow of information and funds between different stages. This makes the supply chains very dynamic in nature. A typical supply chain involves the following stages: * Customers- The primary purpose of any supply chain is to satisfy the customer needs, thus, a customer forms the most integral part of a supply chain. * Manufacturers- They are the producers of the products or goods. * Wholesalers- Wholesalers are persons or firms that purchase large quantities of goods or products from the producers, warehouse them and resell them to the retailers. Wholesalers that carry only non-competing goods are called as distributors. * Retailers- Retailers purchase goods from the wholesalers in large quantities and then sell the smaller quantities to the customers. They can purchase goods directly from the manufacturer. * Raw material/Component suppliers- They supply the primary components or raw materials that are used by the manufacturers for production process. The transformation process converts these into the finished...... Words: 2499 - Pages: 10 ...Ford Motor Company: Supply Chain Strategy Executive Summary The Ford Motor Company is a well established, international automotive design and production company that is shifting the company mission to have an emphasis on shareholder value and customer responsiveness. In the face of increasing international competition, Ford has recognized several facets of operations that can be better executed in order to attain the outlined objectives. There has been several alternatives to various operations within Ford that can directly alter the fundamentals of its business, all with a strategic significance put on the supply chain procedures. This case study identifies these options; maintaining current practices and partnerships, standardization of their supply chain and sub-system products to simplify the supply process, adjust the retail services and dealership chains to drive market driven sales and a combination of virtual integration with key suppliers to drive relationship based supply that is determined by a forecast driven sales and production model, called the Ford 2000 Process. Through the evaluation of the presented alternatives, the Ford 2000 Process has been selected as being the most effective path to achieve the corporate goals of the Ford Motor Company. Ford should be able to utilize it’s current market share and global supply network to generate beneficial partnerships on key suppliers and stabilize a fluctuating production model that is riddled with...... Words: 2512 - Pages: 11 ...Supply Chain and Demand Model Valerie Prich ECO/372 April 20, 2015 Matthew Angner Supply Chain and Demand Model The relationship between a supply chain and a supply and demand model is an important one. Without this relationship, business would not be able to be as organized with their business. Along with this, the businesses would also not be able to distribute their products to the consumers. The consumers who purchase the products do not realize all of the steps that come with this relationship. There needs to be an understanding of both the supply chain and the supply and demand model. Supply Chain Supply chain is the beginning of a business production. A business must have a supply chain in order to be able to receive products and to distribute them. The definition of supply chain is described as a certain network of other companies that works together to both serve the customer, and the consumer (Supply Chain, 2015). A supply chain is the main link between a business and its consumers. When a consumer purchases a product from a business it comes from a line of other companies. The product might come from one store that manufactures the product, then is sold to another store for a goods price, next it is sold to the customer at the price they are willing to pay. Supply chains are not always used to their full extent. Many companies are unaware of what really goes on within their supply chain. There are businesses that do not know the information flow of the...... Words: 820 - Pages: 4 ...extended example to discuss how ‘the sector matrix’ framework is useful for analysing demand and supply linkages in an industry. The end of the 20th century has experienced rapid changes in the way of trading, due to the expansion of capitalism. The Oxford dictionary defines capitalism as “an economic and political system in which a country’s trade and industry are controlled by private owners for profit, rather than by the state”. Due to high competition, firms have desperately been trying to reduce costs of production in order to maximise profits. Published in “Competitive Advantage” in 1985, Porter’s value chain is a great example to show how much importance firms gave to the supply side of the market in this period. Porter described the value chain as “a set of products and services linked together in a sequence of value adding economic activities”. In other words, it analyses the stages in which a product is created from raw material until it’s finished, each stage adding value to the product. Gereffi’s ‘Global Commodity chains’ uses the old strategy chains and links them with their political and geographical context, adding a spatial and territorial dimension to the demand and supply in a market.________________________________________ In 1998 in their article “Breaking the Chains? A sector Matrix for Motoring”, Julie Froud, Colin Haslam, Sukhdev Johal and Karel Williams tackled the settled chain concepts by showing its limits regarding complex industries such as...... Words: 2324 - Pages: 10 ...1. \| What problem in its supply chain system did Whirlpool face by 2000? a. High inventory of finished goods but low availability b. Low amounts of finished goods c. High availability of goods but poor forecasting d. High demand but low inventories of finished goods \| 2. \| What unique approach did Whirlpool employ in defining a solution? a. Seeing the supply chain as originating with suppliers b. Seeing the supply chain as a way to focus on customers c. Seeing the supply chain as an extension of its sales practices d. Seeing the supply chain as a tool secondary to knowledge management \| 3. \| (Synthesis)Which type of system, from a constituency perspective, did Whirlpool need to improve? a. MIS b. DSS c. TPS d. ESS(Synthesis in terms of arrange, model) \| 4. \| (Analysis)Why is overstocking warehouses not an effective solution for a problem of low availability? a. It slows product time to market. b. It is an inefficient use of raw materials. c. It increases sales costs. d. It increases inventory costs. (Analysis in terms of compare, appraise) \| 5. \| (Analysis)Which of the following business values of supply chain management systems did Whirlpool’s solution illustrate most effectively? a. Using assets more effectively b. Speeding product time to market c. Matching supply to demand d. Reducing costs(Analysis in terms of compare, appraise) \| 6. \| A suite of integrated software modules... Words: 1998 - Pages: 8 ...Sharing Demand Signals: A New Challenge to Improve Collaboration within Supply Chains Karine Evrard-Samuel University Pierre Mendès-France Grenoble II, [email protected] The purpose of this article is to provide an overview of collaborative demand planning. This article focuses on this practice particularly when information is shared in the downstream supply chain between a manufacturer and a retailer. We show how a manufacturing supply chain needs to be aligned with the retail supply chain in order to create value for the trading partners and for the end consumer. Through the analysis of three case studies we attempt to identify which practices allow efficient collaborative demand planning. Regarding the findings, different types of demand signals are identified through the planning process and allow us to highlight some breaking points that prevent the alignment and optimization of the retail chain. Research implications are the identification of four steps in the demand planning process that will help managers to better understand which actions should be taken to improve their collaboration practices. The originality of this article lies in the fact that it goes beyond historical demand figure analysis and focuses instead on information sharing about demand signals within supply chains as one of the keys to responding to retail demand with greater agility. Introduction One of the main challenges that firms have to face within the current environment is to...... Words: 7657 - Pages: 31 ...CASE STUDY December 2002 Procter & Gamble: Building A Smarter Supply Chain Issue/Solution To remain profitable, consumer products manufacturers must find ways to optimize the performance of their supply chains. They need to support marketing promotions better and avoid frustrating consumers with out-of-stock situations in the store. Situation • Procter & Gamble realized it needed a “consumer-driven supply network” to stay ahead in the consumer packaged goods industry. Retailing’s “first moment of truth” is a key focus area for P&G. When the shopper reaches the shelf, is the product there? • Discoveries • • Links between supply chain and CRM processes are critical. Business leads, technology follows. But the technology must be proven, practical and scalable. Even with immature solutions, it is possible to get rapid payback on streamlined demand and fulfillment processes for critical products. A harmonized ERP applications backbone is a basic requirement. • • Recommendations • Secure management support before you start redesigning your supply network. Don’t let politics condemn the initiative to failure. Leverage the value IT can bring in connecting demand and supply side business processes. Simplify your applications architecture to allow collaborative business processes and cope with changes in network alliances. • • Dig Deeper • • • Related Research from GartnerG2 Gartner Core Research Methodology Maria Jimenez with Derek...... Words: 3062 - Pages: 13 ...is expected to be over three times its size. International brands have over 60% share in the Indian QSR market due to their efficient supply chain practices. However, to handle this much growth the supply chain of QSR companies will have to evolve as it has in the past. Have you ever wondered how restaurants like Pizza Hut and McDonald’s manage to provide such product variety and consistency in taste everywhere across the country? Serving thousands of meals daily with lots of menu choices is quite a task in itself. On top of that introducing seasonal promotions and launching new products makes the QSR supply chain one of the most complex supply chains ever. Demand Planning: * Consumer expectations keep rapidly shifting and food costs keep increasing. This makes the demand and supply in the industry highly volatile. * QSR supply chain is driven by Point of Sale (POS) data and thus it needs a consensus forecast for all stakeholders in the chain which includes suppliers, distribution centers and restaurants. * Indian QSR industry is driven by discretionary spending. People see it as a luxury and not a necessity. They might even spend their discretionary income on other avenues. * Forecasting at store level is dependent upon a lot of local factors also and requires human intervention on top of a robust forecasting method. Supply Challenges: * The farmers cultivating the raw ingredients that make up menus have to deal with problems like soil degradation,...... Words: 546 - Pages: 3 ...Distribution management \| Consumer driven supply chains: the case of Dutch organic tomato \| Author: F. Anastasiadis, Y.K. van Dam \| MKT 625 \| \| \| Introduction Supply chain management refers to the efficient integration of various processes involved in turning resources into consumer products. Effectiveness of the supply chain is more easily understood in terms of Value Chain Management, and the integration of processes that turn resources into consumer value. The current paper reports two studies into the value chain of organic produce in Netherlands. The paper combines two different research approaches to study which consumer motives and values are the main drivers of organic consumption. These motives are centered on hedonic, benevolent, and Universalist values. The study reconfirms earlier findings that health and taste are important motives driving organic food consumption, and that next to this environmental friendliness and naturalness are important drivers. More fundamentally, the consumption value of organic food is strongly related to social and ethical principles and beliefs. By committing it to superior ethical performance the organic supply chain could create a competitive advantage that is not easily copied by competing products. Objectives of the Study The basic objective is to understand consumer product knowledge and motivations with respect to organic products. In other words, this research focuses on the consumers’ beliefs...... Words: 1480 - Pages: 6 ...Value Chain = Supply Chain + Demand Chain: New Approaches to Creating and Capturing Sustainable Value Fanny Thublier(1), Terry Hanby (2) and Yongjiang Shi (2) Arts et Métiers ParisTech 75013 Paris, France (2) Institute for Manufacturing University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB3 0FS, UK (1) Abstract The purpose of this research paper is to develop a Value Chain conceptual model based on a combined Supply and Demand approach. Drawing primarily from the literature on Supply Chain, Demand Chain and Value Chain, modern definitions for these concepts are developed. Based on these findings, a new equation in the “value” world is introduced: “Value Chain = Supply Chain + Demand Chain”. The resultant model recognizes the growing importance of the end-consumer in the design and management of these chains and considers both the effectiveness and efficiency relationship in the Value Chain. In addition, different value perspectives for the Value Chain are suggested with particular focus on sustainable value creation and capture issues. It is anticipated that this model will be developed further in the specific context of the luxury market using case studies to develop and refine the proposed Value Chain model. Keywords: Value Chain, Supply Chain, Demand Chain, Consumer, Customer. Introduction While external forces such as economic, ecological, technological and regulatory developments are increasingly altering the global landscape, new industry trends now affect the...... Words: 9214 - Pages: 37 ...Introduction to Supply Chain Management Technologies Second Edition Introduction to Supply Chain Management Technologies Second Edition David Frederick Ross CRC Press Taylor & Francis Group 6000 Broken Sound Parkway NW, Suite 300 Boca Raton, FL 33487-2742 © 2011 by Taylor and Francis Group, LLC CRC Press is an imprint of Taylor & Francis Group, an Informa business No claim to original U.S. Government works Printed in the United States of America on acid-free paper 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 International Standard Book Number-13: 978-1-4398-3753-5 (Ebook-PDF) This book contains information obtained from authentic and highly regarded sources. Reasonable efforts have been made to publish reliable data and information, but the author and publisher cannot assume responsibility for the validity of all materials or the consequences of their use. The authors and publishers have attempted to trace the copyright holders of all material reproduced in this publication and apologize to copyright holders if permission to publish in this form has not been obtained. If any copyright material has not been acknowledged please write and let us know so we may rectify in any future reprint. Except as permitted under U.S. Copyright Law, no part of this book may be reprinted, reproduced, transmitted, or utilized in any form by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying, microfilming, and recording, or in any information storage or......	https://www.termpaperwarehouse.com/essay-on/Demand-Driven-Supply-Chain/467360
Chlorooctane, also known as octyl chloride, is a liquid base chemical formed by mixing n-octanol and hydrogen chloride. Chlorooctane is a colorless, clear, flammable liquid belonging to the organic halogen compounds family. It is difficult/hard to dissolve in water, but can be mixed with alcohol and ether. Chlorooctane is on the special health hazard substance list because it is flammable and gives off irritating or toxic fumes (or gases) in a fire. It is used as a solvent, as a medicine to control worms, for organometallic compound synthesis, and also to produce other chemicals. Chlorooctane is also used as an alkylating agent in organosynthesis, organometallic compound manufacturing, and as a solvent. There are various HPLC grade of chlorooctane that are available in market such as HP502-1LT-EA, HP502-1LT-CS, HP502-4LT-EA, HP502-4LT-CS, etc. Chlorooctane Market: Dynamics Globally, the chlorooctane market is mainly influenced by its demand and availability in various regions. The consumption of chlorooctane is more in pharmaceutical industries as it is mixed with other chemicals in order to produce various medicines. China, being a major producer and consumer of chlorooctane, immensely affects the market dynamics of the global chlorooctane market. Nowadays, many new methods for the synthesis of chlorooctane are being developed to make it pollution-free, since when chlorooctane reacts with NaCn in the presence of a phase transfer catalyst (PTC), the reaction becomes faster without any anhydrous condition from an external source. Some PTCs are Aliquat 336: methyltrioctyl ammonium chloride, Benzyl trimethyl ammonium chloride or Ammonium bromide, and benzyl triphenylphosphonium iodide. Due to the strict requirements of the productive technology of 1-chlorobutane, the production is not able to advance and grow in various regions. However, since the demand downstream is increasing, the output of 1-chlorobutane is expected to grow stably in the next few years. Chlorooctane Market: Regional Outlook China, the U.S., Europe, Southeast Asia, and India are regions that majorly uses chlorooctane in various industry applications such as pharmaceuticals, pesticides, intermediates, etc., Market is projected to be driven by increasing demand from China, with significant use of chlorooctane in pharmaceutical and chemical sector, while demand will be robust in India and Southeast Asian countries too. Chlorooctane Market: Key Suppliers Some of the key players operating in the global chlorooctane market are Hubei Jusheng Technology Co., Ltd, Henan Allgreen Chemical Co., Ltd , Simagchem, Orchid Chemical , Hangzhou Dayangchem Co., Ltd, Jinan Finer Chemical Co., Crovell, Baowei Technology Group, ZhiShang Chemical, Yancheng Longshen Chemical Co., Ltd., Shenzhen Sendi Biotechnology Co. Ltd., Henan DaKen Chemical CO.,LTD., Meryer (Shanghai) Chemical Technology Co., Ltd., J & K SCIENTIFIC LTD., Yancheng Longshen Chemical Co., Ltd., and Kono Chem Co., Ltd The chlorooctane market research report presents a comprehensive assessment of the chlorooctane market, and contains thoughtful insights, facts, historical data, key success factors, drivers, restraints, opportunities, trends, trade overview and statistically supported and industry-validated market data. It also contains projections and growth forecasts using a suitable set of assumptions and methodologies. The chlorooctane market research report provides analysis and information according to chlorooctane market segments such as geography, application, consumption, and product type. Avail customized purchase options for your needs Chlorooctane Market: Key Participants - King Scientific - Chemieliva Pharmaceutical Co, Ltd. - Vlada Chem - Tim Tec - Amadis Chemical - Vitas M. Laboratory - Comi Blocks - Chem Tik - Tokoyo Chemical Industry - Achemica - Life Chemicals - Lab Seeker - MP Biomedical - Mol Port - Enovation Chemical - Sigma Aldrich - Biosynth - ZINC - Broad Pharma - Muse Chem The Chlorooctane report covers exhaustive analysis on: - Market Segments - Market Dynamics - Market Size - Supply & Demand - Current Trends/Issues/Challenges - Competition & Companies Involved - Technology in the Chlorooctane Market - Value Chain of the Chlorooctane Market An Adaptive Approach to Modern-day Research Needs Regional analysis includes: - North America (U.S., Canada) - China - South Asia - India The chlorooctane market report is a compilation of first-hand information, qualitative and quantitative assessment by industry analysts, and inputs from industry experts and industry participants across the value chain in the Chlorooctane market. The report provides in-depth analysis of parent market trends, macro-economic indicators, and governing factors, along with market attractiveness as per segment. The Chlorooctane report also maps the qualitative impact of various market factors on segments and geographies. Report Highlights: - Detailed overview of the chlorooctane market - Changing market dynamics in the industry - In-depth Chlorooctane market segmentation - Historical, current, and projected market size in terms of volume and value - Recent industry trends and developments - Competitive landscape - Strategies of key players and products offered - Potential and niche segments, geographical regions exhibiting promising growth - A neutral perspective on market performance - Must-have information for market players to sustain and enhance their market footprint NOTE - All statements of fact, opinion, or analysis expressed in reports are those of the respective analysts. They do not necessarily reflect formal positions or views of the company. Interested to Procure The Data Chlorooctane Market: Segments The chlorooctane market is segmented on the basis of application, end use industry and region. As the consumption of chlorooctane is increasing in various applications, its demand is also surging in market. The chlorooctane market has been studied on the basis of its price, revenue, market share, and growth rate. Applications such as surface active agents, pharmaceuticals, lubricant composition, refrigerants and are also used as stabilizers for dibutylmagnesium (or n-Cbutyl-sec-butylmagnesium) in various industrial sectors. On the basis of application, the chlorooctane market can be segmented as, - Surface Active Agent - Pharmaceutical Ingredient - Stabilizer - Chemical Intermediate On the basis of end use industry, the chlorooctane market can be segmented as, - Medical & Pharmaceutical - Chemical Production - Others Need an Exclusive Report for your Unique Requirement? - Related Reports - Biofibre Market Biofibre Market research report covers detailed information on Global Biofibre Market Size, Share, a... Graphene Composites Market Graphene Composites Market to register a CAGR of around 40% during the forecast period, 2021-2031. P... Gallium Oxide Market Gallium Oxide Market is expected to register a CAGR of 11% during the forecast period, 2020-2030. Be... Die Bonding Pastes Market The global die bonding pastes market is set to expand at a steady CAGR of around 5% throughout the 2... - Our Clients - - Evaluate How Fact.MR's Report Can Help. - Is the market research conducted by Fact.MR? Yes, the report has been compiled by expert analysts of Fact.MR, through a combination of primary and secondary research. To know more about how the research was conducted, you can speak to a research analyst. What research methodology is followed by Fact.MR? Fact.MR follows a methodology that encompasses the demand-side assessment of the market, and triangulates the same through a supply-side analysis. This methodology is based on the use of standard market structure, methods, and definitions. What are the sources of secondary research? Fact.MR conducts extensive secondary research through proprietary databases, paid databases, and information available in the public domain. We refer to industry associations, company press releases, annual reports, investor presentations, and research papers. More information about desk research is available upon request. Who are the respondents for primary research? 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In-depth Analysis and Data-driven Insights on the Impact of COVID-19 Included in this Global PLC Market Report The global PLC market by revenue is expected to grow at a CAGR of over 5% during the period 2019–2025. The global PLC market, which is concentrated in five countries – the US, Japan, China, Germany, and Canada – constitutes over half of the global PLC market size, accounting for 48% of the global sales in 2019. There has been a high degree of correlation observed with the extent of industrialization, availability, and investments in the public and private infrastructure and associated private and government spending on automation, constituting a major boost to the demand for PLCs. Further, trade barriers, availability of automation technology, service providers, and implementation models for infrastructural programs determine the extent of demand for PLCs in various geographies. The rise of Augmented Reality and immersive experiences has started to change the interaction with machines and systems slowly, which is likely to increase the scope for implementation of PLCs. Further, PLC-based PACs are likely to gain an edge over conventional types, especially in large-scale applications that warrant a high degree of automation. The impact of COVID-19 has greatly affected global manufacturing and industrial outlook. The momentum for new orders and the expansion of manufacturing capabilities have declined across the globe in terms of production and stimulation. Stringent government policies and regulations from the local and national governments have restricted the movement of supply-side, production facilities, and finished goods. Such situations have become highly challenging for OEM and PLC vendors. The following factors are likely to contribute to the growth of the PLC market during the forecast period: - Growing Use in Augmented Reality Technology - Increasing Prominence of PLC-based PAC - Smart and AI-enabled Homes demanding PLC Implementation The study considers the present scenario of the PLC market and its market dynamics for the period 2019?2025. It covers a detailed overview of several market growth enablers, restraints, and trends. The report offers both the demand and supply aspect of the market. It profiles and examines leading companies and other prominent ones operating in the market. GLOBAL PLC MARKET SEGMENTATION The global PLC market research report includes a detailed segmentation by type, end-users, and geography. Modular PLCs are employed in medium to large-scale industries. Increased requirements for automation solutions in several industries, especially in manufacturing and other varied applications among home and building automation end-users, are the major growth boosters for the segment.Rackmount PLCs are mostly finding applications in the manufacturing industry as they are capable of functioning in the extreme industrial environment. They are mainly used in mining and oil industries, and automation systems, where there is a high level of complexity involved. The rackmount segment continues to witness growth on account of the growing need for data management and processing and increased facelift of the industrial sector due to technology and modernization. A high level of automation technology and product manufacturing is involved in the automobile manufacturing industry, which is increasing the potential of PLC applications. The chemical industry installs PLCs for real-time implementation of load management processes. The chemical and petrochemical industry requires inspections frequently as there are high possibilities of errors at measuring and various other stages. Therefore, automation technology makes the process easy and straightforward, thereby increasing reliability and decreasing the chances of human errors. In the food industry, PLCs are employed as part of automation in the production line. They have not only transformed the way assembly lines are controlled or sequenced but also made the manufacturing process more efficient. The APAC region will account for one-third of the market with a major demand expected to come from China, Japan, South, and Korea. As these regions are witnessing high automation in the F&B industry, increased demand for PLC in processed and packaged food companies is likely to underpin the market. Segmentation by Type - Modular - Rackmount - Unitary Segmentation by End-users - Automotive - Chemical - Food & Beverage - Mining & Metallurgy - Water - Oil & Gas - Paper & Packaging - Others Insights by Geography APAC hosts the most robust manufacturing industries, including automotive, construction, chemicals, defense, and aerospace. The region is also home to some of the highly enthusiastic tech-savvy population. For instance, in 2019, China and India had more than 409 million millennials, which is about five times more than in the US. Millennials account for the bulk usages of tech products and the target audience for robotic and automation vendors, especially in B2C segments. Owing to the high demand for tech products, the APAC market holds a key interest of vendors in the manufacturing sector, thus offering high opportunities for the vendors in the industrial and manufacturing sector. The European region is largely driven by the demand from key end-user industries in Germany, the UK, and France. The food and beverage segment is expected to add over $670 million to the regional market revenue. Segmentation by Geography - North America o US o Canada - Europe o UK o Germany o France o Italy o Spain - APAC o China o Japan o South Korea o Australia o India - Latin America o Brazil o Mexico - Middle East & Africa o Turkey o GCC Insights by Vendors The global PLC market share is currently witnessing intense competition among major players. The global market is dominated by key players, including Siemens, Mitsubishi, Rockwell Automation, Schneider Electric, and Omron. The rapidly changing market dynamics with regard to product innovation and advancement is acting as a catalyst to intensify the competition among existing players. Consumers have several choices with respect to product availability. The present scenario is driving vendors to alter and redefine their unique value proposition to achieve a strong presence. Major players largely dominate the market. However, smaller vendors are providing products with generic specifications at a relatively low price. Also, the market showcases flexible behavior in terms of the adoption of new innovative products. This develops a major challenge for smaller players as they have limited resources to invest in research and development. Prominent Vendors - Schneider Electric o Business Overview o Product Offerings o Key Strengths o Key Strategies o Key Opportunities - Rockwell Automation - Siemens - Mitsubishi Electric - Omron Other Prominent Vendors - ABB o Business Overview o Product Offerings - Altman Lighting - Bosch Rexroth - Eaton - Emerson Electric - General Electric - Honeywell - Kontron - Panasonic - Infineon Technologies - Delta Electronics - Hitachi - Motorola - Keyence - Phoenix Contact - LS ELECTRIC - Fuji Electric - Toshiba - Yokogawa Electric Key Questions Answered - What is the global PLC market size and growth forecast? - What are the factors impacting the Asia Pacific PLC market growth? - What are the drivers, trends, and restraints impacting the Automotive PLC market? - Who are the top 3 manufacturers of PLCs and what is the growth of Rockwell automation market share? - What is the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the programmable logic controller (PLC) market?	https://www.asdreports.com/market-research-report-536459/plc-market-global-outlook-forecast
Demand Forecasting: Meaning, Need, Objectives and Methods7th February 2020 Some of the popular definitions of demand forecasting are as follows: According to Evan J. Douglas, “Demand estimation (forecasting) may be defined as a process of finding values for demand in future time periods.” In the words of Cundiff and Still, “Demand forecasting is an estimate of sales during a specified future period based on proposed marketing plan and a set of particular uncontrollable and competitive forces.” Demand forecasting enables an organization to take various business decisions, such as planning the production process, purchasing raw materials, managing funds, and deciding the price of the product. An organization can forecast demand by making own estimates called guess estimate or taking the help of specialized consultants or market research agencies. Need of Demand Forecasting Demand plays a crucial role in the management of every business. It helps an organization to reduce risks involved in business activities and make important business decisions. Apart from this, demand forecasting provides an insight into the organization’s capital investment and expansion decisions. (i) Fulfilling objectives Implies that every business unit starts with certain pre-decided objectives. Demand forecasting helps in fulfilling these objectives. An organization estimates the current demand for its products and services in the market and move forward to achieve the set goals. For example, an organization has set a target of selling 50, 000 units of its products. In such a case, the organization would perform demand forecasting for its products. If the demand for the organization’s products is low, the organization would take corrective actions, so that the set objective can be achieved. (ii) Preparing the budget Plays a crucial role in making budget by estimating costs and expected revenues. For instance, an organization has forecasted that the demand for its product, which is priced at Rs. 10, would be 10, 00, 00 units. In such a case, the total expected revenue would be 10* 100000 = Rs. 10, 00, 000. In this way, demand forecasting enables organizations to prepare their budget. (iii) Stabilizing employment and production Helps an organization to control its production and recruitment activities. Producing according to the forecasted demand of products helps in avoiding the wastage of the resources of an organization. This further helps an organization to hire human resource according to requirement. For example, if an organization expects a rise in the demand for its products, it may opt for extra labor to fulfill the increased demand. (iv) Expanding organizations Implies that demand forecasting helps in deciding about the expansion of the business of the organization. If the expected demand for products is higher, then the organization may plan to expand further. On the other hand, if the demand for products is expected to fall, the organization may cut down the investment in the business. (v) Taking Management Decisions Helps in making critical decisions, such as deciding the plant capacity, determining the requirement of raw material, and ensuring the availability of labor and capital. (vi) Evaluating Performance Helps in making corrections. For example, if the demand for an organization’s products is less, it may take corrective actions and improve the level of demand by enhancing the quality of its products or spending more on advertisements. (vii) Helping Government Enables the government to coordinate import and export activities and plan international trade. Objectives of short term demand forecasting - Production policy: Short-term demand forecasting is used to evolve a suitable production policy which can avoid the problems of over production and short supply. - Expenditure pattern: It helps the firm in purchasing. Knowledge of near future economic conditions help the firm in reducing costs of purchasing raw materials and controlling inventory. - Sales policy: Demand forecasting helps the firm in evolving a suitable sales policy. - Price policy: Sales forecasting is useful in determining pricing policy. When the market conditions are expected to be weak, the firm can avoid an increase in price and vice-versa. - Sales targets, controls and incentives: Short term demand forecasting is used to set sales targets and for establishing controls and incentives. - Financial requirements: It is useful in forecasting short term financial requirements. Cash requirement depends on production and sales levels. Hence sales forecasts help the firm to make arrangements for necessary funds well in advance. Objectives of long term demand forecasting - New unit or expansion: Long term demand forecasting helps in planning of a new unit or expansion of an existing unit of a business organization. - Financial requirements: It is useful in long term financial planning. Long-term sales forecast is necessary to estimate long term financial requirements. - Man power planning: Long term demand forecasting enables the firm to make arrangements for training and personnel development. Demand forecasting is also useful to the Government in determining import and export policies. Objectives Of Demand Forecasting In Business Economics is well recognized by the business organizations who want to produce goods at optimum level. The objectives of short-term demand forecasting are different from those of long term demand forecasting. Methods of Demand Forecasting There is no easy or simple formula to forecast the demand. Proper judgment along with the scientific formula is needed to correctly predict the future demand for a product or service. Some methods of demand forecasting are discussed below: - Survey of Buyer’s Choice When the demand needs to be forecasted in the short run, say a year, then the most feasible method is to ask the customers directly that what are they intending to buy in the forthcoming time period. Thus, under this method, the potential customers are directly interviewed. This survey can be done in any of the following ways: - Complete Enumeration Method: Under this method, nearly all the potential buyers are asked about their future purchase plans. - Sample Survey Method: Under this method, a sample of potential buyers is chosen scientifically and only those chosen are interviewed. - End-use Method: It is especially used for forecasting the demand of the inputs. Under this method, the final users i.e. the consuming industries and other sectors are identified. The desirable norms of consumption of the product are fixed, the targeted output levels are estimated and these norms are applied to forecast the future demand of the inputs. Hence, it can be said that under this method the burden of demand forecasting is on the buyer. However, the judgments of the buyers are not completely reliable and so the seller should take decisions in the light of his judgment also. The customer may misjudge their demands and may also change their decisions in the future which in turn may mislead the survey. This method is suitable when goods are supplied in bulk to industries but not in the case of household customers. - Collective Opinion Method Under this method, the salesperson of a firm predicts the estimated future sales in their region. The individual estimates are aggregated to calculate the total estimated future sales. These estimates are reviewed in the light of factors like future changes in the selling price, product designs, changes in competition, advertisement campaigns, the purchasing power of the consumers, employment opportunities, population, etc. The principle underlying this method is that as the salesmen are closest to the consumers they are more likely to understand the changes in their needs and demands. They can also easily find out the reasons behind the change in their tastes. Therefore, a firm having good sales personnel can utilize their experience to predict the demands. Hence, this method is also known as Salesforce opinion or Grassroots approach method. However, this method depends on the personal opinions of the sales personnel and is not purely scientific. - Barometric Method This method is based on the past demands of the product and tries to project the past into the future. The economic indicators are used to predict the future trends of the business. Based on the future trends, the demand for the product is forecasted. An index of economic indicators is formed. There are three types of economic indicators, viz. leading indicators, lagging indicators, and coincidental indicators. The leading indicators are those that move up or down ahead of some other series. The lagging indicators are those that follow a change after some time lag. The coincidental indicators are those that move up and down simultaneously with the level of economic activities. - Market Experiment Method Another one of the methods of demand forecasting is the market experiment method. Under this method, the demand is forecasted by conducting market studies and experiments on consumer behavior under actual but controlled, market conditions. Certain determinants of demand that can be varied are changed and the experiments are done keeping other factors constant. However, this method is very expensive and time-consuming. - Expert Opinion Method Usually, the market experts have explicit knowledge about the factors affecting the demand. Their opinion can help in demand forecasting. The Delphi technique, developed by Olaf Helmer is one such method. Under this method, experts are given a series of carefully designed questionnaires and are asked to forecast the demand. They are also required to give the suitable reasons. The opinions are shared with the experts to arrive at a conclusion. This is a fast and cheap technique. - Statistical Methods The statistical method is one of the important methods of demand forecasting. Statistical methods are scientific, reliable and free from biases. The major statistical methods used for demand forecasting are: - Trend Projection Method: This method is useful where the organization has sufficient amount of accumulated past data of the sales. This date is arranged chronologically to obtain a time series. Thus, the time series depicts the past trend and on the basis of it, the future market trend can be predicted. It is assumed that the past trend will continue in future. Thus, on the basis of the predicted future trend, the demand for a product or service is forecasted. - Regression Analysis: This method establishes a relationship between the dependent variable and the independent variables. In our case, the quantity demanded is the dependent variable and income, the price of goods, price of related goods, the price of substitute goods, etc. are independent variables. The regression equation is derived assuming the relationship to be linear. Regression Equation: Y = a + bX. Where Y is the forecasted demand for a product or service. Forecasting has the following benefits: 1. Future oriented: It enables managers to visualize and discount future to the present. It, thus, improves the quality of planning. Planning is done for future under certain known conditions and forecasting helps in knowing these conditions. It provides knowledge of planning premises with which managers can analyse their strengths and weaknesses and take action to meet the requirements of the future market. For example, if the TV manufacturers feel that LCD or Plasma televisions will replace the traditional televisions, they should take action to either change their product mix or start manufacturing LCD/Plasma screens. Forecasting, thus, helps in utilizing resources in the best and most profitable business areas. In the fast changing technological world, businesses may find it difficult to survive if they do not forecast customers’ needs and competitors’ moves. 2. Identification of critical areas: Forecasting helps in identifying areas that need managerial attention. It saves the company from incurring losses because of bad planning or ill defined objectives. By identifying critical areas of management and forecasting the requirement of different resources like money, men, material etc., managers can formulate better objectives and policies for the organisation. Forecasting, thus, increases organisational and managerial efficiency in terms of framing and implementing organisational plans and policies. 3. Reduces risk: Though forecasting cannot eliminate risk, it reduces it substantially by estimating the direction in which environmental factors are moving. It helps the organisation survive in the uncertain environment by providing clues about what is going to happen in future. If managers know in advance about changes in consumer preferences, they will bring required modifications in their product design in order to meet the changed expectations of the consumers. Thus, forecasting cannot stop the future changes from happening but it can prepare the organisations to face them when they occur or avoid them, if they can. 4. Coordination: Forecasting involves participation of organisational members of all departments at all levels. It helps in coordinating departmental plans of the organisation at all levels. People in all departments at all levels are actively involved in coordinating business operations with likely future changes predicted as a result of forecasting. Thus, forecasting helps in movement of all the plans in the same direction. 5. Effective management: By identifying the critical areas of functioning, managers can formulate sound objectives and policies for their organisations. This increases organisational efficiency, effectiveness in achieving the plans, better management and effective goal attainment. 6. Development of executives: Forecasting develops the mental, conceptual and analytical abilities of executives to do things in planned, systematic and scientific manner. This helps to develop management executives.	https://indiafreenotes.com/demand-forecasting-meaning-need-objectives-and-methods/
Most of us know on an intuitive level that it’s easier to concentrate and get work done in a quiet space with minimal distractions. However, whilst the more tangible aspects of office design (such as layout, lighting, desks, and so on) are usually at the forefront of the mind when crafting the perfect office, acoustics continue to be an overlooked and frequently forgotten consideration. With the proliferation of open-plan office schemes today, distracting background noise has become something of a regrettable norm. But what does this noise actually mean for employee productivity and satisfaction – and what can be done about it? What do we mean by workplace noise? Background sound in an office space is, to some extent, simply a fact of life. Whether it be the ringing of telephones, the whirring of printers and photocopiers, the gossip of co-workers, the hum of the air conditioning, the incessant clattering of fingers on keyboards or the sounds of nearby traffic filtering through an open window – offices can sometimes be inherently distracting spaces in which to work. Of course, not all soundis actually noise. To some extent, a certain level of background ambience is a good thing – and it can be just as difficult to concentrate in a space that is uncannily quiet as it is to get work done in a cacophonous hubbub of people and machinery. A 1970 study by E.C.Keighley, still referenced by experts today, examined 2,000 employees across 40 offices and came to the conclusion that the decibel level of normal background ambience was essentially irrelevant to the perceived “acceptability” of said background sound to the workers. Instead, the researcher found that “unacceptable” noise levels were mostly reported in situations of distinctive decibel peaks. In other words, even a relatively loud office can be acceptable, if that is the consistent ambient norm. It is loud deviations from the norm – a suddenly ringing telephone, a vehicle outside the window angrily honking its horn, somebody slamming a door, a loud conversation conducted nearby – that really disrupt concentration and cause annoyance. It’s common knowledge that noise makes concentration difficult, and of course, scientific analysis confirms this. For example, there is a well-established scientific concept known as the “irrelevant speech effect” (or the “irrelevant sound effect”), which states that distractions by nearby human speech sounds – which don’t have to be uttered in a language understood by the subject, or even comprised of real words at all – can significantly hamper an individual’s ability to perform a simple memory recall task. A study from 2005 asked 88 respondents from two offices to rate how they thought their concentration was affected by different common types of office noise – those being the ringing of telephones (answered and unanswered), printer sounds, keyboard noise, computer noise, outside noise, and conversations (conducted either in person between nearby coworkers, or overheard phone discussions). Telephone-related noise events were voted the most distracting by the survey’s respondents, with unanswered ringing phones voted in joint first place with “other people’s phone conversations” breaking concentration by equal amounts. Another study conducted by Saint-Gobain Ecophon in 2014 later corroborated this finding, reporting that 67% of its respondents also cited telephone disturbance as the most common foil to their concentration. Additionally, both studies found the conversations of coworkers to be moderately off-putting, while computer and typing noises were revealed to be among the least distracting of the sounds polled. Furthermore, the 2005 study showed that 57% of its participants agreed that at least one type of office noise disruption was causing them to commonly suffer a “major deterioration” of their concentration, and almost all (99%) reported feeling that they routinely experienced at least a “slight deterioration”. It seems clear that employees in a noisily distracting office are unlikely to be able to work to their full productive potential – so what can be done about this? There are a number of solutions that could be adopted, depending on the specific requirements of the office. For example, some businesses may want to furnish their staff with noise-cancelling headphones, allowing them to block disturbances in their environment – although this will potentially involve a large and ongoing cost, and might cause communication problems by creating a workplace in which nobody can hear anybody else! Another approach, perhaps counter-intuitively, could be to add sound to the office. Some businesses have found that by adding a constant ambient sound (such as rainfall, waterfalls, ocean waves, or instrumental music), the peaks of distracting sound can be smoothed over and rendered less noticeable – in accordance with the aforementioned principle observed by E.C.Keighley in the 1970s. This may not work for everybody, however, and some people seem to find working with ambient noise easier than others. This isn’t just conjecture; a study conducted in Glasgow in 2007 found that introverts have a more difficult time than extroverts when attempting to concentrate in environments of ambient noise and music. One more solution is to apply an acoustic treatment to the office by installing sound-absorbing panels in carefully selected locations. This is a strategy that has been adopted by many big-city offices already in a bid to soften the ambient noise levels within their workspaces. Of course, acoustic panel installations may not be in line with your hopes for the visual aesthetics of the office, but the good news is that there are creative ways to blend them into the environment. There are large format print suppliers, for instance, who can provide bespoke printed acoustic panels bearing your company’s branding – or they could at least be arranged into an attractive pattern. Another idea for improving the productivity in a noisy office might be to establish a “quiet room” – essentially a sound-treated space for employees to retreat with a laptop or a notebook to quietly concentrate on their tasks and escape the general hubbub of the workplace. Ultimately, decades of scientific research have shown time and again that employee concentration can be greatly impaired in surroundings filled with noisy, diverting interruptions – and so it only makes sense to ensure that your staff aren’t fighting against the office environment to get their work done. After all, it’s pleasant for everybody to work in a setting in which they aren’t constantly assailed by the sounds of ringing telephones and noisy debates. By paying careful consideration to the acoustics of your office, you can ensure that everybody working has the auditory space to reach their most efficient mental state and hit their productivity targets – not to mention enjoy their work a great deal more. This post was contributed by PressOn, one of the leading large format digital printers in the UK. Based in Chatham, Kent, they produce and install printed acoustic panels, workplace graphics and glass manifestations for for some of the UK’s leading offices, retailers and brands. NewerWhat can Augmented and Virtual Reality do for Interior Design?	https://blog.eoffice.net/2019/03/the-science-of-office-acoustics-and-why-it-matters/
Hearing Conservation Safety Exposure to high levels of noise can cause permanent hearing loss. Loud noise can create physical and psychological stress, reduce productivity, interfere with communication and concentration, and contribute to workplace accidents and injuries by making it difficult to hear warning signals. Hearing protection must be provided by employers to employees who are exposed to noise levels greater than 85db for 8 hours or more. Our training program will provide employees with the proper understanding and requirements for hearing protection and working safely in noisy work settings.	https://www.osha-safety-training.net/product-category/topic/subject-hearing-conservation-safety/
Written by Jesper Kock Sound can profoundly alter our state of mind and has the power to influence our thoughts, feelings, and behaviour. Today we communicate using complex linguistic systems, yet these modern systems are the product of a much more ancient relationship with sound. When we speak, we communicate not only with the words we choose but with the patterns of sound we create and the movements that create them. Contrary to popular belief, humans do not perceive sound through the ear – the ear is a vehicle to the brain that perceives and translates a series of electronic nerve signals. At EPOS, we understand that to make sense of sound, we must start with the brain. By understanding how the brain works and how sets of electrical pulses inform our perception of sound. With much of the global workforce continuing to work remotely, background noise continues to be a major threat not only to our productivity but to our health. With workers largely unaware of its effects, it is only by addressing these concerns that we can begin to unlock new levels of wellbeing and productivity. Unlike other senses, the brain is much slower to respond to sound as it finds it trickier to switch between stimuli. For instance, when on a conference call that is marred by audio issues including background noises, interference, echoing the brain works harder to focus on what the most important source of sound is. Sound affects us psychologically, cognitively, and behaviourally, even though we are not aware of it. In simple terms, speech perception in adverse listening situations can be exhausting and can easily result in brain fatigue. It might start with noise annoyance. But if an individual is exposed to these types of sounds it can lead to an incremental build-up of fatigue and stress over time. When audio sensory overloads flood the brain, cortisol (the stress hormone) is released. In excess, cortisol can inhibit the functions of the brain’s prefrontal cortex – this is the very hub of emotional learning and processing that enables us to regulate thoughtful behaviours such as reasoning and planning. Chronic brain fatigue and increased levels of cortisol can lead to long term issues. Exposure to noises that activate a stress response will inevitably wear an individual down, causing both mental and physical problems. When extrapolated over a period spanning days, weeks, and months this can have a surprisingly detrimental impact on your wellbeing. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health reports that intrusive and interruptive background noise can increase your stress levels and exacerbate stress-related conditions like high blood pressure, migraine headaches, and even coronary disease. Auditory information plays an important role in guiding our other senses and has a profound impact on not only what we hear but what we feel and think. Defining what constitutes “bad audio” is quite simple, in the most macro of senses there are loud interruptive sounds that trigger an instant evolutionary response. For instance, when someone experiences a stressful noise, the amygdala – a region of the brain that contributes to emotional processes responds with a distress signal to the hypothalamus which then tells the body to pump adrenaline into the bloodstream. Then there are the micro and consistent sounds and ambient interruptions that can have a hidden impact on our overall wellbeing. We know that noisy environments and external conversations are barriers to productivity. What is also increasingly apparent is that audio interference and disruption can have a stark impact on performance. Jeopardizing comprehension, time optimization, and increased stress levels. The 1973 Manhattan Bridge Apartment Study is an excellent example of the effect noise can have on our brains. The study looked at a 4-story high rise apartment building in Manhattan that spanned the interstate highway, people living in the building were exposed to high levels of interruptive noise from the incessant traffic – with the average sound level at approximately 84 dBs on the lower floors. The study concluded that for the children living closest to the ground, the interruptive noise was so significant that it impacted on cognitive development and auditory discrimination. After 4 years of monitoring, it was concluded that children living on the lower, noisier floors had a harder time distinguishing similar words, such as “thick” and “sick.” Even smaller increases in unwanted sound can have a significant effect. Multiple studies have shown that people living near airports or motorways can have an impact on an individual’s long term wellbeing, with one study suggesting that people living in areas with more road traffic noise were 25% more likely than those living in quieter neighbourhoods to have symptoms of depression. From a technical perspective, our R&D process is tangentially influenced by our positioning with the Demant Group, we consider all aspects of hearing health. We assess which sounds are required and which constitute as pollutive. What might interfere or interrupt a user? When an individual is engaged in a discussion over the phone it is important to ensure that external sounds that are interruptive are removed – amplificant noises from the individual’s environment or other people need to be erased to allow for the individual to focus and process on the audio stimulus that they need. There are basic standards and regulations set out in Europe that must be complied with, for instance, statutes in Europe state that at an absolute maximum individuals shouldn’t be exposed to more than 85 dB over a full working day. We believe that if you are exposed to unwanted noise, this will have an incremental impact on your overall wellbeing. In an increasingly busy and demanding world where individuals are constantly on the move and multi-tasking, people only need to be exposed to the sounds that they want to hear. However, as we get busier filtering out what we need and what we do not need becomes more complex. As technology has proliferated and working habits have evolved, the volume of telephone calls, conference calls, and teleconferences have increased in turn. We are now working from different locations and facing new challenges; your device needs to meet these new needs. Audio is now merging with technology in new ways that harness adaptive technologies such as AI and Machine Learning, this means we’re reaching a place where audio devices can learn about the sounds that a user wants to hear and can filter out the rest. Whether this is the sound of a person talking in the background or traffic. Remote communication encourages flexible working, but also has its downsides. According to an EPOS study, 44% of end-users report poor sound quality while making phone calls, and 39% the same with internet calls. Conversely, good audio enables an individual to collaborate and communicate clearly and efficiently. The EPOS R&D team harnesses over 115 years of expertise in sound innovation to design products that work in synergy with the ear and brain to enhance sound experiences and protect us from harmful audio. For users in a noisy environment, devices with active noise cancellation offer an effective solution to reducing background and unwanted noise to boost productivity and performance. We build headsets that provide users with the benefit of passive noise cancelation but add an extra level of noise reduction by effectively removing lower frequency sound waves. We have raised the bar of ANC technology with our latest ADAPT product series, which uses pioneering Hybrid ANC technology. These solutions are specifically designed to adjust to the noise challenges of open office environments and beyond. Hybrid active noise cancellation utilizes a four-microphone ANC system. This detects ambient noise and generate anti-noise to cancel it out before it reaches the user’s ears. The result is a dramatic increase in the worker’s ability to concentrate in noisy environments and boosts general wellbeing throughout the working day. We can also now remove all unwanted noises and enhance the users’ voice, as we have developed headsets that can isolate and pick up only the sound of the person who is speaking – even if they are in an environment with a lot of unwanted stimuli. There are several exciting concepts and developments on the horizon – we can look forward to artificial intelligence becoming increasingly embedded in audio solutions, as well as solutions that provide augmented hearing and an increase in demand for voice-controlled devices.	https://indianexpress.com/article/technology/opinion-technology/how-are-we-physiologically-affected-by-bad-audio-7289896/
What are ambient sounds? By definition, ambient sounds are the background noises that are present at any given location. Rain, traffic, crickets, birds, muffled voices, air-conditioning units, and the sound of a distant train are all ambient sounds. Many people get used to these sounds in their environment and they become a welcome background noise mix that the human brain expects to hear even while asleep. Individuals often use ambient sounds to relax, meditate, drown out distracting noises, and to improve their ability to sleep. The use of this type of sound is also prevalent in video and film work since it provides audio continuity between scenes and prevents unnatural spans of silence when no other sound is present. Popular Ambient Sounds For Relaxation - Library background sounds - Coffee Shop sounds - Box Fan - Rain - Ocean Waves - Flowing water (stream or babbling brook) - Thunder in the Distance - Nature sounds (e.g. birds chirping, crickets, frogs croaking, etc..) - Crackling Fireplace - Airplane sounds - City sounds - Train Sounds - Clock Ticking - Common Household sounds (Vacuum, Dishwasher, Air conditioner, Hair Dryer, Clothes Dryer) - Wind Blowing - Wind Chimes - Waterfall - Dripping Water - Whale sounds - Space sounds - Colors of sound (white noise, pink noise, brown noise, etc.) What are ambient sounds?: Examples Water & Nature Sounds Traffic Noise Library Sounds Rainy Day at the Coffee Shop According to the Australian Academy of Science, exposure to prolonged or excessive noise has been shown to cause an array of health issues ranging from increased stress, poor concentration, decreased productivity, communication difficulties, and fatigue from lack of sleep, to more serious issues such as cardiovascular disease, cognitive impairment, tinnitus, and hearing loss. Fortunately for us, researchers are working to better understand why natural ambient sounds in particular have such a positive impact on humans mentally and physically. As found through a 2017 study, sounds derived from nature actually alter the connections in our brains, which reduces our body’s natural fight-or-flight instinct. To explore the connection between the brain, the body, and surrounding noise, researchers at Brighton and Sussex Medical School in England recruited seventeen healthy adult participants to receive functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scans while listening to a series of five-minute soundscapes featuring natural and man-made environments. This was the first study to use brain scans, heart-rate monitors, and behavioral experiments to suggest a physiological cause for these effects. While exposed to each soundscape, participants also performed a task to measure their attention and reaction time. Their heart rates were monitored as well, to indicate changes in their autonomic nervous systems—the system of organs involved in involuntary processes such as breathing, blood pressure, temperature, metabolism, and digestion. When the fMRI results were reviewed, the researchers noticed that activity in the brain’s default mode network— an area involved in mind wandering— varied depending on the background sounds being played. Specifically, listening to artificial sounds was associated with patterns of inward-focused attention, while nature sounds promoted more external-focused attention. Inward-focused attention can include worrying and rumination about things specific to an individual—patterns that have been linked to conditions such as depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder. Reaction times were also slower when the participants were exposed to artificial sounds compared to natural ones. Slight differences in heart rate were also noticeable. Within this study, nature sounds were associated with a decrease in the body’s sympathetic response (tied to “fight-or-flight”) and an increase in parasympathetic response— the one that helps the body relax and function in normal circumstances ( or “rest-digest” response). Interestingly enough, the individuals who started the study with the highest sympathetic responses (high stress levels) enjoyed the biggest relaxation benefits from listening to the natural ambient sounds. What are ambient sounds? When it comes down to it, these sounds can really help you relax, focus, and sleep! Share this information with others.	https://relaxingdigital.com/what-are-ambient-sounds/
Ideas from books, articles & podcasts. Engaging this network helps us to make meaning out of our experiences, empathize with others, be more creative and reflect on our own mental and emotional states. In order to do this, it’s necessary to break away from the distractions. 6 STASHED IN: 292 published ideas from this article: MORE IDEAS FROM THE SAME ARTICLE Silence can quite literally grow the brain. Research found that two hours of silence daily led to the development of new cells in the hippocampus, a key brain region associated with learning, memory and emotion. Noise pollution may lead to high blood pressure and heart attacks, as well as impairing hearing and overall health. Loud noises raise stress levels by activating the brain’s amygdala and causing the release of the stress hormone cortisol, according to research. Silence has the opposite e... As our internal and external environments become louder and louder, more people are beginning to seek out silence, whether through a practice of sitting quietly for 10 minutes every morning or heading off to a 10-day silent retreat. The constant attentional demands of modern life put a significant burden on the prefrontal cortex of the brain, which is involved in high-order thinking, decision-making and problem-solving. When we can finally get away from these sonic disruptions, our brains’ attention centers have the... MORE LIKE THIS Many studies link noise pollution to: Just as noise pollution is bad for you, silence can actually benefit your brain. 1 STASHED IN: 148 published 4 ideas 0 Comments It increases blood pressure, increases stress, disturbs our sleep. And more importantly, it is linked to our bad mental health. It's why we don't have schools in the vicinity of airports anymore. 43 STASHED IN: 324 published 6 ideas 0 Comments One of the major reasons why silence can play an important role in everyday life is the ability to focus as the modern world and its various noises enter your brain all at once. The ability to focus on different tasks is often accompanied by a little background noise. Focus is almost always... 10 STASHED IN: 34 published 7 ideas 0 Comments ❤️ Brainstash Inc.	https://deepstash.com/idea/20987/the-brains-default-mode-network
By Mark Huxta and Sharon Paley According to the research paper, Shades of Florence Nightingale: Potential Impact of Noise Stress on Wound Healing, “Noise has long been recognized as an environmental stressor that causes physiological, psychological, and behavioural changes in healthy subjects. Environmental noise and its potential effects on healing and recovery are of special concern to nurses in hospital settings, where increased levels of noise and the effect of noise on patient sleep and cognitive function have been well documented in literature,” (the paper was written by D.O. McCarthy, M.E. Ouimet, and J.M. Daun for the Holistic Nurse Practice in 1991). Perhaps one of the most significant examples left behind by the founder of modern nursing, Florence Nightingale, was her commitment to patient care. She understood the importance of producing a state of mind and body conducive to healing. When it comes to designing the built environment in a way that promotes healing, the old adage of “out of sight, out of mind” rings true, as acoustics are too often neglected. The World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines call for continuous background noise in hospital patient rooms to remain at or below 35 dB(A) during the day and 30 dB(A) at night, with nighttime peaks no higher than 40 dB(A) (for more information, consult the World Health Organization’s [WHO’s] guidelines for community noise. The dBA metric is the most commonly used one for noise control guidelines and regulations. It stands for A-weighted sound pressure levels. A-weighting is used to represent the human ear’s sensitivity to various sounds. To better improve the healing environment for patients and providers, health-care design professionals are now seeking materials with specific acoustic benefits. While noise is a subjective term and can be traced to a variety of sources (e.g. hallway conversations, footsteps, and rolling carts), hospitals and health-care facilities are working to implement sound control and mitigate sound transmission, as both play a key role in creating a healing space. Impact of noise on patients and staff A comfortable acoustic environment is vital to supporting the health, healing, and well-being of patients and providers. Patients’ physiological health can be negatively affected by poor acoustics, inhibiting the healing process and increasing their chances for readmission. High noise levels can lead to patient annoyance, sleep disruption, elevated blood pressure, and decreased healing rates (read “Influence of intensive coronary care acoustics on the quality of care and physiological state of patients” by I. Hagerman, G. Rasmanis, V. Blomkvist, R. Ulrich, C.A. Eriksen, and T. Theorell). In terms of mental and emotional health, acoustics can impact how comfortable and secure a patient and their family members feel in the health-care setting. Noise is of particular concern in behavioural health facilities where there is a strong emphasis on creating a calm, quiet environment for patients. Loud noises that startle patients or disrupt sleep can have long-term effects, while poor sound isolation can present a lack of privacy and also cause discomfort. Similarly, patient care teams also feel the impact of poor acoustics. When completing tasks in a space with a high level of noise, providers may have to exert more energy to listen or be heard, which can cause fatigue and burnout. Speech intelligibility is imperative in a health-care environment, and extraneous sounds can impede providers’ abilities to understand and quickly respond to a variety of auditory signals, such as conversations, alarms, and other equipment, which directly affect patient care and human error. When the health-care environment is finished with sound-reflecting materials or designed without acoustics in mind, discussions among patients and providers can easily carry into other areas and be overheard by an unintended listener. Poor acoustic design increases the risk of noncompliance with privacy regulations. Different design strategies and technologies can be used to quiet the healing environment and minimize the transmission of sound from adjacent spaces. Acoustical ceiling tiles and wall panels aim to protect patients and providers from extraneous noise by absorbing sounds from a variety of sources rather than reflecting them back into the environment. Another often overlooked component is flooring surface technology that offers noise reduction without sacrificing cleanliness or ergonomic comfort.	https://www.constructioncanada.net/managing-noise-in-health-care-facilities-through-flooring-specification/
Mr Greenley’s time in the Navy: Mr Greenley was in the Navy for 24 years. Initial training involved firing weapons on the range with poor hearing protection. After training, his role was as a rifleman. He had blank firing exercises in tunnels and buildings and thunderflashes when training in house clearing. Most exercises were in closed environments and so often he came out with his ears ringing and partial deafness. On board ships he was in and around big guns when firing, he also spent time on landing craft and around helicopters. In his later career he was a Heavy Weapons Air Defence instructor and would sometimes fire up to 10 missiles at a time. Mr Greenley would also wear a headset with constant noise and static coming through and took part in lots of radio work setting a command post. Only one ear would be protected due to him needing to keep the other ear free to give instructions to others. Every day life for Mr Greenley: Mr Greenley struggles watching the television or listening to the radio, due to his hearing loss. He only occasionally goes out socializing but struggles when in a group of 4 or more. Mr Greenley has difficulty hearing female voices. Steve does have NHS hearing aids however they do not give him the level of hearing he requires and simply does not get on with these. On assessment: Mr Greenley’s audiogram shows a normal-moderate symmetrical and sloping sensorineural hearing loss.This type of hearing loss is typically associated with difficulty in complex listening environments in which there are competing background noises. Softly spoken speakers and conversations over a distance will be difficult for a person with this hearing loss, especially if they are unable to see the speakers face. It is often the case that people with this kind of hearing loss start to avoid complex listening environments which int turn can lead to social isolation and a decreased quality of life. The preferred volume of the television or radio for a person with this type of loss is too loud for normal hearing individuals. Recommendation: Mr Greenley was referred to Mr Richard Bunce who covers in Cornwall, on assessment he is was recommended the GN Resound 961 rechargeable hearing aids. This system will provide a clear and rich sound when fitted with a fairly open delivery. The open delivery will preserve the use of Mr Greenleys fair low frequency hearing whilst providing the all important amplification to hear the speech sounds he currently has less access to. This will benefit him hugely when watching television or listening to radio as he will be able to hear the clarity of the speech. The Quattro 9s have many features to aid better speech intelligibility in noisy environments, including Binaural Directionality III which will allow Mr Greenley to easily listen to what is directly in front of him whilst keeping him aware of environmental sounds around him, therefore supporting a very natural hearing experience. The noise tracker removes unwanted noise for better understanding of speech. The Spatial Sense feature, on top of the appropriate amplification on his differing sides, will help with the localisation of sound. Going forward: The UK Veterans Hearing Foundation along with Richard Bunce will continue to support Mr Greenly going forward. We wish him all the very best in hearing well again!	https://www.veteranshearing.org.uk/success-stories/royal-navy-veteran-mr-steve-greenley/
Noise-induced hearing loss is one of the most common work-related injuries, but it is also preventable. Workers who suffer from constant exposure to loud noises in the workplace can experience permanent damage to their hearing. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) estimates that over 22 million Americans are exposed to dangerous noise levels at work every day. While noise exposure is a widespread concern, 34% of workers who report noise exposure don’t wear hearing protection. Employers must ensure workers wear the proper personal protective equipment (PPE) when at risk of exposure to dangerous noise levels. By helping employees protect their ears, employers can avoid costly lawsuits because of hearing loss and increase employee safety and wellbeing. How Work-Related Hearing Loss Happens In some work environments, workers may be exposed to loud noises that could cause inner ear damage. Regular exposure of eight hours or more to noise at 85 decibels (dB) can damage your hearing, according to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). Workers in these industries need to wear suitable NIOSH-approved ear protection when working in a high-decibel environment. ● Construction Construction workers are exposed to dangerously high levels of noise during work hours. The sound coming from a jackhammer hitting asphalt is so loud that it may expose other nearby workers and passers-by to 120-130 dB, well above the acceptable safety limit of 85 dB. ● Manufacturing Almost 46% of all manufacturing workers report being exposed to hazardous noise. When noise levels are exceptionally high in manufacturing facilities surrounded by heavy machinery and trucks, hearing protection is required at all times to reduce damage to workers’ ears. ● Trucking The excessive noise levels produced by trucks and other motor vehicles on the roads can lead to hearing loss among truck drivers. Noise from a motor vehicle’s power transfer system, tires, and increased weight on a heavy car contribute to excessive noise on highways. When to Get Medical Care for Hearing Loss Medical attention is recommended for hearing loss. The doctor may refer to an audiologist who specializes in diagnosing and treating hearing impairments to test their hearing abilities. Audiologists usually collaborate with ear, nose, and throat specialists (ENTs) to diagnose and treat your hearing issues. During a test conducted by an audiologist, they will go through tests over time to identify hearing impairment levels and speech interpretation abilities so that the audiologist can measure the percentage and frequency of their hearing loss. Workers who have hearing loss might be eligible for workers’ compensation benefits if exposed to loud noises over an extended period or in a single event such as a loud explosion at a construction site. What Are the Compensation Benefits for Hearing Loss in Massachusetts All employers in Massachusetts must carry workers’ compensation insurance for their employees, regardless of how many people work for the organization. This coverage extends to employers if they are also an employee of the company. Massachusetts employees are entitled to the following benefits: - Workers’ compensation is equal to 60% of their average weekly wage before their injury. Even if a worker is partially disabled because of a workplace injury and can no longer work at the same job as before, they can receive partial disability workers’ compensation benefits. - One-time lump sums related to hearing loss: - Benefits for hearing loss to one ear are calculated by multiplying the State Average Weekly Wage (SAWW) by 29. - Benefits for hearing loss in both ears are calculated by multiplying the SAWW by 77. How to Protect Workers in the Workplace Employers can suffer many consequences when they do not protect their workers in noisy environments. They could lose workers because of an unsafe workplace exposed to hazardous noise levels or face OSHA inspections if employees report safety violations. To create a safer workplace, OSHA recommends a hearing conservation program for workplaces where workers are exposed to noises greater than 85 dB for eight hours. It is also recommended for construction sites if noise levels reach 90 dB. OSHA’s program includes these safety elements: - Selection of ear protection based on individual fit, industry, and manufacturer quality. - Notification of high levels of noise to workers from noise monitoring. - There are regular hearing tests for workers and hearing protection procedures for workers who show hearing loss after their hearing tests. - Training for workers on how to use their ear protection and the hazards from excessive noises. Get a Free Consultation With a Workplace Injury Attorney While employers need to provide a safe work environment, workers must also be aware of their legal rights to protect themselves if they suffer any work-related injuries. If you are a worker who has suffered from hearing loss related to your workplace, you may be entitled to workers’ compensation benefits under Massachusetts law. During your free consultation, one of our Boston workplace injury lawyers can review the details of your hearing loss case and talk about your options to pursue workers’ compensation benefits. Contact us today to arrange your free initial consultation.	https://www.stoneinjurylawyers.com/employers-protect-workers-hearing/
Prisons aren’t exactly the quietest of environments. On the other hand, popular media’s depictions of inmates shouting and banging cups against cell bars are just as unrealistic. Keeping decorum in a correctional facility may seem like challenging, but the impact of noise on guards and inmates can be detrimental to overall health. Learn the effects of jail noise on health and behavior and why auditory control should be a top priority. What Is Noise? Noise is hard to define due to it’s subjective nature. Typically, it is associated with either loud bursts of sound or continuous sounds of varying levels. Defining a sound as noise depends on many factors: - Type of sound and origin - Loudness and frequency - Duration and variance - Information content and relative importance - Emotional tolerance level of person hearing the sound - Background sound level Outside of a correctional facility, a weather alert alarm, for example, may not be a welcomed sound, but it may not be unwanted because of the underlying intent to inform people of impending disaster in order to provide time to escape. In contrast, the same sound heard multiple times as part of a neighbor’s party music is more likely to gain an upgrade to “noise.” Inside a prison, noise may come from alarms, yelling, pounding, trash-talk, environmental systems (such as heating and air conditioning), kitchen or other facility equipment, or even outbursts from new inmates who may still be under the influence of drugs, alcohol or other substances. Particular decibel (dB) levels are often used to define noise by law, but enforcement rarely takes place through precise measurement. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has defined acceptable levels for noise outside of correctional facilities as 40 dB(A) for classrooms, 50 dB(A) for general office areas and 58 dB(A) for light industrial spaces. The American Correctional Association has set noise standards for prison and jail housing units not to exceed 70 dB(A) for daytime hours and 45 dB(A) for nighttime hours. Although regulations may vary by country and setting, long-term exposure to sound above 50 dB(A) can cause serious health risks, such as heart attack and hypertension. Adverse Health Effects Prolonged exposure to unwanted sound can cause many health problems and lead to behavioral issues, ranging from single-episode or minimal occurrence to serious health risks leading to death. Health concerns include: - Annoyance - Sleep disturbance - Fatigue - Hearing impairment and loss - Immune deficiency - Hypertension - Heart disease - High blood pressure - Elevated cortisol and adrenaline - Headaches - Vertigo None of these health concerns are good for any person regardless of where they reside. But when unwanted sound impacts an inmate’s health, the resulting behavior may be worse due to a limited ability to escape the noise. Increased annoyance combined with elevated cortisol and adrenaline levels produces aggressive behavior, which may create further health problems and noise. Sleep disturbance and fatigue reduce compliance with rules and tolerance of behavior and noise. The more serious health issues lead to an increased spending on medications, health monitoring, and infirmary visits. Special Concerns for Adolescent Inmates In correctional facilities housing adolescent offenders, noise may be even more of a problem. With increased hormone levels and fluctuations during the teen and young adult years, noise may cause even more drastic episodes of the health issues previously mentioned. Speech perception continues to develop until the early teen years, so noise exposure in the adolescent inmate population can affect cognitive development as well as physical and mental health, leading to increased behavioral problems. Behavioral Considerations Excessive sound levels affect more than just health. The it creates contributes to undesirable and unsafe behavior by inmates. This includes: - Increased aggression - Increased irritability - Decreased compliance and cooperation - Difficulty for staff in maintaining control and safety The longer inmates are exposed to these effects, the more serious that their behavior, safety, and health risks may become. Solutions for Noise Control However, even with all these included risk-factors, complete silence may not be the answer. There are solutions to help control sound in correctional facilities. For new facilities, implementing noise-reducing design and construction processes include: - Incorporating acoustic materials at least an inch thick - Designing irregularly shaped rooms - Leaving air space behind acoustic materials to absorb sound But for older facilities, sound may need to be reduced by: - Grafting fabric to furniture - Adding carpet to high-traffic areas - Adding acoustic materials to ceilings, walls and near other sources of sound Budgets are often stretched, but the savings in medical supplies, stress reduction and overall environmental and attitude changes will outweigh the costs of noise-reducing materials. Reducing the amount of noise in correctional facilities will not only contribute to healthier inmates and an increased ability to deal with re-entry to society, but it will also relieve the stress of correctional staff in maintaining a safe and controlled environment.	https://www.encartele.net/2017/07/noise-impact-correctional-facility/
If you work in manufacturing, you know that there’s rarely a quiet day on the job. In fact, aside from the spike of COVID-19 in 2020, hearing loss has historically been the most recorded occupational illness in manufacturing. In 2019, the Bureau of Labor Statistics estimated that potentially damaging noise levels put 18 million workers at risk, and led to approximately 14,500 work-related hearing loss cases. Furthermore, the estimated workers’ compensation payout from employers with employees who experience hearing loss is around $242 million. So, as an employer, what should you do to protect both your team and your company? Let’s break it down. OSHA’s Rule on Hearing Safety According to OSHA’s Regulation 29CFR 1910.95, employees exposed to sound levels at, or above, 85 decibels adjusted (dBA) for an 8-hour time-weight average must be provided with some means to mitigate their exposure to the hazard. In other words, if an employee endures hazardous noise for a specific period of time, his/her employer must monitor that employee’s hearing and offer ways to conserve and protect it. Also, starting on May 17, 2022, OSHA will also begin enforcing a Regional Emphasis Program for Noise-Induced Hearing Loss. This program will target manufacturing industries with high rates of occupational hearing loss in Colorado, Montana, North Dakota, and South Dakota. “This regional emphasis program will help ensure manufacturing employers in Colorado, Montana, North Dakota and South Dakota do what is necessary to protect their workers from exposures to excessive noise and prevent permanent hearing loss,” said OSHA Regional Administrator Jennifer Rous in Denver. “OSHA hopes the emphasis program will remind manufacturing industry employers to follow required safety standards and alert workers to the related hazards and reduce workplace injuries,” Rous added. The Effects of Hearing Damage Perhaps the most common effect of hearing damage is Tinnitus. Most people experience the sensation of ringing in their ears at some point, but those suffering from Tinnitus may hear this ringing or booming sound constantly. NIOSH reports that 8 percent of all workers suffer from Tinnitus, which unfortunately may be the first noticeable sign of damage. Workers whose hearing is affected by ototoxic chemicals in combination with high noise levels are at the highest risk for hearing damage. Ototoxic exposure can occur during jobs such as painting, radiator repair, weapons firing, boat building, and more. Loud noise on the worksite can also physically and mentally affect employees. OSHA notes that “loud noise can create physical and psychological stress, reduce productivity, interfere with communication and concentration, and contribute to workplace accidents and injuries by making it difficult to hear warning signals.” Hearing loss may not physically hurt, but it can deeply impact the ability to communicate with others, leading to social and psychological distress. It can also lead to loss of sleep and fatigue. How to Get Ahead of Hearing Damage There are several ways to control and reduce worker exposure to noise in workplaces where sound exposure is excessive. You can do that with: - Engineering controls: These controls involve modifying or replacing equipment or making related physical changes at the noise source or along the transmission path to reduce the noise level at the worker’s ear. Effective engineering controls include - Choosing low-noise tools and machinery - Maintaining and lubricating machinery and equipment (e.g., oil bearings) - Placing a barrier between the noise source and employee (e.g., sound walls or curtains) - Enclosing or isolating the noise source. - Administrative controls: These are changes in the workplace or schedule that eliminate or reduce worker exposure to noise. Examples include: - Operating noisy machines during shifts when fewer people are exposed - Limiting the amount of time a person spends at a noise source - Providing quiet areas where workers can gain relief from hazardous noise sources - Controling noise exposure through distance is often an effective, yet simple and inexpensive administrative control. Specifically, for every doubling of the distance between the source of noise and the worker, the noise is decreased by 6 dBA. - Audiometric testing: This is a great way to test and see if employees are suffering from any loss of hearing. Audiometric testing can prevent further, more severe hearing loss and hefty fines from OSHA. For audiometric testing, which is required by OSHA, Worksite Medical brings the examinations directly to your worksite. You can get up to six audio booths and up to 20 exams per hour for efficient testing. Audiometric testing is pure tone air-conducted hearing testing performed in each ear at frequencies of 500, 1K, 2K, 3K, 4K, 6K, and 8K. This sort of testing identifies hearing levels and a sensitivity to the exposed sound. We also provide hearing safety training. And, you never have to send your team members away to a clinic. Get your risk-free quote or schedule your on-site audiometric exams below. Let’s keep your team safe and stay ahead of OSHA inspections together. Take a virtual tour of our mobile medical units HERE. *** About Worksite Medical In most cases, OSHA requires medical surveillance testing, and at no cost to employees. Worksite Medical makes that program easier with mobile medical testing. We conduct on-site respirator fit tests, as well as audiometric exams, pulmonary function tests and heavy metal lab work, right on your job site. We also keep accurate, easy-to-access medical records for your convenience. You’ll keep your employees at work, and stay ahead of OSHA inspections. With Worksite Medical, a mobile medical testing unit — we can bring all the resources of a lab to you. Our certified lab technicians can perform both qualitative and quantitative respirator tests to ensure a perfect fit. Protect your team and your workplace now with Worksite Medical. Not sure what you need? Try our medical testing wizard here. Give us a call at 1-844-622-8633, or complete the form below to schedule an on-site visit or to get your free quote!	https://www.worksitemed.com/hearing-loss-the-most-common-occupational-illness-in-manufacturing/
Take steps to prevent hearing damage in the workplace before it happens. Source: EHS Today / Reed Erickson Some of the most prevalent workplace hazards aren’t seen—they’re heard. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) reports that 22 million U.S. workers are exposed to damaging noise levels at work, and according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), workplace-related hearing loss is the most commonly reported injury. It’s not surprising, then, that hearing loss disability accounts for an estimated $242 million in workers’ compensation payments each year, according to the Department of Labor. Approximately 48 million Americans have some degree of hearing loss, according to the Hearing Loss Association of America. The National Institutes of Health estimates that 15% of those aged 20 to 65 are living with some level of noise-induced hearing loss. Noises over 85 decibels (dB) warrant the use of protection. For reference, normal talking is 60 dB, city traffic is 85 dB and a rock concert or a tractor is about 100-115 dB. Without proper protection, prolonged noise exposure in a factory setting can compound the hearing loss incurred from everyday noises. Because hearing damage is cumulative and permanent, it is vital—and in many cases required—for businesses to protect their workers’ hearing, especially for those with a workforce exposed to loud machinery, power tools and heavy equipment. In this article, we’ll examine the top industries affected by hearing loss and identify opportunities to minimize noise through hearing conservation programs. Industries most affected by hearing loss From office environments to busy construction sites, workplace hearing loss is a reality for many industries. However, there are workers in certain roles who are at increased risk for hearing damage, and the needs of these employees should be more closely monitored and accommodated. Hearing loss in the manufacturing industry For workers in the manufacturing industry, hearing loss is the most commonly recorded occupational injury. Between compressed air, which is an estimated 92 dB, and loud machinery like grinders, drills and milling machines, which typically hit dB levels 95 and above, it’s important for employers to take extra care to protect workers’ hearing. Hearing loss in the construction, carpentry and mining industries Loud power tools also make workers in construction, carpentry and mining industries particularly susceptible to hearing loss. In fact, some tools, like a jackhammer, can reach up to 130 dB—more than 45 dB above the recommended limit. When exposed to these sounds for extended periods of time during a shift, the risk of hearing damage increases. Likewise, miners are regularly exposed to sounds related to drilling into rock in a confined work environment, and as a result most miners have some form of hearing loss by the time they retire, according to the CDC. Other industries most commonly affected by hearing loss include entertainment and nightlife, military, agriculture and farming. Workplace risks associated with hearing loss Hearing is the body’s built-in alarm system and plays a vital role in protecting a person from physical harm. Hearing picks up on possible dangers that may not be visible yet, like the sound of an approaching truck or the clanging of a broken machine. However, when hearing is compromised, the built-in alarm system isn’t as effective and may not pick up on incoming dangers as quickly, putting workers at risk. Workplace accidents are common among workers with hearing damage due to reduced situational awareness or the inability to hear a warning siren or signal. The risks associated with hearing loss don’t stop there. Not only does hearing loss contribute to workplace-related issues, it can also take a toll on an employee’s quality of life. Hearing loss is permanent, and as it worsens, it can make interpersonal communication difficult and frustrating, putting a strain on relationships. In addition, ringing in the ears associated with hearing loss can be disruptive to normal sleep patterns and concentration, which sometimes can increase the risk of depression, anxiety and stress. All of these factors may contribute to underperformance or dissatisfaction at work. Opportunities for improvement When it comes to hearing loss, prevention is key. Almost all work-related hearing loss is cumulative and permanent, so it’s important for employers to take steps to prevent damage before it happens. A great step in preventing work-related hearing damage is to implement a hearing conservation program. Not only do these programs protect workers from occupational hearing loss, but they can also play a role in increasing employees’ sense of well-being and reduce the incidence of stress-related disease. Stress decreases blood flow that helps hair cells within the ear work properly. Therefore, reducing workers’ stress can help maintain the overall health of the ear. Hearing conservation is an OSHA mandate that requires companies to take action and institute occupational noise and hearing conservation programs for employees who work in areas where the probable exposure to noise equals or exceeds an eight-hour time-weighted average (TWA) sound level of 85 dB. An effective hearing conservation program includes regular, ongoing sound monitoring, audiograms, employee training and protective equipment. Regular, ongoing sound monitoring Sound level meters and dosimeters are two important elements of an effective hearing conservation program. Sound level meters measure sound intensity at a specific moment, while dosimeters measure a person’s average exposure to noise over a period of a time. Employers can monitor and record sound levels throughout the workplace to help employees understand areas where the risk of hearing loss may be higher. Audiograms An effective hearing conservation program includes taking a baseline audiogram, which takes place 14 hours or more after the employee was last exposed to occupational noise. Following the baseline audiogram, annual audiograms should be performed to record any changes. These results should be analyzed and compared to previous tests to provide insights into how an employee’s hearing has changed. These changes are recorded as a Standard Threshold Shift (STS) if the loss is greater than a certain level. An STS is a detectable change in hearing when compared to the baseline audiogram. If a shift is identified, an employer is required to inform the employee within 21 days and refer them to an audiologist for follow-up testing and possible treatment. This also is a good opportunity for both employers and employees to assess hearing protection methods and make any needed changes. Employee training Training workers is another essential step to educating a workforce about the risks associated with hearing loss and the importance of prevention. At a minimum, employers should conduct an annual noise training with all employees, but regular reminders throughout the year are also recommended. For example, hanging educational posters and noise maps, which highlight decibel levels throughout the workplace, is a great way to remind employees throughout the year to take steps to mitigate hearing damage. It can also be helpful to offer one-on-one educational sessions with individual employees who may be exposed to louder noises on a regular basis. Protective equipment In addition to monitoring and training, employers must also provide workers with suitable equipment to protect hearing while at work. In fact, this is an OSHA requirement for workplaces where the noise levels meet or exceed 85 dB. There are a wide variety of options when it comes to hearing protective devices and employers can often find several appropriate options that fit the needs of employees and the workplace. Examples include earplugs and earmuffs that come in a wide variety of different styles, like disposable and reusable, to fit employers’ and employees’ preferences.	https://rockroadrecycle.com/the-not-so-quiet-dangers-of-hearing-loss/
Many people spend a good portion of their daily life in environments filled with constant sound. This causes many individuals to seek out places where they can experience silence. But did you know that time spent in silence this has a positive impact on a person’s emotions. Research is showing that spending time in silence is much more important to a person’s brain than many of us realize. A paper written by environmental psychologist Dr. Craig Zimrig noted that infants in a neonatal intensive care unit had a negative reaction to high noise levels. It caused them to have increased heart rates and increased blood pressure. It also caused them to experience disrupted sleep patterns. Another study was published in the journal Heart. It demonstrated how two minutes of silence was more effective in relaxing people than listening to relaxing music. This was measured by changes in their blood pressure as well as the amount of blood circulating to their brains. Research has shown a person’s brain is constantly evaluating and internalizing information. It does this even during periods of silence. When a person’s brain is resting, it continues to absorb and analyze information. When individuals are not being distracted by noise or performing tasks, a quiet time enables their conscious to better process thoughts and ideas. When they experience silence, a person’s brain is able to work at better understanding their internal and external environments. A study was published by the journal Brain, Structure, and Function in 2013. It compared the impact of ambient noise and silence on the brains of mice. Researchers discovered that providing mice with at least two hours of silence each day made it possible for the rodents to develop new cells in the hippocampus region of their brains. This is the area of the brain that controls memory, emotion, and learning. Scientists believe silence could play a role in being therapeutic for conditions like Alzheimer’s and depression. This is the belief that a person’s brain is able to restore its finite cognitive resources by spending time in environments with low levels of sensory input. Research has shown the constant attention demands of the modern life puts stress on a person’s prefrontal cortex. This is the part of the brain responsible for making decisions, solving problems and more. When a person spends time alone in silence, their brains are able to relax and not focus so much on absorbing sensory input. It has been proven that noise has a profound physical effect on a person’s brain. It results in increased levels of stress hormones being released. Sound waves reach a person’s brain as electrical signals. A person’s brain will react to noise even it they are sleeping. Individuals who live in environments with high levels of noise are shown to have high levels of stress hormones. This also causes people to ignore all types of noise including speech and warning sounds. When a person spends time in silence, their mind has an increased ability to focus on things that are important to them. Research has shown that people’s minds will first react to sounds and struggle to focus on tasks. When a person is in a quiet environment, their ability to maintain their focus and successfully complete tasks increases. It is important for people to get free from distractions that keep them in the shallow surface of their mind. The default mode network is the part of a person’s brain that enables them to engage in self-generated cognition. This is when a person’s mind wanders and fantasizes, meditates or just plain daydreams. This happens when a person’s brain is relaxed and can remove itself from external stimulation. Doing this makes it possible for a person to become more aware of their deepest emotions, thoughts, ideas and memories. This is what helps people to understand their life experiences as well as be creative, reflect on their emotions and more. Studies have shown that noise has a negative effect on people’s performance in school and at work. This can result in a decrease in motivation and an increase in making mistakes while performing tasks. The cognitive functions of a brain most affected by noise are problem-solving, reading, attention and memory. Research was done on children with homes that have high noise levels such as living near railways, airplane flight paths and highways. These children scored lower when it came to reading. They were also slower with the development of their cognitive abilities and language skills. When a person is exposed to constant noise, the part of their brain that controls fight or flight reaction is on heightened alert. This is also a way a person ignores and hides from their negative emotions. Psychologists have had success with their patients sitting in silence and thinking about their negative emotions. It is believed doing this enables a person to process their emotions objectively.	https://facthacker.com/silence-important-brain/
To help develop this article, click ‘Edit this article’ above. Noise nuisance is excessive noise or disturbance that may have a negative effect on health or the quality of life. The government defines three levels of noise: - No observed effect level – the level of noise exposure where there is no effect on health or the quality of life. - Lowest observed effect level – adverse effects on health and the quality of life can be detected at this level. - Significant observed adverse effect level – the level of noise exposure where there can be significant effects on health and quality of life. The degree of disturbance caused by noise depends on properties such as: - Volume. - Duration. - Repetition. - Frequency. High and low pitches tend to be more disturbing than middle frequencies. - ‘Normal’ background noise levels. - Information content. For example speech is more likely to be disturbing than noise containing less information. - The time of day. People tend to be more sensitive to noise at night, when they may be trying to sleep and there is likely to be less background noise. - The general sensitivity of individuals. The Noise Policy Statement for England (NPSE) is intended to promote good health and a good quality of life through the effective management of noise. It applies to all types of noise other than noise in the workplace. The NPSE define noise pollution as: - Environmental noise – which includes noise from transportation sources. - Neighbour noise – which includes noise from inside and outside buildings. - Neighbourhood noise – which includes noise arising from industrial and entertainment premises, trade and businesses, construction sites and noise in the street. Noise pollution can potentially contribute to: - Hearing impairment. - Startle and defence reactions. - Ear pain or discomfort. - Speech interference. - Sleep disturbance. - Cardiovascular effects. - Annoyance, anger and frustration. These effects in turn can lead to: - Tension or anxiety. - Decreased performance. - Reduced productivity. - Eardrum damage or hearing difficulties. - Increased blood pressure or stress levels. - Psychological damage. Wider effects can include: - Economic impacts such as decreasing property value and loss of productivity. - Social impacts such as sickness or absenteeism. - Vibrations induced by sound waves can cause structural damage to buildings. Noise disturbance has become a more common problem as a result of industrialisation, urbanisation and the rapid increase in the number of household appliances, devices, equipment and alarms. However, greater awareness in planning and improved standards of construction can help mitigate potential noise problems. The noise profile of an area should be considered when designing and constructing buildings. The local topography, the location of buildings, their orientation and construction should be planned strategically to minimise the potential impact of noise disturbance, either on the development, between different parts of the development or caused by the development. Construction noise assessments may be carried out, and real-time noise may be monitored on site. Construction noise can be reduced by restricting hours of working and changing construction methodologies. It can be beneficial to carry out noise surveys before development commences so that a baseline condition is established, and complaints procedures should be established. BS5228 is the ‘code of practice for noise and vibration control on construction and open sites’. Planning permissions may include conditions intended to reduce noise nuisance, and the building regulations part E sets minimum standards for design and construction in relation to the resistance to the passage of sound. In addition, projects that require environmental impact assessments may require specific noise studies. Noise nuisance can be reported to local authorities who have a responsibility to tackle unreasonable noise disturbance. Typically, complaints relate to: - Loud music, TV or radio. - Parties or other entertainment. - Pubs, clubs and entertainment venues. - Building and DIY work at unreasonable times of the day. - Constant dog barking. - Car and burglar alarms. Local authorities can serve a legal notice on the person responsible for the noise. If the noise problem persists they may be given a fixed penalty notice or taken to court and fined up to £5000. They can also apply for a Warrant of Entry which allows officers to seize noise-making equipment. Individuals can take independent action by complaining directly to the Magistrates' Court under section 82 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990. Find out more Related articles on Designing Buildings Wiki - Acoustic consultant. - Airborne sound. - Approved Document E. - BREEAM Reduction of noise pollution. - Building acoustics. - Building Bulletin 93: acoustic design of schools. - Complaining about construction sites. - Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005. - Decibel. - Flanking sound. - Pre-completion sound testing. - Property development and music. - Impact sound. - Intruder alarm. - Reverberation time. - Robust details certification scheme. - Sound absorption. - Sound frequency. - Sound insulation. - Sound insulation in dwellings: Part 1: An introduction (GG 83-1). - Sound insulation in dwellings Part 2: New-build (GG 83-2) - Sound insulation in dwellings: Part 3: Material change of use (conversions) (GG 83-3). - Sound v noise. - Structure-borne sound. - What hours are construction sites allowed to operate? Featured articles and news Have the pressures of the market shredded the core values of professionalism? Lead times are a measure of the amount of time that elapses between initiating and completing a construction process. Government releases first tranche of funding for removal of unsafe high-rise cladding. How to ensure UK transport infrastructure copes with severe winter weather. Location shortlist for controversial new footbridge revealed. Under the Party Wall Act a property owner has the legal right to do works that might otherwise constitute trespass or nuisance. BSRIA examine the 'unpredictable' 2018 global air conditioning market. ICE publish new report calling for new sector-wide body to help avert structural failures. The talent pool in the LGBT community The rainbow JCB will be making a welcome return to the London Build Expo on 23 and 24 October at Olympia. An introductory article to external works - all activities carried out to the external environment of a building project.	https://www.designingbuildings.co.uk/wiki/Noise_nuisance
Recent research by TheNextWeb.com has confirmed long suspected views that open-plan office designs can reduce psychological well-being, affect moods, and create stress. This Study The most recent study, published online by Cambridge University Press, is based on an experiment which compared the difference between the effects of office noise on those in a larger open-plan office (an OPO auditory environment), and a quieter private office (an office auditory environment). A range of objective and subjective measures of well-being and performance were compared between subjects in simulated versions of an open-plan, and a private office setting. The researchers looked at both objective and subjective measures of well-being and performance. The Results The results showed that although noise didn’t have a negative effect on the cognitive task performance of those working in an open-plan office (compared to the quieter environment), the noise of the open-plan space did reduce psychological well-being. How Did They Know? The researchers came to their conclusions by studying self-reports of the mood of the research subjects, their facial expressions of emotion, and the physiological indicators of stress of the subjects such, such as heart-rate and skin conductivity. Arguments For Open-Plan Although there now appears to be a growing body of research to suggest that open-plan offices may not have lived-up to their promise of easier communication and collaboration, there are what appear to be some sound, practical reasons for having an open-plan offices in the first place. These include the desire to make teams feel closer and to encourage interaction (even though this may only happen with those in close proximity), making office culture and informal communication more transparent, making the office space more flexible, and saving costs. Previous Research Previous research about the effects of open-plan office design on workers, has, however, reached many more negative conclusions, including: – Distraction can be a problem in open-plan workplaces. – Lack of privacy affects engagement in tasks. Also, a Steelcase study (2014), showed that a lack of employee privacy in the workplace can negatively affect an employee’s overall ability to become deeply engaged in the work they are doing. – Open plan doesn’t necessarily improve interaction or collaboration. A study by Bernstein and Turban, funded by Harvard Business School (2018) found that, contrary to popular belief, open office architectures significantly decrease the volume of face-to-face interaction (by approx. 70 percent). – Employees in open-plan offices may be less likely to speak up or voice their concerns when they disagree with others. For example, the ‘Room – 2018 Office Woes Report’ highlighted how 31 percent of employees in open-plan offices say they hold back their true thoughts and opinions for fear of being heard and judged by co-workers. Similarly, being constantly observable in an office can dampen interactions that could help collaboration. – Privacy and concentration are sacrificed in an open-plan setting in favour of the need for collaboration and interaction, but this trade-off has negative outcomes for productivity and work relationships. Noise At Work Affecting Stress Levels Just as indicated in the recent TheNextWeb.com study, noise (background noise and noise at work) has long been known to be a stress-inducing factor. For example, The Remark Group study (2019) showed that 65 percent of subjects said that that noise in the workplace impacted on their ability to complete work in an accurate and timely manner, almost half (44 percent) reported that noise had a negative impact on their overall wellbeing, and 40 percent reported that noise at work caused them to feel stressed. Too Many People in (Open Plan) Office No Better Other research has shown that putting large numbers of employees in an enclosed space can also cause stress and can make it much easier to spread viruses and infections. For example, studies have shown that employees in open offices take over 60 percent more sick days (average) than employees in more traditional style workplaces. The Pandemic Factor The COVID-19 pandemic has meant that office noise and distraction in open-plan offices have gone further down the list of concerns (below safety) from infection as many employees are making the return to offices. What Does This Mean For Your Business? Open-plan working appears to make workers feel less in control of their environment, more conscious of what they’re saying (often to the detriment of the company) and exposes them to other stress-inducing stimuli (noise and other distractions) that can also have a negative effect on productivity. Businesses need to focus attention on how they can build a close, productive team of people with complementary skills and attributes. As far as office layout goes, assessing the impact of things like noise (and other distractions) could enable data data-driven recommendations about the design and modification of workspaces, and businesses need to create balanced office layouts that enable employees to feel as though they have enough boundaries to make sense of their environment and feel comfortable, minimise noise and distractions, benefit collaboration, and contribute to workflow. The pandemic, however, has made office environments less attractive altogether for workers, and the challenge of designing post-pandemic office spaces that minimise yet another source of stress (fear of infection at work) has become a new challenge for many businesses, open plan or not.	https://use-it.co.uk/use-it-news/tech-insight-open-plan-offices-create-stress-from-noise/
Every year, roughly 30 million people in the Unites States are exposed to hazardous noise at work, according to OSHA. High levels of noise can result in permanent hearing loss for workers. Loud noises can create physical and psychological stress, reduce productivity, and contribute to workplace incidents and injuries caused by difficulty in hearing warning signals, OSHA notes. However, noise exposure for workers can be lessened or eliminated. Modifying or replacing equipment are examples of engineering controls that can reduce noise exposure. Other examples include choosing low-noise tools and machinery, enclosing and isolating noise sources, and placing a barrier between the noise source and worker. Changes in the workplace that reduce or eliminate worker exposure to noise are known as administrative controls. OSHA suggests operating noisy machines during shifts when as few workers as possible are exposed, limiting the amount of time a worker can spend at a loud source and providing quiet areas for workers to rest.	https://www.safetyandhealthmagazine.com/articles/9835-limiting-exposure-to-hazardous-noise
The present research aimed to examine the effectiveness of the ADDIE model as used in teaching online in the LMS of Blackboard® and its facilities such as discussion boards, forums and blogs for improving the creative writing skills of EFL college students. The researcher utilized a quasi-experimental method, involving a pretest, posttest and control group design. Sixty students were randomly selected from freshmen studying in the English department participated in the study and were assigned equally to the research groups. The experimental group was exposed to the e-learning environment, which sought to develop the students’ creative writing skills while the control group was exposed to the traditional teaching method. Using a creative writing checklist and a writing test designed to assess the specific features of creative writing (originality, accuracy, self-expression, fluency, flexibility and overall writing performance for assessing creative writing in the research participants, results of t-tests and eta square statistical tests demonstrated that there were statistically significant differences between the mean scores gained by the experimental group and those obtained by the control group writing performance post-testing to the good of the experimental group participants. Conclusions and pedagogical implications were forwarded at the end of the article.	http://www.ccsenet.org/journal/index.php/elt/article/view/0/44598
This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of learning English based on the cyclic model (7E). Accordingly, three language institutes in the Shiraz city were selected and among 203 students of these three institutions by calling 132 were registered as volunteers to participate in training classes. After the implementation 20 questions language standard test designed the researcher and with collaboration of teachers of these institutions 30 students who received a low score on this test were selected as examples. The selected sample was divided into two experimental and control groups by random assignment. Finally, 15 students were randomly assigned to the experimental group and 15 students in the control group. For experimental group seven-step teaching method (7E) was used, while traditional method with no resemblance to the seven-step teaching method (7E) was used for the control group. Teaching with seven-step teaching method (7E) during a month and in 3 sessions per week was performed. Finally, for 12 sessions training content through this teaching method was presented to students. After running the post- test data were collected and were analyzed by SPSS software. A significant difference was found between the mean of control group and experimental group in the pre-test and post-test and language scores with the mean of experimental group compared with the control group, about four score increased, which this increase was statistically significant at the level of 0/05 (p=0/001).	https://acikerisim.iku.edu.tr/handle/11413/1521
English as Foreign Language students tend to learn vocabulary in word isolation, not in chunks or collocations which produces meager results in students’ collocational competence and lexical resources. In addition, a corpus-assisted method is used in this project because of its significant effectiveness in bringing real-world language use or authentic materials in teaching and learning collocations. Therefore, this article investigates the potential role of using corpora and concordances in teaching and learning collocations with a view to improving university students’ collocational competence in academic writing. To do this, an experiment was conducted among 30 third-year students in the English Faculty of Hanoi National University (pseudonym) who had little or no previous knowledge of collocations as well as corpora. Students were in both the experimental group in a six-week English unit which a corpus-assisted method was applied for the experimental group and a traditional (or rule-based) method was used for the control group to find out the differences and improvement among groups of students. They were required to take part in different tests in different time periods including before, immediately after and two weeks after the course. The results of these tests were analyzed carefully in terms of learners’ collocational use in academic writing, specifically premodifier-noun collocations. Results indicated that while both groups experienced improvements in their academic writing skill, the students of the experimental group displayed a holistic improvement regarding the use of collocations with fewer collocational errors and more academic collocation patterns. It is, hence, concluded that the application of corpora exerts a tremendous influence on developing learners’ collocational competence as well as language proficiency.	http://wwv.vjol.info/index.php/sphcm/article/view/43348
KAMBEN MANGNGI’, PAULUS (2016) Humor as a Teaching Strategy in Speaking Class: Experimental Study at SMA Negeri 1 Makale. S1 thesis, Pascasarjana. \| Text \| Article.docx Download (45kB) Abstract ABSTRACT The objectives of this research were to find out: (1) whether using humor as a teaching strategy is effective to improve students’ speaking achievements at SMA Negeri 1 Makaleand (2) the students’ interest in using humor as a teaching strategy at SMA Negeri 1 Makale. This research applied a quasi-experimental method which involved two groups. They were experimental and control groups. The population consisted of 246 students. This research used cluster random sampling. The researcher chose two classes of the third year students of SMA Negeri 1 Makale academic year 2015/2016 randomly, as the experimental group treated by using humor as a teaching strategy, while the control group was treated without humor. The research data were collected by asking students to retell a story. The speaking test was given in the form of retelling story by pre-test and post-test,then; it was analyzed by using SPSS 20.0 version to see the significant difference between the two groups. The result of the data analysis showed that there was a significant difference between the score of the students who were taught by using humor and without humor. It was proved by the mean score of the experimental group which was higher than the control group in the post-test (93.39 > 89.54). The score of probability value (significant 2-tailed) in speaking ability was lower than the level of significance (0.043 < 0.05). In other words, H1 was accepted and H0 was rejected. The majority of the students (65 percents) responded “strongly agree” to the use of humor in the classroom. Their responses to the questionnaire statement indicated that they appreciated teachers using humor in the class and liked humor to be applied in the classroom. It can be concluded that the use of humor as a teaching strategy was effective to be implemented in speaking class.	http://eprints.unm.ac.id/8231/
The purpose of the study was to investigate the effect of metacognitive instructional method, compared to traditional instruction on eleventh grade science student’s mathematical procedural and conceptual knowledge, and metacognitive skills. Sixty-six eleventh-grade students in a school in Bandung City, Indonesia took part in this study. Matching-only pre-test-post-test control group design was conducted. The classes were randomly assigned to experimental and control group. In the experimental group metacognitive instructional method called IMPROVE (Introduction, Metacognitive Inquiry, Review, Practicing, Obtaining Mastery, Verification, and Enrichment) was applied, whereas in the control group traditional instruction was used to teach composition and inverse function, infinite sequence and series, and line equations topics within 9 weeks. The data collection tools used were Procedural and Conceptual Knowledge Test, Metacognitive Awareness Inventory. Using Multivariate Analysis of Covariance, the main effects of teaching methods, gender, and interaction between them were investigated. Consequently, (1) IMPROVE instructional method was more effective in supporting students’ procedural and conceptual knowledge, and regulation of cognition, (2) there was gender difference in students’ procedural and conceptual knowledge, and regulation of cognition in favour of female students. No interaction between instructional methods and gender was found. Another purpose of the study was to explore students’ experience with metacognitive instructional method. Therefore, qualitative data was compiled. Fourteen students who had different abilities from experimental group were interviewed semi-structurally after the treatment. The data was transcribed, coded and categorized. Generally, students took benefits from IMPROVE instructional method even though at the beginning they encountered with several challenges. Subject Keywords Mathematics , Teaching , Learning, Psychology of. , Metacognition. URI http://etd.lib.metu.edu.tr/upload/12620124/index.pdf https://hdl.handle.net/11511/25790 Collections Graduate School of Natural and Applied Sciences, Thesis METU IIS - Integrated Information Service [email protected] You can transmit your request, problems about OpenMETU.	https://open.metu.edu.tr/handle/11511/25790
AMALIA, GENNY TIAS (2014) THE EFFECT OF COURSE REVIEW HORAY (CRH) IN READING COMPREHENSION FOR THE SEVENTH GRADE STUDENTS AT SMP MUHAMMADIYAH 4 GIRI. Masters thesis, Universitas Muhammadiyah Gresik. \| Text \| ABSTRACT.pdf Download (158kB) \| Text \| CHAPTER I.pdf Download (183kB) \| Text \| CHAPTER II.pdf Download (196kB) \| Text \| CHAPTER III.pdf Download (310kB) \| Text \| CHAPTER IV.pdf Restricted to Registered users only Download (227kB) \| Text \| CHAPTER V.pdf Download (155kB) \| Text \| REFERENCES.pdf Download (237kB) Abstract This study was conducted based on the secondary study in SMP Muhammadiyah 4 Giri which showed that the students had difficulty in reading ability especially in Descriptive text. This study aimed to know how the significant effect in Descriptive text by using Course Review Horay (CRH) method. The researcher took 66 students as the sample. They grouped into two classes, one of experiment group VII A that consist of 33 students and VII B as control group that also consist of 33 students. The design of the study was Quasi Experimental Design. The instrument used to collect the data was reading test to set scores of students’ reading comprehension. In this research, there are five procedures of research design that was giving pretest, giving treatments, giving post test, analyzing the data using t-test formula and wrote the hypothesis. The research finding showed that this method was effective to teach reading for seventh grades at SMP Muhammadiyah 4 Giri. The students’ average score in pre test between experimental and control group was 54.39 and 59.85. The score improved in post test. The significant value of experimental group was 0.00 it was lower than the level of significant at 5%. Based on the hypothesis result, there is significant different between experimental and control group. After analyzing the data, from three times observations, the researcher concluded that CRH method could improve students’ reading ability especially in Descriptive text. By using this method, students could learn by working in groups. In general, the use of CRH method to teach reading comprehension was quite good. Students appeared more active and cooperative in discussion section. Based on the research findings, three suggestions are provided. The first, the English teacher is recommended to use CRH as an effective additional method in teaching reading Descriptive text and to avoid monotonous activities in the class. The second, for the students is the researcher hopes the use of CRH can be used to alternate and motivate students in reading and can be used to maximize teaching and learning process in the class. The third, for the next researcher was who wants to conduct a research using CRH were recommended to conduct this research in different areas and levels.	http://eprints.umg.ac.id/1220/
Forest Service and the EPA were also pushing a conservation agenda. Doing rock and mineral identification may elicit little emotional response from most students. The legacies of these antecedents are still present in the evolving arena of environmental education. Kinesthetic learners have a need for movement when learning. This organization of information—facts and figures—prepares the child for the world of adolescence, when thought and emotion evolve into understanding more abstract, universal concepts such as equity, freedom, and justice. If your goal is to promote environmentally-favorable behavior in your students, consider a hands-on project that will challenge students to consider the environmental impacts of their own actions. Group projects and discussions are examples of this teaching method. Children learn from their environments, and they are always absorbing new information. After some preparation and with clearly defined roles, a discussion may constitute most of a lesson, with the teacher only giving short feedback at the end or in the following lesson. Memorization of a list of facts is a detached and impersonal experience, whereas the same information, conveyed through demonstration, becomes personally relatable. Click on an item in the set below to see more info. These policies specifically focus on bringing freshly prepared food, made from high-quality, locally grown ingredients into schools. Students can be encouraged to review what is known, to identify what additional information is needed to solve the problem, and to continue the search to find and critically examine new information. Additionally, the dominant narrative that all environmental educators have an agenda can present difficulties in expanding reach. The intent is to allow the students to "thaw" and to judge their experience and progress toward change or transformation. The Montessori Method of education, developed by Dr. For example, students who take handwritten notes have better recall than students who take typed notes. Teach with data Statements like "species are going extinct at an alarming rate," "wetlands are being turned into strip malls," and "the climate is getting hotter"are emotional statements even if true and will elicit emotional responses in your students. Have students work through data sets, and they can discover for themselves the rate and extent of environmental change. Depending on the situation, debriefing can serve a variety of purposes. Learn more about each one to find the best fit for your classroom.Journal of Theory and Practice in Education Makaleler/Articles development (ESD), can be regarded as acquisition of health-environment competency (Table 1). Its basis is built up by the unity of knowledge about Methods of Successful Learning in Environmental Education.4 (1) study method aided learning- teaching process. Pretest-posttest control group design was used in on the environment. Environmental education at schools is considerably important to enable all individuals to understand the environmental issues, to develop permanent. study method aided learning- teaching process. Pretest-posttest control group design was used in on the environment. Environmental education at schools is considerably important to Environment” Method In this study the experimental model was applied due to the fact that it will compare the. A teaching method comprises the principles and methods used by teachers to enable student learning. These strategies are determined partly on subject matter to be taught and partly by the nature of. The Mathematics Education Center conducts groundbreaking research, offers professional development and designs instructional materials for mathematics teaching and learning. One unique feature of the center's research: The study of mathematical representations including physical and virtual manipulatives. Teaching environmental topics can bring out unexpected responses in your students.	https://liborua.cheri197.com/teaching-method-for-environment-education-22919td.html
The main purpose of Quality Planning and Control is to provide to students the ability to: -Understand the role of Design of Experiments, Taguchi methods and Statistical Process Control (SPC) within a TQM environment; -Recognise when experimental design techniques should be applied; -Plan and carry out full and fractional factorial designs and analyse the experimental results; -Use the Taguchi methods for experimental design and compare them to traditional methods; -Find the best parameters combination for reducing process variability; -Recognise the importance SPC might have in product and process improvement; -Apply the methodology for implementing statistical control charts; -Study the process capability. -Implement the 6-Sigma methodology and use Design of Experiments and SPC within the 6-Sigma approach. Simultaneously, through the teaching and learning practices, the students will develop their skills in problem solving, team working, critical thinking and communication. General characterization Code 3705 Credits 6.0 Responsible teacher Ana Sofia Leonardo Vilela de Matos Hours Weekly - 5 Total - 77 Teaching language Português Prerequisites Available soon Bibliography -Montgomery, D. C. (2001), Introduction to Statistical Quality Control, 4.ª ed., John Wiley & Sons, New York- Montgomery, D. C. (2001), Design and Analysis of Experiments, 5.ª ed., John Wiley & Sons, New York -Peace, G. S., (1993), Taguchi Methods: A Hands-On Approach to Quality Engineering, Addison-Wesley Publishing Company, New York. -Pereira, Z.L. e Requeijo, J.G. (2012), Qualidade: Planeamento e Controlo Estatístico de Processos,2ª Edição, FFCT-UNL, Lisboa -Pyzdek, T. (1999), Quality Engineering Handbook, Marcel Dekker, New York -Ryan, T. P. (2000), Statistical Methods for Quality Improvement, 2.ª ed., John Wiley & Sons, New York -Taguchi, G. (1986), Introduction to Quality Engineering, UNIPUB, White Plains, New York. Teaching method Available soon Evaluation method The evaluation consists of three moments, an assessment test and two group work. The individual test will be in person (65%) and the group work will be online (20% and 15%), carried out during the respective practical class of the group (3 hours). A minimum grade of 9.5 in the assessment test is required. Subject matter 1.Introduction 2.Statistics in quality modelling 3.Design of Experiments (DoE) -Methodology -DoE of 1 and 2 factors with many levels -Full Factorial Design -Two-level Factorial Designs -Two-level Fractional Factorial Designs -Three-level Factorial Design 4.Taguchi Methods -Loss Function -Signal-to-Noise Ratio -Confirmatory trials 5.Statistical Process Control -Causes of variation -Traditional Control Charts for Variables - Control Charts for Attributes -Process capability 6.Six-Sigma Methodology Programs Programs where the course is taught:	https://guia.unl.pt/en/2020/fct/program/983/course/3705
This article analyzed the effectiveness of using authentic materials in the teaching of English Grammar in the classroom in line with the elements of the Learning Theory. The article will try to find the answer for the objective that is (i) Will students who were taught using authentic materials be able to learn grammar more effectively then students who were not? The quasi experimental method will be used in this study. In the study, the authentic materials will be adopted in the experimental group whereas conventional methods will be used in the control group. The findings have shown that the extreme importance of perceiving the role of authentic materials as a tool for improving grammar performance among the students.	http://eprints.utp.edu.my/5469/
The past few decades have witnessed the emergence and development of corpus linguistics “as a powerful methodology-technology” (Lee & Swales, 2006, p. 57) with considerable potential for linguistic research and language pedagogy. In language teaching and learning, the growing applications of corpus linguistics are greatly expanding our pedagogical options and resources (Conrad, 2000; Vyatkina, 2016), as corpora provide rich language samples for teachers to develop authentic instructional materials and classroom activities (Yoon & Hirvela, 2004), and for learners to form and test their hypotheses about patterns of language use (Leech, 1997). However, corpora and corpus tools have not yet “made major inroads into language classrooms” (p. 138, Yoon, 2011), especially in EFL/ESL contexts, and the effectiveness of data-driven learning (DDL) in these contexts has not been firmly established. This presentation reports on an experimental study that set out to investigate the effectiveness of a DDL intervention in an EFL university classroom, in comparison with a traditional teacher-directed approach, in raising learners’ awareness of hedging in English academic writing and improving their use of hedges. The study adopted a pretest-posttest-delayed test randomized control group design. Treatment for the experimental group involved hands-on experience with two carefully chosen, purpose-built online corpora, while that for the control group consisted of traditional lectures featuring dictionary work and passage-based exercises. Statistical analyses of the two groups’ performances on the three tests have yielded empirical evidence of both the affordances and limitations of the DDL activities. In addition, a questionnaire survey conducted after the intervention has received generally positive feedback from the experimental group participants towards the incorporation of corpora in classroom teaching. These findings are interpreted and discussed in terms of DDL learning principles. The presentation concludes with suggestions for future DDL applications and research in EFL teaching contexts. A group of 24 students studying translation Condition 1 vs Condition 2 3 writing tests + questionnaire survey on effectiveness of instructional sessions 4 2-hour instructional sessions for each treatment condition in 3 days Delayed post-text 2 weeks after completion MICUSP corpus ICNALE online: Asian learners of English Group 1 compares hedging in MICUSP and ICNALE Group 2 stay with MICUSP and their own writing Hedging was quantified in terms of frequency and variation DDL somewhat effective Hands on DDL less effective Tanjun Liu Evaluating the Effect of Data-driven Learning (DDL) on the Acquisition of Academic Collocations by Advanced Chinese Learners of English Tue, March 27, 2:25 to 2:55pm, Sheraton Grand Chicago, Arkansas Room Session Submission Type: Paper Abstract Collocations, prefabricated multi-word combinations, are considered to be a crucial component of language competence which indicates the central role they should play in language teaching and learning. However, collocations remain a challenge to L2 learners at different proficiency levels, and particularly a difficulty to Chinese learners of English. Collocations have so far attracted only limited attention in the Chinese language teaching classroom. This study, therefore, focuses on the effectiveness of the teaching of academic collocations to advanced Chinese learners of English, using a specific pedagogical approach to teaching collocations, the corpus-based data-driven learning approach (DDL). DDL has been argued to offer an effective teaching method in language learning. However, large-scale, quantitative studies evaluating the effectiveness and assessed the benefits of DDL in the acquisition of academic collocations were limited in number when compared to a different method of teaching of collocations. This study, therefore, uses data from 120 Chinese students of English from a Chinese university and employs a quasi-experimental method, using a pre-test-and-post-test (including delayed test) control-group research design to compare the achievement of the use of DDL and online dictionary in teaching academic collocations to advanced Chinese learners of English. The experimental group uses #Lancsbox (Brezina, McEnery & Wattam, 2015), an innovative and user-friendly corpus tool. By comparison, the control group uses the online version of the Oxford Collocations Dictionary. The results are analysed for the differences in collocation gains within and between the two groups. Those quantitative data are supported by findings from semi-structured interviews linking learners’ results with their attitudes towards DDL. The findings contribute to our understanding of the effectiveness of DDL for teaching academic collocations and suggest that the incorporation of technology into language learning can enhance collocation knowledge.	http://www.perezparedes.es/category/aaal/aaal2018/
A Postdoctoral Research Associate position is available to pursue experimental research in the field of atomic and laser physics within the Durham Quantum Light and Matter group. The position is associated with the Zeeman-Sisyphus Deceleration of Molecules grant funded by the UK Engineering and Physical Science Research Council (EPSRC). The aim of which is to build and optimise a novel decelerator for calcium monofluoride molecules. The post holder will work closely with Dr. Hannah Williams and other members of the research group and will be expected to display the initiative and creativity, together with the appropriate skills and knowledge, required to lead and develop the experiment to meet the project goals. These include: (1) Building and characterising a molecular buffer gas source (2) Simulations of the deceleration method (3) Complete characterisation and optimisation of the decelerator to produce a slow molecular beam. The post holder is therefore expected to have experience and familiarity with the techniques used in the study of ultracold gases, including experimental expertise in vacuum and laser systems as well as strong data analysis and simulation skills. The post holder is expected to be able to work effectively both independently and as part of a small research team. It is expected that the post holder will enhance the international contacts of the group through the presentation of work at international conferences. The post holder will also be expected to aid in the supervision of graduate students within the group as well as contributing to the undergraduate teaching within the Department. The Quantum Light and Matter group (QLM) is one of the UK's leading groups for atomic, molecular and optical physics research. Projects within the QLM investigate experimental and theoretical topics ranging from laser cooling and Bose-Einstein Condensation to nonlinear optics and Rydberg physics. The QLM comprises 10 faculty, 11 post-doctoral researchers and 22 Ph.D. students. Responsibilities: - To understand and convey material of a specialist or highly technical nature to the team or group of people through presentations and discussions that leads to the presentation of research papers in conferences and publications. - To prepare and deliver presentations on research outputs/activities to audiences which may include: research sponsors, academic and non-academic audiences. - To publish high quality outputs, including papers for submission to peer reviewed journals and papers for presentation at conferences and workshops under the direction of the Principal Investigator or Grant-holder. - To assist with the development of research objectives and proposals. - To conduct individual and collaborative research projects under the direction of the Principal Investigator or Grant-holder. - To work with the Principal Investigator or Grant-holder and other colleagues in the research group, as appropriate, to identify areas for research, develop new research methods and extend the research portfolio. - To deal with problems that may affect the achievement of research objectives and deadlines by discussing with the Principal Investigator or Grant-holder and offering creative or innovative solutions. - To liaise with research colleagues and make internal and external contacts to develop knowledge and understanding to form relationships for future research collaboration. - To plan and manage own research activity, research resources in collaboration with others and contribute to the planning of research projects. - To deliver training in research techniques/approaches to peers, visitors and students as appropriate. - To be involved in student supervision, as appropriate, and assist with the assessment of the knowledge of students. - To contribute to fostering a collegial working environment which is inclusive and welcoming and where everyone is treated fairly with dignity and respect. - To engage in citizenship to support the department and wider discipline. - To engage in continuing professional development by participation in the undergraduate or postgraduate teaching programmes or by membership of departmental committees, etc. and by attending relevant training and development courses. This post is for a fixed term of 15 months. The post-holder is employed to work on research/a research project which will be led by another colleague. Whilst this means that the post-holder will not be carrying out independent research in his/her own right, the expectation is that they will contribute to the advancement of the project, through the development of their own research ideas/adaptation and development of research protocols. Successful applicants will ideally be in post by June 2023.	https://www.timeshighereducation.com/unijobs/listing/332180/postdoctoral-research-associate-in-quantum-light-and-matter/
Can wolves help restore aspen? Joshua S. Halofsky, Washington State Department of Natural Resources, Olympia, WA, William J. Ripple, Robert L. Beschta, Jeff P. Hollenbeck, and Cristina Eisenberg, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR Trophic cascades theory states indirect influences of apex predators, such as gray wolves (Canis lupus), can be transmitted beyond their immediate prey base to lower trophic levels. Implied in this theory is that such predators may be needed to maintain biodiversity. The extirpation of the gray wolves from Yellowstone National Park by 1930 and their reintroduction in 1995-96 has facilitated the study of a terrestrial trophic cascade involving carnivore absence and subsequent presence at broad geographic and long temporal scales, appropriate for studying the responses of organisms such as elk (Cervus elaphus) and aspen (Populus tremuloides). This “natural experiment” has been the impetus for trophic cascade research in the northern Rockies, and for our Trophic Cascades Program (www.cof.orst.edu/cascades). This presentation will review our work documenting changes in aspen stand dynamics before wolf extirpation, during wolf absence, and following wolf reintroduction. We explore interactions between herbivory and fire in burned and unburned areas in predator absence and presence, and examine how wolves may not only influence aspen stand dynamics by directly reducing elk densities, but also through changes in elk behavior following wolf reintroduction. While factors such as fire, climate, and natural stand succession can influence aspen, the correlative results from our work support the hypothesis of a trophic cascade between wolves, elk, and aspen. Whether the aspen responses we have observed thusfar following wolf reintroduction are the first indicators of a changing ecosystem due to renewed wolf presence, or an exception to a broader decline in aspen numbers, is still an unknown. However, given the general support for trophic cascade theory, and the changes reported in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, we believe that predators such as wolves can play a role in the stand dynamics of woody deciduous species such as aspen.	http://forestry.usu.edu/videos-conferences-webinars/conferences/restoring-west-conference-2008/joshua-halofsky
Gray wolves were re-introduced into Yellowstone National Park in 1995, resulting in a trophic cascade that has benefited the health of Yellowstone National Park’s ecosystem and the well-being of residents and tourists to the park. But the re-introduction wasn't without controversy. In this lesson, students explore the ecological impact of wolves in Yellowstone and how their reintroduction affects many types of people – from tourists and scientists to ranchers and restaurant owners. A role-playing activity helps students understand and evaluate the complex views supporting and opposing the re-introduction of wolves to the park. Aligned with Next Generation Science Standards and Common Core, this lesson is part of curriculum related to the PBS series Earth A New Wild and was developed in collaboration with PBS LearningMedia.	https://www.natureworkseverywhere.org/resources/wolves-of-yellowstone/
PublisherThe University of Arizona. RightsCopyright © is held by the author. Digital access to this material is made possible by the University Libraries, University of Arizona. Further transmission, reproduction or presentation (such as public display or performance) of protected items is prohibited except with permission of the author. EmbargoRelease after 18-May-2020 AbstractThe dramatic ecological influence of northwestern gray wolves (Canis lupus occidentalis) on the landscape of Yellowstone National Park, termed a trophic cascade, has been well-documented and a marvel of reintroduction efforts of apex predators in the United States. These wolves have initiated both a traditional trophic cascade, which spans across trophic levels (predator-prey-vegetation), and a carnivore cascade, which spans across a predator guild (wolf-coyote-fox). The present study asks whether or not the Mexican gray wolf (Canis lupus baileyi) can influence the distribution of coyotes, gray foxes, elk, and mule deer in the Blue Range Wolf Recovery Area (BRWRA). This was completed through means of a camera trap survey, with two experimental plots within the core home range of Mexican gray wolves in the BRWRA (i.e. the “north” and “south” plots) and one plot west of the BRWRA (i.e. the “west” plot) without sustained Mexican gray wolf activity. After the camera survey, detection rates for the coyotes, gray foxes, elk, and mule deer were calculated. Through both a generalized linear mixed modelling (GLMM) approach, and a Kruskal-Wallis analysis, detection rates were compared across the north, south, and west plots. No statistically significant differences were found in detection rates between the plots, which means there is no indication that the Mexican wolves are influencing the distribution of coyotes, gray foxes, elk, or mule deer in the region. However, since the Mexican wolf population in Arizona is heavily managed, as well as issues with missing data in the camera survey itself, it would be unwise to make broad claims about the ecological implications of Mexican gray wolf reintroduction from this study. Typetext Electronic Thesis Degree NameM.S.	https://repository.arizona.edu/handle/10150/628170
A trophic cascade recently has been reported among wolves, elk, and aspen on the northern winter range of Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, USA, but the mechanisms of indirect interactions within this food chain have yet to be established. We investigated whether the observed trophic cascade might have a behavioral basis by exploring environmental factors influencing the movements of 13 female elk equipped with GPS radio collars. We developed a simple statistical approach that can unveil the concurrent influence of several environmental features on animal movements. Paths of elk traveling on their winter range were broken clown into steps, which correspond to the straight-line segment between successive locations at 5-hour intervals. Each observed step was paired with 200 random steps having the same starting point, but differing in length and/or direction. Comparisons between the characteristics of observed and random steps using conditional logistic regression were used to model environmental features influencing movement patterns. We found that elk movements were influenced by multiple factors, such as the distance from roads, the presence of a steep slope along the step, and the cover type in which they ended. The influence of cover type on elk movements depended on the spatial distribution of wolves across the northern winter range of the park. In low wolf-use areas, the relative preference for end point locations of steps followed: aspen stands &GT; open areas &GT; conifer forests. As the risks of wolf encounter increased, the preference of elk f r aspen stands gradually decreased, and selection became strongest for steps ending in conifer forests in high wolf-use areas. Our study clarifies the behavioral mechanisms involved in the trophic cascade of Yellowstone's wolf-elk-aspen system: elk respond to wolves on their winter range by a shift in habitat selection, which leads to local reductions in the use of aspen by elk. Fortin, D., Beyer, H. L., Boyce, M. S., Smith, D. W., Duchesne, T., & Mao, J. S. (2005). Wolves Influence Elk Movements: Behavior Shapes a Trophic Cascade in Yellowstone National Park. Ecology, 86(5), 1320-1330. DOI: 10.1890/04-0953.	https://era.library.ualberta.ca/items/a2002b19-58f3-4017-a87c-ad017047c42b
Hoe wolven de loop van de rivier veranderden When wolves were reintroduced to Yellowstone National Park in the United States after being absent nearly 70 years, the most remarkable “trophic cascade” occurred. What is a trophic cascade and how exactly do wolves change rivers? George Monbiot explains in this movie remix. http://www.filmsforaction.org/watch/how-wolves-change-rivers/ Een prachtig voorbeeld dat laat zien hoe alles met alles verweven is.	https://degroenekeizer.nl/biodiversiteit/
This video is making the rounds on LinkedIn, have you seen it yet? It’s a video about how wolves caused a "trophic cascade” in Yellowstone National Park. For those of you who don’t already know, a trophic cascade is an ecological process that starts at the top of the food chain and flows all the way down to the bottom - with sometimes surprising effects! Prior to 1995, Yellowstone National Park was suffering from a lack of biodiversity in the park, including a severe overpopulation of deer that, with no natural predators in the park, had reduced the park’s vegetation to almost nothing. Then, wolves were reintroduced to Yellowstone National Park in 1995 after a 70 year absence. As you can imagine, they killed some deer - but that was just the beginning. The presence of the wolves changed the behavior of the deer; they started avoiding valleys and gorges where they could be easily trapped. Barren valley sides began to flourish with plant life. Birds came to live in the trees, and beavers came to eat them. Then, the beaver dams provided habitats for otters, ducks, and fish. The wolves also killed some of the park’s coyotes, so there were more rabbits and mice. More prey meant more food for predators, so hawks, weasels, and badgers came. Bears fed on the carrion from the wolves’ kills and the berries from the new shrubs. Biodiversity was restored to the park. It wasn’t just the flora and fauna that changed as a result of the wolves. The trees and their roots stabilized the river banks, so they collapsed less often. The recovered vegetation slowed soil erosion, so the rivers meandered less. More pools formed, creating excellent habitats for the burgeoning wildlife. The wolves changed the very rivers themselves. It seems almost magical, the way the one species has the power to influence every element of an ecosystem, doesn’t it? An important lesson to take away from this is what the scientists studying Yellowstone’s ecosystem did to solve the problems of deer overpopulation, overgrazing of the lowlands, and lack of species diversity. They didn’t plant trees, ship in small mammals, build dams, or reinforce the river banks. Those "solutions" would have only addressed symptoms of the problem. Their solution was genius; all they did was release a small population of a native species to the park, and let nature take its course from there. I love this solution. While the US Fish and Wildlife Service wasn’t necessarily doing Kaizen, they take a very Kaizen approach to solving the problem. They could have thrown money at it and then hoped one of the other solutions stuck… but they chose to do something small, simple, and comparatively inexpensive. They chose a high-leverage solution that was practical and feasible, and that fit perfectly into the natural order of things rather than attempting to direct a new order. How Does That Apply To Kaizen? This is a lesson from Yellowstone National Park that we could all stand to apply to our organizations. When we find a problem - whether it’s related to safety, financial, quality, or satisfaction - we need to take a step back and resist the urge to throw money at the problem. Evaluate the problem carefully, and implement a solution that is small, simple, and addresses the root cause of the problem rather than its symptoms. Look for a change that fits into the natural order of your environment - something that can be easily adopted into your current status quo. For example, the Labor and Delivery Department at Franciscan St. Francis Health (as described in the book Healthcare Kaizen) was having trouble with their privacy curtains flapping open when people walked by, which exposed nursing mothers. They could have gone for an expensive solution, such as buying new, magnetized curtains, or repurposing rooms in the department to be used for nursing. Instead, they followed the same route as Yellowstone National Park, implementing a small, low-cost solution that solved the root of the problem - they began securing the curtains with binder clips (yes, the office supply). A comically simple solution, right? They fixed a major patient satisfaction problem using supplies they already had on hand, with no additional cost or delays, in a way that was easy for staff and patients to implement. The best place to go to find those small, natural solutions to the multitude of problems in your organization isn’t to executives or to a committee. Executives and committees think big - little problems are in danger of winding up with big, expensive solutions if addressed at these levels (and they might not really be solutions, after all). Instead, ask your employees. The people on the front lines who are noticing these problems are the ones that are best suited for coming up with small, simple, feasible solutions using resources they already have. Empower them to make those improvements themselves, without having to go through the bureaucracy of committees, and you’ll see that each of them has the power to shape their own rivers in your organization.	https://blog.kainexus.com/improvement-disciplines/kaizen/yellowstone-national-park
Halofsky, Jashua S., "Evidence of a trophic cascade among wolves, elk, and aspen in Yellowstone National Park, USA" (2007). Aspen Bibliography. Paper 3155.	https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/aspen_bib/3155/
Halofsky, Jashua S., "Evidence of a trophic cascade among wolves, elk, and aspen in Yellowstone National Park, USA" (2007). Aspen Bibliography. Paper 3155.	https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/aspen_bib/3155/
Key biologist from Yellowstone wolf reintroduction hopes to repeat success in Colorado The Tim Ferriss Show just released a two-hour podcast this week, interviewing Mike Phillips, one of the biologists who spearheaded the successful wolf reintroduction in Yellowstone National Park in the early 1990s, a long-serving Montana legislator, and currently a professional conservationist leading efforts to get gray wolves restored to the mountains of western Colorado. According to Phillips, all it would take is 20 to 40 wolves in an initial reintroduction, which would increase naturally to a viable population of 250 wolves within a couple of decades, with a great deal of certainty and minimal intervention from humans. The successful reintroduction in wolves in Yellowstone demonstrates how readily, humanely, and cost-effectively it can be done. Human society, too, benefits from the return of the wolf to the Colorado high country. Phillips argues that reintroducing wolves into their former habitats in western Colorado also has transformative potential for humanity, providing a measure of redemption to counterbalance the tremendous destructive force that our species has leveled at the natural world. “I believe that restoring gray wolves to western Colorado has tremendous power,” says Phillips. “We spoke about the Sixth Great Extinction Crisis. It’s tightening its grip on the planet, compromising all that is really important. But restoration reminds us that we can choose to be something other than misguided gods. It illustrates how we can change. It makes clear that restoration is an alternative to extinction.” The interview also takes on the fairy-tale fearmongering that is so deep-seated and prevalent in EuroAmerican culture. “People embrace the mythical wolf,” Phillips observes. “The real wolf is not even a shadow of its mythical self. … First and foremost, we know that gray wolves are not a threat to human safety. They just aren’t. I never dismiss anybody’s fear. If they truly are concerned about their safety because of gray wolves, their fear is their fear and they’re entitled to it. I simply say, ‘Well, I appreciate your fear; it’s unfounded.’” Indeed, the number of people killed by wolves in North America throughout EuroAmerican history is vanishingly small. The interview also discussed opposition to wolves from the livestock industry. Phillips pointed out, “Wolf depredations on livestock do not represent a threat to the livestock industry. Depredation events are just too uncommon. For example, in Montana, with eight or nine hundred gray wolves on the ground in Montana, there’s about fifty head of cattle killed a year. Fifty head of cattle, out of over two million [in the state] is not a threat to the industry.” The substantial wolf population in Montana also has failed to put a dent in elk numbers, despite the fears expressed by some hunting groups. “For years, I served as the ranking minority member of the [Montana] House Fish and Game Committee, and then I was the ranking minority member of the Senate Fish and Game Committee,” says Phillips. “Most of the time, people were coming to our committees to express concern about too many elk! Most of the elk management units in the State of Montana are either at management objective, as decided by Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks, or over objective. … There are simply no data to support the claim that gray wolves are going to kill enough elk or deer to cause the big game apple-cart to fall over.” “I think the gray wolf will continue to be protected under federal law in places like Colorado,” says Phillips. “And as I said earlier, the Rocky Mountain Wolf Project and the Rocky Mountain Wolf Action Fund both aim to move the notion forward of recovering the gray wolf to this great big patch of opportunity that is in Western Colorado.” Volunteers are currently gathering signatures to launch a ballot initiative in Colorado to reintroduce gray wolves in the state’s western mountains, so this issue could be presented to Colorado voters as soon as November 2020. In response to Phillips’ insights, Tim Ferriss pledged a $100,000 matching grant to help keep the campaign to return wolves to Colorado sustain its momentum. Members of the public can donate here by August 28th, and their donations will be matched by Tim Ferris. From Western Watersheds Project’s perspective, returning wolves to the Colorado Rockies would redress an ecological void that was created when wolves were extirpated in Colorado in the 1940s. Its return would help rebalance ecological problems like the chronic damage that overpopulated elk are doing to vegetation communities in Rocky Mountain National Park, and the echo of wolf howls among the peaks of the fourteeners would add tremendously to the wilderness experience for the millions of residents and visitors who venture into the Colorado high country each year. Erik Molvar is a wildlife biologist and executive director with Western Watersheds Project, a nonprofit conservation group dedicated to protecting and restoring watersheds and wildlife throughout the American West. 117 Responses to Key biologist from Yellowstone wolf reintroduction hopes to repeat success in Colorado - Rob Edward says: The interview is long, but worth every minute. Mike is a bigger than life character with great stories. Tim is a super well prepared and thoughtful interviewer, and his decision to make the cause of wolf restoration in Colorado a financial priority speaks to the visionary quality of this project. I coughed up $1k last night, and I’m not a typical wealthy donor, just someone committed deeply to the cause. - idaursine says: Now that’s good news. - idaursine says: “Phillips argues that reintroducing wolves into their former habitats in western Colorado also has transformative potential for humanity, providing a measure of redemption to counterbalance the tremendous destructive force that our species has leveled at the natural world.” So beautifully said. - Frank Krosnicki says: As a former Idaho resident, now living in Colorado, I believe that Wolf reintroduction in Colorado will be the toughest of all states for Wolves to make a recovery of any permanence.The politics, wealth of ranchers, and the negativity towards wolves from hunters, who feel they should be able to walk up to an elk to fill their tag, all work against the wolf who was brutally removed for good in the early 1900’s.Meanwhile, Elk freely roam the town of Estes Park, to the delight of merchants who profit from the tourism aspect of the huge elk numbers in town. It will be a tough battle and one that will surely result in tragedy for any wolves unfortunate enough to roam the state. - idaursine says: I think you might be right that it isn’t going to be wildly accepted, but one can always hope. I find it strange that for the most progressive state in the West outside of California, that they can be so regressive about wildlife and wolves. - Rob Edward says: Actually, polls conducted in Colorado multiple times over the past two decades show consistent, strong majority support for bringing wolves back to western Colorado. Here’s a link to one scientific article about polling conducted in Colorado: http://bit.ly/2nFxeJH “Western Colorado has 16 million acres of public land (over 70% of the entire area), wild places that host 280,000 elk and 420,000 deer. There’s plenty of room for wolves. Only 11% of Coloradans live on the West Slope. Polling in 2019 shows 67% of Coloradans support reintroduction. The American people collectively own over 70% of western Colorado as land managed by the Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management and the National Park Service. The idea that this wild region just “can’t support wolves anymore” is not supported by science. To the contrary, scientists agree that the vast public land base and teeming elk population of western Colorado represents one of the last, best places for wolves. Colorado has the largest elk population anywhere, with nearly 289,000 head of elk (per the most recent data from Colorado Parks & Wildlife). In fact, according to Colorado Parks & Wildlife, the state’s elk population is significantly over desired management objectives despite efforts to increase hunter opportunities. This overpopulation of elk is having a significant ecological impact and is negatively affecting the state’s deer herds (elk generally out-compete deer for habitat). Notably, Colorado’s deer population is tremendous, with over 400,000 as of the last count in 2017. - idaursine says: Good to know! I don’t think it should necessarily follow either that killings will result from a reintroduction, or for killings to be the accepted standard, and those who would want to see them in their natural home are in the wrong! But the ranching/hunting minority seems to dominate the discussion. There has been a documented report of a wolf entering the state as well, from Wyoming: https://www.coloradoan.com/story/news/2019/07/10/colorado-wolf-sighting-confirmed-wyoming-pack/1696742001/ What’s the incidence of CWD in Colorado, with so high a population, I wonder? - timz says: A poll taken by Boise State prior to re-introduction in Idaho also found a majority favored it. Lot of good that did the wolves. As Frank stated above “The politics, wealth of ranchers, and the negativity towards wolves from hunters, who feel they should be able to walk up to an elk to fill their tag” applies here in Idaho as well. - Rob Edward says: Actually,several polls, conducted over the course of two decades now, show solid majority support for restoring wolves to Colorado (74% in the latest statewide poll). It is simply not true to suggest that hunters don’t want wolves. Same with ranchers. The problem is, it’s the one who don’t want wolves that are always broadcasting their displeasure at every turn—”the vocal minority” as it were. - - - - SANDY LEE says: I am really excited about the possible re-intoduction of wolves in Colorado however considering what Inslee has done in Washington and what Colorado is doing with prairie dogs, is it even morally right to bring them back only to be killed and persecuted when they succeed and get established?? Wolves given a chance do succeed and to fact the prospect of some politician and cattlemen deciding their fate is sickening. It is hard to know how to react, happy but wary of the ultimate end. - idaursine says: I was thinking about the poor prairie dogs too, killed for development. It is right to try, I think – and morally wrong to keep killing them off, or try to limit them to an unnaturally low number, for the many reasons people have for themselves, but not the wildlife. Money is probably the first reason, and stubborn spite in places like MT ID and WY, to keep the number to an agreed-upon 100 (in each state?). That sounds to me like the assault-weapons ban that in order to pass as law, had to have a sunset clause! Fine while it lasted, but reverted back to the old status quo once it expired. And then again, there are those that will always want to kill them in this country and in Canada, so I think it is the right thing to do try. And why should those who don’t want them continue to dictate policy? It is natural to have them on the landscape. - idaursine says: And WA and OR too, it looks like. Washington’s and Oregon’s wolf populations are around 100. But there’re more out there! eyeroll some say, which sounds like a new mythology. - - idaursine says: I’m still thinking about your comment. Ultimately, yes, I think it is moral and right, to right the wrong that was done when wolves were killed off almost entirely by early settlers. There was no intent, or official policy, to eradicate them by the indigenous peoples. It has always appalled me, and I still am appalled when I think of the history of what was done, how brutal and based on mistaken beliefs, as well as plunder of lands and resources. There will always be those who will try to kill them, but there will always be those who survive. - idaursine says: or the process was started by early settlers and spread, and continued. It even continues to this day, IMO. - - - Donald J. Kaleta says: As Wolf Depredation on Domestic Livestock escalates, in the U.S. and throughout the World with the Wolves successful re-introduction populations spread, the contentious anger between Livestock Producers and Conservationists does also spread. My published research Blog at http://WWW.FENCEFLAGWOLFTRAINING.COM is a tangible suggestion, with minimal cost, to mitigate the anger on both sides of the fence!DJK - Phil Maker says: It will take a while, but why not let the wolves just show up naturally. This will overcome the hysteria that goes along with the “government/greenies forced them upon us” rhetoric. I realize going this route probably won’t result in wolves in Colorado for some years, but trying to get a reintroduction up and running won’t either. USFWS is not interested in participating in further wolf recovery; noticed that they want to delist the species everywhere? - It has been two decades since the government reintroduced wolves to Yellowstone and Central Idaho. In that time. Wolves from those tiny seed populations have now reclaimed Washington, Oregon, and even northern California. Yet, northern Colorado has only seen a handful of single wolves wander into the state during that same two-decade period. None of these solitary wolves have ever established themselves in the state, and none ever yielding a breeding population. Why? There are a couple of fundamental reasons. First, take a look at the habitat of southern Wyoming via Google Earth [https://goo.gl/maps/oQZYwKqXXx3SzjpS8]. Now, pan up and to the left to see how that compares to the connectivity between Idaho’s panhandle and the Pacific Northwest, finally panning down the coast to northern California. Notice anything? Yup, compared to those areas in the northwest, southern Wyoming is not the sort of habitat through which wolf packs can slowly drift southward during a few years. It’s open, relatively devoid of game and full of back roads where pickup trucks full of guns roam freely. Second, within all the open habitat south of Yellowstone, all the way to the Colorado border, wolves are classified as vermin. They can be shot anytime, in any number, with no license. Making that journey is a big gamble, and only made by dispersing wolves. They come to Colorado looking for love, undoubtedly howling from hilltop to hilltop plaintively—they come up empty, each time. So, it is with the above in mind that we continue to say that natural recolonization is a pipe dream at best, and the anti-wolf faction’s ruse de jour. Reintroduction is the only way those brave solo explorers wandering south out of Yellowstone into Colorado will ever find a reason to settle down in the Centennial State. - Phil Maker says: It doesn’t take “wolf packs [to] slowly drift southward…”; just a couple of single wolves, which are very capable of passing through what you consider inhospitable habitat. - Well, all I can go on is the word of a team of world renown ecologists and biologists. ¯\_(?)_/¯ - Phil Maker says: I was involved in NRM wolf recovery for a long time. - - Nancy says: Phil, the rancher in this video is what wolves have to deal with if they try to repopulate areas they once roamed. https://denver.cbslocal.com/2019/07/09/gray-wolf-colorado/ And lets not forget the hunters who can’t tell the difference. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oTZRdz-wWgg I’m surrounded by public lands, forested areas (where I live in Montana) Great wolf habitat but ranchers also share the land and they make short work (or their hunting buddies do) of wolves that do show up. Unfortunately wolves won’t ignore sloppy ranching practices such as leaving lame, sick or dead livestock, scattered around the landscape. I’d suggest reading The Ninemile Wolves/Rick Bass, to get an idea of what wolves went through, trying to repopulate the northern part of Montana, before they were reintroduced to Yellowstone and parts of Idaho. - Frank Krosnicki says: The Nine Mile Wolves are a good example of what happened to wolves who did migrate naturally. They tried hard but did not fare so well. For an excellent read on the brutal culling of the last wolves in Colorado, read “The Last Stand Of the Wolf” by Arthur Carhart w/Stanley P Young. It will break your heart even if you are not fond of wolves. There are many other “good ” reads in the sense of garnering the historical elimination of the wolf. I found The “Buffalo Hunters” written by Marie Sandoz to be an outstanding history of the Buffalo extermination (millions) Along with the buffalo, went the wolves, usually by poison. The buffalo were shot, mostly for “fun”. The plains then became quiet, no buffalo, no wolves, and a few sad natives (most of them had been exterminated too, in one fashion or another. We humans seem to become very interested in preservation of species about to fade away, only when they are in imminent danger of dying out for good. The same goes for our environment. - Phil Maker says: Do these ranchers and unknowledgeable hunters just take out the wolves that are recolonizing naturally, but not those that are re-introduced? How is it that wolves exist in OR and WA if every one that tries to disperse naturally gets taken out? There is a lot of country in CO that wolves can move through/live in where there is a good chance for them to survive. - Nancy says: Not sure what you’re asking Phil but here’s the Montana Regs on wolf hunting. Its a “free for all” starting next week and running through March. And you can bet many ranchers buy the limit in tags. http://fwp.mt.gov/news/newsReleases/hunting/nr_2479.html Idaho regs differ little from Montana except for length of trapping seasons: https://idfg.idaho.gov/sites/default/files/seasons-rules-big-game-wolf-2017-2018.pdf - Hiker says: Phil, many wolves have survived the gauntlet and dispersed to OR and WA. A very few have made it to CO. The hazards on the way to CO, from WY (the most likely source), are very challenging. There is a lot of high desert to cross, wide open spaces where wolves can be killed at any time, for any reason. Because of this, natural dispersion to CO is problematic, not impossible, just extremely hard. Hence the discussion of reintroduction to speed things along. I would love to see wolves in CO, but doubt the political climate is ready. - Actually, polls conducted in Colorado multiple times over the past two decades [including this year] show consistent, strong majority [greater than 70 percent] support for bringing wolves back to western Colorado. That support crosses political affiliation, gender age, hunter versus non-hunter,and West Slope versus Front Range. Bottom line: We’d not be ramping up this very expensive campaign if we were not mighty sure we were going to win. - Hiker says: Fair point, but polls and local support are half the story. Do you really think this administration, with it’s assault on the endangered species act, is going to allow this to happen? I hope you are right, but I think you are wrong. After all the agency that would oversee this answers to him and his swamp creatures. - We’ve built out a strategy that our lawyers and political wonks, some of the best minds from both camps, are confident about. That’s the best that we can do. - Hiker says: I hope you succeed! - - - - - JB says: “It doesn’t take ‘wolf packs [to] slowly drift southward…’; just a couple of single wolves…” Phil et al.– I think it’s best to think of this probabilistically — yes wolves are capable, but it doesn’t happen frequently, and the probability of two dispersers meeting after a ~400 mile journey is pretty low. Re: OR, WA — Those states had wolves on two in two adjacent states/provinces. - Phil Maker says: And yet CA has a wolf pack derived from wolves that went at least that far. - JB says: And yet, no packs in South Dakota or North Dakota, no packs in Utah or Colorado despite decades of wolves presence in adjacent states. California is the exception that proves the rule. — WM: I do not know about the more recent polls, but the CSU study conducted in ’94 found: “70.8% of Coloradans (+/-4.1%; 95% confidence interval) would vote in favor of wolf reintroduction while 29.2% would vote against it.” - Hiker says: JB, I think tolerance goes a long way to explain wolf presence or not in various states. What’s interesting to me is the apparent tolerance in CO, yet lack of wolves. Political inertia seems to be a factor as well. - WM says: I think you will find support for wolves is geographically based, in large part. Western CO will be less supportive than the I-25 corridor stretching from Fort Collins to Denver to Colorado Springs and maybe even Pueblo. The folks on the Western Slope are largely ranchers and farmers, with the exception of the elite ski area communities along either side of the Continental Divide. Lots of cows on private land and on adjacent federal lands. Hunting for elk and deer is a huge recreational industry, which I suspect the Colorado Wildlife (and Parks) Department will vigorously defend. If I recall correctly former Senator Mark Udall (from Boulder) walked a tightrope on the wolf issue during his last campaign, carefully choosing his words, though in his heart likely a strong wolf supporter. He lost the election, by the way, to (R) Cory Gardner. And, anyone who believes a seed crop of 25 wolves or so will only be 250 in 20 years is a blatant liar and and idiot (unless many, many are lethally removed along that time path). And wait until the reintroduction and some scientist says that 25 is not genetically sufficient for the reintroduction. This will be interesting to watch. And, the more wolves there are on the landscape the more that will die if they get in trouble or are hunted (which will be inevitable). - Hiker says: WM, I read your post three times and can find nothing I disagree with. - JB says: Hiker: I agree. Cryptic poaching (SSS) likely explains the lack of wolves in CO. WM: There are geographic differences, but they are not as pronounced as some would like to think. The same study I cited above (i.e., Pate et al. 1996. Wildlife Society Bulletin, 24(3): 421-428.) found that “73.8% of east-slope residents would vote yes to reintroduction compared to 65.1% of west-slope residents”. - - - - Mareks Vilkins says: if wolves use certain corridors (not just disperse at random routes) and taking into account their olfactory system then the chance for two wolves to meet is not that improbable. OR-7 was travelling a lot through areas where there were enough ungulates – apparently he was looking for a mate, and found one - Immer Treue says: Yeah, but they’ve got to go through the minefield called Wyoming. - Hiker says: Thanks, Immer. It seems most don’t realize the only safe place to be a wolf in WY is around the National Parks in the NW corner. Everywhere else they can and are shot on sight. It’s very improbable to disperse thru that to reach CO. - WM says: I have made that very point on this forum several times, Hiker. It is also important to distinguish between natural recolonization and the public’s polled support for it, as distinguished from a reintroduction which involves translocation from other areas. I don’t know if the polling efforts mentioned above deal with that distinction. My recollection from several years ago when the idea of reintroduction to Rocky Mountain National Park was mentioned by FWS, the folks in Northern Coloraod balked, as did the Fish, Wildlife and Parks folks, as well as their wolf management working group. Sorry, I can’t recall off the top of my head what it was called. - - - Mareks Vilkins says: they can reach Colorado via Utah - Hiker says: Ah, yes, Utah, where wolves are welcomed with open arms! They get shot there too. The excuse? “I thought that was a coyote.” Face it, natural dispersion to CO is ify at best. If wolves are to exist in CO they probably need to be reintroduced, just like WY. - idaursine says: If I understand correctly, UT has a ‘delisting’ in a corner section bordering ID and WY, when they didn’t even have any documented wolves- so no natural dispersers would be protected. How did they manage that, I wonder? https://wildlife.utah.gov/wolf/pdf/wolves_livestock.pdf UT has vowed they will never have wolves, one of the more notorious characters, I think. But for CO it is very puzzling. Wherever ranchers are, it makes things difficult for wolves. I hope the referendum is as successful as legalizing recreational marijuana in CO was. - idaursine says: ^^sorry, would not be protected. - - Mareks Vilkins says: those wolves who dispersed to Colorado in previous years did that via Wyoming or Utah … nothing is static and time is on the wolf’s side – not cow’s - Hiker says: Are there any wolves in CO now? Not that I know of. The very few who did make it ended up dead. With all the climatic shifting going on I’d say time is definitely not on the wolf’s side. - Mareks Vilkins says: there are wolves in Israel and Saudi Arabia - Hiker says: Last I checked we were discussing CO. Obviously there CAN be wolves in CO. The question is: will there? - Mareks Vilkins says: you said smth to the effect that climate is smth wolves will struggle to adopt to – whereas I am sure they will carry on just fine, not so confident about cows https://www.watereducationcolorado.org/fresh-water-news/climate-change-to-trigger-fundamental-changes-on-colorados-ranches/ https://19january2017snapshot.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2016-09/documents/climate-change-co.pdf - Hiker says: Everything will struggle to survive if half what’s predicted occurs. Hopefully some of our West will make it. How much is uncertain. Because of that uncertainty I think as much needs protecting as possible. If that means reintroduction of wolves for CO, for maximum success, then count me in. - - - - - - - - idaursine says: Hmmm – Iknow that ranchers and hunters and irrational haters play a big part in wolf politics, but I wonder if that big of a percentage of the public says they want wolves returned to Colorado, why aren’t their voices and votes being heard? Why is Wyoming legally able to run over coyotes and nobody does anything about it? Why can’t people at least try to cut down on beef? I don’t believe the reintroduction of wolves and coyotes, special cases of wildlife ‘management’ because of the irrational hatred leveled at them, are as important to people as they claim. I wish the state would put as much effort into the environment and wildlife as they do to the legalization of recreational marijuana! Something so insignificant. I’m not against it, I just don’t care about it. That’s why CO is such a disappointment – (correct me if I am wrong) there seems to be a very progressive side and a very conservative Old West side? At least with WY, MT and ID, you know what you are getting. I have a hard time considering CO progressive. - Actually, polls conducted in Colorado multiple times over the past two decades [including this year] show consistent, strong majority [greater than 70 percent] support for bringing wolves back to western Colorado. That support crosses political affiliation, gender age, hunter versus non-hunter,and West Slope versus Front Range. If we can simply get this question on the ballot [by gathering enough signatures], this visionary venture will succeed. So, at the risk of be pedantic, please consider supporting the project via the links here: https://tim.blog/wolf/ - idaursine says: Thank you for posting! - idaursine says: I should add that the project does sound very visionary, and I love the connectivity of it. Thanks again, - Immer Treue says: A bit more credibility to the link is to get rid of that Wolves Change the Course Of Rivers thing. It’s not been proven to be true, the Wolves absence for close to 70 years allowed so much destruction that it may never recover to the hoped for state. The idea of Trophic Cascade has been all but debunked. Pretty to watch and nice if it were true, but one has to look at the whole cause/correlation conundrum. That said, would be nice to have wolves in Colorado. - I’m sure that every member of the science advisory team from the Rocky Mountain Wolf Project [https://www.rockymountainwolfproject.org/about-us] would roundly disagree with the assertion that “the idea of Trophic Cascade has been all but debunked.” I grant you that the video you refer to oversimplifies the concept of trophic cascades, but getting people to understand and act on behalf of the natural world is, sadly, a tall order and sometimes educational tools fall short. That said, Tim runs his own show, and he wanted to place that video. - Immer Treue says: There’s nothing wrong with the concept of trophic cascade, but when using a different soiled video to try and prove a point, is supporting one’s argument with a lie. That will not help wolves. - - JB says: Immer: I don’t think many ecologists would agree that the idea of trophic cascades has been debunked — that’s simply overstating in the other direction. Back in 2014, Rolf Peterson led a review of the evidence on trophic cascades associated with wolves; that review concluded that the answer to the question of whether wolves cause trophic cascades is (as it often is in science): it depends. They found very solid evidence of indirect effects of carnivores on lower trophic levels; but it seemed to occur under certain conditions. More broadly (i.e., beyond wolves) the existence of trophic cascades in other types of systems is broadly accepted by ecologists. Mech and others (e.g. Ben Allen) have attempted to ‘make hay’ of the issue by making prosecutorial claims against those who claim to have found trophic cascades, such as: “there is an increasing tendency to ignore, disregard, or devalue the fundamental principles of the scientific method when communicating the reliability of current evidence…” However, the claims they make borderline on hyperbolic, and are supported by even less evidence than the evidence provided by those who support the idea that large carnivores have caused trophic cascades (see: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S2352249617300137). There is no doubt that: (i) large ungulates that lack predation have negative impacts on lower trophic levels; and (ii) large carnivores–under some conditions–can reduce ungulate abundance (which can mitigate those impacts). The real question is this: under what conditions will large carnivores actually impact ungulates enough that it will have a measurable benefit to lower trophic levels? - Immer Treue says: JB, Please read my later post in regard to this as I did write the original in haste. My “debunking” of TC had everything to do with the wolf changing the course of rivers video. There is no denying trophic cascades do occur, and are occurring as I write. My undercoat falls out every time I see that video. It’s pretty, but it is also misleading and misinformed. - Understood, mate. Here’s a more science-based and nuanced take on the whole thing: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S2352249617300137 - JB says: Thanks, Immer. And apologies– I responded quickly, w/out seeing your second post. I wish I had more time to spend on TWN, but life has intervened. 🙁 - Immer Treue says: JB, Not to worry, as originally my fault. Are you once again with a dog? - - - Nancy says: Webinar with Rolf Peterson just this past April, discussing the changes to Isle Royale, with and without wolves. https://nywolf.org/the-importance-of-wolves-in-isle-royale-with-dr-rolf-o-peterson/ - Mareks Vilkins says: Trophic Cascades in a Multicausal World: Isle Royale and Yellowstone Rolf O. Peterson, John A. Vucetich, Joseph M. Bump, and Douglas W. Smith http://lifeserv.bgu.ac.il/wb/yziv/media/Peterson%20et%20al-2014-AnnRevEcolSyst-Trophic%20Cascades%20in%20a%20Multicausal%20World_%20Isle%20Royale%20and%20Yellowstone.pdf - Immer Treue says: JHC! Can’t retract what I wrote, but that whole “debunking” of TC pertained to The Wolves Changing The Course Of Rivers video. it’s simply not true. - - - - Bruce Bowen says: Reintroduction of wolves seems to me to be heroic and romantic but not necessarily ecologically sound. Wolves by themselves are not going to restore the ecology. And lets not forget that around 25% of the deer population in Colorado is infected with chronic wasting disease. Many of the articles you will see on the web will indicate that CWD is caused by prions only. They reject any possibility of viruses or bacteria. This is not good journalism or science because other good information exists. Thus, CWD continues to spread and a good question to ask would be-why introduce a high ranking predator to areas in which it’s food source is going to die off? There is also no guarantee that CWD will not cross the species barrier. Also, I have never come across thorough studies that indicate the true extent of habitat damage caused by human activity on lands that these large predators are supposed be able to inhabit. There seems to be an assumption that the land can still support the “whole nine yards of the food chain” even though the net primary productivity of most of the land has decreased. So where is the proof? I think wolves better become vegetarians. - Hunters in states with wolves are experiencing record harvests of elk. Wolves make prey herds healthier, lowering incidents of diseases, including chronic wasting disease, by killing infected animals. Wolves are carnivores. More specifically, wolves are coursing predators, meaning they usually hunt in groups and chase their prey (as opposed to ambushing, like mountain lions). The primary prey of wolves in the Rockies is elk, although they will hunt deer and bison. Given that wolves evolved with the big game herds that sustain them, the myth that wolves could wipe out elk and deer populations doesn’t make sense; moreover, this myth is contradicted by a large body of science. Colorado has the largest elk population anywhere, with nearly 289,000 head of elk (per the most recent data from Colorado Parks & Wildlife). In fact, according to Colorado Parks & Wildlife, the state’s elk population is significantly over desired management objectives despite efforts to increase hunter opportunities. This overpopulation of elk is having a significant ecological impact and is negatively affecting the state’s deer herds (elk generally out-compete deer for habitat). Notably, Colorado’s deer population is tremendous, with over 400,000 as of the last count in 2017. - Frank Krosnicki says: Thanks Rob. Your comments are spot on. In the first few years after wolf reintroduction, elk and other ungulates are pushed into less familiar habitats than they lazily occupied w/o a natural predator such as the wolf. Once hunters learn the “new” ways to hunt them, and the wolf population stabilizes over time, elk and wolf populations return to a natural balance. The wilderness, especially rivers and streams become more healthy and other mammals and birds return to their natural balances. - - - Louise Kane says: I wish that the biologist would work toward revising the ridiculous recovery goals in the ESA perhaps by doing everything possible to illustrate that once wolves are reintroduced and recover they are inevitably slaughtered. I too did some research of my own by using a document to record comments given when Montana and Idaho first proposed wolf hunts. The surprising thing was that a large majority were against hunting or at the Least against the initial relatively mild hunting regulations. Despite that Montana and idaho quickly reverted to snares, traps and near endless seasons. Miserable places for wolves to be. Likewise, Washington’s initial wolf plan illustrated high support for wolves and low support for lethal control. Yet that plan has been abrogated by the ranching community spearheaded by the mcirvine ranch. In Oregon same story …OR 4 a near 12 year old wolf and his family gunned down mercilessly. And it’s not just the ranchers to blame. Seems like most of the killing is negotiated by working groups that include conservationists whose compromise positions set wolves up for failure. How about a recidivist provision that day for example calls for any rancher coming into conflict with wolves more than twice must remove his cattle from public lands. Instead conservation international and others agreed to the four strikes and your dead rule. I’d love to see wolves everywhere but something must be done to force our legislators and wildlife agencies to pay attention to their majority constituents. The plight of the wild is tied to the plight of the ESA tremendous support for but our legislators gunning for them anyway. Jeremy brucksotter just published an article on the discrepancy between enormous public support for the ESA and the assault on it by legislators. I hope Colorado gets its wolves but I hope the introduction is accomplished with bullet proof protections including a no hunt provision that will stand the test of time regardless of a successful recovery. Wolves are not animals that should be hunted. - idaursine says: I don’t know if I’d say the trophic cascades concept has been debunked. Forgive my layman’s terms, but I’ve read that there really hasn’t been enough time to see the effects of the return of top predators. After all, Rome wasn’t destroyed in a day, and we live in a world where we expect instant results. So much damage was/is done by humans, and with so much complicated ‘domino effect’, that it can’t be simplified. But the return of wolves, an natural element of the environment has to have made a difference, it is only logical. http://wolfpark.org/animals/info/wolves/wolves-and-trophic-cascades/ - Immer Treue says: “I don’t know if I’d say the trophic cascades concept has been debunked. Forgive my layman’s terms, but I’ve read that there really hasn’t been enough time to see the effects of the return of top predators” Yep, that’s why the Wolves Changing the Course Of Rivers is playing with fire. I did preface my statement about TC(and the debunking Of TC refers to wolves overall effect in Yellowstone thus far) with the absence of wolves for 70 years and concentration of elk in Yellowstone, the damage may never be undone in our lifetimes. - Mareks Vilkins says: Winter counts of the northern range elk herd in Yellowstone National Park and adjacent areas of Montana, 1960–2017 https://www.nps.gov/yell/learn/nature/elk.htm not so sure about ‘the lifetime’ prediction … the fire & drought also has a significant impact on vegetation / habitat - - - timz says: https://www.msn.com/en-us/video/animals/yellowstone-park-staffers-catch-deer-engaged-in-behavior-they-cant-explain/vi-AAGfdg1 - Aww! Come on, NPS staff! Have you never heard of a “dancing deer”? Joy isn’t limited to homo sapiens! 😉 - Mark L says: Ants? (or other biting insect on legs) - - Mareks Vilkins says: The Big Scientific Debate: Trophic Cascades by Douglas W. Smith, Rolf O. Peterson, Daniel R. MacNulty, & Michel Kohl https://www.nps.gov/articles/the-big-scientific-debate-trophic-cascades.htm In short, we have competing and very complex arguments. Is there any way to resolve this debate? Some say we need to design the right experiment, despite the vast size and cost of such an undertaking. Importantly, and other than the climate hypothesis, no one is arguing that top-down effects are not important, or that natural predation has no impact on the lower trophic layers. What is being debated is the extent that changes in woody plants are due to the effects of wolves (and other carnivores) on elk and how these top-down influences ripple through the food web. Part of the disagreement comes from crediting wolves as the only agent, ignoring cougar recovery and increases in bear numbers, and of course elk management outside of the park (which also reduced elk and kept them in the park). Another criticism is that too much impact has been attributed to elk, that other factors like water availability need inclusion in any explanation. In dry areas with reduced elk herbivory, no willow response was observed. Another question is the distribution of willows. There has been no increase in the area of willow and aspen, only a height increase in existing stands, which may be dependent on beaver occupation. Maybe the changes to Yellowstone mid-20th century were so significant that a couple decades of fewer elk is not enough to erase the long-term damage on woody plants (Wolf et al. 2007 ). Lastly, and most recently discovered, is an important elucidation of how wolves and elk really interact across the varied landscape of Yellowstone. Possibly the most intense debate centers on what wolves do to elk. This is the behavioral vs. numeric argument typically framed as one or the other. But what happens if that’s not how wolves and elk really interact? After years of painstakingly collaring wolves and elk, an answer may be emerging. Elk do respond behaviorally to the risk of wolf predation, but not all the time; they avoid risky areas only when wolves are active. This is a fascinating discovery and suggests the increase in woody vegetation is potentially attributable to a combination of fewer elk responding to wolf activity. Elk are not avoiding risky areas but are aware of wolves. - idaursine says: The video does credit bears too, I noticed. - - Bruce Bowen says: “David Mech, a biologist with the USGS who is considered the worlds top wolf expert, cautioned that until wolves and wasting disease actually interact, theories about wolves controlling the spread of the disease are just speculation” quoted from the Timber Wolf Info Network. I agree. - I agree too, which is one of the reasons why we want them in Colorado— to help end the speculation. - idaursine says: It’s certainly an interesting route to follow – and I am not sure how much study has been done? I look forward to hearing more about it, personally. - - idaursine says: I see absolutely nothing wrong with that video; and I love George Monbiot’s enthusiasm. A microcosm of the natural world, as it would have been if undisturbed. Destroying one key member of the ecosystem had dramatic effects on the rest of the system, restoring it has improved it. The facts in a nutshell, IMO. - Immer Treue says: In a nut shell, if you see nothing wrong with the video, you’re part of the problem. - idaursine says: Explain to me then what is wrong? There may be additional details, but generally, isn’t it correct? Cattle and other ungulates, and man of course, certainly do change the course of rivers. - Immer Treue says: We’ll begin here. This is the simplest and easiest to understand. This Middleton article has been posted many times before on TWN. https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.nytimes.com/2014/03/10/opinion/is-the-wolf-a-real-american-hero.amp.html - idaursine says: Yes, I had read this before. I know that the science is ever fine-tuning; and I do think people realize that it is not simplistic, just in general terms. The big thing to me is that the wolf was virtually eliminated from the picture, grizzlies too – mountain lions and other predators were not. Having the wolf return did push the dominoes back a little. - idaursine says: or reset the dominoes. Human hunters don’t have the same effect. - - - Immer Treue says: Middleton, again. http://conservationconnections.blogspot.com/2015/04/yellowstones-wolves-agents-of-change-or.html - idaursine says: This one is excellent. But like the ‘saint or sinner’ comparison, I don’t think people think it is a simple thing. - Immer Treue says: It’s not a matter of being a simple thing. As Save Bears used to write years ago, the number of people truly interested in wolves or the “controversy” surrouding wolves is statistically very small. So, when this video is viewed by 4 million people, truth matters. “It’s a lovely story, and I would love this to be true, but it isn’t,” Hobbs said. “[The video] is demonstratively false.” - Mareks Vilkins says: what about The Grey ? how many millions watched it? and it was released at the time when wolf delisting was a hot topic https://blog.nationalgeographic.org/2012/02/03/would-real-wolves-act-like-the-wolves-of-the-grey/ The Grey opened in North America on January 27, 2012 in 3,185 theaters and grossed $19.7 million in its opening weekend, with an average of $6,174 per theater, finishing first. The film ultimately earned $51.6 million domestically, and $25.7 million internationally, for a total of $77.3 million, against its $25 million production budget. Controversy On January 19, 2012, British Columbia’s The Province featured an article about the movie’s crew buying four wolf carcasses from a local trapper, two for props for the film and two wolves for the cast to eat. This angered environmentalists and animal activists, who were already irate that the film depicts wolves in a negative light, specifically at a time when grey wolves had recently been removed from the Endangered Species Act in many western American states. In response to the portrayal of wolves in the film, groups including PETA and WildEarth Guardians started drives to boycott the film. Open Road responded by placing a fact sheet about the grey wolf on the film’s official website, with cooperation from the Sierra Club. Carnahan responded by downplaying the significance of the violent wolves portrayed in the film, instead highlighting the significance of man’s internal struggle for survival. Awards The film was nominated in 2012 for the International Wolf Center’s Scat Award in Scare Tactics and Silly Information categories, being granted said distinction in 2013. - Mareks Vilkins says: - Immer Treue says: So? Your counter to a cartoon of a video is that of a ridiculous movie. - Immer Treue says: While we’re at it, how about this Russian Vodka commercial with wolves. The outtakes had the daffodils apoplectic until they realized they’d been had. - Mareks Vilkins says: my counter is that Middleton is quick to moan about folks for whom the rainbows shine out of wolves asses but he is ok with anti-wolf camp’s output. then comes Michigan wolf referendum (twice) – and again the same reaction https://academic.oup.com/jmammal/article/98/1/53/2977229#58919235 then wolf delisting – the same division and Mech et al are providing ammo for the delisting To the Editor: If Science is ‘Sanctifying the Wolf’ the News Media is not Complicit https://www.researchgate.net/publication/235983893_To_the_Editor_If_Science_is_'Sanctifying_the_Wolf'_the_News_Media_is_not_Complicit - Immer Treue says: This has nothing to do with the liberties taken by the video. - - - - - Immer Treue says: More on dynamics of wolves, elk, beaver and willow https://www.accuweather.com/en/weather-news/scientists-debunk-myth-that-yellowstone-wolves-changed-entire-ecosystem-flow-of-rivers/70004699 - idaursine says: Having a member of the ecosystem absent and then returned has to have made a difference, in their own way – but I don’t thing everyone believes improvements are solely due to wolves! Just that taking an important member of the ecosystem out of it had consequences. But we know it is more complex than that, like with the salmon and others. I wouldn’t put humans as helping the ecosystem by hunting at all – it’s in the state its in because of carelessness or ignorance, or unfounded belief (more harmful than any trophic cascades debate!). Oftentimes they want and take the biggest and strongest, which has detrimental effects on the health of herds. Or just kill randomly and wantonly, assume their dominance, run into a grizzly, and kill some more. - Immer Treue says: Stop changing the subject. You wanted to know what was wrong with the video. - - - Immer Treue says: From Mech, on Yellowstone beaver The role of beavers in the reported trophic cascade also bears fur- ther discussion. Beavers occupy a special place in the wolf-mediated trophic cascade in Yellowstone because of the many local ecological changes beaver ponds can bring (Naiman et al., 1986). Beavers depend primarily on willows in Yellowstone, and at the time of wolf reintroduction (1995) there were no actual beavers on the Northern Range (Smith et al. 2003). Willow regrowth in some areas during the past several years reportedly has increased, because of wolf effects on elk, which feed on willows. Beaver repopulation of Yellowstone, including its Northern Range has also begun (Smith et al., 2003), often attributed indirectly to wolves (Robbins, 2004; Ripple and Beschta, 2004; Chadwick, 2010). What has had little publicity, how- ever, was that ‘‘the rapid re-occupation of the Northern Range with persistent beaver colonies, especially along Slough Creek, occurred because Tyers of the Gallatin National Forest released 129 beavers in drainages north of the park’’ (Smith and Tyers, 2008, p. 11). In any case, the assumption that beaver increase in Yellowstone and all the subsequent effects is a result of wolf restoration overlooks the possibility that the willow increase resulted from the raising of the water table by beavers and/or an increased growing season (Despain, 2005). It should be clear from the above examples that sweeping, definitive claims about wolf effects on ecosystems are premature whether made by the public or by scientists. Some of the claims made to date might eventually be proven valid. More likely, some might be valid for specific times or places (e.g. Hebblewhite et al., 2005). Meanwhile it would be wise for all who are interested in wolves to remember the admonition of Ray et al. (2005, p. 426) cited earlier that ‘‘… scientists will likely never be able to reliably predict cascading impacts on bio-diversity other than prey.’’ These authors reached this conclusion after synthesizing 19 chapters of reviews relating to the ecological role of large carnivores. - idaursine says: And the beavers disappeared by overhunting and trapping for their fur. So the one takeaway is that left alone without interference from humans, the ecosystem can repair the damage and sometimes very quickly, and all the elements come together as they should. I don’t know that anyone ever thought that it was all due to wolves, or that anyone had nominated them for sainthood, only that they are one of the key players of the ecosystem, out of several MVPs. - Immer Treue says: August 30, 2019 at 2:54 pm And the beavers disappeared by overhunting and trapping for their fur. No - - - Immer Treue says: Mech on Yellowstone coyotes Much has been made of the initial report that reintroduced wolves have reduced coyote numbers in Yellowstone National Park (Crabtree and Sheldon, 1999), a finding in accord with earlier work (Mech, 1966), and several other studies confirm that wolves kill coyotes and tend to reduce their numbers (summarized by Ballard et al. (2003)). What has grabbed the imagination of researchers and the public about a reduction in coyotes in Yellowstone is the possibility that it might lead to both increased coyote prey (Buskirk, 1999) that then fosters a ‘‘mesopredator release,’’ that is, an increase in smaller predators such as raptors, foxes (Vulpes vulpes), and badgers (Taxidea taxus) (Terborgh and Winter, 1980). Such a release has not been documented in Yellowstone, however. Furthermore the number of coyote packs in the part of Yellowstone where they were at first reduced has returned to pre-wolf levels although the packs may be smaller (Crabtree and Sheldon, unpub- lished, in Hebblewhite and Smith, 2010). Thus any wolf release of mesopredators in Yellowstone is yet to demonstrated. - Immer Treue says: More from Mech wever. Wolf restoration has generated a fine assortment of interesting ecological studies and has generally improved our understanding of wolves and associated species and their interactions with each other and the environment. However, we as scientists and conser- vationists who deal with such a controversial species as the wolf have a special obligation to qualify our conclusions and minimize our rhetoric, knowing full well that the popular media and the internet eagerly await a chance to hype our findings. An inaccurate public image of the wolf will only do a disservice to the animal and to those charged with managing it. The wolf, while at the top of a food chain and a restored mem- ber of the world’s most famous National Park and a prominent member of others, remains as one more species in a vast complex of creatures interacting the way they always have. It is neither saint nor sinner except to those who want to make it so. - idaursine says: “However, we as scientists and conser- vationists who deal with such a controversial species as the wolf have a special obligation to qualify our conclusions and minimize our rhetoric, knowing full well that the popular media and the internet eagerly await a chance to hype our findings. An inaccurate public image of the wolf will only do a disservice to the animal and to those charged with managing it.” Well, I certainly would agree with that. And it cuts both ways. Science tells us one thing, then when when there is additional information or a conflicting opinion, don’t blame the public! The video is a general overview for the non-scientist, whom one has to reach if there is to be positive change. ___________ Another example is that removing dams from Maine rivers and others, the recovery is very quick. I don’t feel I’m changing the subject, it is all part of the same subject IMO: https://www.nrcm.org/waters/edwards-dams-kennebec-restoration/river-revival-kennebec-teems-with-life-5-years-after-dam-breach/ Happy Labor Day weekend, all – - - Immer Treue says: Bears eating more berries on regenerating shrubs. Classic example of cause/correlation. From round table discussion at International Wolf Center, chaired by IWC curator Lori Schmidt, participants David Mech and Shannon Barber-Meyer. It cannot be said that the above phenomena is the cause of wolves preying upon elk, thus less elk pressure upon berry bushes. It could also be because as Whitebark pine (seeds of which are important food source of grizzly bear)are being reduced by beetle infestation and blister rust. Also, important food source of bears, cutthroat trout are being outcompeted replaced by lake trout, not a bear food source. So the bears eating more berries argument may have more to do with, that’s all they have to eat at that particular time. - Immer Treue says: Analogy time. If you want to fully understand Melville’s Moby Dick, you immerse yourself in the novel https://www.google.com/search?q=moby+dick+novel&client=safari&hl=en-us&prmd=isvn&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwirxqC926vkAhUCXqwKHQ8vAUMQ_AUIFigB&biw=704&bih=643#imgrc=d9Da9Upt9NISmM Not the comic book https://www.mycomicshop.com/search?ItemID=47908749&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIgLix7tyr5AIVg4bACh1i9AlkEAQYASABEgI2_PD_BwE That’s what Wolves Changing the Course Of Rivers in Yellowstone as toward what is actually happing in Yellowstone. - idaursine says: I personally prefer to immerse myself in a classic novel (Aldo Leopold), although I would not automatically discount the comic book version unless it contained glaring errors, and it may be more accessible to many. But I see what you mean, we don’t want the science to become ‘pop-culturized’, although that is hard to avoid in our world. - Marc Bedner says: I regard Aldo Leopold’s “Sand County Almanac” as a classic novel. In that fictional work, Leopold claims to have recognized the value of wolves when he saw the “green fire” in the eyes of a wolf he killed. In reality, Leopold spent the next decades trying to extirpate wolves and mountain lions from New Mexico. He then went on establish the profession of game management, establishing the principle that state game agencies should answer not to the general public, but only to hunters and trappers. Not until the end of his life, when it was time to write his novel, did Leopold spell out his “land ethic.” http://foranimals.org/blog/2019/04/22/brutality-of-aldo-leopold/ - idaursine says: sorry for the typo, I meant to stop at ‘classic’, but hit the send button too soon. - - - - - - - idaursine says: https://www.9news.com/article/news/local/local-politics/reintroducing-the-gray-wolf-to-colorado-could-be-put-to-a-popular-vote-in-2020/73-8dac6ff3-4ddb-4822-b6ea-24c5d81419e2 - idaursine says: ^^this ought to be interesting, because we are forever hearing how much the public wants them returned to their rightful landscapes, and then everything just stalls. - - idaursine says: Heh. Now this is what I call trophic cascades: https://www.nationalgeographic.com/news/2011/10/111028-condit-dam-removal-video/ I think also in the Greg Smith article, it said we many never know just what the full effects of returning wolves to their rightful place will be, because their populations are so tightly controlled. So there is plenty of wiggle room. But it has improved things. - idaursine says: https://www.counterpunch.org/2019/04/19/aldo-leopolds-land-ethic-and-the-need-for-a-new-approach-to-managing-wildlife/ BTW: I think, hope anyway, that I had an adult monarch emerge from the milkweed. Yay! Despite mosquito spraying, I’ve seen several species of butterfly (Eastern swallowtail, Tiger Swallowtail, Buckeye), and dragonflies and bees seem to be holding their own. - idaursine says: Ah, Utah…. https://archive.sltrib.com/article.php?id=2298978&itype=CMSID - idaursine says: “A far-roaming female from Wyoming was killed Dec. 28 after a bounty hunter mistook her for a coyote.” A bounty hunter. It really does strain credulity. I suppose in the Northeast it would be the same, although I would love to see wolves returned here as well. After all, it all got started in our neck of the wolves, eradicating wildlife and stealing lands. I’ve said before and I’ll say again, the reason I howl so much about wolves above and beyond other wildlife is that the entire eradication plan for them was and is just so brutal and inhumane. They really are treated worse than other creatures, and it isn’t rational. So if some consider wolves more ‘special’ than other wildlife, it is because of that. - idaursine says: ^^that was UT, btw. - - Andy says: There are already wolves in Colorado. There have been sightings in The NorthWest as well as the San Juan Mtns. Leave a Reply to JB Cancel reply Categories - Advocacy - Economy - Featured - hunting - Open thread - Politics - Public Lands - States - The Great Outdoors - Threats - Uncategorized - Water - Wildfire - Wildlife - Wildlife Habitat - Wildlife News - Wolves - Yellowstone Subscribe to Blog via Email Recent Posts - Removing Prieto Wolves is Not the Answer January 21, 2020 - Misinformation from Gallatin Land Trust January 20, 2020 - Closure of mill due to national economic trends? January 16, 2020 - Oregon Owyhee Wilderness Legislation Benefits Ranchers January 7, 2020 - Rocky Mountain Restorative Initiative Logging Trojan Horse December 31, 2019 Recent Comments - Bruce Bowen on Misinformation from Gallatin Land Trust - idaursine on Removing Prieto Wolves is Not the Answer - Dale Houston on Removing Prieto Wolves is Not the Answer - Caroline Eck on Removing Prieto Wolves is Not the Answer - Ed Loosli on Misinformation from Gallatin Land Trust - idaursine on Reader generated wildlife news. Starting on Dec. 29, 2019 - Immer Treue on Reader generated wildlife news. Starting on Dec. 29, 2019 - Bruce Bowen on Closure of mill due to national economic trends?	https://www.thewildlifenews.com/2019/08/22/key-biologist-from-yellowstone-wolf-reintroduction-hopes-to-repeat-success-in-colorado/?replytocom=542595
Yellowstone wolf biologist Doug Smith was among those who brought the first wolves into the famous national park ... Fact vs. fiction: The effect wolves have on Yellowstone's game animals, ecology After 25 years of wolves in Yellowstone, we can answer lingering concerns regarding their influence on elk and moose populations, as well as answer whether wolves can truly be credited with changing rivers. Yellowstone National Park: Genetic researchers pinpoint origin of Yellowstone’s black wolves ~ Missoula Current (KPAX) YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK — The black wolves of Yellowstone are a striking icon that draws many wildlife watchers to the world’s first national park. But scientists say historically wolves d… Yellowstone to Uintas Connection - CounterPunch.org Ancient Pathways Just south of the Montana State line, in the lower Big Horn Basin, sits Natural Trap Cave: a large circular hole in the ground with a 30-foot vertical drop to a cavern below. You can’t see it until you are nearly upon it. Today it is covered by a metal grate, but for More Studies of wolf-elk interactions continue in Yellowstone \| Laramie \| laramieboomerang.com By AMBER TRAVSKY It’s been 25 years. It was mid-January of 1995 when the first wolves arrived in Yellowstone National Park. The gray wolves arrived from Jasper National Park in Alberta, Canada and … Yellowstone's Wolves 25 years after reintroduction: The effects on ranchers This series has allowed federal, state, and local wildlife and managers to respond to claims, questions, and concerns, regarding wolf reintroduction and in so doing, separated fact from fiction, and reality from fables. We've examined the rationale behind reintroduction, claims regarding wolf taxonomy, and the factual effects of wolves on Yellowstone's ecology and game animals. This article will examine the factual effects of wolves on people. A closer look at black wolves in Yellowstone National Park Scientists say historically, wolves did not have black coats Opinion \| A Natural Classroom, Run by Wolves - The New York Times Yellowstone Wolves: Science and Discovery in the World’s First National Park Yellowstone Wolves: Science and Discovery in the World’s First National Park \| KGVM Community Radio Yellowstone celebrates wolf reintroduction on Facebook Live each Tuesday in March Yellowstone National Park wildlife biologists will broadcast on Facebook Live each Tuesday at 11 a.m. MST in March to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the return of wolves to the The Shapeshifter - Nature Documentary The Shapeshifter - Nature Documentary LORDS OF NATURE LORDS OF NATURE The Economic Benefits and Struggles of Wolves in Yellowstone Since the reintroduction of gray wolves in the mid-1990s, biologists and economists have been astounded by the amount of change these predators have wrought.	https://www.pinterest.it/the3478/yellowstone-wolves/
The wolves’ return to Yellowstone and the subsequent recovery of plants that elk had been eating to death in their absence has become one the most popularized and beloved ecological tales. By the 1920s humans had misguidedly wiped out most of the wolves in North America, thinking that the only good wolf was a dead one. Without wolves preying on them, elk and deer (also called ungulates) exploded in number. Burgeoning ungulate populations ravaged plant communities, including aspen forests. Decades later, the wolves we reintroduced in Yellowstone hit the ground running, rapidly sending their ecological effects rippling throughout the region, restoring this ecosystem from top to bottom. Yet today some scientists caution that this story is more myth than fact because nature isn’t so simple. For decades scientists have been investigating the ecological role of wolves. In his 1940s game surveys, Aldo Leopold found ungulates wiping out vegetation wherever wolves had been removed. He concluded that by controlling ungulates, wolves could restore plant communities and create healthier habitat for other species, such as birds. Since Leopold’s time, many scientists have studied food web relationships between top predators and their prey—called trophic cascades. In the 1960s and 1970s Robert Paine, working with sea stars, and James Estes, working with sea otters, showed that ecosystems without top predators begin to unravel. John Terborgh called the ensuing rampant species extinctions an “ecological meltdown.” Paine created the metaphorical term keystone species to refer to top predators and noted that when you remove the keystone, arches and ecosystems collapse. Over the years ecologists found trophic cascades—also called top-down effects—ubiquitous from coral reefs to prairies to polar regions. However, William Murdoch and others have maintained that sunlight and moisture, which make plants grow, drive ecosystem processes from the bottom-up, making predators relatively unimportant. The Yellowstone wolf reintroduction provided the perfect setting to test these contrasting perspectives. In the mid-1800s in his book The Origin of Species, Charles Darwin presciently described nature as a “tangled bank.” Nature’s complexity results from myriad species and their relationships with other species and all the things that can possibly affect them individually and collectively, such as disease, disturbance, and competition for food. Science works incrementally, taking us ever deeper into nature’s tangled bank as we investigate ecological questions. Each study answers some questions and begets new ones. Sometimes we find contradictory results. Learning how nature works requires what Leopold called “deep-digging research” in which we keep searching for answers amid the clues nature gives us, such as the bitten-off stem of an aspen next to a stream where there are no wolves. Browsed aspens in high predation risk area, Waterton Lakes National Park. Photo by Cristina Eisenberg. Trophic cascades science that focuses on wolf effects is still in its infancy, with huge knowledge gaps. For example, we’ve linked wolves to strong effects that cascade down through multiple food web levels. However, we’re just starting to parse how context can influence these effects. Some Yellowstone studies have found that wolves have powerful indirect effects on the plants that elk eat, such as aspens, due to fear of predation. With wolves around, elk have to keep moving to stay alive, which reduces browsing pressure. Conversely, a growing body of studies are finding no wolf effect—that aspens in places with wolves aren’t growing differently than those where predation risk is low. Other studies have found that wolf predation risk doesn't affect elk feeding behavior. In my own research I’ve found that wolves need another keystone force—fire—to most effectively drive trophic cascades. With wolves and fire present, elk herbivory drops, aspens thrive, and biodiversity soars due to the healthy habitat created by young, vigorously growing aspen. Aspen growing above elk reach after fire and wolf recovery, Glacier National Park. Photo by Cristina Eisenberg. It’s human nature to try to find simple solutions. Today we are grappling with monumental environmental problems such as climate change and habitat fragmentation. Due to the wolf’s iconic status and our need to fix broken ecosystems, the environmental community and the media have run with the science that shows a strong wolf effect. This has inspired other scientists to prove that ecosystems are more complex than that. These dissenting studies demonstrate that the wolf dwells in a tangled bank, working alongside many other ecological forces. Tangled banks seldom yield simple answers. However, arguing about what exactly carnivores do ecologically and why we need them is fiddling while Rome burns. Large, meat-eating animals improve the health of plant communities and provide food subsidies for the many species that scavenge on their kills. A system with wolves in it is far richer than one without and can support many more grizzly bears, coyotes, wolverines, and eagles. There are things we don’t know and disagreements about what we do know. But given the accelerated human-caused extinctions we are experiencing today, a precautionary approach to creating healthier ecosystems means conserving large carnivores. Beyond empiricism, scientists often operate based on instinct. Instinct led Darwin to dig more deeply into species adaptation and Leopold to doggedly delve into the effects of predator removal. For many of us who conduct trophic cascades science, our instincts are telling us that wolves should be conserved in as high a number in as many places as possible, due to the invaluable benefits they can bring to ecosystems. To do anything other than conserve wolves would be foolish, given all we’ve learned thus far.	https://islandpress.org/blog/wolves-tangled-bank
This article was originally published on Open Mind. “…In the late Pleistocene—about 14,000 years ago— modern humans (Homo sapiens) had already arrived in Europe. At that time —by the end of the last ice age—, lions, reindeer, wild horses and bison roamed Europe and legendary mastodons lumbered across North America. Scientific evidence indicates that the wild world was peering over the precipice, due in part to the intense hunting activity practiced by humans. After thousands of years of agriculture and raising livestock, and the massive deterioration of ecosystems worldwide, populations of amphibians, fish, reptiles, mammals and birds have decreased globally by almost 60% between 1970 and 2014. This loss not only implies the almost total disappearance of charismatic species such as the white rhinoceros, the panda, the Bengal tiger and the Sumatran elephant, but also of their functions in the ecosystems. The return of missing animals To restore these lost worlds, conservation science increasingly relies on what is known as trophic rewilding: the reintroduction of missing animals or those with very small populations, from elephants to giant tortoises, from rhinoceroses to bison, to restore trophic chains—the famous “who eats who” in the wild—and that ecosystems regulate themselves. The most famous case is the reintroduction of wolves into Yellowstone National Park (USA) in the 1990s, and almost the only one in which there is no doubt that the ecosystem changed: the density of deer decreased and large areas of forest were recovered. Rewilding now refers not so much to a form of conservation of species on the verge of vanishing completely, like the Iberian lynx in Spain, but to rewilding large expanses of territory, particularly with large herbivores…” Read on at: Open Mind.	https://capitalscoalition.org/restoring-lost-worlds-to-combat-climate-change/
In our previous blog, ‘Why Restore Wolves to Colorado,’ we briefly discussed the top five reasons wolves should be reintroduced to the state. In this and future blogs, we’re digging deeper into each of those arguments. Blogs by Gary Skiba, Board Member and wildlife biologist. Part I: Wolves perform important ecological functions If you want to look more deeply into some of the effects described here, check out the list of sources at the end. As with all things related to wolves and field biology in general, the ecological functions and effects of wolves are complex and not always clear. There is no question, however, that wolves cause profound change in the behavior of their prey, creating other effects in the environment; wolf predation also improves prey population health. Together, these changes are referred to as a trophic cascade, where changes at one level of ecological organization cause changes in other levels. One of the most important concepts to keep in mind is that wolves, their prey, and the ecosystems they interact in functioned and evolved together over hundreds of thousands of years. The gray wolf, Canis lupus, evolved approximately 300,000 years ago. Since then, many large animals (ground sloth, wooly mammoth, horses, camels) have disappeared, but the wolf has continued to survive and thrive, except when faced with determined human efforts to eradicate them. Wolves now specialize in hunting ungulates, including elk (especially elk), deer, caribou, moose and bison, and the ongoing influences of predator on prey and prey on predator continue. Effects on prey behavior Hunting by wolves causes changes in prey behavior, which can create environmental change. In Yellowstone National Park, changes since wolf reintroduction in 1995 include improved conditions in riparian areas and higher survival of aspens and willows. Most researchers attribute these changes to shifts in elk behavior. Elk that stay on alert to the presence of wolves are less likely to remain in riparian areas for long periods, resulting in less intensive browsing. Both beaver and bison populations increased over those years; beaver activity is helping to restore degraded riparian areas, which support a wide array of wildlife species, from small mammals to birds. Can we directly attribute these effects to the presence of wolves, and will the same effects occur if wolves are restored to Colorado? The answers are a bit murky, but based both on the experiences in Yellowstone and ecological theory, they are a qualified “yes” for both questions. As noted above, ecological interactions and effects are complex, with many variables. Weather, hunting pressure, other predators, and human activities all influence elk numbers and behavior. We know for certain that elk will respond behaviorally to wolf presence, and that change in behavior will almost certainly cause positive change in environmental conditions. Prey Selection Wolves prey on the most vulnerable individuals; in the case of elk, those are the young (calves) and older females. Wolves are coursing predators, meaning that they approach their prey and then pursue fleeing individuals. They quickly determine if any individual animals are impaired in any way and they focus on them. Impaired animals are not only easier to catch, they also are less dangerous. Many wolves end up injured during hunts, mostly by the sharp hooves of the animals they prefer. The table below from Mech and Peterson (2003) summarizes some of the scientific evidence of the many factors that can make prey more vulnerable to wolf predation. In a Yellowstone area study, the mean age of adult females killed by hunters was 6.5 years, whereas the mean age of adult females killed by wolves was 13.9 years. Wolf killed elk cows are more commonly at the end of their reproductive years, while hunter killed elk commonly had multiple years of reproduction ahead of them. Removal of more animals in their prime reproductive years makes the population less resilient and less able to respond to factors (like a harsh winter) that reduce population size. Removal of weaker individuals results in healthier prey populations Effects on Vegetation Ripple and Beschta 2011 reviewed multiple vegetation studies that demonstrated the changes that occurred in Yellowstone National Park after wolves were reintroduced. These changes were likely caused more by changes in prey behavior and not by reductions in prey populations. The prevailing belief is that prey animals (particularly elk) are more alert and spend less time in any one location when wolves are in the vicinity. Riparian areas, those thin bands of vegetation along streams and lakes, are one of the vegetation types showing significant change. Some researchers attribute those changes to the fact that elk don’t spend as much time in those areas, allowing willows and cottonwoods to survive and grow due to less browsing by elk. There are other researchers who think the explanation is more complex and that beavers are a key factor in the re-establishment of healthy riparian vegetation. It’s a bit of chicken and egg situation, as beaver dams create better conditions for establishment of riparian plants, and beavers need riparian plants for food. What is clear is that conditions have improved for beavers, songbirds, and small mammals. The habitat is better for elk as well, because the food plants are both more abundant and more nutritious. Scavengers Mark Hebblewhite and Doug Smith (2010) listed species they observed on 221 ungulate prey carcasses between 1995 and 2000 that were killed by wolves. In Banff National Park, they tallied 20 species: Most common were ravens (present at 96% of all kills), coyote (51%), black-billed magpie (19%), pine marten (14%), wolverine (8%), and bald eagles (8%); others, in descending order, were gray jay, golden eagle, long- and short-tailed weasel and least weasel, mink, lynx, cougar, grizzly bear, boreal and mountain chickadee, Clarkʼs nutcracker, masked shrew, and great grey owl. In Yellowstone, they noted twelve scavengers, of which five visit virtually every kill: coyotes, ravens, magpies, and golden and bald eagles. More species of beetles use carcasses than all vertebrates put together. Sikes (1994) found 23,365 beetles of 445 species in two field seasons at wolf-killed carcasses. No predator feeds as many other creatures as wolves do. SELECTED SOURCES Alston et al. 2019. Reciprocity in restoration ecology: when might large carnivore reintroduction restore ecosystems? Biological Conservation 234:82-89. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2019.03.021Get rights and content Cusak et al. 2019. Weak spatiotemporal response of prey to predation risk in a freely interacting system. J. Animal Ecology 2019: 1-19 Marshall KN et al. 2013 Stream hydrology limits recovery of riparian ecosystems after wolf reintroduction. Proc R Soc B 280: 20122977. http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2012.2977 Mech, L.D. and R.O. Peterson. 2003. “Wolf-Prey Relations” USGS Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center. 321. https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/usgsnpwrc/321 Mech, L. D., and L. Boitani (eds.). 2003. WOLVES: BEHAVIOR, ECOLOGY, AND CONSERVATION. The University of Chicago Press, Chicago, Illinois, and London, United Kingdom. 448 pp.	https://www.sanjuancitizens.org/species/returning-wolves-to-colorado-part-i-wolves-perform-important-ecological-functions
“We reached the old wolf in time to watch a fierce green fire dying in her eyes. … I was young then and full of trigger-itch; I thought that because fewer wolves meant more deer, that no wolves would mean hunters’ paradise. But after seeing the green fire die, I sensed that neither the wolf nor the mountain agreed with such a view. I rarely cry at movies. But, when the callous Army troops killed “Two Socks”, the wolf who befriended Lt. Dunbar in Kevin Costner’s Academy Award film “Dances With Wolves”, my throat choked up and I cried. Likewise, when a native Alaskan told me how renegade hunters trespassed on her property and killed an aged wolf who had befriended her dog pups, I really got emotional. The wolf symbolizes many things to many people. To some, the wolf is a haunting reminder of a beautiful Nature when he and his family howl in the moonlight. To those who study ecology, the wolf has been shown to be a valuable top predator who helps maintain a healthy equilibrium in ecosystems. To others, the wolf is a tragic figure who is being slain in great numbers by trophy hunters. To the trophy hunter, his government legalizes and sanctions his need to boast about killing something in Nature. To the cattle rancher, the wolf is a threat to his economic well being. To the government employee who works with public lands, the wolf is simply a number to be controlled even though it has been shown that mankind cannot control Nature. That government official has the power to kill wolves ( they call it “harvesting” or “culling”) when the calculations suggest that a population is above some theoretical limit set by man. Add to that the strong political will that is exerted on that government employee by congressmen and senators whose election coffers are filled by hunting groups, gun advocates, and a huge population of ranchers. This confusing mixture of human opinions, emotions, and influence has resulted in many battles over who the wolf really is and his value in Nature. However, in 1995, a clarification of the wolf’s importance in Nature began to emerge. Wolves had once been the top predator at Yellowstone National Park. Due to man’s ignorance and greed, the Yellowstone wolf population was killed off in the 1920’s. This left the Yellowstone wilderness wolf-free for 70 years. A wolf reintroduction in the 1990’s at Yellowstone gave scientists a wonderful opportunity to study the changes that can take place when a top predator is introduced into an ecosystem. The returning wolves dramatically changed the equilibrium of the animal population, the rivers, and the forests. It is important to note that the wolf reintroduction was an act of passive restoration where mankind’s only role was in reintroducing the wolf. Everything else that followed was Nature taking her own course. A key finding, already known by theoretical scientists, was that everything in Nature is interconnected. The Yellowstone wolf reintroduction was proof, in Nature’s own living laboratory, that interconnectedness in Nature is vital to the functioning of ecosystems. The wolf is a key connecting force in Yellowstone’s ecosystem. The removal of the wolf, and then it’s reintroduction, demonstrated the power and the value of the wolf’s role in Nature as well as the power of connections in Nature. Interconnectedness in Nature starts with depending on the sun for our energy that gives us life. That solar energy is first received by plants (remember photosynthesis in our high school biology class?). We and other creatures need to eat these plants to get our supply of energy. Like the wolf, we also get our energy by eating other creatures who eat the plants who receive energy from the sun. Everything, including we humans, is part of this interdependent food chain that becomes the conduit for energy flow so that all living plants and creatures may live . Interconnections of everything within all ecosystems can be defined as the energy flow processes that I just described. These connections are not always simple one-to-one relationships. Indirect interconnections that control entire ecosystems are known as “trophic cascades”. At Yellowstone, there is a three-tiered trophic cascade that involves wolves, elk, and the woody plants that the elk eat. When there are few wolves, the elk population increases and more of the woody plants along stream beds are eaten and become scarce. It has been noted that the reduction of these plants causes less soil stabilization along stream beds resulting in the re-direction of streams and rivers. In this process, the presence or absence of wolves can indirectly influence the routing of stream beds. When the wolf population is plentiful, more elk and deer are eaten. Consequently, there is reduced browsing pressure on these woody plants by the deer and elk resulting in fewer changes in stream beds.. Trophic cascades are the indirect and complex effects of changes in Nature’s energy flow. There are two wonderful videos that describe what happened when the wolves returned to Yellowstone National Park. I strongly recommend that you view “Lords Of Nature” and “How Wolves Change Rivers“. The Yellowstone wolf story is powerful scientific evidence that supports the important idea of interconnectedness in Nature. The study emphasizes the value of all top predators, including the wolf. But sadly, mankind’s political will, the economics of ranching, and the sick need to kill something are very strong forces. Government agencies continue to sanction these activities to the detriment of the wolf and the ecosystems that we humans are part of. Animals are being needlessly slaughtered and connections in Nature continue to be broken. Despite the negative side to the wolf story, people from ranches and governments are now beginning to recognize and accept the influential ecological role of the wolf in Nature. Non-lethal predator control is beginning to be used by ranchers in some areas. This video summarizes the recent history of the wolf, its relationship to the human population, and the practice of non-lethal control methods. There are still many ranchers and government agencies who kill wolves to protect livestock or to “cull” the wolf population. Sadly, there are still many who think that trophy hunting is necessary to satisfy some inner pathological urge to kill a living being. However, there is a side to this story that brings hope for the stability of our earth’s ecosystems. It is a story that comes from the wolf when he becomes our teacher and when we listen. It is the story of the wolf that can help us build a consciousness of how nothing exists in isolation — even a powerful predator like ourselves. We can learn this from the genius that surrounds us. Once we learn how and why we humans are connected to everything else, we build a “conservation consciousness” rather than becoming a destructive force. We become part of Nature, not apart from it. Like the wolf, we are a top predator who kills and eats. However, human predatory behavior is different. When there is less prey available to the wolf, he lowers the size of his family and his population to adjust for less food. The population of humans, on the other hand, continues to increase even when resources are less. Wolves exercise population control, but we humans do not. In our indiscriminate wholesale killing of wolves (the government calls this “extirpation”), we have appointed ourselves as the top predator. We fool ourselves into believing that our hunting rifles that kill both wolves and their prey are adequate substitutes for an interconnected natural predator/prey system. But, wolves do not extirpate and wolves are selective in who they kill for food. To survive on earth, we not only need to develop a consciousness for these interconnections, we must preserve these connections in order to survive. Top predators, like the wolf, help us preserve these connections by creating an equilibrium that allows everything to survive in a sustainable proportion that can connect to everything else. It is a sad fact that, as the most top predator on earth, we humans over consume and over populate. As such, we destroy Nature rather than achieve a constructive equilibrium. Wolves, as predators, do not destroy Nature. They achieve equilibrium in both population control and in consumption. The wolf teaches us the value of an interconnected and sustainable Earth. The third item in the credo represents a consensus of many scientists and educators. We adults represent the most destructive force on earth. Unless things change, the human population will ultimately go extinct. The trophy hunters and the greedy ranchers are icons that represent the destructive state of mind of many adult humans. The hope for we humans lies more with our youth than with our adults. Young people have fresh minds and a sense of awe and wonder. They have the potential to receive a positive message and build a consciousness. Like the wolf adults who mentor their pups, effective environmental education is a solution for a positive future. I believe that effective environmental education is hands-on and place-based where Nature becomes the living classroom. In my programs, I train the high school students to become the teachers of the younger students. Also, a section of this blog site is devoted to environmental education by providing numerous teaching resources. A very powerful hands-on place-based environmental education program is operated by Deb Perryman in Elgin, Illinois. This video honors her work. In addition to her regular teaching/mentoring program, Deb mentors the student operated National Biodiversity Teach-In . As I continue to cruise cyberspace, I am discovering other powerful environmental educators. My hope for a growing human consciousness of an interconnected Nature has increased a great deal while camping all over the Pacific Northwestern United States during two months of the summer of 2015. During previous summers, I returned home disappointed by seeing lots of people in Nature glued to cell phones and ATVs without taking time to engage Nature. Sadly, it seemed that the parents were encouraging this behavior with their children. But, this summer, things seemed different. Like the wolf parents mentoring their young, I saw lots of parents with their children on Nature trails. Campgrounds seemed to be full of families who were directly engaging Nature. And, the US National Park Service visitor centers and tours in the Pacific Northwest were full of families. I came home from this summer greatly elated and encouraged. If only we were able to humble ourselves and pay attention, there are many fascinating facets to the wolf story from which we humans can directly benefit. These ideas are not just a string of metaphors. They are facts from which we can learn important lessons. “A Timely Message For All Beings“. Recently, I was asked to write an article for an online Nature magazine about the plight of wolves and how human beings are needlessly destroying their families and populations. I decided to pull together some of the information that I’ve developed in some of my published blogs. Ultimately, for technical reasons, I decided not to submit the article. Instead, I am offering this work in this post to my loyal blog readers. If some of the thoughts in this post are familiar to you, I am delighted and grateful because it tells me that you have been reading my other blogs on wolves as well as my thoughts on conservation. Hi Judy: Thanks for your great comment and the Omar Khayyam quote. The wolf is a keystone species not just from an ecological perspective, but as a basis for teaching about the vital importance of interrelationships in Nature. Education is a key conservation strategy. There are lots of examples and lots of research that has come out of the Yellowstone reintroduction. We have the information, but the political will of humanity is a very difficult hurdle to overcome despite the truth.	http://www.freshvista.com/2015/being-wolf-lessons-from-natures-tangled-web/
ESTES PARK, Colorado — Elk graze on neighborhood lawns, golf course greens and the grass around city hall in this gateway town to Rocky Mountain National Park. The burgeoning herd browsing through Estes Park is a popular tourist attraction — but it’s also a sign of an ecosystem out of whack. About 3,000 elk roam the national park and the Estes Valley. In the absence of native predators, they devour willows and aspens inside the park, and hundreds of them head down-valley to chow on lawns in town. As a result, the National Park Service is seeking to limit the elk population, and some scientists and wildlife activists are promoting a toothy solution — the reintroduction of wolves — to restore this disturbed ecosystem. The park is "mandated to look at the natural processes, which (in this case) is wolves," says Park Service spokeswoman Kyle Patterson. Wolves could reduce elk numbers, she says, and keep the herd mobile; ultimately, they could re-establish the park’s predator base. But before Canis lupus returns to Colorado, supporters will have to placate the state wildlife managers in charge of surrounding lands, who fear wolves will wander outside the park and create more problems than they solve. Wolves could stabilize an ecosystem Settlers hunted elk out of existence in this valley over 100 years ago — even before they wiped out the area’s grizzlies and wolves. The animals made their return in 1913, when locals pushed state wildlife managers to transplant 49 elk from Yellowstone; two years later, Congress created Rocky Mountain National Park, which became a refuge for the elk. With no predators chomping at its heels, however, the park’s elk herd grew ungainly, forcing wildlife managers to kill them to control the population. But in 1968, the Park Service stopped culling elk in response to public opposition, and let nature run its course. The elk population exploded, wreaking havoc on the park environment and altering the vegetation of meadows and winter range. This summer, after 10 years of studies, the Park Service released four management options for the park’s elk. The draft alternatives describe a combination of controversial measures, including contraceptive injections, culling, and the re-establishment of wolves. "The reason why the park put that alternative (of wolf reintroduction) on there is because science has unequivocally shown in Yellowstone and recently Banff (in Canada), that wolves help keep ecosystems healthy," says Gary Wockner, a wildlife ecologist at Colorado State University. In those parks, the predators’ return means that elk no longer loiter along rivers and streams, where ambushes are more likely. This helps native vegetation recover and with it, species such as beavers and songbirds (HCN, 3/31/03: Tinkering with Nature). Park Service wildlife veterinarian Margaret Wild says wolves could also purge chronic wasting disease from the elk herd by killing weakened, diseased animals (HCN, 10/28/02: Deer, elk disease doesn't scare hunters). While the theory has not been tested on infected herds, Wild says computer models show that wolves can reduce and perhaps eliminate the disease in elk and deer. "It really makes a lot of sense, if you think about it," says Wild. "I think we can take the experiment in steps," tracking the proposed four-pack of wolves to see if they’re killing infected animals. Do four wolves constitute reintroduction? Wockner and others see the wolves’ return to Rocky Mountain as a battle within the larger war to recover the species in Colorado and the Southern Rockies. Gray wolves haven’t officially resided in Colorado since the 1930s, though in June 2004, a lone female that had wandered down from Yellowstone was run over on Interstate 70 west of Denver. The state of Colorado hasn’t bought into this idea, however. Based on the recommendations of the Wolf Management Working Group — a panel of ranchers, local officials, hunters and environmentalists — Colorado supports wolf recovery only if it occurs through natural migration. Rick Spowart, the district manager for the Colorado Division of Wildlife, says studies show reintroduced wolves will wander outside the park, trading one human-wildlife conflict for another. The Park Service, meanwhile, is taking a very cautious approach. The reintroduction option would relocate four wolves to the national park. To prevent the pack from reproducing, the two males would be sterilized. The alternative also calls for shooting enough elk to reduce the herd to between 1,200 and 2,100 animals. Patterson of the Park Service says that the agency is writing a management plan for elk and vegetation, not wolves. She adds that people can’t compare Rocky Mountain’s plans for curbing elk with Yellowstone’s successful wolf reintroduction because Yellowstone is nine times larger, surrounded by more public lands, and offers better habitat. "(The plan) doesn’t count toward (wolf) reintroduction in any way, shape or form," says Rob Edward of Sinapu, a Boulder, Colo.-based predator-advocacy organization. "The Park Service needs to be able to make decisions based on the ecological health of the land, not the political whims of the day." Edward, who along with Wockner represents wolf supporters on the working group, acknowledges that a combination of roads, livestock and shotgun-toting locals makes real wolf reintroduction in the Southern Rockies unlikely in the foreseeable future. The small-scale reintroduction in the park could ease political opposition to an eventual larger presence of wolves in Colorado, however. Several polls show that 60 to 70 percent of Coloradans support wolf reintroduction. The national environmental organization Defenders of Wildlife has already said it will compensate the state’s ranchers for livestock killed by reintroduced wolves. The Park Service plans to release a draft environmental impact statement in March 2006. Meanwhile, Sinapu and other groups are threatening to sue for a federal Southern Rockies wolf plan, similar to the ongoing strategy in the Northern Rockies. They’re also considering organizing a ballot initiative in Colorado for wolf reintroduction, if the state doesn’t soften its anti-predator stance. The author is a staff reporter for the Rocky Mountain Bullhorn in Fort Collins, Colorado.	https://www.hcn.org/issues/314/16046/print_view
Put patients and caregivers, not HMOs, at center of health policy Nurses are the Philippines’ largest health care professionals whose practice can severely impact care outcomes (both positive and negative). They spend much time with patients and their caregivers. As a result, positive nurse-patient (and caregiver relationships) are therapeutic and constitute a core component of care. In many instances, nurses serve as translators or patients’ advocates, in addition to performing their primary care duties. Nevertheless, there are institutional and health care system-related barriers that limit nurses’ efforts to provide health care that meets patients’ and caregivers’ needs. Common issues in our country’s nursing sector include shortage of nursing staff, high workload, burnout, and limited time. All of them constitute one complex institutional and health care system-level barrier to effective care delivery. Despite the gargantuan barriers, there is still a silver lining. Patient-centered care can be facilitated in many ways, including building solid nurse-patient relationships. First, an important facilitator of patient-centered care is overcoming practical communication barriers in the nurse-patient dyad. Active listening among care providers is essential to addressing many barriers to patient-centered care and communication. By listening to patients’ concerns, nurses can identify patients’ care needs and preferences and address their fears and frustrations. Another facilitator of patient-centered care is by understanding patients and their unique needs, showing empathy and attending attitudes, expressing warmth and respect, and treating patients and caregivers with dignity and compassion as humans. Showing empathy, active listening, respect, and treating patients with dignity are core to nursing and care, and are recognized in the Code of Ethics for Nurses. Nurses explain information about patient care and condition, including treatment options, prognosis, potential side effects, and costs. Thus, helping patients make informed decisions about their care. Besides, engaging patients and caregivers in the care process through sharing information, inviting their opinion, and collaborating with them constitutes another facilitator of patient-centered care and communication. When patients and caregivers are engaged in the care process, misunderstandings and misconceptions are minimized, and there is an environment where patients and caregivers feel safe. This includes, for example, providing care and treatment that includes personal privacy, such as separate treatment rooms, screens, or curtains. Finally, health policy must be oriented toward health care practices and management to facilitate patient-centered care and communication. Nonetheless, if patients are placed at the center of care and treated with dignity and respect, most of the challenges and barriers of patient-centered care will gradually diminish. Empowering nurses, equipping them with interpersonal communication skills through regular continuing professional development activities, supporting them to overcome their emotional challenges, and setting boundaries during nurse-patient interactions will enhance patient-centered care practices. Patient-centered care is about how health care services and governments create and support policies to put patients and caregivers, not health care organizations, at the center of care. JEROME BABATE Beta Nu Delta Nursing Society Your daily dose of fearless views Subscribe to INQUIRER PLUS to get access to The Philippine Daily Inquirer & other 70+ titles, share up to 5 gadgets, listen to the news, download as early as 4am & share articles on social media. Call 896 6000.	https://opinion.inquirer.net/151591/put-patients-and-caregivers-not-hmos-at-center-of-health-policy
The purpose of this study was to better understand the relationship between elements of patient-centered care and patient/provider comfort with conversing about food insecurity and related social determinants of health. A mixed methods study was conducted. Patients and healthcare providers were surveyed on their experiences with patient-centered care and comfort discussing food insecurity and related social concerns. Telephone interviews were conducted to gain a richer understanding of the concepts under investigation. In the survey and telephone interviews, both samples were also asked about changes in communication during COVID-19 times. Quantitative findings show that patient involvement in care and cultural sensitivity are two important patient-centered variables that positively impact patient comfort being screened for food insecurity. Qualitative findings support this inference, and also denote the importance of other patient-centered care elements, such as empathy, trust, and effective communication. For healthcare providers, process-oriented variables, such as having food insecurity screenings built into the patient history assessment and sufficient training administering screenings were important factors that facilitated comfort screening patients for food insecurity and related concerns. Both populations stated several changes in communication resulting from COVID-19. For example, both samples noted an increase in communication through various channels. However, this increased communication did not necessarily reflect an increase in quality of communication. Patients described quicker and less personal interactions with healthcare providers. Providers observed increased difficulty in conveying empathy and support through nonverbal cues because of wearing masks and communicating through computer screens. The findings of this study provide important implications for healthcare practitioners and community organizations that aim to increase screenings for food insecurity in outpatient medical settings and highlight additional challenges that may be faced resulting from COVID-19. Notes If this is your thesis or dissertation, and want to learn how to access it or for more information about readership statistics, contact us at [email protected]. Graduation Date 2021 Semester Spring Advisor Hou, Su-I Degree Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) College College of Community Innovation and Education Department School of Public Administration Degree Program Public Affairs; Health Services Management and Research Format application/pdf Identifier CFE0008444; DP0024119 URL https://purls.library.ucf.edu/go/DP0024119 Language English Release Date May 2021 Length of Campus-only Access None Access Status Doctoral Dissertation (Open Access) STARS Citation Bernhardt, Christina, "A Mixed Methods Study on Food Insecurity Screening and Patient-Centered Care: Perspectives of Patients and Healthcare Providers on Practices and Barriers to Effective Screening in Outpatient Medical Settings" (2021). Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-. 473. https://stars.library.ucf.edu/etd2020/473 Restricted to the UCF community until May 2021; it will then be open access.	https://stars.library.ucf.edu/etd2020/473/
If you are interested in exploring the issues raised in Rx: Doctors of Tomorrow further, please find a selection of resources below. The mission of the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) is to work to ensure that the medical education and advanced preparation of new doctors meet the highest standards to keep pace with the changing needs of patients and the nation’s health care system. The AAMC publication titled “A Snapshot of the New and Developing Medical Schools in the U.S. and Canada” offers a review of a holistic approach to medical education for training doctors for the practice of patient/person centered care. The Josiah Macy Foundation’s mission is to improve the health of the public by advancing the education and training of health professionals. Through its programs, the Foundation strives to foster innovation in health professional education and to align the education of health professionals with contemporary health needs and a changing health care system. For related information published by the Josiah Macy Foundation, read a recent their 2013 Annual Report, “Alignment of Education and Practice Redesign”, and “100 Years after Flexner: Medical Education Ushers in New Era of Reform”. The report “Partnering with Patients, Families and Communities: An Urgent Imperative for Health Care” outlines the partnerships recommended to ensure optimal health for all. The mission of the Arnold P. Gold Foundation is to work with healthcare professionals in training and in practice to instill a culture of respect, dignity, and compassion for patients and professionals. The mission of the Patient-Centered Primary Care Collaborative (PCPCC) is to advance an effective and efficient health system built on a strong foundation of primary care and the patient-centered medical home (PCMH). The Robert Graham Center’s mission is to improve individual and population health by enhancing the delivery of primary care. The mission of The Hofstra-North Shore - LIJ School of Medicine is to inspire diverse, promising students to lead and transform medicine for the betterment of humanity. “Putting the patient first” is the organizing principle of the school.	https://interactive.wttw.com/rx-doctors-of-tomorrow/resources
Background There’s a dependence on valid and reliable measures of cultural Background There’s a dependence on valid and reliable measures of cultural competence through the patients perspective. for four from the eight composites. All composites had been favorably and considerably from the general doctor ranking. Conclusions The CAHPS CC 26-item set demonstrates adequate measurement properties, and can be used as a supplemental item set to the CAHPS Clinician and Group Surveys in assessing culturally competent care from the patients perspective. Keywords: CAHPS, cultural competence, patient-centered care, measurement Among the strategies that have been advocated for reducing racial/ethnic differences in patient experiences is the provision of culturally competent care.1, 2 The National Quality Forum (NQF) (p. 2) recently defined cultural competency as the ongoing capacity of healthcare systems, organizations, and professionals to provide for diverse patient populations high-quality care that is safe, patient and family centered, evidence based, and equitable.3 Based on the NQF definition, patient-centered care is one of the major elements of cultural competency. The Institute of Medicine (p. 3)4 defined patient-centered care as care that’s reactive and respectful to specific individual choices, needs, and ideals McWhinney5 referred to patient-centered care to be able to look out of the individuals eyes. Therefore, the individuals perspective for the care that he / she receives can be an important barometer of culturally competence treatment. The Consumer Evaluation of Healthcare Companies and Systems (CAHPS?) task has led to a couple of standardized study instruments you can use to collect dependable information from individuals about the treatment they have obtained. These evaluations provide important info about how exactly very well providers meet up with the requirements from the sociable people they serve.6 For instance, the CAHPS Clinician and Group (C&G) Studies assess individuals experiences with healthcare providers and personnel in doctors offices. The CAHPS C&G primary study contains 13 products calculating 3 domains of efficiency: timeliness of treatment, service provider communication, and personnel helpfulness. Furthermore they have one global ranking for service provider.7 CAHPS data have already been A-966492 utilized to assess racial/cultural and language differences in individual experiences A-966492 carefully.8-12 However, you can find concerns how the CAHPS instrument will not fully catch domains of treatment of particular relevance to diverse populations, such as for example trust, perceived discrimination, shared decision building, and usage of language solutions.1 To handle this gap, the CAHPS team developed an item set to assess aspects of cultural competency not adequately addressed in the existing CAHPS surveys, which could serve as a supplemental item set to the CAHPS Clinician & Group surveys. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the internal consistency reliability and validity of the CAHPS Cultural Competence (CC) item set. The psychometric analysis by survey language (English/Spanish) is reported elsewhere.13 Conceptual Framework Guided by Bethell et al.s14 conceptual model of measuring health care quality among diverse populations and a comprehensive literature review on diverse populations in the U.S., we developed a framework for obtaining the patients perspective on culturally competent care.1 In this framework, health care is experienced by the patient in the context of interactions with providers within the health care system. Therefore, there are three factors that affect the quality of care for diverse populations: patient factors, provider factors, and health care system factors. The framework focuses on the areas where the three factors overlap (Figure 1). The first two domains reflect interactions between the patient and the service provider: 1) Patient-provider conversation; 2) Respect for affected person preferences/ distributed decision-making. The additional four domains consist of service provider and affected person relationships, but likewise incorporate interactions with additional staff and medical care system general: 3) Encounters resulting in trust or distrust; 4) Encounters of discrimination; 5) Wellness literacy strategies; and 6) Vocabulary solutions. These six domains are greatest measured by individual assessments instead of organizational or service provider assessments. You can find additional domains of quality treatment that are essential, such as A-966492 Gain access to (capability to obtain timely treatment) or Coordination Rabbit polyclonal to PGM1. of Treatment (between different companies and healthcare settings.) Nevertheless, because these domains of quality treatment have already been thoroughly analyzed within patient-centered treatment, we chose not to include them within the scope of this study. Furthermore health literacy was not included as one of the domains of CAHPS CC item set because it was the focus of a separate project (CAHPS Health Literacy item set).15 Figure 1 Conceptual Construction of Culturally Competent Treatment From the Sufferers Perspective.	http://web-succes.com/background-theres-a-dependence-on-valid-and-reliable-measures-of-cultural/
Recruitment and selection for a healthcare organization is step two of creating the right healthcare culture. What is step one? I am sure that you will figure it out. Selection of the right candidate who best matches the organizational culture sets the baseline for employee behavior, employee interaction with patients and families and employee to employee relationships. Without a match to culture, organizations are setting themselves up for long-term retention issues. Without retention of employees who match organizational culture, results at best will not improve and at worse will suffer. First, it is important to realize that recruitment and selection decisions cannot be made on the spot. There was a past trend to interview and make a job offer on the spot pending background checks. This type of recruitment and selection practice is adverse to creating the best healthcare culture and work environment. Selection decisions take time. Hiring decisions take specific effort and focus on the organizational values and mission. They cannot be made instantaneously after one quick meeting with a prospective employee. When you have a vacancy or multiple vacancies, you may think that time is the last thing you have. Just remember, rushing hiring decisions likely means you will be making them again in the near future due to turnover. To select and hire the right individuals, organizations must first have defined their mission and values. These two areas set the baseline for human resources practice, including recruitment and selection. Mission and values help define the interview process. For example, behavioral based interview questions should be determined based upon values. A value of putting patients and families first should have a question related to how the individual demonstrated putting a patient and family need first or better yet how he/she anticipated patient and family needs. A value of dignity and respect should include a behavioral based question demonstrating how the applicant displayed dignity and respect. Behavioral based examples should be relevant to the work environment. Ensure examples related to healthcare interactions or directly to the job at hand. If an office clerical position, the examples should relate to that type of work environment. Hiring managers should not be afraid to ask follow-up questions to clarify and get more detailed responses. The best indicator of how an applicant will perform/behave in your culture is how they have performed/behaved in other cultures. When recruiting and selecting your future employees, keep in mind that all jobs are important to the healthcare experience and should be treated as such. There is no such thing as “just filling a job.” Employees are the face to patients and families. Those in non-clinical positions have many interactions with patients and families and require the same amount of focus on selection. I refer to these individuals as in-direct caregivers. They may not physically touch a patient but their interactions with and impact on patients and families are critical. They park cars. They process admissions. They clean rooms. They feed patients. They give directions. They hold a hand. The list goes on and on. These employees require the same behavioral skills are direct caregivers. Compassion, empathy, communication skills, decision making, integrity, critical thinking and collaboration are just a few skills as examples. Commit today to changing the way you recruit and select for these positions. Many times they create the first impression that a patient has — make it a great one by investing in selection. Another significant way to impact selection decisions is through the implementation of a pre-employment assessment. This type of assessment can assist in measuring the fit for your culture. This assessment is not a cookie cutter solution, but built to best meet the needs of your culture. It will measure what you want it to measure. Identify the things most important to your culture and measure it. The assessment results are based upon self-reported answers of the applicant. In some cases, his/her answers will not match what is best for your culture even if you believed he/she to be a great candidate based upon an interview. Interviews are subjective. Pre-employment assessments are more objective. They are not perfect, but the answers provided directly by applicants do paint a picture of what his/her behavior and actions will be. When using these assessments, trust the responses and outcomes before your subjective interview opinions. If implemented in the process prior to the actual interview process, your interview can be used to ask more specific behavioral questions based upon the applicants self report responses. Step one should be relatively clear by now. Mission and values must exist. An organization cannot recruit and select based upon mission and values if the mission and values do not exist or exist but are not reinforced in all aspects of work culture. It is easy to talk about mission and values but it can be difficult to make the day to day decisions that support mission and values. Culture is created by leaders and employees making day to day decisions – decisions that support values. Make your start today by re-thinking the way you recruit and select. Rhonda Larimore is VP, Human Resources & Support Service for Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC and the President of hccDYNAMIX LLC. For more information, visit www.hccdynamix.com.	https://www.wphealthcarenews.com/recruitment-selection-healthcare-culture/
Part of advanced nursing care is the delivery of advanced nursing care that works. Choosing patient-centered care has proven the power of transforming patients into partners in healthcare. Care delivered to patients is centered around their preferences, so unnecessary procedures are minimized and benefits are achieved. We treat every patient as if they are unique. Table of contents - what is patient-centered care and why is it important? - why is patient-centered important? - how does patient-centered care affect nursing? - why is patient centred care better? - why is patient centred care so important? - why is patient care so important? - why is pcc important in nursing? - why is patient-centered care better? - why is patient-centered communication important? - how does patient-centered care affect healthcare? - what is patient centred care in nursing? - how can nurses improve patient-centered care? - is patient-centred care effective? What Is Patient-Centered Care And Why Is It Important? Through patient-centered care (PCC), care is geared toward providing patients with complex mental illnesses with more individualized treatment. During a process of treating patients [9, the patient has the ability to choose the quality or manner of delivery. To accomplish this, it must respect his or her preferences, needs, values, and guidance. Why Is Patient-Centered Important? When it comes to making decisions about one’s care and treatment, it is important to stay in touch with patients in a patient-centered model. It is all up to patients to decide how they will proceed, but doctors provide advice, guidance and support. How Does Patient-Centered Care Affect Nursing? ‘Patient-centered’ nursing care must include patient-specific experiences, stories, and knowledge so that it values and cares for both the patient and the care process, thereby enabling it to communicate with patients more effectively. Why Is Patient Centred Care Better? In order for patient-centred care to work, patients must get better care, healthcare costs should be decreased, and both the healthcare professional and the patients feel better about it. A large number of barriers, however, may prevent the creation of appropriate patient-centered care teams. Why Is Patient Centred Care So Important? Rathert et al [1,2] found in a systematic review [1 that higher levels of patient-centered organizations have the same positive outcomes as less patient-centered organizations, such as an increased satisfaction among healthcare workers, improvements in quality and safety, and more lives that are of high quality. Why Is Patient Care So Important? Care provided to patients with excellent quality, in a positive way, can certainly affect their health. Recovery processes can be improved by improving treatment and rehabilitation of patients, as well as raising their physical and mental health when diagnosed with a serious illness. Why Is Pcc Important In Nursing? It has been established that enhancing the effectiveness of the practice could contribute to improved health outcomes such as better risk information and understanding, more role for decision makers and decision-makers that have aligned with the values and standards of care for patients, increased adherence to recommended clinical practice and medication, and lessened Why Is Patient-Centered Care Better? Improve patient satisfaction by involving them with their own treatment once they reach the right balance between health goals and desires. A lot of this improves the satisfaction levels of patients. Why Is Patient-Centered Communication Important? Through the use of respectful communication, both nurses and patients can reduce uncertainty, improve patient engagement, better tailor medication or treatment plans to meet patient needs, increase social support, encourage safety, and improve patient satisfaction. How Does Patient-Centered Care Affect Healthcare? In terms of healthcare satisfaction, an operation responds to a patient’s expectation for high quality. When patients are provided with care at the level of a patient-centered approach, they achieve a higher level of satisfaction because their preferences and goals are taken into consideration as well as the treatment they receive. What Is Patient Centred Care In Nursing? In a patient-centred care system, a person receiving care is treated with respect, followed by a decision about their health and included in decision making processes. Care for people with a human perspective is also known as the “person-centred approach” to healthcare. How Can Nurses Improve Patient-Centered Care? Is Patient-Centred Care Effective? Medication and intervention based on active and intensive practice have been shown to reduce agitation, neuropsychiatric symptoms, depression, and to improve a person’s quality of life. Person-centered care programs are effective at reducing agitation through intensive and ongoing efforts to reduce agitation.	https://www.excel-medical.com/why-is-patient-centred-care-important-in-nursing/
Intrepid USA Healthcare Services will provide exceptional, personalized, patient-centered home health, hospice and private duty services and become the healthcare company of choice within the communities we serve. We will ensure every patient is treated with the care, compassion, dignity and respect they deserve and have come to expect. Description What is Intrepid Hospice Care? Hospice is a multidisciplinary service for people with a terminal diagnosis that have a prognosis of 6 months or less, if the disease runs its normal course. As experts in pain and symptom management, we bring individualized care that alleviates suffering and extends comfort. We offer assistance not just to the patient, but to the family as well. Our interdisciplinary team approach provides care and practical support to the patients and families we serve, with our main goal focused on the comfort of the patient and meeting their needs with respect and dignity.	https://www.volunteermatch.org/search/org1012543.jsp
Sign up to receive our free weekly enewsletter, and gain access all our FREE articles, tools, and resources. By Jennifer Thew, RN Sharon Quinlan's passion for patient experience grew out of her personal experience with the healthcare system. "When I was in my 30s, both my parents, in short succession, went through really complex, multiple chronic disease conditions and, then ultimately, passed away," says the vice president/chief nursing officer of ambulatory at the newly merged Advocate Aurora Health. "So, I experienced the healthcare system from a lens that I had never experienced it before. I'll tell you the healthcare system didn't look very good to me through that lens." Even as a healthcare professional, navigating the system was a challenge. And communication was subpar. "The ways that clinicians and other caregivers communicated didn't respect the dignity of my parents or of my family. The healthcare system was helping us achieve our clinical outcomes but wasn't helping us with the burden of illness," says Quinlan, MSN, MBA, RN, NEA-BC. "It really changed the way I thought about my practice and my leadership." As a result, she became a proponent of patient- and family-centered care. Over the years, she has worked to promote partnerships between patients and the organizations where she has worked. Here are some of her insights on enhancing patient experience. Following are the highlights of Quinlan's recent interview with Health Leaders Media. The transcript has been lightly edited for brevity and clarity. "Patient experience is something we measure retrospectively. It can give us a narrow picture. We would do well to expand our view of what patient experience is, framing it broadly in patient-centered terms. For me, that means a holistic view of providing value for your consumer. I know that is not [traditional] nursing language. But, how do you translate this movement of value-based care and consumerism into what we've traditionally thought about as patient satisfaction and patient experience?" "I think as nurse leaders we have to broaden our lens in terms of consumer value, patient- centered care and what that can lead to, as opposed to just focusing on patient satisfaction, patient experience, and HCAHPS or CGCAHPS scores." Be an intentional listener "The first avenue is engaging patients as our partners. One way to do this is forming patient advisory councils. The patient advisory council will help caregivers understand the [heart] of the patient's experience and how we might specifically design any program, particularly those where a robust discussion would shed light on the patients' wants and needs." "Another way to engage patients is using consumer research. We are very lucky at Aurora to have an expert consumer research division that does ethnographic studies [research] that are very solid in terms of scale of measurement, data, and research. They analyze the data in a very evidence-based way." "Typically, in the healthcare industry, we haven't done the kinds of consumer research that other industries, like Apple, do. Think about whether your organization is doing consumer research and listening to patients in a way that would really help you become more customer focused." "After our councils [give feedback] people will say, ‘That is one person's opinion.' So, when you have good consumer research, you get the power of the data and the benefit of rich dialogue in the advisory councils." "For example, Anne Martino, who is vice president of consumer engagement at Aurora, and I partner on a patient advisory council. The discussions there inform thinking around her work and she often leverages issues of importance that come up at that council to inform her research." "For example, billing was a huge issue for our patients and their families. Anne partnered with the billing department and her division to overhaul our online billing capabilities and the transparency of our charges. While the example isn't nursing-focused, it exemplifies how we [take] the council [input] and the consumer insights data and translate that into operations, whether that is a billing situation or a clinical program." Connect back to the organization's culture "As leaders, use your pulpit to connect that [patient-centered] work to the culture of the organization. Each person has a story. We are sensitive to what that person's story is—both those of our caregivers and our patients." "I think there is messaging that leaders can use within an organization to both tell and show how listening to our patients is important—listening to our caregivers and understanding the perspectives of patients and families. This gives us a sense that we are all in it together." Editor's note: Sharon Quinlan will be sharing more insights on patient experience during the panel presentation, "Leverage Nurse Impact to Innovate and Enhance the Patient Experience" on May 1 at the World Healthcare Congress in Washington, D.C. Subscribe to Nurse Leader Insider! Get expert advice, tips, and best practice strategies on nursing burnout, recruitment and retention, communication, leadership, and much more!	http://strategiesfornursemanagers.com/content/331147/868.cfm
If you’ve ever been a patient, you know that you immediately become more vulnerable when in a healthcare environment. Whether entering a primary care office or a tertiary care medical center, the vulnerability presents itself for all of us (even the healthcare professionals). I believe that there will always be a sense of vulnerability for patients because of the nature of being in need of healthcare service at that moment in time. However, I do wonder about how we view patient-centered care as a concept and if we have an opportunity to amplify the patient’s perspective for the benefit of their overall experience. For over 20 years now, the National Academy of Medicine’s Crossing the Quality Chasm‘s breaks quality into six factors: 1. Safe 2. Efficient 3. Effective 4. Equitable 5. Timely 6. Patient-centeredness Each of the 6 factors are defined within that report. In this piece, I want to focus on patient-centeredness. Patient-centeredness is defined in that report as: “This aim focuses on the patient’s experience of illness and health care and on the systems that work or fail to work to meet individual patients’ needs. Similar terms are person-centered, consumer-centered, personalized, and individualized. Like these terms, patient-centered encompasses qualities of compassion, empathy, and responsiveness to the needs, values, and expressed preferences of the individual patient (NAM, 2000, p.48).” Having had a few recent experiences as a patient (e.g., primary care and optometry) and having listened to many about their experiences with healthcare, I began to wonder more about the operationalization of patient-centered care to address healthcare quality. Some questions that run through my mind include… - Who decides what patient-centeredness means (and how it is measured) within a healthcare organization? - How are the preferences of the individual patient being incorporated into the delivery of quality care? - What mechanisms are available to help support patient-centeredness during a patient’s healthcare experience? I personally have had very positive patient-centered experiences and some not so positive experiences. I imagine you have had a range as well. As we see movement toward more active participation in one’s own health with increasing access to data and information, I believe patient-centeredness will become a more prominent need from patients as they seek to be actively involved in their care. For healthcare professionals, perhaps consider if there are additional opportunities to enhance patient-centered care. For patients, perhaps find ways to engage in this dialogue with your healthcare professionals where appropriate. Perhaps at some point we will even move away from the term ‘patient-centeredness’ toward ‘person-centeredness’. However, that may be a more long-term aspiration on my end… Have a great weekend,	https://www.nightingaleapps.com/know-my-voice/2021/10/what-is-the-role-of-the-patient-in-patient-centered-care/
February 2, 2018 / Baltimore Medical System Staff FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: January 31, 2018 FOR MORE INFORMATION: Andy Reynolds (NCQA): (202) 955-3518 Matt Brock (NCQA): (202) 955-1739 Liz Kaylor (BMS): (443) 703-3452 Baltimore Medical System Earns National Recognition for Patient-Centered Care WASHINGTON, DC—The National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) announced that Baltimore Medical System (BMS) has received NCQA Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH) Level 3 Recognition for using evidence-based, patient-centered processes that focus on highly coordinated care and long‐term, participative relationships. The NCQA Patient-Centered Medical Home is a model of primary care that combines teamwork and information technology to improve care, improve patients’ experience of care and reduce costs. Medical homes foster ongoing partnerships between patients and their personal clinicians, instead of approaching care as the sum of episodic office visits. Each patient’s care is overseen by clinician-led care teams that coordinate treatment across the health care system. Research shows that medical homes can lead to higher quality and lower costs, and can improve patient and provider reported experiences of care. “NCQA Patient-Centered Medical Home Recognition raises the bar in defining high-quality care by emphasizing access, health information technology and coordinated care focused on patients,” said NCQA President Margaret E. O’Kane. “Recognition shows that Baltimore Medical System has the tools, systems and resources to provide its patients with the right care, at the right time.” To earn recognition, which is valid for three years, BMS demonstrated the ability to meet the program’s standards, embodying characteristics of the medical home. These standards include Patient Centered Access; Team-Based Care; Population Health Management; Care Management and Support; Care Coordination and Care Transitions; and Performance Measurement and Quality Improvement. NCQA standards are aligned with the joint principles of the Patient-Centered Medical Home established with the American College of Physicians, the American Academy of Family Physicians, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Osteopathic Association. Since its first recognition in 2012, BMS has worked diligently to maintain the PCMH recognition with NCQA. This is an on-going process that defines the quality of care BMS provides to its patients and community. In order to maintain NCQA recognition BMS will continue to demonstrate the PCMH concepts and consistently work in the PCMH model of care. About NCQA NCQA is a private, non-profit organization dedicated to improving health care quality. NCQA accredits and certifies a wide range of health care organizations. It also recognizes clinicians and practices in key areas of performance. NCQA’s Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set (HEDIS®) is the most widely used performance measurement tool in health care. NCQA’s Web site (ncqa.org) contains information to help consumers, employers and others make more informed health care choices. About BMS Baltimore Medical System (BMS) is the largest Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) system in Maryland. BMS operates six health centers, four pharmacies and eight school-based health sites serving over 49,000 patients annually. BMS patients receive Patient-Centered Medical Home care, a team-based approach using evidence-based medicine to meet a patient’s physical and mental health needs. BMS provides healthcare to all regardless of one’s ability to pay. For more information, visit bmsi.factorydev.net.	https://bmsi.org/baltimore-medical-system-earns-national-recognition-for-patient-centered-care/
Milwaukee, Wis. (April 9, 2018) – Three Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin hospitals were named a “2018 Leader in LGBTQ Healthcare Equality” by the Human Rights Campaign Foundation, the educational arm of the country’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer civil rights organization. Community Memorial Hospital in Menomonee Falls, Froedtert Hospital in Milwaukee, and St. Joseph’s Hospital in West Bend all earned top scores of 100 for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer (LGBTQ) inclusion as measured by the Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s 11th Healthcare Equality Index. Facilities are scored on policies and practices dedicated to the equitable treatment of LGBTQ patients, visitors and staff members. In this year’s survey, 626 health care facilities participated nationwide, including 10 Wisconsin facilities. The facilities scoring 100 met all key criteria, including patient and employee non-discrimination policies that specifically mention sexual orientation and gender identity, a guarantee of equal visitation for same-sex partners and parents, and LGBTQ health education for staff members. The three Froedtert & MCW hospitals earned top marks for meeting non-discrimination and training criteria measured by the HRC Foundation’s Equality Index, and for an assessment of 30 best practices in caring for LGBTQ patients and their families. The HRC Foundation’s Healthcare Equality Index is a survey that recognizes health care organizations doing the best work in enabling and providing equal care for LGBTQ Americans. “Members of the LGBTQ community, like all people, deserve exceptional care delivered with dignity and respect,” said Andres Gonzalez, vice president and chief diversity officer for the Froedtert & MCW health network. “This recognition is reflective of our hardwired commitment to equality and inclusiveness to all patients entering our hospital. It’s in our character and culture— it’s who we are.” Survey participants were scored in four criteria that represented how many LGBTQ-focused policies and best practices they had implemented in key areas: foundational elements of patient-centered care, patient services and support, employee benefits and policies, and patient and community engagement. Participants that received the maximum score in each section for a total score of 100 points earned “2018 Leader in LGBTQ Healthcare Equality” status. The Froedtert & MCW health network’s Diversity and Inclusion Program supports a commitment to value and celebrate the wealth of diversity reflected in patients, their families, staff and communities. The Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin regional health network is a partnership between Froedtert Health and the Medical College of Wisconsin supporting a shared mission of patient care, innovation, medical research and education. Our health network operates eastern Wisconsin’s only academic medical center and adult Level I Trauma Center at Froedtert Hospital, Milwaukee, an internationally recognized training and research center engaged in thousands of clinical trials and studies. The Froedtert & MCW health network, which includes five hospitals, more than 1,600 physicians and nearly 40 health centers and clinics, draws patients from throughout the Midwest and the nation. In our most recent fiscal year, outpatient visits exceeded 1.1 million, inpatient admissions to our hospitals were 49,250 and visits to our network physicians totaled 932,000. For more information, visit froedtert.com.	https://www.wispolitics.com/2018/froedtert-human-rights-campaign-recognizes-froedtert-the-medical-college-of-wisconsin-hospitals-as-national-leaders-in-lgbtq-health-care-equality/
K-means clustering is a very popular and powerful unsupervised machine learning technique where we cluster data points based on similarity or closeness between the data points how exactly We cluster them? which methods do we use in K Means to cluster? for all these questions we are going to get answers in this article, before we begin take a close look at the below clustering example, what do you think? it’s easily interpretable, right? We clustered data points into 3 clusters based on their similarity or closeness. Table Of Contents 1.introduction to K Means 2.K Means ++ Algorithm 3.How To Choose K Value in K Means? 4.Practical Considerations in K Means 5.Cluster Tendency 1. Introduction Let’s simply understand K-means clustering with daily life examples. we know these days everybody loves to watch web series or movies on amazon prime, Netflix. have you ever observed one thing whenever you open Netflix? that is grouping movies together based on their genre i.e crime, suspense..etc, hope you observed or already know this. so Netflix genre grouping is one easy example to understand clustering. let’s understand more about k means clustering algorithm. Definition: It groups the data points based on their similarity or closeness to each other, in simple terms, the algorithm needs to find the data points whose values are similar to each other and therefore these points would then belong to the same cluster. so how does the algorithm find out values between two points to cluster them, the algorithm finds values is by using the method of ‘Distance Measure’. here distance measure is ‘Euclidean Distance’ The observations which are closer or similar to each other would have low Euclidean distance and then clustered together. one more formula that you need to know to understand K means is ‘Centroid’. The k-means algorithm uses the concept of centroid to create ‘k clusters.’ So now you are ready to understand steps in the k-Means Clustering algorithm. Steps in K-Means: step1:choose k value for ex: k=2 step2:initialize centroids randomly step3:calculate Euclidean distance from centroids to each data point and form clusters that are close to centroids step4: find the centroid of each cluster and update centroids step:5 repeat step3 Each time clusters are made centroids are updated, the updated centroid is the center of all points which fall in the cluster. This process continues till the centroid no longer changes i.e solution converges. You can play around with the K-means algorithm using the below link, try it. https://stanford.edu/class/engr108/visualizations/kmeans/kmeans.html So what next? how do you choose initial centroids randomly? 2. K-Means ++ Algorithm: 3.How To Choose K Value In K-Means: 1.Elbow method steps: step1: compute clustering algorithm for different values of k. for example k=[1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10] step2: for each k calculate the within-cluster sum of squares(WCSS). step3: plot curve of WCSS according to the number of clusters. step4: The location of bend in the plot is generally considered an indicator of the approximate number of clusters. 4.Practical Considerations In K-Means: - A choosing number of Clusters in Advance(K). - Standardization of Data(scaling). - Categorical Data(can be solved with K-Mode). - Impact of initial Centroids and Outliers. 5. Cluster Tendency: The media shown in this article are not owned by Analytics Vidhya and is used at the Author’s discretion.	https://www.analyticsvidhya.com/blog/2021/02/simple-explanation-to-understand-k-means-clustering/
fasthplus: a scalable discordance metric At present, fasthplus is only available for installation via github using the devtools package. A CRAN distribution is in preparation and this section will be updated to reflect its eventual availability. devtools::install_github(repo="ntdyjack/fasthplus", ref = "main", build_vignettes = TRUE, subdir = NULL) Once the package is installed, the library can be loaded: library(fasthplus) This vignette serves as an introductory example on how to utilize the fasthplus package. A standard unsupervised analysis is to cluster (i.e. label or partition) observations into discrete groups using a dissimilarity measure, such as Euclidean distance. If there does not exist a ground-truth label for each observation, internal validity metrics, such as the tightness or consistency are often used, such as within-cluster sums of squares (WCSS) or Silhouette scores (Rousseeuw 1987) to evaluate the performance of a set of predicted cluster labels. Alternatively, one may also seek to assess the performance between multiple dissimilarity measures (i.e., geometric versus probabilistic dissimilarity) (Baker et al. 2021). However, when comparing different dissimilarity measures, the interpretation of these performance metrics can be problematic as different dissimilarity measures have different magnitudes and ranges of values that they span leading to different ranges in the tightness of the clusters, thereby making the interpretation of these internal validity metrics difficult.	https://cran.ma.imperial.ac.uk/web/packages/fasthplus/vignettes/fasthplus.html
Let’s build a K-Means model from scratch. K-Means requires a notion of distance. For that, it uses the Euclidean distance because this is the only distance which guarantees the algorithm to converge. Indeed, the algorithm ensures that every step reduces the average distance between a centroid and the points in that clusters, which is equivalent to reducing the within-cluster sum of squares. This Cross-Validated post explains this in more details. Once this distance measure is defined, the within-cluster sum of squares, also called inertia, is computed by calculating the sum of the squared distances of all points to their respective centroid. One of the keys of the K-Means algorithm is the relation between the clusters and the centroids. Indeed, if the clustering is defined, the centroids can be inferred, and conversely, if the centroids are defined, the clusterings can be inferred. This is why we’ll write two functions. One that will assign labels to data points given centroids, and one that will assign centroids given labels. _compute_labels will assign each data point to each closest centroid, and _compute_centroids will define centroids as the mean point of points within a certain cluster. Once the _compute_labels function is defined, we can now easily define a predict function. Indeed, for a clustering algorithm, “predicting” comes down to assigning clusters to data points. Therefore, given some data points, one can reuse the _compute_labels function, which assigns each data point to each closest centroid. Once we have centroids, we can assign data points to clusters. But first, we need to find these centroids. This will be done in the fit function. First, we need to initialize some centroids. Once we have those, we then start the iterative process. Given the centroids, labels are given to the data points, and given these labels, the centroids are updated. This process is repeated until the labels do not change, and therefore the centroids do not move anymore. This is what we call convergence. The only thing left to define is how to initialize the centroids. There exist multiple ways to do this, but a popular one is to pick $K$ random data points.	https://skratch.valentincalomme.com/learning-units/k-means/chapter-2/
K-means clustering is an unsupervised learning algorithm that clusters data into groups based on their similarity. Using k-means, you can find k clusters of data, represented by centroids. As the user, you select the number of clusters. For example, suppose you want to separate customers into groups based on their purchase history so you can send out targeted emails to the different groups. There are a number of factors you might want to consider when you create the groups – how many times they visit the store, whether purchases are in-store or online, whether or not they use coupons, the types of items they buy, and so on. Let’s say you want different email messages for these three different groups: frequent purchasers, occasional purchasers, and rare purchasers. In this case, you can specify the number of clusters k as 3 in the k-means function. Run the k-means function to identify cluster centers and store the centers in a model. Apply the resulting model to assign data points to the identified cluster centers. To better understand, let’s look at an example. If you’re a wheat aficionado, a farmer, or a wine expert, the clustering of wheat might mean something to you. For others, the reason we chose this data set is because it’s relatively easy to understand within the k-means algorithm. We’ll use the following table to store our wheat data set: => CREATE TABLE public.wheat ( area float, perimeter float, compactness float, klength float, width float, asymmetry float, glength float, type integer ); The table has all the properties defined in their own columns. Before loading the data into our database, we ran this sed command on the data set to remove a few extra tab characters: $ sed ’s/\t\t/\t/g’ seeds_dataset.txt \| vsql -c " To load the data, we use the following: => COPY public.wheat ( area, perimeter, compactness, klength, width, asymmetry, glength, type ) FROM STDIN DELIMITER E’\t’ ABORT ON ERROR DIRECT " After loading the data set into public.wheat, it’s time to use the Vertica k-means functions to cluster our wheat data set. Before we can run k-means, we must define the number of clusters in our data set. While this is sometimes difficult, with our data set we can assume we need three clusters, because we have three different types of wheat. Let’s run the Vertica k-means function against the public.wheat table: => SELECT KMEANS(’wmod1’, ’public.wheat’, ’’, 3, ’--exclude_columns=type’); This SQL statement creates a k-means model named wmod1 that contains three clusters. All the columns in the public.wheat table will be used, except type. The table above describes the centers of the clusters. Each center is represented by the combination of the values of the seven properties. Note: The algorithm picks the initial set of centers randomly. Therefore, both the order of the vector of the centers and their values may change slightly in different executions. •Within Cluster Sum of Squares (WCSS) – This value measures cluster cohesion. The lower this value, the more compact the cluster. If you have as many clusters as the number of data points so that each data point coincides with one centroid, WCSS is zero. •Between Cluster Sum of Squares (BCSS) – This value measures the separation between clusters. If you have just one cluster, this value is zero. •Total Sum of Squares (TSS) – Equal to the BCSS plus the sum of all WCSS. •BCSS/TSS ratio – The higher the cohesion within clusters and cluster separation, the closer this value will be to 1. We hope this introduction to k-means was helpful. Keep an eye out for the next blog post in our machine learning series. For more information about k-means, see k-means in the Vertica documentation. All the Vertica machine learning functions are also described in Machine Learning for Predictive Analytics in the Vertica documentation.	https://www.vertica.com/blog/vertica-machine-learning-series-k-means/
Predictive models are used in an increasingly high-stakes set of applications, from bail decisions in the criminal justice system [2, 23] to treatment recommendations in personalized medicine . As the stakes have risen, so has the negative impact of incorrect predictions, which could be due to a poorly trained model or to undetected confounding patterns within the data itself . As machine learning models influence a growing fraction of everyday life, individuals often want to understand the reasons for the decisions that affect them. Many governments now recognize a “right to explanation” for significant decisions, for instance as part of the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation . However, state-of-the-art machine learning methods such as random forests and neural networks are black boxes: their complex structure makes it difficult for humans, including domain experts, to understand their predictive behavior[8, 17]. 1.1 Interpretable Machine Learning According to Leo Breiman , machine learning has two objectives: prediction, i.e., determining the value of the target variable for new inputs, and information, i.e., understanding the natural relationship between the input features and the target variable. Studies have shown that many decision makers exhibit an inherent distrust of automated predictive models, even if they are proven to be more accurate than human forecasters . One way to overcome “algorithm aversion” is to give decision makers agency to modify the model’s predictions . Another is to provide them with understanding. Many studies in machine learning seek to train more interpretable models in lieu of complex black boxes. Decision trees[7, 3] are considered interpretable for their discrete structure and graphical visualization, as are close relatives including rule lists [27, 36], decision sets , and case-based reasoning . Other approaches include generalized additive models , i.e., linear combinations of single-feature models, and score-based methods , where integer point values for each feature can be summed up into a final “score”. In the case of linear models, interpretability often comes down to sparsity (small number of nonzero coefficients), a topic of extensive study over the past twenty years . Sparse regression models can be trained using heuristics such as LASSO, stagewise regression or least-angle regression[34, 33, 15], or scalable mixed-integer approaches [5, 6]. Many practitioners are hesitant to give up the high accuracy of black box models in the name of interpretability, and prefer to construct ex post explanations for a model’s predictions. Some approaches create a separate explanation for each prediction in the dataset, e.g. by approximating the nonlinear decision boundary of a neural network with a hyperplane. Others define metrics of feature importance to quantify the effect of each feature in the overall model [17, 11]. Finally, some approaches seek to approximate a large, complex model such as a neural network or a random forest with a simpler one – a decision tree , two-level rule list , or smaller neural network . Such global explanations can help human experts detect systemic biases or confounding variables. However, even if these approximations are almost as accurate as the original model, they may have very different behavior on some inputs and can thus provide a misleading assessment of the model’s behavior . The interpretability of linear models and the resulting tradeoff with predictive accuracy are of significant interest to the machine learning community . However, a major challenge in this line of research is that the very concept of interpretability is hard to define and even harder to quantify . Many definitions of interpretability have a “know it when you see it” aspect which impedes quantitative analysis: though some aspects of interpretability are easy to measure, others may be difficult to evaluate without human input . 1.2 Contributions We introduce the framework of interpretable paths, in which models are decomposed into simple building blocks. An interpretable path is a sequence of models of increasing complexity which can represent a sequential process of “reading” or “explaining” a model. Using examples of several machine learning model classes, we show that the framework of interpretable paths is relevant and intuitively captures properties associated with interpretability. To formalize which paths are more interpretable, we introduce path interpretability metrics. We define coherence conditions that such metrics should satisfy, and derive a parametric family of coherent metrics. This study of interpretable paths naturally leads to a family of model interpretability metrics. The proposed metrics generalize a number of proxies for interpretability from the literature, such as sparsity in linear models and number of splits for decision trees, and also encompass other desirable characteristics. The model interpretability metrics can be used to select models that are both accurate and interpretable. To this end, we formulate the optimization problem of computing models that are on the Pareto front of interpretability and predictive accuracy (price of interpretability). We give examples in various settings, and discuss computational challenges. We study an in-depth application to linear models on real and synthetic datasets. We discuss both the modeling aspect (the choice of the interpretability metric), as well as the computational aspect for which we propose exact mixed-integer formulations and scalable local improvement heuristics. 2 A Sequential View of Model Construction 2.1 Selecting a Model Most machine learning problems can be viewed through the lens of optimization. Given a set of models , each model is associated with a cost , typically derived from data, representing the performance of the model on the task at hand (potentially including a regularization term). Training a machine learning model means choosing the appropriate from (for example the one that minimizes ). To make this perspective more concrete, we will use the following examples throughout the paper. Linear models. Given the feature matrix of a dataset of size with feature space in and the corresponding vector of labels, a linear model corresponds to a set of linear coefficients . In this example, , and the cost depends on the application: for ordinary least squares (OLS),(mean squared error). Classification trees (CART). In this case, each model corresponds to a binary decision tree structure , so is the set of all possible tree structures of any size. Given a tree and an input , let designate the tree’s estimate of the corresponding label. Then a typical performance metricis the number of misclassified points. If we have a dataset with points associated with classification labels then we have . Clustering. We consider the k-means clustering problem for a datasetof points in dimension . Our model space is the set of all partitions of the dataset, each partition representing a cluster. Formally . To evaluate a partition, we can use the within-cluster sum of squares , where is the centroid of cluster . 2.2 Interpretable Steps For our guiding examples, typical proxies for interpretability include sparsity in linear models , a small number of nodes in a classification tree , or a small number of clusters. As we try to rationalize why these are good proxies for interpretability, one possible approach is to consider how humans read and explain these models. For example, a linear model is typically introduced coefficient by coefficient, a tree is typically read node by node from the root to the leaves, and clusters are typically examined one by one. During this process, we build a model that is more and more complex. In other words, the human process of understanding a model can be viewed as a decomposition into simple building blocks. We introduce the notion of an interpretable step to formalize this sequential process. For every model , we define a step neighborhood function that associates each model to the set of models such that is one interpretable step away from if and only if . Interpretable steps represent simple model updates that can be chained to build increasingly complex models. For linear models, one possible interpretable step is modifying a single coefficient, i.e. belongs to if ( and differ in at most one coefficient). For CART, an interpretable step could be adding a split to an existing tree, i.e., if can be obtained by splitting a leaf node of into two leaves. For clustering, we could use the structure of hierarchical clustering and choose a step that increases the number of clusters by one by splitting an existing cluster into two. These examples are illustrated in Figure1. Choosing the step neighborhood function is a modeling choice and for the examples considered, there may be many other ways to define it. To simplify the analysis, we only impose that for all (there must always be a feasible next step from any model), which can trivially be satisfied by ensuring (an interpretable step can involve no changes to the model). Given the choice of an interpretable step , we can define an interpretable path of length as a sequence of models such that for all , i.e., a sequence of interpretable steps starting from a base model . The choice of , the “simplest” model, is usually obvious: in our examples, could be a linear model with , an empty classification tree, or a single cluster containing all data points. Given the model space , we call the set of all interpretable paths of length and the set of all interpretable paths of any length. Let us consider an example with classification trees to build intuition about interpretable paths. The iris dataset is a small dataset often used to illustrate classification problems. It records the petal length and width and sepal length and width of various iris flowers, along with their species (setosa, versicolor and virginica). For simplicity, we only consider two of the four features (petal length and width) and subsample 50 total points from two of the three classes (versicolor and virginica). We define an interpretable step as splitting one leaf node into two. Given the iris dataset, we consider two classification trees . Both trees have a depth of 2, exactly 3 splits, and a misclassification cost of 2. However, when we consider interpretable paths leading to these two trees, we notice some differences. An interpretable path leading to is shown in Figure 2, and an interpretable path leading to is detailed in Figure 3. For , the first split results in an intermediate tree with a high classification error, which could be less intuitive for flower connoisseurs. In contrast, the first split of gives a much more accurate intermediate tree. We will introduce a way to formally identify which of the two paths is more interpretable. 3 The Tradeoffs of Interpretability In this section, we consider the choice of an interpretability loss for all interpretable paths such that a path is considered more interpretable than a path if and only if . We first motivate this formalism by showing it can lead to a notion of interpretability loss for models as well. We then use a simple example to build intuition about the choice of . 3.1 From paths to models Defining a loss function for the interpretability of a path can naturally lead to an interpretability loss on the space of models, with the simple idea that more interpretable paths should lead to more interpretable models. Given a path interpretability loss, we can define a corresponding model interpretability loss as \|(1)\| where designates the set of interpretable paths of length leading to , and designates the set of finite interpretable paths leading to . In other words, the interpretability loss of a model is the interpretability loss of the most interpretable path leading to . As an example, consider the following path interpretability loss, which we call path complexity and define as (number of steps in the path). Under this metric, paths are considered less interpretable if they are longer. From (1) we can then define the interpretability loss of a given model as which corresponds to the minimal number of interpretable steps required to reach . In the context of the examples from Section 2, the function recovers typical interpretability proxies. For a linear model , is the sparsity of the model (number of non-zero coefficients). For a classification tree , is the number of splits. In a clustering context, is just the number of clusters. We refer to this candidate loss function as the model complexity. A fundamental problem of interpretable machine learning is finding the highest-performing model at a given level of interpretability . Defining an interpretability loss function on the space of models is important because it allows us to formulate this problem generally as follows: \|(2)\| where is the desired level of interpretability. Problem (2) produces models on the Pareto front of accuracy and interpretability. If we compute this Pareto front by solving problem (2) for any , then we can mathematically characterize the price of our definition of interpretability on our dataset given a class of models, making the choice of a final model easier. In the case of model complexity , for problem (2) can be written as \|(3)\| Problem (3) generalizes existing problems in interpretable machine learning: best subset selection (-constrained sparse regression) for linear models , finding the best classification tree of a given size , or the K-means problem of finding the best possible clusters. Thus, the framework of interpretable paths naturally gives rise to a general definition of model complexity via the loss function , and our model generalizes many existing approaches. By some counts, however, model complexity remains an incomplete interpretability loss. For instance, it does not differentiate between the trees and : both models have a complexity of 3 because they can be reached in three steps. More generally, does not differentiate between paths of the same length, or between models that can be reached by paths of the same length. 3.2 Incrementality In the decision tree example from Figures 2 and 3, we observed that the intermediate trees leading to were more accurate than the intermediate trees leading to . Evaluating the costs of intermediate models along a path may provide clues as to the interpretability of the final model. Consider the following toy example, where the goal is to estimate a child’s age given height and weight . The normalized features and have correlation and are both positively correlated with the objective. Solving the OLS problem yields , i.e., \|(4)\| with the error term. The mean squared error (MSE) of the model is . As in Section 2, we define an interpretable step to be modifying a single coefficient in the linear model, keeping all other coefficients constant. In this case, consider the three interpretable paths in Table 1. When using the complexity loss , the first two paths in the table are considered equally interpretable because they have the same length. But are they? Both verify , but . Indeed, is a particularly inaccurate model, as weight is positively correlated with age. And furthermore, if having an accurate first step matters to the user, then path may be preferred even though it is longer. As discussed in Section 2, an interpretable path leading to model can be viewed as a decomposition of into a sequence of easily understandable steps. The costs of intermediate models should play a role in quantifying the interpretability loss of a path; higher costs should be penalized, as we want to avoid nonsensical intermediate models such as . One way to ensure that every step of an interpretable path adds value is a greedy approach, where the next model at each step is chosen by minimizing the cost : \|(5)\| In our toy example, restricting ourselves to paths of length 2, this means selecting the best possible , and then the best possible given , as in stagewise regression . This will not yield the best possible model achievable in two steps as in (3), but the first step is guaranteed to be the best one possible. Notice that , but . The improvement of the first model comes at the expense of the second step. Deciding which of the two paths and is more interpretable is a hard question. It highlights the tradeoff between the desirable incrementality of the greedy approach and the cost of the final model. For paths of length 2, there is a continuum of models between and , corresponding to the Pareto front between and , shown in Figure 4. 4 Coherent Interpretability Losses In the previous section, we developed intuition regarding the interpretability of different paths. We now formalize this intuition in order to define a suitable interpretability loss. 4.1 Coherent Path Interpretability Losses According to the loss defined in Section 3.1, which generalizes many notions of interpretability from the literature, a path is more interpretable if it is shorter. In Section 3.2, we saw that the cost of individual models along the path matters as well. Sometimes, comparing the costs of intermediate models between two paths is easy because the cost of each step along one path is at least as good as the cost of the corresponding step in the other path. In Table 1, it is reasonable to consider more interpretable than because and . In contrast, comparing the interpretability of and is more difficult and user-specific, because , but . We now formalize this intuition into desirable properties of interpretability loss functions. We first introduce the notion of a cost sequence, which provides a concise way to refer to the costs of all the steps in an interpretable path. We then propose axioms for coherent interpretability losses. Definition 1 (Cost sequence). Given an interpretable path of length , denoted as , the cost sequence is the infinite sequence such that: Definition 2 (Coherent Interpretability Loss). A path interpretability loss is coherent if the following conditions hold for any two interpretable paths with respective cost sequences and . - [(a)] - If , then . - (Weak Pareto dominance) If (which we write as ), then . Condition 1 means that the interpretability of a path depends only on the sequence of costs along that path. Condition 2 formalizes the intuition described before, that paths with fewer steps or better steps are more interpretable. For instance, if we improve the cost of one step of a path while leaving all other steps unchanged, we can only make the path more interpretable. Under any coherent interpretability loss in Table 1, is more interpretable than , but may be more or less interpretable than depending on the specific choice of coherent interpretability loss. In addition, consider a path and remove its last step to obtain a new path . This is equivalent to setting the -th element of the cost sequence to zero. Since , we have that , which implies . In other words, under a coherent interpretability loss, removing a step from an interpretable path can only make the path more interpretable. Remark. The path complexity is a coherent path interpretability loss. Proof. If and verify , then trivially the two cost sequences become zero after the same number of steps, so . If and becomes zero after exactly steps, then must become zero after at most steps, so . ∎ 4.2 A Coherent Model Interpretability Loss Axiom 2 of Definition 2 states that a path that dominates another path in terms of the costs of each step must be at least as interpretable. This notion of weak Pareto dominance suggests a natural path interpretability loss: In other words, the interpretability loss of a path is the weighted sum of the costs of all steps in the path. This loss function is trivially coherent and extremely general. It is parametrized by the infinite sequence of weights , which specifies the relative importance of the accuracy of each step in the model for the particular application at hand. Defining a family of interpretability losses with infinitely many parameters allows for significant modeling flexibility, but it is also cumbersome and overly general. We therefore propose to select for all , replacing the infinite sequence of parameters with a single parameter . In this case, following (1), we propose the following coherent interpretability loss function on the space of models. Definition 3 (Model interpretability). Given a model , its interpretability loss is given by \|(6)\| By definition, is a coherent interpretability loss, which favors more incremental models or models with a low complexity. The parameter captures the tradeoff between these two aspects of interpretability. Theorem 1 shows that with a particular choice of one can recover the notion of model complexity introduced in Section 3.1, or models that can be built in a greedy way. Theorem 1 (Consistency of interpretability measure). Assume that the cost is bounded, we consider in the two limit cases and : - [(a)] - Let with (i.e., requires less interpretable steps than ), or and . (7) . - Given , if , where represents the lexicographic order on , then (8) Consequently, given models , if there is such that for all , then (9) Intuitively, in the limit , 1 states that the most interpretable models are the ones with minimal complexity, or minimal costs if their complexity is the same. 2 states that in the limit the most interpretable models can be constructed with greedy steps. Definition 3 therefore generalizes existing approaches and provides a good framework to model the tradeoffs of interpretability. 5 Interpretability Losses in Practice Defining an interpretability loss brings a new perspective to the literature on interpretability in machine learning. In this section, we discuss the applications of this framework. For the sake of generality, in the early part of this section we work with the more general interpretability loss . 5.1 The Price of Interpretability Given the metric of interpretability defined above, we can quantitatively discuss the price of interpretability, i.e., the tradeoff between a model’s interpretability loss and its cost . To evaluate this tradeoff, we want to compute models that are Pareto optimal with respect to and , as in (2). Computing these Pareto-optimal solutions can be challenging, as our definition of model interpretability requires optimizing over paths of any length. Fortunately, the only optimization problem we need to be able to solve is to find the most interpretable path of a fixed length , i.e., \|(10)\| Indeed, the following proposition shows that we can compute Pareto-optimal solutions by solving a sequence of optimization problems (10) for various and . Proposition 1 (Price of interpretability). Pareto-optimal models that minimize the interpretability loss and the cost can be computed by solving the following optimization problem: \|(11)\| where is a tradeoff parameter between cost and interpretability. The (simple) proof of the proposition is provided in the appendix. Notice that the inner minimization problem in (11) is simply problem (10) with the modified coefficients . By defining the general framework of coordinate paths and a natural family of coherent interpretability loss functions, we can understand exactly how much we gain or lose in terms of accuracy when we choose a more or less interpretable model. Our framework thus provides a principled way to answer a central question of the growing literature on interpretability in machine learning. Readers will notice that the weighted sum of the objectives optimized in Proposition 1 does not necessarily recover the entire Pareto front, and in particular cannot recover any non-convex parts . Using Proposition 1, we can compute the price of interpretability for a range of models and interpretability losses. As an example, Figure 5 shows all Pareto-optimal models with respect to performance cost and interpretability for our toy problem from Section 3.2, with the interpretability loss chosen such that . Figure 6 shows the Pareto front in the same setting for other values of . We notice that as in Theorem 1, when grows large our notion of interpretability reduces to sparsity (discrete Pareto curve), whereas when grows small our notion of interpretability favors a larger number of incremental steps. 5.2 Computational Considerations To solve (11) we consider a sequence of problems of type (10). However, this sequence is possibly infinite, which poses a computational problem. Proposition 2 provides a bound for the number of problems of type (10) we need to consider in the general case. Proposition 2. Assume there exist and such that for all (positive and bounded cost function), and consider the interpretability loss . If , then \|(12)\| where \|(13)\| In other words, under the interpretability loss with , we can find the optimal solution of (11) by solving at most problems of type (10). The proof of Proposition 2 is provided in the appendix. A corollary of Proposition 2 is that we can write an optimization formulation of problem (11) with a finite number of decision variables. For instance, we can formulate the inner minimization problem with finitely many decision variables for each and then solve finitely many such problems. The tractability of this optimization problem is application-dependent. For example, by adapting the mixed-integer optimization formulation from Bertsimas and Dunn , we can compute the price of interpretability for decision trees of bounded depth by writing the following mixed-integer formulation of the inner minimization problem in (11): \|(14a)\| \|s.t.\|\|(14b)\| \|(14c)\| \|(14d)\| \|(14e)\| \|(14f)\| where the variables , and define trees of depth at most , and constraints (14c)-(14f) impose an interpretable path structure on the trees. The set indicates the set of branching nodes of the trees, the variable indicates whether branching node in tree is active, selects the variable along which to perform the split at branching node in tree , and is the split value at branching node in tree . The function is the objective value of the tree defined by these split variables, and the set designates all the constraints to impose the tree structure for each (constraint (14b) is equivalent to (24) from ). Constraint (14c) imposes that tree must have exactly active splits, Constraint (14e) forces tree to keep all the branching nodes of tree , and constraints (14d) and (14f) force the splits at these common branching nodes to be the same. This formulation allows us to compute the price of interpretability on the simplified iris dataset from Section 2. The resulting Pareto curve is shown in Figure 7. It turns out the most interpretable tree with a misclassification error of 2 is , with (for ). 5.3 Interpretable Paths and Human-in-the-Loop Analytics Motivated by the idea that humans read and explain models sequentially, we have used the framework of interpretable paths to evaluate the interpretability of individual models. Viewing an interpretable path as a nested sequence of models of increasing complexity can also be useful in the context of human-in-the-loop analytics. Consider the problem of customer segmentation via clustering. Choosing the number of customer types () is not always obvious in practice and has to be selected by a decision-maker. Solving the clustering problem with clusters and with clusters may lead to very different clusters. Alternatively, using interpretable steps, we can force a hierarchical structure on the clusters, i.e., the solution with clusters results from the splitting of one of the clusters of the solution with clusters, for all . The change between clusters and clusters becomes simpler and may facilitate the choice of . If we assume each can be chosen with equal probability for, the problem of finding the sequence that minimizes the expected cost is: \|(15)\| which is exactly the decision problem (10) with the weights for , and otherwise. This problem is related to studies in incremental approximation algorithms and prioritization , which are typically motivated by a notion of interpretability which simplifies implementation for practitioners. More generally, we can use interpretable paths to facilitate human-in-the-loop model selection. Given a discrete distribution on the choice of : , we can choose and solve (10) to find paths that minimize the expected cost . 6 Application: Linear Regression So far, we have presented a mathematical framework to formalize the discussion of interpretability. We now study in detail how it can be used in practice, focusing on the single application of linear regression. 6.1 Modeling interpretability In the example of linear regression, we defined the following interpretable steps: \|(16)\| These steps are a modeling choice. They lead to decompositions of linear models where the coefficients are introduced or modified one at a time, and we have seen they are intimately linked to sparsity. We wish to obtain models that can easily be introduced coefficient by coefficient, allowing ourselves to modify coefficients that have already been set. Choosing a different step function can lead to other notions of interpretability. For instance, each step could add a feature, allowing to modify all the weights (not only one coordinate): . This boils down to ordering the features of a linear model, finding the most interpretable order. We could also choose , which imposes integer coordinate updates at each step. This is related to the notion of interpretability introduced by score-based methods . Another way to think about score-based methods is to choose , which imposes that each step adds one point to the scoring system. 6.2 Algorithms Optimal. Problem (10) can be written as a convex integer optimization problem using special ordered sets of type 1 (SOS-1 constraints). \|(17a)\| \|s.t.\|\|(17b)\| For reasonable problem sizes (, and any choice of ), this problem can be solved exactly using a standard solver such as Gurobi or CPLEX. Local improvement. In higher-dimensional settings, or when is too large, the formulation above may no longer scale. Thus it is of interest to develop a fast heuristic for such instances. A feasible solution to problem (17) can be written as a vector of indices and a vector of values , such that for , The vector of indices encodes which regression coefficients are modified at each step in the interpretable path, while the sequence of values encodes the value of each modified regression coefficient. Thus problem (17) can be rewritten as \|(18)\| where designates the -th unit vector. Notice that the inner minimization problem is an “easy” convex quadratic optimization problem, while the outer minimization problem is a “hard” combinatorial optimization problem. We propose the following local improvement heuristic for the outer problem: given a first sequence of indices, we randomly sample one step in the interpretable path. Keeping all constant for , we iterate through all possible values of and obtain candidate vectors . For each candidate, we solve the inner minimization problem and keep the one with lowest cost. The method is described in full detail as Algorithm 1, in the more general case where we sample not one but steps from the interpretable path. In order to empirically evaluate the local improvement heuristic, we run it with different batch sizes on a small real dataset, with 100 rows and 6 features (after one-hot encoding of categorical features). The goal is to predict the perceived prestige (from a survey) of a job occupation given features about it, including education level, salary, etc. Given this dataset, we first compute the optimal coordinate path of length . We then test our local improvement heuristic on the same dataset. Given the small size of the problem, in the complete formulation a provable global optimum is found by Gurobi in about 5 seconds. To be useful, we would like our local improvement heuristic to find a good solution significantly faster. We show convergence results of the heuristic for different values of the batch size parameter in Table 2. For both batch sizes, the local improvement heuristic converges two orders of magnitude faster than Gurobi. With a batch size , the solution found is optimal. 6.2.1 Results We now explore the results of the presented approach on a dataset of test scores in California from 1998-1999. Each data point represents a school, and the variable of interest is the average standardized test score of students from that school. All features are continuous and a full list is presented in Table 8(b) . Both the features and the target variables are centered and rescaled to have unit variance. In our example, we assume that we already have a regression model available to predict the averaged test score: it was trained using only the percentage of students qualifying for a reduced-price lunch. This model has an MSE of 0.122 (compared to an optimal MSE of 0.095). We would like to update this model in an interpretable way given the availability of all features in the dataset. This corresponds to the problem of constructing an interpretable path, as before, with the simple modification that no longer designates the regression model , but an arbitrary starting model (in particular, the one we have been provided). The first thing we can do is explore the price of interpretability in this setting. We can use the method presented in Section 5.1 to compute find Pareto efficient interpretable models. The resulting price curve is shown in Figure 8. Given this price curve, we choose because it yields an accurate final model while avoiding diminishing interprtability returns. This yields the new model (and associated interpretable path) shown in Figure 8(b). This new model can be obtained from the old in just four steps. First we add the district average income with a positive coefficient, then we correct the coefficient for reduced-price lunch students to account for this new feature, and finally we add the percentage of English learners and the school’s per-student spending. The final model has an MSE of 0.097 which is near-optimal. When we compare this path to other methods (see Figure 8(c)) we see that our interpretable formulation allows us to find a good tradeoff between a greedy, “every step must improve” formulation, and a formulation that just sets the coefficients to their final values one by one. 7 Conclusions In this paper, we have presented a simple optimization-based framework to model the interpretability of machine learning models. Our framework provides a new way to think about what interpretability means to users in different applications and quantify how this meaning affects the tradeoff with predictive accuracy. 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Series B (Methodological), pages 267–288, 1996. - Berk Ustun and Cynthia Rudin. Supersparse linear integer models for optimized medical scoring systems. Machine Learning, 102(3):349–391, 2016. - Hongyu Yang, Cynthia Rudin, and Margo Seltzer. Scalable Bayesian Rule Lists. In Proceedings of the 34th International Conference on Machine Learning, 2017. Appendix A Appendix a.1 Proof of Theorem 1 Proof of part 1. As is bounded, we have such that . Let be a path of optimal length to the model , i.e., . Let be any path leading to (not necessarily of optimal length). By assumption, we have , and by definition of model interpretability, we have . Therefore we obtain: \|(19)\| \|(20)\| \|(21)\| \|(22)\| where (20) follows from the definition of model interpretability, (21) is just a development of the previous equation, and (22) just bounds the first sum and uses for the middle term. If , we have , and therefore the last sum in (22) is not empty and for we can bound it: \|(23)\| Therefore, for we have: \|(24)\| This bound is valid for all the path leading to , in particular the one with optimal interpretability loss, therefore we have (for ): \|(25)\| which implies (as ): \|(26)\| We now look at the case and . For , we can easily bound parts of equation (22):	https://deepai.org/publication/the-price-of-interpretability
We’ve spoken previously about different clustering methods many times: K-Means, Hierarchical Clustering, and so on. However, this field does not end here. In this post, I will try to find how K-Means clustering works in an investment solution. The K-Means algorithm partitions the points in a data set into clusters. This partition minimises the sum, across the clusters, of the within-cluster sums of point-to-cluster-centroid distances (you can look here for further information). Characterising data with the return and volatility from the previous six months. Applying K-Means algorithm looking for 4 clusters. Selecting the cluster which has the maximum performance and the minimum volatility (if there are two clusters with the same position, I select the one with higher performance). Investing in each asset that the cluster is composed of, equally weighted, every day. The universe is composed of fixed income and equity from all countries assuming a currency hedge so that a good benchmark could be the MSCI World Local Currency. The result is not good, as it does not outperform the benchmark during the whole period. There is a protection in the most important market losses in 2008 and 2011 (marked as a blue circle), but it underperforms the benchmark in 2009 and 2015 (marked as a red circle). K-Means clustering does not always work, as we’ve just discovered in the previous test. Moreover, they told that in this post. In my previous post, I said that the result of Hierarchical clustering could be used as a robust method of initializing other clustering methods. Thus, I will use the Hierarchical clustering to initialise the K-Means algorithm. Applying Hierarchical clustering algorithm (Ward) with Euclidean distance. Applying K-Means algorithm looking for 4 clusters with the clusters reached in Ward clustering. Selecting the cluster which has the maximum performance and the minimum volatility (if there are two clusters with the same position, we select the one with higher performance). In this case, the result is better in the whole period, but it does not outperform the reference index. K-Means clustering can be a good method to separate the data set into groups, but we need to look for better characteristics to describe the data. In addition, if we initialised the centroids, the results would improve. In conclusion, K-Means is an easy and useful algorithm, but it needs help.	https://quantdare.com/k-means-investment/
Hello, It depends, which clustering method you will use. Model-based Clustering algorithms have the BIC criterion implemented (Mclust). Partition Based clustering algorithms have other criterias (Sum of Squares withhin and between clusters and you can easely implement other criterias). Most of the criterias in fuzzy clustering are very different. With hierarchical clustering algorithms, you can also determine the number of cluster, very different from the other methods. Note that there is no optimal criteria for all these different methods and it is not so easy to find the optimal number of clusters - the optimal number of clusters depends on your data and which criteria you have to use depends also on your data. Best, Matthias > SAS has something called the "cubic criterion" cutoff for finding the > most appropriate number of clusters. Does R have anything that would > replicate that? I've been searching the lists and can't seem to find > anything that would point me in the right direction. > > Thank in advance,	https://tolstoy.newcastle.edu.au/R/help/05/05/4710.html
First Online: - Citations - 713 Downloads Abstract We define a novel kernel function for finite sequences of arbitrary length which we call the path kernel. We evaluate this kernel in a classification scenario using synthetic data sequences and show that our kernel can outperform state of the art sequential similarity measures. Furthermore, we find that, in our experiments, a clustering of data based on the path kernel results in much improved interpretability of such clusters compared to alternative approaches such as dynamic time warping or the global alignment kernel.	https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-319-12610-4_5?error=cookies_not_supported&code=002342fc-00ab-47d8-be21-7dd11d651d62
Material properties are known to have a significant impact on pharmaceutical manufacturing performance, particularly for solid product processes. Evaluating the performance of a specific material, for example an active pharmaceutical ingredient or excipient, is critical during development stages in order to determine the impact of material properties on the process. However, materials may be scarce during the early stages of process development due to high cost, unavailability, import restrictions, etc. Furthermore, research on particular active pharmaceutical ingredients may be difficult given unknown exposure limits, which may delay process development and technology transfer. The purpose of this work was to establish a methodology for finding materials with similar behavior during processing using material property measurements so that a surrogate may be found and may replace the scarce material during process development. This work presents several commercially available material property tests and emphasizes the benefits of compiling material property measurements into libraries. Twenty pharmaceutically relevant materials and seven different powder characterization tests were considered as a case study. A total of 32 measurements were collected for each of the 20 materials, leading to a dataset of 640 measurements. The material property library was utilized to find similarities between materials using two multivariate methods: principal component analysis (PCA) and hierarchical clustering. The similarities between materials were evaluated with the performance of materials on powder feeding, refilling, and continuous blending equipment. Material clusters showed similar behavior in the characterized equipment. Moreover, results from the PCA and clustering analysis were further used to evaluate the level of collinearity and similarity between characterization measurements that can be further investigated to reduce the number of measurements that need to be collected. Material property measurement clusters were established based on the collinearity of the metrics.	https://www.researchwithrutgers.com/en/publications/using-a-material-property-library-to-find-surrogate-materials-for
Copyright © 2013 Peter Trebuňa, Jana Halčinová. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. Received March 1, 2013; revised April 5, 2013; accepted April 12, 2013 Keywords: Cluster Analysis; Hierarchical Cluster Analysis Methods; Non-Hierarchical Cluster Analysis Methods ABSTRACT The paper deals with cluster analysis and comparison of clustering methods. Cluster analysis belongs to multivariate statistical methods. Cluster analysis is defined as general logical technique, procedure, which allows clustering variable objects into groups-clusters on the basis of similarity or dissimilarity. Cluster analysis involves computational procedures, of which purpose is to reduce a set of data on several relatively homogenous groups-clusters, while the condition of reduction is maximal and simultaneously minimal similarity of clusters. Similarity of objects is studied by the degree of similarity (correlation coefficient and association coefficient) or the degree of dissimilarity-degree of distance (distance coefficient). Methods of cluster analysis are on the basis of clustering classified as hierarchical or non-hierarchical methods. 1. Introduction “Cluster analysis is a general logic process, formulated as a procedure by which groups together objects into groups based on their similarities and differences.” Having a data matrix X type n × p, where n is the number of objects and p is the number of variables (features, characteristics). Next there is a decomposition S(k) of set n objects to k certain groups (clusters), i.e. , : comprises all the space. If that set of objects and any dissimilarity coefficient of objects D, then a cluster is called a subset of p sets of objects o to which it applies : where and. This means that the maximum distance of objects belonging to the cluster must always be less than the minimum distance any object from the cluster and object outside cluster. The input for the clustering of the input data matrix and output are specific identification of clusters. The input matrix X of size n × p contains the i-th row of characters xij object Ai, where and. Therefore . 2. Cluster Analysis Methods Classification of cluster analysis methods is shown in Figure 1. 2.1. Hierarchical Cluster Analysis Methods Hierarchical cluster analysis methods included of the analyzed objects into a hierarchical system of clusters. This system is defined as a system of mutually distinct non-empty subsets of the original set of objects. The main characteristic of hierarchical methods of cluster analysis is creating a decomposition of the original set of objects, in which each of the partial decomposition refines next or previous decomposition. According to the way of creating decompositions (Figure 2) the hierarchical clustering methods are divided into several groups: • Agglomerative clustering—at the beginning of clustering are considered individual objects as separate Figure 1. Classification of cluster analysis methods. Figure 2. Principle of the agglomerative hierarchical cluster analysis methods. clusters. The next steps will then be the most similar clusters combine into larger clusters until the specified criteria of quality decomposition is fulfilled. • Divisional clustering—at the beginning of the clustering process all objects are in one cluster. This cluster is then divided into smaller clusters. Agglomerative hierarchical clustering methods assign to set of objects O the sequence of its decomposition to clusters and hereby the real nonnegative number is assigned to each cluster. 1) The decomposition of the set of objects are its individual objects, i.e., single element clusters whereby the number for belongs to each single element cluster. 2) There is a decomposition and the numbers for are assigned to clusters. A pair of cluster which has the minimal dissimilarity of coefficient D is chosen, it means, they are the most similar. These clusters are combined to form one cluster. Other clusters stay unchanged and they pass to next decomposition. 2.1.1. Simple Linkage Method The simple linkage method can be defined as follows: if D is a random coefficient of dissimilarity, symbols C1, C2 are two different clusters, Ai object belongs to a cluster C1 and object Aj belongs to cluster C2 then determines the distance of clusters for the Simple linkage method . 2.1.2. Complete Linkage Method The complete linkage method is a dual method to the simple linkage method its principle is following : If D is a random coefficient of dissimilarity, symbols C1, C2 are two different clusters, Ai object belongs to a cluster C1 and object Aj belongs to cluster C2 then determines the distance of clusters for the complete linkage method. 2.1.3. Average Linkage Method The distance between the clusters for the average linkage method is defined as follows : If D is a random coefficient of dissimilarity, symbols C1, C2 are two different clusters, Ai object belongs to a cluster C1 and object Aj belongs to cluster C2 then determines the distance of clusters for the average linkage method, where n1 and n2 are the number of objects in clusters C1 and C2. 2.1.4. Centroid’s Method In Centroid’s method the dissimilarity of 2 clusters is expressed as the distance of centroids of these clusters. Each cluster is represented by the average of its elements, which is called the centroid. The distance between clusters is determined by the Lance-William correlation: where n1, n2 and n3 are the number of objects in clusters C1, C2 and C3. 2.1.5. The Median Method If the size of the clusters is different, the centroid of new cluster may lie within a larger cluster or near the larger cluster. The median method tries to reduce this deficiency in that way that it does not reflect the size of clusters, but it reflects its average. The distance between newly-formed clusters and other clusters is calculated by equation : 2.1.6. Ward’s Method Ward’s method is also marked as a method of minimizing the increases of errors of sum squares. It is based on optimizing the homogeneity of clusters according to certain criteria, which is minimizing the increase of errors of sum squares of deviation points from centroid. This is the reason why this method is different from previous methods of hierarchical clustering, which are based on optimization of the distance between clusters . The loss of information is determined at each level of clustering, which is expressed as the increase of total sum of aberrance square of each cluster point from the average ESS value. Then it comes to a connection of clusters where there is a minimal increase in the errors of sum of squares . The accruement of ESS function is calculated according to : where. 2.2. Non-Hierarchical Cluster Analysis Methods For non-hierarchical cluster analysis methods is the typical classification of objects into a predetermined number of disjunctive clusters. These clustering methods can be divided into 2 groups : • Hard clustering methods—assignment an object to a cluster is clear; • Fuzzy cluster analysis—it calculates the rate of relevancy of objects to clusters. 3. Conclusion In recent years, many companies, institutions and organizations collect a full range of database. The process of accumulation of data has an explosive character, that it’s why it is important to find one’s way in these data and extract some relevant information. The importance of clustering methods increases for that reason. REFERENCES - M. Palumbo, C. N. Lauro and M. J. Greenacre, “Data Analysis and Classification,” Springer, Berlin, 2010, p. 505. doi:10.1007/978-3-642-03739-9 - L. Kaufmann, “Finding Groups in Data: An Introduction in Cluster Analysis,” Wiley, Hoboken, 2005, p. 342. - B. S. Everitt, S. Landau, M. Leese and D. Stahl, “Cluster Analysis,” Wiley, London, 2011, p. 348. - J. Bacher, A. Poge and K. Wenzig, “Clusteranalyse— Anwendungsorientierte Einfuhrung in Klassifikationsverfahren,” Oldenbourg, Munchen, 2010, p. 432. doi:10.1524/9783486710236 - J. Han and M. Kamber, “Data Mining—Concepts and Techniques,” MK Publisher, San Francisco, 2006, p. 772. - P. Trebuňa and J. Halčinová, “Experimental Modelling of the Cluster Analysis Processes,” Procedia Engineering, Vol. 48. 2012, pp. 673-678. doi:10.1016/j.proeng.2012.09.569 NOTES *This article was created by implementation of the grant project VEGA no. 1/0102/11 Experimental methods and modeling techniques in-house manufacturing and non-manufacturing processes.	https://file.scirp.org/Html/10-7401421_31454.htm
Evaluation of BLAST-based edge-weighting metrics used for homology inference with the Markov Clustering algorithm. \|Title\|\|Evaluation of BLAST-based edge-weighting metrics used for homology inference with the Markov Clustering algorithm.\| \|Publication Type\|\|Journal Article\| \|Authors\|\|Gibbons TR, Mount SM, Cooper ED, Delwiche CF\| \|2015\| \|Journal\|\|BMC Bioinformatics\| \|Volume\|\|16\| \|Pages\|\|218\| \| \| BACKGROUND: Clustering protein sequences according to inferred homology is a fundamental step in the analysis of many large data sets. Since the publication of the Markov Clustering (MCL) algorithm in 2002, it has been the centerpiece of several popular applications. Each of these approaches generates an undirected graph that represents sequences as nodes connected to each other by edges weighted with a BLAST-based metric. MCL is then used to infer clusters of homologous proteins by analyzing these graphs. The various approaches differ only by how they weight the edges, yet there has been very little direct examination of the relative performance of alternative edge-weighting metrics. This study compares the performance of four BLAST-based edge-weighting metrics: the bit score, bit score ratio (BSR), bit score over anchored length (BAL), and negative common log of the expectation value (NLE). Performance is tested using the Extended CEGMA KOGs (ECK) database, which we introduce here. RESULTS: All metrics performed similarly when analyzing full-length sequences, but dramatic differences emerged as progressively larger fractions of the test sequences were split into fragments. The BSR and BAL successfully rescued subsets of clusters by strengthening certain types of alignments between fragmented sequences, but also shifted the largest correct scores down near the range of scores generated from spurious alignments. This penalty outweighed the benefits in most test cases, and was greatly exacerbated by increasing the MCL inflation parameter, making these metrics less robust than the bit score or the more popular NLE. Notably, the bit score performed as well or better than the other three metrics in all scenarios. CONCLUSIONS: The results provide a strong case for use of the bit score, which appears to offer equivalent or superior performance to the more popular NLE. The insight that MCL-based clustering methods can be improved using a more tractable edge-weighting metric will greatly simplify future implementations. We demonstrate this with our own minimalist Python implementation: Porthos, which uses only standard libraries and can process a graph with 25 m + edges connecting the 60 k + KOG sequences in half a minute using less than half a gigabyte of memory.	https://cbcb.umd.edu/publications/evaluation-blast-based-edge-weighting-metrics-used-homology-inference-markov-clustering
Mass-spectrometry-based proteomics is a powerful analytical technique to identify complex protein samples, however, its results are still subject to a large variability. Lately several quality control metrics have been introduced to assess the performance of a mass spectrometry experiment. Unfortunately, these metrics are generally not sufficiently thoroughly understood. For this reason, we present a few powerful techniques to analyze multiple experiments based on quality control metrics, identify the low-performance experiments, and provide an interpretation of these outlying experiments. Introduction Mass-spectrometry-based proteomics is a powerful analytical technique that can be used to identify complex protein samples. Despite the many technological and computational advances, performing a mass spectrometry experiment is still a highly complicated task and its results are subject to a large variability. To understand and evaluate how technical variability affects the results of an experiment, lately several quality control (QC) and performance metrics have been introduced. Unfortunately, despite the availability of such QC metrics covering a wide range of qualitative information, a systematic approach to quality control is often still lacking. As most quality control tools are able to generate several dozens of metrics, any single experiment can be characterized by multiple QC metrics. Therefore it is often not clear which metrics are most interesting in general, or even which metrics are relevant in a specific situation. To take into account the multidimensional data space formed by the numerous metrics, we have applied advanced techniques to visualize, analyze, and interpret the QC metrics. Methods Outlier detection can be used to detect deviating experiments with a low performance or a high level of (unexplained) variability. These outlying experiments can subsequently be analyzed to discover the source of the reduced performance and to enhance the quality of future experiments. However, it is insufficient to know that a specific experiment is an outlier; it is also of vital importance why the experiment is an outlier. To understand why an experiment is an outlier, we have used the subspace of QC metrics in which the outlying experiment can be differentiated from the other experiments. This provides crucial information on how to interpret an outlier, which can be used by domain experts to increase interpretability and investigate the performance of the experiment. Results & Discussion Figure 1 shows an example of interpreting a specific experiment that has been identified as an outlier. As can be seen, two QC metrics mainly contribute to this experiment being an outlier. The explanatory subspace formed by these QC metrics can be extracted, which can then be interpreted by domain experts, resulting in insights in relationships between various QC metrics. Next, by combining the explanatory subspaces for all individual outliers, it is possible to get a general view on which QC metrics are most relevant when detecting deviating experiments. When taking the various explanatory subspaces for all different outliers into account, a distinction between several of the outliers can be made in terms of the number of identified spectra (PSM’s). As can be seen in Figure 2, for some specific QC metrics (highlighted in italics) the outliers result in a notably lower number of PSM's compared to the non-outlying experiments. Because monitoring a large number of QC metrics on a regular basis is often unpractical, it is more convenient to focus on a small number of user-friendly, well-understood, and discriminating metrics. As the QC metrics highlighted in Figure 2 are shown to indicate low-performance experiments, these metrics are prime candidates to monitor on a continuous basis to quickly detect faulty experiments.	https://zenodo.org/record/56004
Write down on a piece of two numbers to multiply. The second number is place under the first so that the last digits of the numbers were exactly under each other. Swipe underneath the line. All calculations only write below the line. 2 Take the rightmost digit of the second number and multiply it on the right-most digit of the first number. If you get a two-digit number exactly under multiply numbers write its last digit. Next to a column on a piece of paper, mark the remainder of the first number, or remember it in mind. 3 Again multiply the rightmost digit of the second number is the next digit of the first number to the left. The result of the multiplication, add the previously stored digit from the previous works. If we multiply the digit of the first number was the last record the result completely. If the first number still has digits left, also split the result and make a note under the multiply digits the last digit, and the first remember. 4 Similarly, multiply the remaining numbers of the first number by the rightmost digit of the second. Next, take the next digit of the second number to the left. And, as an extreme figure, multiply it on the line for all the digits of the first number. The results start to burn just under the figure multiplied by the second number and at a lower level than in the previous step. 5 Multiply all the digits of the second number, as described on figures first. In the end, the number of rows of digital recordings should be equal to the number of digits of the second number. 6 Fold the received digital ranks. To do this, add zeros in the empty places in the ranks, in order to make the addition. Draw the line under all the rows. Start adding from the rightmost digit ranks. Fold of numbers are exactly above each other. Upon receipt in the amount of two-digit numbers as well write it down the last digit and keep the highest figure to add to the subsequent amount. 7 After addition of the last, right-most digits of the result record full. And the MSB of the amounts, if any, should be placed to the left of all digits of a number. The number below the last line and is the product of the set of numbers obtained by multiplying in columns. Advice 2 : How to multiply large numbers The ability to multiply large numbers required daily. Sometimes you have to consider the cost of several items in the store. Sometimes the child asks for help with homework. There are several ways to find the product of two large numbers without using a calculator. Consider the example of multiplication of 42 and 21. You will need - - a sheet of paper; - - handle. Instruction 1 One of the easiest ways to find the product of two numbers is to multiply them in a column. This is taught in elementary school, but if you have forgotten how to do it, is to refresh their knowledge.Write the two numbers one below the other and slide the bottom horizontal line. Perform multiplication of the first number to the second unit and record the result. Multiply the first number by the tens of the second (the result of multiplying the in this case, you should write a little shifting it to the left). Do another horizontal line and calculate the sum of the numbers obtained. This will be the product of 42 and 21. Similarly, you can multiply and three-digit and five-digit numbers. 2 If you do not have a sheet of paper, you can multiply numbers in mind. For this you need to submit one of the multipliers in the form of tens and ones. Thus, 42х21=42х(20+1). Multiplying the round number is done by multiplying the first multiplier by 10, followed by multiplying the resulting works are in the tens of the second multiplier. To multiply by 10, not necessarily to perform complex mathematical calculations, it is sufficient to ascribe to the right by the number zero. So when you multiply 42 20 42 you need to first multiply by 10 and then doubling the resulting product. 42х20=42х10х2=420х2=840. This number should be kept in memory.The second stage of multiplication in mind is to multiply the first number on the second unit, in this case 42х1=42.Then need to add the numberresulting from the first and second actions. Their sum will be the product of 42 and 21. 840+42=882Данный method to multiply two-digit numbers. Someone can find the three-digit product. Numbers with a large number of bits to be multiplied is unlikely to succeed. 3 There is another unusual way of multiplying numbers. Draw on a sheet of paper a graphic diagram of the first multiplier. Imagine it in the form of parallel horizontal lines indicating the number of tens and ones. Between the first and second discharge shows a schematic representation of the number Express the distance of five inches.In the same way, draw a graphical diagram of a second multiplier, only the parallel lines must be vertical and cross the line first number.Now count the number of points at which intersect the line. The number of points in the upper left intersection will indicate the number of hundreds. Points in the lower right crossing - the number of units. The sum of the points located on the diagonal (lower-left and upper-right intersection), the number of tens. Write down the result, this is the product of 42 and 21.This way you can multiply any multi-digit number. Only need to pay more attention to the counting of intersection points in different diagonals. Advice 3 : How to learn table division Section "Multiplication and division" – one of the most challenging mathematics course of primary school. Her children are studying, usually at the age of 8-9 years. At this time they have enough well-developed mechanical memory, so memorization happens quickly and effortlessly. Instruction 1 Remember that some children have difficulty learning tables division. Try to do your best to help your child cope with them. 2 Avoid "cramming". To the child it was easier and more interesting to perform a task, do it with him in a playful way. For this perfect candy, buttons or coins. With their help, your child will not only learn division, but also develop fine motor skills in the course of action with small objects. 3 Try to explore a table of the division with a baby at the end. Thus, there is more quality learning division 9, 8, 7 and 6. When you go down to the middle of the table, teach has almost nothing to have, and the most difficult will be passed. Often don't forget to praise your child and something to be encouraged. 4 Make cardboard cards with questions from table division. Alternately get out of sync from the deck one card at a time and ask child to give you an answer. Practice each day, this will help to develop the child's visual memory. With time he will learn very quickly to give the right response to every action. 5 Spend for a child's small check. Get a special notebook in which you write for him the job. Every day write in it examples from each column of the table division, but no answer. The child must carry out the decision and write the correct answer. This game he will love and he will love to perform all actions. 6 While walking give various examples of usage of the multiplication table in my life. Ask the child also have cited examples, it will help him develop thinking. 7 There are special programs – simulators that will help the child to learn table division. On the wall in his room hang a poster with a table dividingthat at any moment he could turn to him for help. Advice 4 : As 1 day to learn the multiplication table Table multiplication is a easy to remember number crunching. The study of it necessarily includes in the curriculum of school children. You must help the child to memorize the multiplication table. Instruction 1 Place all the numbers in the columns in order, starting with one and ending with ten. It is best to do three or five columns in a single row, the child is better focused and not get tangled up in the numbers. Each column to make ten lines, each of which will be one action of multiplication: one, two, three and so on up to multiplying the number by ten. 2 Allow the child to read the first column. When multiplying by a unit number is not changing, so he will remember it very quickly. In addition, the child will get acquainted with the multiplication table, and will not be afraid that it will be too complicated. 3 Continue with the second column and beloved children of the action "twice two = four." When multiplying deuce to get a small number with whom the child is most likely familiar by the decision of school problems. Fasten studied by asking the student some examples in a chaotic manner. 4 Proceed studying subsequent columns of the table. Take your time and dedicate more time to each of them that the information was delayed in the head. Pay attention to his examples, which is easiest to remember due to their folding sound, for example, "five five – twenty five", "six-six thirty-six". 5 Visualize examples. For example, you can paint the figures of eyes, hands and feet so they will better remember the child visually, but the numbers must remain visible. You can also select the columns and lines in different colors, put them in frames, etc. 6 Hang the poster with the multiplication table in the baby's room and buy him notebooks with printed on the table. The constant presence of information will contribute to a more rapid memorization. There are also special computer programs and spreadsheets with sound effects that will help to remember the examples at the hearing. Useful advice That the child has not forgotten the multiplication table the next day, keep training and ask him questions, asking various examples.	https://eng.kakprosto.ru/how-17830-how-to-multiply-in-a-column
Objective(s): By the end of this lesson the student will be able to: Pre Class Assignment: Completion of Basic Algebra – Lesson 2 Resources/Equipment/Time Required: Outline: A quick review: 1. When you write algebraic expressions, use +, -, and = signs. For division, use / , the same way you know that when you see a fraction, it means to divide the top number by the bottom number. 2. For multiplication, write the expression with no symbol or sign between them as the X (multiplication) symbol can be confused with the variable x. For example 3 times the variable y should be written 3y. You can also use parentheses to indicate multiplication. This is especially useful in longer problems such as (3y)(4-2x). 3. When you want to multiply something AFTER another expression has been done first, use parenthesis. For example, if you want to add x and y and THEN multiply the result by 7, write it this way: 7(x + y). 4. To translate from language to a math expression, read the sentence carefully. Then decide what operations it will take to reach a solution. Write this into an algebraic expression. Something new: 1. To take something OUT of parenthesis, do the operation one number at a time. For example, 7(x+y). First, multiply 7 times x. Then multiply 7 times y. The result is 7x + 7y. 2. When you solve for x, you want to “isolate” the x on one side of the equal sign. To do this, use the opposite sign of the number you want to move and do the same thing to BOTH sides of the equation. For example: 8x + 2 = 50 8x + 2 – 2 = 50 – 2 (Subtract 2 from both sides of the = sign) 8x = 48 (Divide by 8 to solve because that is opposite of multiplication) x = 6 And now a fun problem to make you really think. Solve using algebra. Translate into an expression and solve. You can do it! Assignment(s) including Answer key: George is 4 years older than Jon, who is 4 years older than Jim, who is 4 years older than Sam, who is 1/2 the age of George. How old is each boy? Hint: let x represent George’s age.	https://www.lessontutor.com/eesa3/

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