content
stringlengths 71
484k
| url
stringlengths 13
5.97k
|
|---|---|
This Week At A Glance
Check out the online textbook we are creating!
https://sites.google.com/orinda.k12.ca.us/ancientcivilizationsvol1/ancient-sumer
Week of 5/1/2017 - CAASPP testing in Core
Writing: We are beginning our unit on argument writing! Students will learn and use information about ancient Greece to write argument essays.
Reading: Students are pairing up to learn all about one Greek god or goddess. They will put together a project that includes: retelling of a myth, bio-poem and a paper doll to showcase their knowledge of this god or goddess!
Social Studies: Students are working hard on learning about the political and social structure of their assigned ancient civilization!
Word Work/Super Sentences: None this week due to CAASPP
Membean: (No Membean this week due to CAASPP) The students are practicing their vocabulary words 10-15 minutes every day in class and will have a quiz on Friday. We are also working hard to recognize the words studied during Membean time in other places in our lives - T.V. shows, books, movies, conversations, etc. in order to see how they are used in various settings!
NoRedInk: (None this week due to CAASPP) We are starting to practice our grammar skills using NoRedInk. This week's focus are the different parts of speech and being able to identify them in a sentence.
Genius Hour: The students are working hard on researching their various Genius Hour topics! We are practicing checking websites to make sure we are only using reliable and safe sources.
Please remember to read 30 minutes every day and to log your reading! Any assignments not completed in class will become homework.
Welcome to Room 81
I am so excited to begin the 2016-2017 school year on Tuesday, August 23rd! I am looking forward to meeting each and every one of my students and learning about what makes him/her unique. I also look forward to meeting parents at Back to School Night on Thursday, August 25th. We are going to have a fantastic year in Room 81!
Please note that the students should have an independent reading book to bring to school by Thursday, August 25th.
On this site you will be able to access your homework, grades and upcoming assignments. I recommend you use your Core Planner (provided in class) as a resource for assignments as well.
Parents: Please explore School Loop with your child. After, please download (from the locker on the left) and return the following documents by Friday August, 26th. | http://ois-orinda-ca.schoolloop.com/cms/page_view?d=x&piid=&vpid=1440498016212&no_controls=t |
Classroom Access to Computers for Reading Instruction
Classroom access to computers for reading instruction is becoming increasingly important in developing students’ online educational research skills and expanding their literacy competencies in online reading. Access to digital resources such as PCs and tablets allow teachers to provide instruction in online reading strategies.106Since 2001, PIRLS has asked teachers about the availability and access of computers for student use in the classroom. For PIRLS 2021, access includes whether the school provides each student with a digital device, whether the class has digital devices that students can share, and whether students can bring their own digital devices to class.
Teachers’ attitudes such as self-efficacy toward technology are related to the use of technology in the classroom.107Teachers who often use technology for instruction are more confident in using technology compared to teachers who are less frequent users.108 PIRLS 2021 gathers information on teachers’ level of confidence in using digital devices in instruction.
Classroom technology can be used to create individualized instruction. While technology use in primary grades is often used for remedial purposes, technology also can provide challenging enrichment activities for more advanced students.109 Also new to PIRLS 2021 are data on how often teachers use digital devices to support learning for low-performing students, high-performing students, students with special needs, and for the whole class.
Reading instruction includes specific instruction in online reading strategies.110,111,112Compared to print media, reading on the internet poses numerous additional challenges as readers need to navigate non-linearly to locate information, evaluate the credibility of online information, and synthesize information across websites and modes. Since 2001, PIRLS has collected information on how often teachers ask students to perform various computer activities such as read texts on the computer or use the computer to write stories. With the development of ePIRLS in 2016, additional items were included to gather information on online reading instructional practices and strategies, such as whether teachers taught students how to be critical when reading on the internet and strategies for reading digital text. | https://pirls2021.org/frameworks/home/context-questionnaire-framework/classroom-contexts/information-technology-in-the-classroom/ |
This guide contains resources relating to the accomplishments and contributions of women throughout history. It is your one-stop guide to websites, database articles and recommened books especially relevant for Women's History Month.
Anyone can use this guide, especially the helpful links you will find under the More Resources tab, but in order to check out any of the books you come across or access the databases, you must have a Shark card or an Alvin Sherman Library Card. The good news is that ANYONE who lives, works or goes to school in Broward County is eligible to get a library card! For more information or to apply for a library card online just click HERE! Most materials (books, DVDs, CD's, video games, etc) can be returned to ANY Broward County Library branch.
Click on the tabs at the top of the page to view more details about related library events, finding library materials, and general library information.
Can't find a book? Search for an article online in a database!
The databases listed below have full-text articles, images, maps, timelines, audio, interviews, and/or e-books relating to Women's History Month:
Biography in Context- Allows you to search for individuals by name and provides a detailed biography,magazine articles, primary sources, reference works, news and websites releveant to your subject.
Daily Life Through History- Use this database to search for concept terms (sufferage, equal rights, education).
Pop Culture Universe- A great resource to learn about cultural aspects of specific decades.
World Book- An all-purpose online encyclopedia provides articles on all subjects, brief biographies, links to websites, images and more.
Click here for more information about the advantages of using databases and click here for a full list of databases available.
Look for the school bus icon for recommended databases for students in grades K-12!
Click here for more titles in the library's catalog.
Click here to see BIOGRAPHIES of FAMOUS WOMEN listed in alphabetical order within the libarary catalog.
Click here for more titles in the library's catalog. | https://nsufl.libguides.com/c.php?g=112176 |
Central Catholic High School uses "Digital Learning Days" as way to advance instruction in a non-traditional way. Each student has an account with Canvas, for class websites and information, and a Google account (for gmail, Google Drive, Docs, etc.)assigned to them which allow that student to participate in online activities.
***Overdrive eBook/Audio Access via multnomah county is only requiring a phone number to get a temporary instant library card
The Library provides access to databases of high-quality, reliable, research resources including magazine, newspaper, and journal articles, electronic reference books (encyclopedias, dictionaries, etc). We do not have electronic textbooks. Library Databases are located HERE.
Passwords are needed to access subscription database content when not in the CCHS building. Those passwords are located on CANVAS in the "Rams Central" course, or use the link to CANVAS HERE.
Depending on your browser, device, or ind, you may occasionally experience issues with the passwords. See the "Troubleshooting Guide" below.
Central Catholic High School has a limited number of laptop computers for students to borrow to meet needs for home computer access. Laptops are WiFi enabled (but do not currently come with WiFi service) and have most commonly used programs on them.
To Borrow a Laptop, Students need to:
If you have problems with a database log-in from home, here are some tips to help you trouble-shoot on your own (which is an excellent skill for college and life).
After you've tried some of these options, if you are still having trouble...
Contact your Librarian. On any "Digital Learning Days" the Central Catholic High School Librarian will be reachable via email. When you contact the librarian, please include the following information...
Access to the internet is crucial to digital learning. If home internet access is a difficulty, there are a number of options for finding free wireless internet access in the Portland area.
Public Libraries, including the Multnomah County Library, provide free WiFi during their operating hours.
For other Public Libraries in the greater Portland area: See the Other Libraries page on our Library's site.
The following information is provided to help you locate free sources of WiFi access.
NOTE: We cannot vet all locations, please use care when selecting locations to use WiFi. | https://libguides.centralcatholichigh.org/home/digitallearning |
The Microsoft Research Redmond Lab’s Central Engineering Team develops software and hardware technologies and components based on Microsoft Research innovations. Our work includes technical transfer to the main Microsoft product groups, large scale prototyping and deployment, and providing internal lab engineering needs. Our group’s mission is to support the transition of late-stage research technology into Microsoft products, as well as stimulate thinking about potential Microsoft products through the creation of prototype software based on research ideas.
• Auto correction technology detecting Excel formula entry errors.
• Work with the research team to understand and analyze requirements.
• Learn about the research and acquire any needed technical skills, such as a new language, API or technology.
• Engineer solutions that meet requirements, including architecting, designing and implementing software across any or all layers of the software stack.
• Collaborate for success and add value beyond engineering, such as contributing to research papers.
• Appropriately document the project before hand-off. This can include facilitating a technology transfer to a product group.
As part of the Central Engineering group, the QA team helps take an idea and make it tangible. We provide an objective, independent view about the quality of code or project so partners can make informed business decisions about it. Our diverse experience includes test and quality assurance, infrastructure engineering, project management, and hardware, database, and software development.
The Hardware Lab provides electro-mechanical engineering and prototyping development to support Microsoft Research goals.
The design team helps researchers with user experience design, visual design refinements, data visualization and design consulting. We act as partners to help explore ideas that take projects to the next level.
The program management team provides services from early due diligence, market opportunity evaluation, and user studies through to facilitating release management and tech transfer to product groups. Throughout the lifecycle of a project, program management brings focus and accountability, helping to prioritize and plan project implementation for maximum impact and customer success. Our team also helps with identifying and coordinating product group and external partnerships that provide research projects with avenues for growth. | https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/research/group/central-engineering/ |
If you’re a Product Manager interested in Platform as a Service and Technology innovation in the Retail & Manufacturing industry, this is the opportunity for you. You’ll be at the heart of creating scalable platform tools that bring Nielsen’s data to the heart of the decisions our clients make every day.
In this role, you will prioritize, define, and then build the tools to collect raw data from providers onto the Connect platform/lake as well as our web scraping data collection tools. You’ll collaborate with a team of product, technology (app dev and architecture), operations (data acquisition & delivery), data science, and commercial leaders to define product features and generate/maintain detailed requirements to ensure your product meets evolving client and industry needs. These tools will be used globally for Retailer and CPG/FMCG Manufacturers, from the largest companies in the world to small local ones.
You will contribute to building out our next generation Connect platform, which is the center of Nielsen’s technology evolution to enable rapid innovation at scale to solve clients’ needs profitably.
In your role, you would:
- Own the delivery of your product to meet the goals, customer segments and use cases defined by your product
- Develop user stories and requirements based on market and user experience research
- Work with your scrum team(s) under the agile methodology to plan, execute, and deploy features and functions.
- Manage the backlog, prioritization of features, value vs. complexity tradeoffs, and cross-functional dependencies/risks
- Ensures end to end product definition and delivery of solutions
- Form hypotheses and potential solutions quickly that can be vetted out in prototypes or wireframes
- Be responsible for user acceptance testing as a proxy for internal and external clients, as they match your user journey
- Evangelize the product(s) with internal stakeholders and clients as subject matter expert on the product
- Able to articulate the product strategy, technical implementation, and operational process
- Work with internal users, external customers, and usage data to validate the effectiveness and success of your product.
We are looking for people with:
- Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science or Engineering, or equivalent work experience
- 2+ years of experience in a Product role, with previous experience in a Technology, Operations, or Data Science role
- Solid ability to present information in the simplest and most compelling way
- Solid communication skills, including the ability to influence key stakeholders and interface with clients
- Experience in using Jira for document software requirements is a plus
- Experience in Platform and or cloud services is a plus
- Experience in data ELT/ETL and/or web scraping is a plus
- Experience in FMCG and/or Retail industry is a plus! | https://www.nielsen.com/us/en/jobs/product-manager-2/ |
Watson Classroom is comprised complimentary desktop and mobile applications that help teachers deliver personalized learning to improve student outcomes through data and insights. We developed this product as a direct response to teacher needs in order to address gaps in their experience.
We begin this effort with the broad mission to enhance teacher experiences and improve student outcomes, so I had to help narrow our focus to find the areas we could improve with our capabilities. I conducted extensive workshops with K-12 teachers to outline their pain points and identify areas of opportunity. Since this was a new endeavor for the team, we also used workshopping as a chance to familiarize ourselves more broadly with the education industry and our relevant stakeholders.
This project required balancing the needs of school administration (the buyer) with the needs of teachers (the users). Everyone had their own goals so we had to balance direction from administration with the feedback we received from the teachers. I accomplished this by communicating closely with all our stakeholders and then helping the design team prioritize features that span everyone’s needs.
Once we had a thorough understanding of our users, I worked with the design team to create a narrative journey to outline the teacher’s current experience. We also created the desired experience we hoped to bring with our product. These narratives helped to keep us grounded and focused on the outcomes we needed to provide.
We identified several areas of opportunity as part of the exploration process. We were able to then pair these needs with our capabilities to determine the best way impact educators. This helped us make decisions that were based on user needs, rather than driven by technology.
I collected feedback throughout design and development to ensure we built an experience that was both valuable to administrators and meaningful for teachers. We partnered with clients to find teachers who could provide iterative input through regular interviews. I met with them in person and online to gather feedback on their experience the product and new ideas we had in development. I also partnered with the product delivery team to make connections within client districts to feed our participant pool. | https://www.caitlinmacrae.com/watson-classroom |
Job Description:
Company Description At Intuitive, we are united behind our
mission: we believe that minimally invasive care is life-enhancing
care. Through ingenuity and intelligent technology, we expand the
potential of physicians to heal without constraints.
As a pioneer and market leader in robotic-assisted surgery, we strive to foster an inclusive and diverse team, committed to making a difference. For more than 25 years, we have worked with hospitals and care teams around the world to help solve some of healthcare's hardest challenges and advance what is possible.
Intuitive has been built by the efforts of great people from diverse backgrounds. We believe great ideas can come from anywhere. We strive to foster an inclusive culture built around diversity of thought and mutual respect. We lead with inclusion and empower our team members to do their best work as their most authentic selves.
Passionate people who want to make a difference drive our culture. Our team members are grounded in integrity, have a strong capacity to learn, the energy to get things done, and bring diverse, real world experiences to help us think in new ways. We actively invest in our team members to support their long-term growth so they can continue to advance our mission and achieve their highest potential.
Join a team committed to taking big leaps forward for a global community of healthcare professionals and their patients. Together, let's advance the world of minimally invasive care. Job Description * -Primary Function of Position*
The Senior Group Product Manager supports da Vinci - Multiport systems across the entire product lifecycle. - This includes managing the product portfolio roadmap, developing, and conducting market and user research, making product and feature proposals, overseeing the writing of market and product requirements, shepherding the product through all Evaluation, Product Development and Design Control stages, working with our product marketing rollout teammates to ensure a successful launch, and providing expertise throughout the entire product lifecycle. The Senior Group Product Manager is responsible to build and manage a team of Product Managers, coaching them through their product responsibilities as well as providing career development guidance and performance reviews.
The Senior Group Product Manager has an in depth understanding of the customer-facing features of the da Vinci - system (including clinical application) as well as a solid grounding in the underlying technical implementation to hospitals systems. The Product Management team represents the voice of the customer (business needs) and the voice of the user (user needs) to the Design and Engineering teams and other internal business partners throughout the entire product lifecycle process, encouraging sound yet timely decision making.
*Roles and Responsibilities*
* Develop long term multiport portfolio objectives by managing the system product roadmap and product lifecycle accordingly. - Develop business justification for recommendations and gain alignment across key stakeholders on project prioritization.
* Develop the business justification for new products and new features by working with customers and company stakeholders. - Develop forecasts and other business analyses, including competitive assessments, to facilitate sound data-driven decision making.
* By guiding the activities of direct staff, shepherd multiple complex projects through the development process weighing the Desirability, Viability and Feasibility of the proposed solution. - Develop market requirements and product requirements and facilitating tradeoff discussions with design teams. (Design Engineering, User Interface Engineering, User Experience Engineering, Interaction Design, Industrial Design, Human Factors, Clinical Engineering, Training, Finance and Business Development)
* Develop and track effective goals and objectives of the team, aligning to business unit and corporate objectives. Hold the team and accountable for results.
* Use qualitative and quantitative market research methods and direct customer interviews and observations to develop insights that inform the product roadmap. Refine requirements with feedback directly from customers as well as internal team including clinical sales, internal M.D.'s, and clinical development engineering.
* Engage with User Experience partners during the development process by establishing design requirements, prioritizing design efforts, coordinating design reviews, and documenting and communicating design decisions.
* Develop and convey product value proposition to global marketing teams for global product positioning and messaging.
* Measure product success by monitoring product adoption and seeking post-launch product feedback.
* Develop a deep understanding of the surgical treatments for applicable indications, including monitoring and consuming clinical literature, attending medical society meetings, and engaging with physician key opinion leaders.
* Lead the ongoing development of the product strategy by developing a framework for decision making. Shepherd the product through its development via relentless identification and closure of user, technical, and business issues.
* Understand competitive, emerging, and complementary technology and its potential impact on Intuitive's product lines.
* Work with the product engineering and business development teams to evaluate new technologies and prioritize the new business development pipeline.
* Monitor and prioritize product quality issues. Work on cross-functional teams to resolve product issues and critical customer issues.
* Conduct additional activities across the product lifecycle as needed including, completing long-term forecasting, participating in product education program development, supporting sustaining product activities including end of life.
* Effectively attract, develop, train, and retain key staff to build a high performing team of product managers.
* Become a steward of the corporate culture by living, teaching and holding your team accountable to it.
Qualifications *Requirements** *
* Must be a highly passionate individual that notices and cares about design details and the users' experience with the product.
* Minimum of 12 years of professional experience and a bachelor's degree required. - MBA or advanced degree preferred
* Minimum of 5 years of experience within Medical Device Product Management.
* - Minimum Education: Bachelor's degree required, graduate technical or business degrees are preferred
* Extensive experience mentoring and guiding more junior staff. Direct managerial experience highly preferred.
* Experience defining and managing market and product requirements for medical devices.
* Experience with minimally invasive surgical products including capital equipment is highly preferred.
* Strong knowledge of minimally invasive surgery market is highly preferred.
* Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including experience presenting to Senior Management.
* Strong hands-on data manipulation and analysis skills. Demonstrated ability to use data to develop market and product insights and drive alignment and decision making.
* Excellent teamwork skills with proven ability to collaborate across multiple disciplines to ensure product success and ability to influence cross-functional teams without formal authority. This includes the ability to work well in bridging communication between engineering, design, marketing, sales, and customers.
* Must be well versed in MS Office Suite. Tableau, and SalesForce,
* Ability to set and meet team goals based on department and corporate objectives.
* Ability to work in surgical labs and operating rooms is required.
* Ability to travel up to 25% of the time.
Additional Information Due to the nature of our business and the role, please note that Intuitive and/or your customer(s) may require that you show current proof of vaccination against certain diseases including COVID-19. - Details can vary by role.
Intuitive is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer. We provide equal employment opportunities to all qualified applicants and employees, and prohibit discrimination and harassment of any type, without regard to race, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, color, age, religion, protected veteran or disability status, genetic information or any other status protected under federal, state, or local applicable laws.
We will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records in accordance with fair chance laws.
* Shift : * Day
* Travel : * 25% of the time
Travel Requirements:25% of the time Shift:Day
Requirements:
Intuitive
Company Description At Intuitive, we are united behind our
mission: we believe that minimally invasive care is life-enhancing
care. Through ingenuity and intelligent technology, we expand the
potential of physicians to heal without constraints.
Keywords: Intuitive, Sunnyvale , Senior Group Product Manager, Executive , Sunnyvale, California
|
Click
here to apply! | https://www.sunnyvalerecruiter.com/executive-jobs/2791034663/senior-group-product-manager |
We are now looking for a Product Owner for our Business Intelligence team whose responsibility will be creating and delivering the team’s backlog based on the Business needs as well as acting as the interface between the business and the BI agile team.
The PO will work closely with the business stakeholders to understand their processes, activities, goals and KPIs as well as transform this knowledge into documented requirements, user stories and specifications for the BI agile team to deliver on.
Have a long term vision and roadmap of his BI product.
Create and prioritize his BI product backlog based on business stakeholders’ needs and improvement proposals.
Monitor development and KPIs on a daily basis.
Manage full product lifecycle (from business needs gathering to testing and training) and handle QA.
Work with BI technical team to implement, deliver and improve the product.
Ensure product objectives are fulfilled (including deliverables that meet the requirements and the business expectations).
Manage the project: scope, goals, milestones, deliverables, plans and communications.
Use Agile processes to proactively adapt to a dynamic environment by identifying potential crisis and creating contingency plans.
5 yrs of experience in Business Intelligence or solid experience as a Product Owner (not necessarily within BI).
Fluent in English & good communication skills as you will be interacting with various stakeholders from different cultures & backgrounds.
Passionate about technology & experienced with Agile Methodologies.
At ease working in a cross functional team. | https://www.jobfluent.com/jobs/business-intelligence-product-owner-barcelona-5ffefe |
What are the health and safety areas of concern for care assistants?
The HSE have published HSG220 (2nd edition) on Health and Safety in Care Homes, covering the following areas:
- Managing health and safety.
- Reporting of incidents.
- Moving and handling.
- Equipment safety.
- Safe use of bed rails.
- Slips, trips and falls on the level.
- Falls from height.
- Hazardous substances, infections and diseases.
What are two pressing issues that increase the risk of safety issues in healthcare settings?
10 top patient safety issues for 2018
- Disparate EHRs. While EHR adoption continues to increase among healthcare providers, interoperability remains a challenge.
- Hand hygiene.
- Nurse-patient ratios.
- Drug and medical supply shortages.
- Quality reporting.
- Resurgent diseases.
- Mergers and acquisitions.
- Physician burnout.
What are some specific safety concerns in a clinic setting?
The 10 patient safety concerns every health care worker needs to know about
- Medication errors.
- Diagnostic errors.
- Patient discharge errors.
- Workplace safety issues.
- Aging hospital facility issues.
- Reprocessing issues.
- Sepsis.
- “Super” superbugs.
What is a near miss event?
A fact sheet from OSHA and the National Safety Council defines a near miss as an “unplanned event that did not result in injury, illness or damage – but had the potential to do so.” The fact sheet stresses that although near misses cause no immediate harm, they can precede events in which a loss or injury could occur.24
What are the reasons for which the poor are unable to access proper health services?
There is a lack of proper health care facilities in rural areas, heath centres are located quite far from the villages. Ignorance a lack of awareness also contributes to the fact that poor are unable to access health care services.
What are the top ten safety issues in a health care setting?
Rounding out the list of patient safety concerns for 2020 are the following:
- Diagnostic errors.
- Maternal health.
- Early recognition of behavioral health needs.
- Responding to and learning from device problems.
- Device cleaning, disinfection and sterilization.
- Standardizing safety across the healthcare system.
What is another common term for near miss?
What is another common term for “near-miss”? Incident with potential.
How can near misses be prevented?
To prevent near misses in the workplace, consider the following best practices.
- Establish a near miss reporting system.
- Investigate the cause of the near miss.
- Encourage employee participation.
- Incorporate wearable technology and data analytics.
How many levels of harm are there?
The classification system defines five degrees of harm severity, from no harm to death (Box 1).
How can developing countries improve healthcare?
3 Ways to Improve Health in Developing Countries Educating people enables them to obtain safer jobs, increased health literacy, take preventive healthcare measures, avoid riskier health behaviors and demand better-quality health services.
What is the greatest financial obstacle to quality in health care?
Hospital and medical costs, lack of financial resources, equipment, and training spaces, delayed payment by insurance companies and lack of payment to personnel, shifting more funds to treatment, and shortage of education funding are other issues that also need further study.28
What might be the barriers to accessing health care for indigenous individuals?
Despite this, Indigenous peoples are often prevented from accessing these types of services due to a range of barriers including the high cost of health care, experiences of discrimination and racism and poor communication with health care professionals .30
What are quality issues in healthcare?
Six quality issues warrant the attention of healthcare leaders: misdiagnoses, star ratings, socioeconomic adjustment for readmissions, the end of Partnership for Patients programs, Medicaid parity expiration, and Disproportionate Share Hospital cuts.6
What is considered a serious safety event?
A serious safety event (SSE) is a variation from expected practice followed by death, severe permanent harm, moderate permanent harm, or significant temporary harm.
What are barriers to healthcare?
A barrier to health care is anything that restricts the use of health services by making it more difficult for some individuals to access, use or benefit from care.
How does population growth affect public health?
The closer people become, the easier airborne illnesses are spread. 3.4 million people die each year because of contaminated water related disease. Overpopulation will only create more polluted water supplies. It is estimated that the earth’s supply of natural gas will run out in the next 35 years.
What are some of the challenges faced by developing countries with regards to health care?
While developing countries have the following characteristics lower education rate, high levels of birth rates, death rates and high infant mortality rates, poor infrastructure, weak governments and poor access to health care.
Why is poor quality of care more expensive?
In services such as healthcare; quality costing is more challenging due to the complexity of the processes and the fact that such processes contain a wide range of costs, a lot of which are intangible and hidden, particularly in not for profit organizations. | https://cowetaamerican.com/2021/12/19/what-are-the-health-and-safety-areas-of-concern-for-care-assistants/ |
"I am pleased to inaugurate the 27th annual meeting of the Indian Academy of Neurology—IANCON 2019 and address all of you. Although I am not an expert on the subject like most of the delegates gathered here, I had accepted the invitation to share a few of my thoughts and to get an understanding of the latest developments in your specialty.
I am told that more than 2000 delegates, including 15 international experts from USA, UK, Australia, Austria, Portugal, Japan and Italy are attending this conference. I wish you all a pleasant and fruitful stay in this beautiful and historic pearl city of Hyderabad.
I am happy to know that the Indian Academy of Neurology promotes research, education and interaction among experts, practitioners and students of neurology about various neurological disorders. Holding such annual meetings and scientific deliberations are essential to update knowledge and keep abreast of the latest advances.
Various programmes implemented by successive governments over the past many decades have enabled steady improvement in the health indicators from improving longevity to eradicating polio and largely controlling other communicable diseases. However, the major concern today is the rapid rise of non-communicable diseases.
In fact, the country is facing the twin burden of some communicable diseases and NCDs, apart from glaring absence of adequate modern medical facilities in the rural areas, particularly in the remote parts of the country. This is an area that needs to be addressed on a war footing by all the stakeholders in the healthcare industry, including the private sector.
As regards neurological disorders are concerned, I am informed that India has a huge burden affecting all strata of society, both in rural and urban areas. This is because of a combination of age-related diseases due to increased longevity and the problems of infections attacking the brain.
Although neurological disorders deal with all problems arising from dysfunction of brain , spinal cord, muscles and nerves, the most common among these are Brain stroke, Dementia, Epilepsy, Head Injuries and infections of brain.
It is estimated that every year at least 2 million people in India suffer from brain stroke resulting in long-term disability, including paralysis and other problems. While the government is doing its best to provide effective treatment, the key to stroke management lies in prevention by educating public to control their blood pressure, blood sugar levels and adopt a healthy life style.
While the estimated prevalence of serious neurological disorders like brain stroke, epilepsy, dementia is 5 to 8 per 1000 people in developed countries, the prevalence in India is nearly “double” at 14 to 17 per 1000 people.
Although diseases of brain due to community acquired infections, maternal malnutrition during pregnancy and lack of oxygen (hypoxia) during child birth are on the decline, I am told that there is rise in acquired neurological diseases (non-communicable). This is a worrisome trend and is probably due to changing lifestyle and dietary habits.
Over the last two decades, burden of non-communicable diseases like stroke, epilepsy, headaches, spine and brain disorders in India has increased more rapidly than communicable diseases like infections and fever. In fact, 55.2% of all deaths in India in 2016 were due to non-communicable diseases.
Brain strokes are one of the leading causes of death and disability in India, alongside heart diseases and lung diseases.
The five leading risk factors for increased disease burden in recent times are child and maternal malnutrition, air pollution, obesity, high blood pressure, and high blood glucose levels. Surprisingly, all of which can be controlled by a healthy and active lifestyle.
It is of immense relevance to health administrators and planners that adequate neurology services have to be provided with requisite workforce and infrastructure both in the urban centres as well as rural population areas, including remote places in the country.
In view of the constraints of limited specialist workforce and finances, there is a need to optimize the available resources through innovative strategies, including the use of telemedicine.
I am told that dementia or loss of memory is the second biggest contributor to neurological burden in India. In view of the expected increase in the proportion of elderly population in our society in future, the number of people with dementia is expected to triple in India by 2050. This challenge needs to be addressed with well-planned strategies for prevention and treatment of dementia.
I am told that epilepsy affects 1% of Indian population. While the public awareness campaigns by neurologists have helped to increase the awareness and reduce the stigma attached to it, the need of the hour is to make accessible the advances in the medical and surgical treatment of epilepsy to the vast majority of our population living in rural areas.
The neurological diseases burden needs to be tackled by adopting a multi-pronged approach. Apart from augmenting the seats in neurology, more and more hospitals in the rural areas need to be equipped with CT and MRI scans for early diagnosis of neurological disorders. There is also a need to provide rehabilitation services in the rural areas.
The lack of adequate rehabilitation services in rural areas can be partly overcome by training the family members in the rehabilitation process, so that they can take care of the disabled persons.
As mentioned earlier, India has achieved significant progress since Independence on various health indicators. With successive governments according high priority to health and the wellbeing of the people, the average life expectancy has increased to 69 years and India’s disease burden due to communicable, maternal, neonatal, and nutritional diseases has dropped from 61 % to 33 % between 1990 and 2016.
There are noteworthy improvements in health indicators relating to infant mortality rate (IMR) and maternal mortality rate (MMR) due to increasing penetration of healthcare services across the country, extensive health campaigns, sanitation drives, increase in the number of government and private hospitals in India.
India launched ‘Ayushman Bharat’, said to be the world’s largest health insurance scheme, under the aegis of which lakhs of people are receiving free treatment.
India’s health sector has a number of competitive advantages, from a large pool of well-trained medical professionals, to a flourishing Pharma industry which excels in generic drug manufacturing, to cost effective and quality medical procedures. The cost of surgery in India is substantially less when compared to the US or Western Europe, which makes India a healthcare destination of choice.
In spite of all these advancements, there is a long and arduous road ahead of us.
Our health sector still grapples with inadequate public spend, low doctor-patient ratio, high share of out-of-pocket expenditure, inadequate infrastructure in rural areas, lack of penetration of health insurance and inadequate preventive mechanisms.
We face a huge shortage in the number of qualified medical practitioners in India, especially specialist doctors. The National Health Profile 2018 says that there is just one allopathic government doctor available for around 11,082 people across the country, a figure more than 10 times of the WHO recommended figure of 1:1000.
It is crucial that we address this huge gap in the supply of trained healthcare practitioners by opening more medical colleges and increasing the number of seats at both graduate and postgraduate levels. Nearly 86% of all the medical visits in India are made by people living in rural areas with the majority required to travel long distances for accessing quality health care facilities. Besides, the out of pocket expenses are driving many into the vicious cycle of debts.
To mitigate this crisis, we need to pay much more attention to Primary Healthcare, which is the first point of contact of any patient with the medical system.
Before concluding, I would like to urge the medical fraternity to play a pro-active role and launch an awareness campaign on the need to prevent non-communicable diseases like diabetes, hypertension, and cancer, which are assuming disturbing proportions. I would like the both private and public hospitals as well as individual doctors to visit nearby schools and colleges in their localities regularly and educate the youngsters on the health hazards posed by modern lifestyles and the need for regular physical activity and healthy dietary habits.
Thank you! Jaihind! | https://vicepresidentofindia.nic.in/speechesinterviews/address-shri-m-venkaiah-naidu-honourable-vice-president-27th-annual-conference |
The Education Specialist will use their in-depth contextual understanding, technical expertise, and relationship building skills to define and deliver our strategic ambition for education in Kenya Country Office (including Madagascar). The role will lead strategy development and the technical design and implementation of high quality programmes that deliver change for children in both emergency and development programming. The role supports national and county advocacy and influencing, while driving strategic partnerships for new business development. It supports the design and implementation of monitoring and evaluation systems to demonstrate impact, while sharing learning across our programmes, teams and partners. The role will work closely operations colleagues and with partners in Kenya and Madagascar, building their capacity and building ownership and agency of local organisations. This role includes a focus on external representation on priority issues including: early childhood care and development: foundational learning and uninterrupted learning (education in emergencies) to ensure all children have access to education leading to learning and wellbeing outcomes.
In the event of a major humanitarian emergency, the role holder will be expected to work outside the normal role profile and be able to vary working hours accordingly.
KEY AREAS OF ACCOUNTABILITY
Technical Leadership
- Provide technical leadership for education or the Country Office, and set the strategic approach in relation to the wider country strategy
- Build capacity of staff and partners in key technical approaches related to education.
- Engage programme managers and field teams in the process of developing or updating strategy and thematic plan, with the goal of needs based, responsive education programming
Programme Quality (Design & Implementation)
- Work closely with new business development colleagues to identify and pursue funding opportunities that allow for both integration intro broader programmes and standalone education programmes/projects; engage with technical partners, donors and colleagues across Save the Children
- Lead the technical scoping, planning, and design and proposal writing during new programme development, and ensure that we design and deliver high quality education programmes for children, building on global best practice. Ensure that gender, disability and resilience considerations are reflected in our programme design and implementation.
- Work with Child Rights Governance colleagues to ensure that a rights based approach is reflected in our programme design and implementation (in line with our ), with a strong focus on child participation
- Promote an Education Systems Strengthening approach as the overarching framework, that supports working in collaboration and partnership with governments and regional bodies, local partners and working towards impact, scale and sustainability.
Programme Quality (Evidence and Impact)
- Provide oversight and guidance to the programme implementation teams to ensure that thematic programme components are technically sound, implementation methods are consistent with national and global strategies, acknowledged good practice (e.g. Save the Children Common Approaches); and are likely to achieve scale, as well as equitable and sustainable results.
- Promote and monitor integrated programming in a way that increases overall impact of education programmes at the community level.
- Work with Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability & Learning (MEAL) teams to carry out gender and power analysis, and conduct quality monitoring against international standards through participatory methodologies that promote gender equality and social justice (including child-friendly and gender sensitive/transformative methodologies);.
- Contribute towards the creation of an organisational learning culture that promotes the use of disaggregated data, evidence and analysis (including gender and power analysis) and understands its link to quality and accountable programming; Contribute to strengthening the use of equality-focused programme principles and good practice across themes and sectors.
- Undertake field visits to project sites; work with implementation teams to understand impacts, operational challenges, and continuously identify opportunities for learning and improvement.
- Contribute to organisational learning on education, ensuring that learning from our programmes is shared across the Country Office and our partners, as well as with colleagues in the wider regional and global education community in Save the Children including relevant technical working groups.
- Support the operations team (as needed) to develop emergency preparedness plans, and conduct sectoral assessments (including gender analysis and disability situation analysis, using SC assessment processes and tools) and to design and deliver emergency response and recovery programmes.
- Monitor trends in order to ensure early action; and lead technical design and implementation and technical coordination of humanitarian responses
Networking & External Engagement
- In alignment with Country Office strategy and leadership, engage in strategic positioning with donors, partners and government in-country, and ensure that Save the Children is a partner of choice in education.
- Ensure that Save the Children is influencing and learning from others through national technical coordination and networking bodies such as clusters and working groups recognising Save the Children and UNICEF are global co-leads for the education cluster.
- Strengthen civil society engagement in national dialogues and policy processes through working closely with advocacy and child rights governance colleagues. Ensure that the diverse voices of children, girls and boys are equitably heard and represented in our education work.
- Represent the program to National and Local government representatives, donors, partner agencies, etc. as required.
- Ensure the quality, clarity and consistency of technical components of internal and external reports (e.g. programme reports, sit-reps, internal updates), working closely with awards, programme implementation and communications colleagues as needed.
- Leverage and liaise with technical colleagues from across Save the Children, including technical working groups and centres of excellence, ensuring that learning from the Country Office is shared with others and global lessons brought back.
Contract Duration: 2 years
Number of Vacancies: 1
Work Location: Nairobi
QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE
- Bachelor’s degree in Education is required.
- Master’s degree in education or other related fields highly preferable.
- At least 8 years of relevant professional experience in the education sector.
- At least 5 years’ experience of leading the design and implementation of humanitarian and development programmes in education
- Understanding of the education sector in Kenya.
- Familiar with education systems (humanitarian/cluster systems as needed) for example the INEE Minimum Standards, the key issues related to Sustainable Development Goal 4 – to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.
- Track record in successful business development/fundraising such as Global Partnership for Education, Education Cannot Wait , EU, FCDO , USAID, World Bank
- Demonstrated experience in research and evaluations that contribute to designing and scaling pathways to sustainable impact.
- Experience of context, capacity and policy analysis, and influencing and advocacy at regional/international level in order to hold duty bearers to account to realise children’s rights.
- Skilled at networking, representation and partnership development in order promote learning, strengthen civil society and mobilise resources.
- Able to generate and use data and evidence to innovate, deliver, learn and share what works and what doesn’t work for children
- Experience of promoting quality and impact through at least one crosscutting area: gender equality and inclusion, adaptive and safer programming; child rights; disability; migration and displacement.
- Experience of supporting humanitarian preparedness, response and recovery
- Significant experience in training, capacity building, and mentoring
- Experience of effective teamwork and outstanding inter-personal communication skills.
- Commitment to Save the Children’s aims, values and principles including willingness to abide by and enforce the Child Safeguarding policy.
THE ORGANIZATION
We employ approximately 25,000 people across the globe and work on the ground in over 100 countries to help children affected by crises, or those that need better healthcare, education and child protection. We also campaign and advocate at the highest levels to realise the right of children and to ensure their voices are heard.
We are working towards three breakthroughs in how the world treats children by 2030:
- No child dies from preventable causes before their 5th birthday
- All children learn from a quality basic education and that,
- Violence against children is no longer tolerated
HOW TO APPLY
Please apply in English saving your CV and covering letter as a single document, including your salary expectations for this role. To see a full a job description, please visit our website at
We need to keep children safe so our selection process reflects our commitment to the protection of children from abuse. Employment is subject to our Child protection standards including background checks and adherence to our Child Safeguarding Policy.
Save the Children is an equal opportunity employer and seeks to employ and assign the best-qualified talent.
Female Candidates are encouraged to apply.
Disclaimer:
Save the Children International does not charge any kind of fee at whichever stage of the recruitment process, nor request for medical examination or records and does not act through recruitment agents whatsoever. | https://sarrauteducacion.com/2022/07/27/kenya-education-technical-specialist/ |
California Attorney General Xavier Becerra today announced a major settlement aimed at reforming a wide range of practices at the Kern County Sheriff’s Office.
The proposed stipulated judgment lodged with the court today works to resolve DOJ's concerns, as alleged in its complaint. As a result of the agreement, the County of Kern and KCSO will engage in a comprehensive set of corrective actions — to be overseen by an independent monitor — to promote public safety, increase transparency and accountability, and enhance KCSO’s relationship with the community by ensuring all individuals are treated with dignity and respect.
The investigation was launched in December of 2016 after a 2015 article from The Guardian was released, naming the Kern County Sheriff's Office as the deadliest in the nation in police killings.
To address these concerns and the investigation’s findings, DOJ and KCSO worked cooperatively to establish a five-year plan that provides for an extensive range of corrective actions, including to:
- Review and revise use-of-force policies and principles to, among other things, prohibit the use of maneuvers that create a substantial risk of positional asphyxia, emphasize that the use of force is not a routine part of policing, and make it an affirmative duty for deputies to intervene, when in a position to do so, against unnecessary or excessive force by another deputy;
- Modify canine-related policies and training, working to ensure canines are deployed in a manner consistent with “find and bark” rather than “find and bite” approaches and limiting off-leash canine deployments only to instances in which a suspect is wanted for a serious felony or is reasonably suspected to be armed based on individualized information;
- Strengthen use-of-force reporting, developing a policy and process to inform the public about all officer-involved shootings, deaths in custody, or other significant matters;
- Require supervisory investigations for all reportable uses of force, including requirements for supervisors to respond to the scene and document findings in a “Supervisor’s Report on Use of Force”;
- Improve use-of-force training, working with the independent monitor to incorporate training on, among other things, de-escalation techniques, principles of procedural justice, and how bias can impact threat assessments;
- Analyze use-of-force data, meeting with a community advisory panel to receive input into policies and procedures from community representatives from various, diverse stakeholder groups;
- Reiterate that investigatory stops or detentions may only occur where there is reasonable suspicion of a crime, requiring deputies during such encounters to state the reason for an investigatory stop or detention as soon as practicable;
- Require deputies be able to articulate a valid reason under law to conduct a consent search, securing supervisory approval before conducting any such searches of a home;
- Provide all dispatchers and their supervisors with crisis intervention training, as well as establishing a preference for deputies who are specifically trained in dealing with individuals in mental health crisis or suffering from a mental health disability to respond to such calls for assistance;
- Ensure timely and meaningful access to police services to all members of the Kern County community, including incarcerated individuals, regardless of their ability to speak, read, write, or understand English;
- Develop a written recruitment plan, including clear goals, objectives, and action steps for attracting and retaining a quality workforce that reflects the diversity of the Kern County community;
- Broaden efforts to actively participate in community engagement efforts, including participating in local community meetings and working with the community on the development of diversion programs;
- Conduct a biennial community survey, seeking, in part, to measure public satisfaction with policing, attitudes among personnel in the sheriff's office, and the quality of deputy-citizen encounters; and
- Establish a clear definition of what constitutes a civilian complaint, including non-traditional sources of complaints such as online video posts by community members depicting apparent deputy misconduct.
A copy of the settlement with the County of Kern and KCSO is available here. A copy of the complaint is available here. | https://www.turnto23.com/news/local-news/watch-live-kcso-holds-press-briefing-regarding-dojs-oversight-efforts-in-kern-county?sdjfhdsjfdshj |
Organization: UN Children’s Fund
UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children.
Across 190 countries and territories to protect the rights of every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone. UNICEF has spent 70 years working to improve the lives of children and their families. Defending children’s rights throughout their lives requires a global presence, aiming to produce results and understand their effects. UNICEF believes all children have a right to survive, thrive and fulfill their potential – to the benefit of a better world. And we never give up!
Click here to learn more about UNICEF: https://youtube/E1xkXZs0cAQ
UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply. Our workplace policies promote flexible work arrangements, to support all staff in maintaining a healthy life balance, both in and out of the office.
We are the first United Nations agency to be awarded the EDGE certification – the leading global standard for gender equality in the workplace.
For more information on UNICEF EDGE Certification, kindly view the video here.
UNICEF prides itself on fostering a multicultural and harmonious work environment, guaranteed by a zero-tolerance policy on sexual exploitation and abuse, and on any kind of harassment, including sexual harassment and discrimination. All selected candidates will undergo rigorous reference and background checks.
For Every Child, AN ADVOCATE:
In an effort to measurably improve UNICEF’s ability to deliver better results for children, there is growing evidence that investing in the health, education and protection of a society’s most disadvantaged citizens — addressing inequity — not only will give all children the opportunity to fulfill their potential but also will lead to sustained growth and stability of countries. This is why the focus on equity is so vital. It accelerates progress towards realizing the human rights of all children, which is the universal mandate of UNICEF, as outlined by the Convention on the Rights of the Child, while also supporting the equitable development of nations.
Organizational Context and Purpose for the job:
The fundamental mission of UNICEF is to promote the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything the organization does — in programs, in advocacy and in operations. The equity strategy, emphasizing the most disadvantaged and excluded children and families, translates this commitment to children’s rights into action. For UNICEF, equity means that all children have an opportunity to survive, develop and reach their full potential, without discrimination, bias or favoritism. To the degree that any child has an unequal chance in life — in its social, political, economic, civic and cultural dimensions — her or his rights are violated. There is growing evidence that investing in the health, education and protection of a society’s most disadvantaged citizens — addressing inequity — not only will give all children the opportunity to fulfill their potential but also will lead to sustained growth and stability of countries. This is why the focus on equity is so vital. It accelerates progress towards realizing the human rights of all children, which is the universal mandate of UNICEF, as outlined by the Convention on the Rights of the Child, while also supporting the equitable development of nations.
Job organizational context:
The position entails supporting the State child protection, child survival and education policy strategies’ development, monitoring, data analysis and planning. The focus will be on introducing upstream programming strategies which include the three pillars of the Social Policy Outcome, namely public finance for children, decentralization and child friendly local governance as well as building of a social protection system to protect vulnerable families and their children. These policy areas will be applied to the child survival, child protection and education realm. Additionally the position will require a strong results-based management and innovations lens in the respective portfolios, supporting knowledge management and an analytical monitoring and evaluation tool for equitable access in child protection, child survival and education. The incumbent will work with a wide range of partners linked to State and District governments, academia, private sector, community led organizations and Civil Society Organizations. Given the inter-sectoral nature of child protection, child survival and education, emphasis is put on the importance of the roles of other relevant social protection sectors cross cutting areas such as early childhood and adolescent development. Continued investment in research and institutional strengthening remains crucial for better results in child protection, child survival and education. Ultimately the position will support the setup of a child rights monitoring mechanism and will shape the future UNICEF response in Indian middle-income context.
The incumbent will be leading a team of experts on child-centered social policy related programming and will work under the guidance and supervision of the Deputy Representative, D-1, based in New Delhi.
Purpose for the job:
The States of Tamil Nadu and Kerala have reached middle income status and have systems and policies in place to enhance the child rights agenda and reduce vulnerabilities of children and women. The UNICEF programme strategies need to align and transition to an upstream and social policy support strategy. The shift in Tamil Nadu and Kerala will show the way for the future of UNICEF in India, its added value and core strategy. The Social Policy Specialist will be an important new role to implement the overall ‘Inclusive Social Policy’ agenda in the two states resulting in the strengthening of the UNICEF social policy response overall. The new position reports to the Deputy Representative for general guidance and direction, and is responsible for managing and supervising all stages of social policy programing and related advocacy from strategic planning and formulation to delivery of concrete and sustainable results. This includes programmes aimed at improving (a) public policies to reduce child poverty; (b) social protection coverage and impact on children; (c) the transparency, adequacy, equity and efficiency of child-focused public investments and financial management; and (d) governance, decentralization and accountability measures to increase public participation and the quality, equity and coverage of social services. This encompasses both direct programme work with government and civil society partners as well as linkages and support to teams working on secondary education, Early Childhood Development, child survival, child protection, water and sanitation, and HIV.
Key functions, accountabilities and related duties/tasks:
Technical leadership:
- Coordinate and provide guidance on annual work plan with the team of social policy specialists; in consultation with the Deputy Representative, define the strategy and priorities/targets for the programme and performance measurements. Monitor work progress and ensure results are achieved according to schedule and performance standards.
- Establish clear individual performance objectives, goals and timelines; and provide timely guidance to enable the team to perform their duties responsibly and efficiently. Plan and ensure timely performance management and assessment of the Team.
- Provide technical guidance to the team members by providing them with clear objectives and goals, direction and guidance to enable them to perform their duties responsibly, effectively and efficiently.
Improving data on child poverty & vulnerability and increased use for policy and programme action:
- Oversees the collection, analysis and user-friendly presentation of data on multidimensional and monetary child poverty, including strengthening states capacity to collect data routinely, report and use it for policy decision-making. Uses the evidence and engages in high level advocacy with senior state officials in support of inclusive social policy strategies and interventions.
- Provides timely, regular data-driven analysis for effective prioritization, planning, and development; facilitates results-based management for planning, adjusting, and scaling-up specific social policy initiatives to reduce multi-dimensional child poverty.
- Analyzes the macroeconomic context and its impact on social development, emerging issues and social policy concerns, as well as implications for children, and proposes and promotes appropriate responses in respect of such issues and concerns, including government resource allocation policies and the effect of social welfare policies on the rights of children.
Strengthening social protection coverage and impact for children:
- Provides high level technical inputs/advice toward the development of social protection policies, legislation and programmes with attention to increasing coverage of and impact on children, and special attention to the most marginalized. Identifies, generates and presents evidence to support this goal in collaboration with partners.
- Promotes strengthening of integrated social protection systems, providing technical support to partners to improve the design of cash transfers and child grants and improve linkages with other social protection interventions such as health insurance, public works and social care services as well as complementary services and intervention related to nutrition, health, education, water and sanitation, child protection and HIV.
- Undertakes improved monitoring and research around social protection impact on child outcomes, and use of data and research findings to advocate for inclusive social policy improvement and strengthening programme results.
Improving Use of public financial resources for children:
- Undertakes budget analysis to inform UNICEF’s advocacy and technical assistance to Ministries of Finance, planning commissions and social sector ministries to improve equitable allocations, effective and efficient use of resources for essential services for children. Works with sector colleagues to build capacity to undertake costing and cost effectiveness analysis on priority interventions to help inform policy decisions on child-focused investments.
- Identifies policy options for improved domestic financing of child-sensitive social services and protection interventions.
- Undertakes, and builds capacity of partners for, improved monitoring and tracking of public expenditure to support transparency, accountability and effective financial flows for essential service delivery, including through support to district level planning, budgeting and public financial management as well as facilitating community participation.
Strengthening capacity of local governments to plan, budget, consult on and monitor child-focused social services:
- Where the national decentralization processes are taking place, collaborates with central and local authorities to improve policies, planning, budgeting, consultation and accountability processes so that decisions and child-focused service delivery more closely respond to the needs of the most vulnerable communities.
- Collaborates with the central and local authorities to strengthen capacity on quality data collection, analysis for policy development, planning, implementation, coordination, monitoring of essential social services, with emphasis on community participation and accountability.
Strengthened advocacy and partnerships for child-sensitive social policy:
- Oversees the correct and compelling use of data and evidence on the situation of children and coverage and impact of child focused services – in support of the social policy programme and the country programme overall.
- Establishes effective partnerships with the Government, bilateral and multilateral donors, NGOs, civil society and local leaders, the private sector, and other UN agencies to support sustained and proactive commitment to the Convention of the Rights of the Child and to achieve global UN agendas such as the Sustainable Development Goals.
- Identifies other critical partners, promotes awareness and builds capacity of partners, and actively facilitates effective collaboration within the UN family.
UNICEF Programme Management:
- Manages and coordinates technical support around child poverty, social protection, public finance and governance ensuring it is well planned, monitored, and implemented in a timely fashion so as to adequately support scale-up and delivery. Ensures risk analysis and risk mitigation are embedded into overall management of the support, in close consultation with UNICEF programme sections, Cooperating Partners, and governments.
- Ensures effective and efficient planning, management, coordination, monitoring and evaluation of the country programme. Ensures that the social planning project enhances policy dialogue, planning, supervision, technical advice, management, training, research and support; and that the monitoring and evaluation component strengthens monitoring and evaluation of the social sectors and provides support to sectoral and decentralized information systems.
Impact of Results:
The strategic and effective advocacy, planning and formulation of social policy programs/projects and the achievement of sustainable results, contributes to achievement of goals and objectives to create a protective environment for children and thus ensure their survival, development and well-being in society. Achievements in social policy programs and projects in turn contribute to maintaining/enhancing the credibility and ability of UNICEF to provide program services for mothers and children that promotes greater social equality in the country.
Competencies and level of proficiency required:
Core Values
- Commitment
- Diversity and inclusion
- Integrity
Core competencies
- Communication (III)
- Working with people (III)
- Drive for results (III)
Functional Competencies:
- Leading and supervising (III)
- Formulating strategies and concepts (III)
- Analyzing (III)
- Relating and networking (III)
- Persuading & Influencing (III)
- Planning & Organizing (II)
Education:
Advanced university degree in Economics, Public Policy, Social Sciences, International Relations, Political Science, or other relevant disciplines.
Experience:
At least 8 (eight) years of relevant professional work experience in child protection, child survival or education policies related fields that involves substantive and relevant experience in policy and system strengthening. Familiarity with emergency is considered an asset.
Language Requirements:
Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language or a local language is an asset.
To view our competency framework, please click here.
Remarks:
- Selected applicant will have an initial two (2) year fixed-term contract, with possibility of extension, subject to satisfactory performance.
- Only shortlisted candidates will be notified and advance to the next stage of the selection process, which involves various assessments.
- UNICEF does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process including application, interview, meeting, traveling, processing, training etc. UNICEF is a nonsmoking working environment. | https://humanitarianweb.org/chief-social-policy-chennai-social-policy-section-no-d-chennai-india-post-number-104058-re-advertisement-this-vacancy-is-for-indian-nationals-only-job/ |
ROLE PURPOSE:
As a member of the Senior Management Team (SMT) in Iraq, the Director of Program Development and Quality (PDQ) is responsible for driving cross-functional engagement in the development and delivery of Country Strategy Plans (CSPs), developing annual plans and reporting on results. S/he is responsible for ensuring development and delivery of high quality, evidence-based, innovative programs for children, in all contexts, that contribute to Save the Children’s global Breakthroughs: Learn, Survive, Be Protected. The Director of PDQ ensures that a robust monitoring, evaluation, accountability and learning (MEAL) system is in place, that the country office engages in the collection and use of evidence and that this is shared across the global organization, and that reliable data is used for decision-making. One key aspect of the role is ensuring capability building, mentoring and coaching of technical specialists in order to support program quality in line with global standards and key performance indicators. As a senior leader in the country office s/he plays a representational role with the government, donors, partners, peer agencies, SC Members and others. The Director of PDQ supports strategic positioning with donors and partners and leads on project design to ensure that the Country Office (CO) strategy can be delivered in line with child rights programming principles.
SCOPE OF ROLE:
Reports to: Country Director
Staff directly reporting to this post:
MEAL Manager, Technical Specialists (education; child protection and youth; food security and livelihoods; water, sanitation and hygiene; MHPSS), Business Development Manager, Education Cluster Coordinator and Child Protection Sub-Cluster Co-Coordinator.
Role Dimensions:
As one of the members of the Senior Management Team (SMT) of the Country Office, the Director of Program Development and Quality (PDQ) must demonstrate the qualities of agile leadership. S/he plays a key role in defining and pursuing the strategic direction for Save the Children’s programs in Iraq, ensuring the relevance, coherence, safety and impact of our programs for children in all contexts. This is a challenging role requiring an individual who can work with complexity and multiple tasks at one time. It is essential that the Director of Program Development and Quality builds and maintains strong relationships across functions within the CO, including with team members from Operations, Award Management, Advocacy and Finance, and s/he should lead by example in demonstrating this cross-functional collaboration. This role demands dedication to demonstrating outcomes for children, experience in integrated child rights programming and a highly moti vated leader. S/he has specific oversight for ensuring that programs demonstrate thematic excellence in contributing to Save the Children’s three Breakthroughs for children, especially for the most deprived and marginalized: no child dies from preventable causes before their fifth birthday; all children learn from a quality basic education; and violence against children is no longer tolerated
KEY AREAS OF ACCOUNTABILITY:
Strategy, Planning and Reporting (15%)
* Lead the development/updating of the Child Rights Situation Analysis, including analysis of country context and taking into account child rights principles, ensuring participation and buy-in from all relevant staff, partners and other stakeholders as necessary
* Lead the SMT to develop/update and drive forward the Country Strategy Plan (CSP) that is in line with the global strategy, Ambition 2030, with child rights at the core of all programming and advocacy work
* Provide leadership on development of the Country Annual Plan, monitoring of progress against the plan, and completion of accurate, on-time Country Annual Report of outcomes and impact for children, aligned with the Global Results Framework.
* Facilitate the development and pursuit of thematic and cross-cutting strategic priorities in line with the CSP, including gender equality, disability and inclusion to guide current and future SC programming and Humanitarian Strategies.
* Support ownership and commitment to the Country Office strategy by all staff and departments through clear communication, regular feedback on progress and engagement of all functions in updates.
* Participate in global discussions and working groups to represent country office, and the voice of children, in strategy design and policy development.
* Support change processes and roll-out new ways of working to improve achievement of the CSP.
Program Design & Development (40%)
* Based on tracking provided by the Business Development Manager, review and position for opportunities that will drive the CSP, including regular donor engagement.
* In consultation with the Country Director and Members, ensure technical engagement with donors to pre-position and prepare for opportunities, and engage in strategic positioning work directly as appropriate.
* Play a leading role in designing proposals, including:
(a) Engaging with technical experts as needed to ensure high quality, evidence-based designs that draw on needs assessments, learning from past programs and child safeguarding principles;
(b) Ensuring partners are identified and appropriately engaged in program design, linking with Operations and Awards teams as need be for assessments, especially to strengthen gender sensitivity at design stage;
(c) Ensuring proposal designs and their budgets include robust MEAL plans that are aligned with the Global Results Framework (and therefore advance towards our Breakthroughs), incorporate Common Approaches as relevant, and build in critical learning questions.
(d) Working with the finance and operations teams to ensure the project budget will enable the project to be delivered as designed.
(e) Incorporating child and community participation into design, as relevant.
Program Quality and Program Technical Excellence (20%)
* Ensure the country program delivers high quality, multi-sectoral programming in development, humanitarian and nexus contexts (as appropriate).
(a) Monitor and advance technical and operational quality of programmes, including conducting regular field visits to provide feedback on quality benchmarks, soliciting inputs for design of new programs and collecting ideas for innovation.
(b) Monitor program Key Performance Indicators and, in partnership with other functions, take steps to improve the quality programming platform to meet agreed upon standards.
(c) Work closely with the Director of Operations to ensure Quality Framework standards are met and procedures are followed throughout the project cycle and across the portfolio.
(d) Ensure technical experts proactively and regularly communicate planned requirements for program design, learning and implementation to relevant CO departments/functions.
* Build and lead a team of program technical experts needed to successfully deliver against the CSP. Ensure effective working relationships with SC global, Member and regional technical advisors, procuring technical support as needed to support program and advocacy efforts, including during emergencies.
(a) Ensure that program technical experts engage in larger communities of practice within and external to Save the Children, to link with the most relevant and evidence-based approaches and conduct timely and useful review of project reports to support quality reporting for Members and donors
(b) Ensure that the different technical sectors of the Country Office are coordinated, integrated and support each other to optimize programs and projects.
(c) Ensure that child safeguarding and safe programming is embedded in program design and considered throughout implementation to ensure that we do all we can to ensure children in our programs are safe, in line with our child safeguarding policy.
Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, Learning (MEAL) and Knowledge management (10%)
* Oversee a monitoring system that provides timely and accurate project results by embedding MEAL across program implementation. This requires ensuring effective collaboration across MEAL staff, Technical Specialists, member Technical Advisors and program implementation teams to develop logframes, indicators, implementation plans, quality benchmarks, M&E frameworks and related tools.
* Lead programme quality improvements by monitoring and improving Programme KPI performance, including resourcing and conducting high-quality evaluations to demonstrate outcomes and impact and ensuring that accountability mechanisms are in place for all projects so that identified actions are resolved, with critical issues escalated to senior management.
* Ensure the research, evaluation and policy work of the Country Office contributes to generation of evidence for development and improvement of Common Approaches, sound decision making and policy influencing internally and externally.
* Establish effective program learning and knowledge management systems to support adaptive programming and innovation that improves outcomes for children.
Partnership (5%)
* Play a leading role in identifying nurturing and strengthening strategic partnerships with local and international civil society organizations, NGOs, governments and clusters etc., in advancing the country and global strategy to inspire our three breakthroughs for the most deprived and marginalised children.
* Champion the localisation and partnership agenda to grow Save the Children’s work through and with partners, and provide technical support and capability building to implementing and strategic partners.
Leadership, Staff Management, Mentorship, and Development (10%)
* Ensure appropriate resourcing and staffing of Program Development and Quality team, and engagement of additional technical support when needed to deliver quality project design and delivery.
* Ensure that all PDQ staff understand and are able to perform their role in delivering first-class, quality programs for children in nexus contexts through effective onboarding and clear workplans.
* Manage individual and team performance using principles of leadership agility, and Save the Children’s performance management system.
* Ensure that staff proactively build and maintain technical, managerial and leadership skills, including competencies in child rights programming, child safeguarding and Common Approaches, providing coaching opportunities when needed.
* Contribute to a high performing Senior Management Team to ensure outstanding country office leadership
SKILLS AND BEHAVIOURS:
Accountability:
* Holds self-accountable for making decisions, managing resources efficiently, achieving and role modelling Save the Children values
* Holds the team and partners accountable to deliver on their responsibilities - giving them the freedom to deliver in the best way they see fit, providing the necessary development to improve performance and applying appropriate consequences when results are not achieved
Ambition:
* Sets ambitious and challenging goals for themselves (and their team), takes responsibility for their own personal development and encourages others to do the same
* Widely shares their personal vision for Save the Children, engages and motivates others
* Future orientated, thinks strategically
Collaboration:
* Builds and maintains effective relationships, within their team and across other functional teams, as well as members and external partners and supporters
* Values diversity, sees it as a source of competitive strength
* Approachable, good listener, easy to talk to
Creativity:
* Develops and encourages new and innovative solutions
* Willing to take disciplined risks
Integrity:
* Honest, encourages openness and transparency
* Willing and able to comply to policies regarding fraud, child safeguarding and professional conduct
QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE:
* Masters Degree or Bachelor’s Degree, and experience in relevant social science, human rights, development studies, NGO management or equivalent fields.
* A minimum of seven years of progressive senior management and/ or humanitarian and development experience, including experience designing and implementing programs for children.
* Solid understanding and experience in one or more of Save the Children's technical areas: education, child protection, child rights governance, health and nutrition, child poverty, MEAL
* Appreciation of the humanitarian-development-peace nexus and strategies for transitional programming.
* Understanding of advocacy, policy, and government systems in the host country, and particular experience with child rights programming, including UNCRC.
* Strong skills and proven experience in leading strategic planning, change management and program management processes; also from the knowledge and learning perspective.
* Strong skills and proven experience in new program development, project design and proposal writing with corporate, foundations and/or institutional donors.
* Credibility to lobby, influence and represent Save the Children at all levels.
* Experience in developing and managing monitoring, evaluation, accountability and learning systems.
* Excellent listening, inter-personal, communication and networking skills; proven experience and effectiveness working across functional teams and in a matrixed structure; and an ability to work with diverse populations.
* Skills in training, capability building, coaching, mentorship, problem solving, and project cycle management.
* High level of self-awareness and willingness to take feedback for growth and self-development.
* Proven experience as a team player and leader in an international organisation.
* Fluent written and spoken English. Arabic language skills desirable.
THE ORGANISATION:
We employ approximately 25,000 people across the globe and work on the ground in over 100 countries to help children affected by crises, or those that need better healthcare, education and child protection. We also campaign and advocate at the highest levels to realise the right of children and to ensure their voices are heard.
We are working towards three breakthroughs in how the world treats children by 2030:
* No child dies from preventable causes before their 5th birthday
* All children learn from a quality basic education and that,
* Violence against children is no longer tolerated
We know that great people make a great organization, and that our employees play a crucial role in helping us achieve our ambitions for children. We value our people and offer a meaningful and rewarding career, along with a collaborative and inclusive workplace where ambition, creativity, and integrity are highly valued.
Application Information: | https://uncareer.net/vacancy/director-of-program-development-and-quality-302481 |
One of our Sponsors is looking for a CRA for a 6-month project who has at least 50% utilization available and is within driving distance to sites in NYC. Oncology and Urology experience is required. While this is a short term project, it is a great opportunity to get your foot in the door with this amazing Sponsor as they are launching a large global phase III in the fall and will be looking for high-quality CRAs to monitor this project.
Job Responsibilities:
- Act as the "Site Manager" ensuring relationship with site(s) are positive, issues are resolved quickly, and communications are strong across all verticals.
- Assist with the development of study manuals, CRFs, monitoring standards, site study tools and other study materials as required.
- Develop and implement site recruitment, selection and initiation plan.
- Manage and drive patient recruitment and enrollment tracking.
- Provide training to sites on the study protocol, study conduct, CRF completion and data management expectations.
- Ensure essential document collection for completeness per regulatory requirements.
- Serve as a liaison with Investigators, Institutions and sites to provide support during the conduct of the clinical trial and serve as a resource for protocol and procedures.
- Demonstrate knowledge of on-site monitoring to ensure compliance with GCPs, study protocols, and SOPs.
Manage one or multiple studies.
- Monitor product supplies/accountability including proper storage, dispensation, and disposal.
- Manage study completion activities including CRF collection, query resolution, record archiving and site closeout activities.
- Review in-house data and study tables.
- Mentor, coach and provide guidance to clinical staff as appropriate.
- Supervise and train other employees as appropriate.
Job Qualifications:
- Required to have oncology (at least 2 years)
- Required to have Urology experience (any)
- Experience working in Orphan or Rare Disease is a plus
- Experience working with small / medium sponsor is a plus
- May have the opportunity to roll into future studies
Apply for this job: | https://craresources.com/job-listing/clinical-research-associate-nyc-area/ |
Montrose has been contracted by the Department for International Development (DFID) to provide the Monitoring, Evidence, Learning and Review (MELR) component of the DFID Saving Lives in Sierra Leone (SLiSL) programme (running from April 2016 to March 2021). SLiSL aims to save women and children’s lives by improving the quality, availability and accessibility of reproductive, maternal, newborn and child health (RMNCH) services across Sierra Leone. The overall objective of MELR is to provide DFID, implementing partners and the Ministry of Health and Sanitation (MoHS) with comprehensive, accurate and informative reports on progress and delivery of the Saving Lives in Sierra Leone Programme.
Situation
Despite its small population and rich natural resources, Sierra Leone has a turbulent recent history marked by brutal internal conflict, the Ebola Crisis of 2014-2015 and the sharp decline of world iron ore prices, in 2014, its major mineral export. Following a period of relative recovery in the years following the end of a major civil war, much progress has been reversed by the devastating impact of the Ebola crisis on service delivery in the health and education sectors. The weak current state of the Sierra Leone health system results in some of the worst health indicators in the world, particularly in relation to infant and maternal health:
- Sierra Leone consistently ranks at or near the top of global infant and maternal mortality rates - In 2013, the country had the world’s highest estimated maternal mortality ratio at 1,165 deaths per 1,000 births and the mortality rate of children under 5 stood at 156 deaths per 1,000 births. One in three deaths among women aged between 15 – 49 years occur during pregnancy and childbirth.
- Fertility rates are high, with 35% of women giving birth before the age of 18 and only 16% of married women using modern contraception.
- Only half of mothers deliver in health facilities and rates of post-natal care are low, with significant disparity between rural and urban areas.
The weak state of the health sector is not only a result of systemic gaps within health care governance and accountability, but also the geography of poverty within the country. Infrastructure remains poor in rural areas which has a knock-on effect on access to health care - 60% percent of Sierra Leone’s population live in settlements of less than 2,000 inhabitants, with only five percent of the total population having access to power, and the majority living more than 2km from year-round accessible roads. This settlement pattern makes it difficult for rural people to access healthcare services and leaves populations acutely vulnerable to preventable diseases such as cholera, dysentery, malaria and tuberculosis. Treatable child birth complications, notably post-partum hemorrhage, hypertension and sepsis, are common killers of rural women.
In light of this context, DFID is funding a wide-ranging four-year programme aligned with the Government of Sierra Leone’s post Ebola Presidential Recovery Priorities for health, to support cost-effective interventions which will improve health service delivery and save maternal and child lives.
Some of these interventions include:
- Ensuring referral facilities across Sierra Leone are able to provide emergency obstetric and neonatal care (EmONC)
- Installing and/or upgrading water and sanitation (WASH) in health facilities
- Rolling out a national community health worker (CHW) programme, providing the critical link between health care needs and service delivery at the community level
- Improving the quality of primary maternal and child health services including supplies, training and supervision;
- Supporting changes in health behaviors on family planning (especially targeting adolescent girls), nutrition and hygiene; and
- Ensuring good data is available for accountability and decision making.
DFID has engaged Montrose as an independent Monitoring, Evidence, Learning and Review (MELR) partner to provide them (along with service providers and the MoHS) with comprehensive, accurate and informative reporting on progress and delivery of the programme.
Solution
Montrose will support delivery of the SLISL programme with technical advice and research in the areas of results verification, data quality, value for money, disability, gender and inclusion, and the political economy. As part of our work on programme reporting, we will support the MoHS Department of Planning, Policy and Information (DPPI) to strengthen their capacity to monitor and analyse reports from a range of health sector projects such as SLISL. Montrose will monitor and provide accountability for the delivery of implementing partners’ activities under the programme. These reports will create an evidence-base for decision-making to inform the direction of the programme and will enable Montrose and partners to document lessons learnt.
The MELR component will provide accountability, inform programme decisions and document evidence and lessons learnt. As MELR provider, Montrose will provide the following services to the SLISL programme:
- Support and ongoing refinement of the design of the overall programme monitoring framework
- Compilation, analysis and presentation of results data and other third-party information, supported by review and verification of the data collection processes and quality of service providers
- Capacity building of MoHS staff at both national and decentralised levels to enhance their ability to monitor and report on health data, particularly regarding progress against the President’s Recovery Plan and the Health Sector Strategic Plans.
- Political Economy Analysis of the health sector on an annual basis
- Development of a Value for Money (VfM) framework and annual VfM analysis of the entirety of the programme as well as specific components e.g. procurement
- Qualitative fieldwork to enhance understanding stakeholder and beneficiary perspectives, validate implementing partners’ programme reporting, and to enhance understanding of programme activities
- Operational research studies on specific cross-cutting issues such as disability, gender and quality of care
- Lesson learning and knowledge management support, including development and implementation of a plan for dissemination, with feedback loops to government to improve decentralised delivery
- Production of annual reviews and final project completion review.
Services:Reviews and EvaluationKampalaPractice Areas:HealthResearch and Evaluation
Comments are closed. | http://www.montroseint.com/projects/monitoring-and-review-of-health-investments/ |
UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential.
Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone.
And we never give up.
For every child, a Champion
How can you make a difference?
The WASH Specialist reports to the Chief of WASH/Health/Nutrition/ADAP/CFO/CSD (Level 5/4) or WASH Manager (Level 3/4) at Field Office for guidance and general supervision. The Specialist supports the development, preparation, management, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the WASH programme within the country programme. The Specialist provides technical guidance and management support throughout the programming processes, to facilitate the administration and achievement of the WASH-related output results in the country programme.
Summary of key functions/accountabilities:
1. Programme development and planning
- Draft the WASH inputs for the situation analysis. Provide timely, comprehensive and current data to inform WASH policy and programme development, planning, management and implementation. Keep abreast of WASH sector development trends, for maximum efficiency and effectiveness in programme design, management and implementation.
- Participate in strategic WASH programme planning discussions. Prepare WASH donor proposals, ensuring alignment with UNICEF’s Strategic Plan, UNICEF’s global WASH strategy and the Country programme, as well as government plans and priorities, and the role of other external support agencies.
- Assist in the formulation of the WASH outcome and output results, related indicators, baselines, targets and means of verification. Prepare required documentation for programme reviews.
- Work with colleagues and partners to discuss strategies and methodologies for the achievement of WASH output results in the country programme.
- Provide technical and operational support throughout all stages of programming processes and ensure integration, coherence and harmonization of WASH with other UNICEF sectors, for the achievement of the WASH output results.
- Draft assigned sections of the annual work plan, in close cooperation with government and other counterparts.
2. Programme management, monitoring and delivery of results
- With other external support agencies, strengthen national government WASH sector monitoring systems, with a focus on WASH outcomes (behaviors), using bottleneck analysis tools available in the sector (WASH-BAT, CSOs, SDAs).
- Participate in monitoring and evaluation exercises, programme reviews and annual sectoral reviews with government and other counterparts and prepare reports on results for required action/interventions at the higher level of programme management.
- Prepare/assess monitoring and evaluation reports to identify gaps, strengths/weaknesses in programmes and management, identify and document lessons learned.
- Monitor and report on the use of sectoral programme resources (financial, administrative and other assets), verify compliance with approved allocations, organizational rules, regulations/procedures and donor commitments, standards of accountability and integrity. Report on issues identified to enable timely resolution by management/stakeholders.
- Prepare sectoral progress reports for management, donors and partners.
3. Technical and operational support for programme implementation
- Actively monitor UNICEF-supported activities through field visits, surveys and exchange of information with partners, to assess progress, identify bottlenecks and potential problems and take timely decisions to resolve issues and/or refer to relevant officials for timely interventions.
- Provide technical and operational support to government counterparts, NGO partners, UN system partners and other country office partners/donors on the application and understanding of UNICEF policies, strategies, processes and best practices in WASH, to support programme implementation.
- Plan for use of technical experts from the Regional Office and HQ, as and where appropriate in the WASH programme, through remote support and on-site visits.
- Participate in WASH programme meetings, to review progress, with government, other sector agencies and implementation partners, involved at various stages of WASH programme implementation, to provide expert advice and guidance.
- Draft policy papers, briefs and other strategic materials for use by management, donors, UNICEF regional offices and headquarters.
4. Humanitarian WASH preparedness and response
- Prepare requisitions for supplies, services, long-term agreements and partnership agreements to ensure UNICEF is prepared to deliver on its commitments for WASH in case of an emergency.
- Contribute to the coordination arrangement for humanitarian WASH, for instant robust coordination in case of an emergency.
- Ensure that all UNICEF WASH staff are familiar with UNICEF’s procedures for responding in an emergency.
- Take up support roles in an emergency response and early recovery, as and when the need arises.
5. Networking and partnership building
- Build and sustain close working partnerships with government counterparts and national stakeholders through active sharing of information and knowledge to facilitate programme implementation and build capacity of stakeholders to achieve WASH output results.
- Prepare materials for WASH programme advocacy to promote awareness, establish partnerships and support fund-raising.
- Participate in inter-agency discussions, ensuring that UNICEF’s position, interests and priorities are fully considered and integrated in the UNDAF development planning and agenda setting.
6. Innovation, knowledge management and capacity building
- Lead the development, implementation, monitoring and documentation of WASH action research and innovation (technical or systems).
- Prepare learning/knowledge products, covering innovative approaches and good practices, to support overall WASH sector development.
- Create and deliver learning opportunities for UNICEF WASH staff, to ensure our sector capacity remains up to date with latest developments.
- Contribute to the systematic assessment of WASH sector capacity gap analysis, in collaboration with government and other stakeholders, and support the design of initiative to strengthen capacities systematically.
- Participate as a resource person in capacity building initiatives to enhance the competencies of clients/stakeholders.
To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…
- An advanced university degree in one of the following fields is required: public health, social sciences, behavior change communication, sanitary engineering or another relevant technical field.
- Additional relevant post-graduate courses that complement/supplement the main degree is a strong asset.
- A minimum of five years of professional experience in WASH-related programmes for developing countries is required.
- One year of deployment in a developing country is required.
- At least one three-month deployment mission in a humanitarian situation (with UN-Govt-INGO) is required.
- Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) or a local language is an asset.
For every Child, you demonstrate…
UNICEF’s Core Values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust and Accountability (CRITA) underpin everything we do and how we do it. Get acquainted with Our Values Charter: https://uni.cf/UNICEFValues
UNICEF competencies required for this post are…
(1) Builds and maintains partnerships (2) Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness (3) Drive to achieve results for impact (4) Innovates and embraces change (5) Manages ambiguity and complexity (6) Thinks and acts strategically (7) Works collaboratively with others.
During the recruitment process, we test candidates following the competency framework. Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels: competency framework here.
UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization.
We offer a wide range of benefits to our staff, including paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF strongly encourages the use of flexible working arrangements.
UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. UNICEF also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.
Remarks:
Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.
UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance. Appointments may also be subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (COVID). Government employees that are considered for employment with UNICEF are normally required to resign from their government before taking up an assignment with UNICEF. UNICEF reserves the right to withdraw an offer of appointment, without compensation, if a medical clearance is not obtained, or necessary inoculation requirements are not met, within a reasonable period for any reason. | https://somalismsjobs.com/jobs/re-advert-wash-specialist-hargeisa/ |
CHILD SAFEGUARDING:
Level 2: either the post holder will have access to personal data about children and/or young people as part of their work; or the post holder will be working in a ‘regulated’ position (accountant, barrister, solicitor, legal executive); therefore a police check will be required (at ‘standard’ level in the UK or equivalent in other countries).
ROLE PURPOSE:
The Chief of Program Impact Creation (PIC) plays a crucial leadership and challenging role in the Indonesia program who can operate in a high profile and rapidly transitioning environment, as well as helps execute the vision, strategy, and operational plan to support the national organization in positioning the agency to successfully compete for specific opportunities.
The post holder will work very closely with multiple internal stakeholders in raising the profile of Save the Children in Indonesia, ensuring that the national organizational strategy is fundable, learning from current and past programs informs new proposal development and that proposals are supported by and based upon high-quality technical advice, and keep closely informed about the progress of new opportunities of all major institutional grants.
The post holder must proactively seek and maintain active and regular working relationships with host government authorities, development, humanitarian and corporate donors and partner agencies (e.g., USAID, FCDO, SIDA, etc.), the UN system, and local and international NGOs as identified per the external stakeholder management system. This includes the responsibility of maintaining strong institutional relationships with relevant Government of Indonesia Ministries and stakeholders.
The post holder shares the responsibility to build the most positive and affirming work environment possible and support the management, staffing, and culture of the organization to be suitably aligned with the Save the Children Breakthrough mission, Save the Children Indonesia Member strategy and adheres to the Member Accountability Framework.
The post holder will be responsible for standards in the Member Accountability Framework, specifically on Strategy and Resource Mobilization.
In the event of a major humanitarian emergency, the role holder will be expected to work outside the normal role profile and be able to vary working hours accordingly.
KEY AREAS OF ACCOUNTABILITY:
Strategic Leadership and Planning
- Provide leadership, strategic vision, and direction to the Indonesia country program.
- Position Save the Children Indonesia as the leading organization for children’s issues in the country, with child rights at the core of all programming and advocacy work.
- Ensuring strong evidence base for both country and thematic strategies; lead periodic update of the Child Right Situational Analysis, and revising our thematic program strategies as needed to ensure quality needs-based programming.
- Lead the development/updating of the Country Program Strategies and Country Annual Plans and Reports, ensuring participation and buy-in from all relevant staff, partners, and other stakeholders as necessary.
- Oversees the implementation and follow-up of Business Development Strategy and Process and coordination with the various related functions on their portfolio contribution (institutional, corporate, individual fundraising).
- Leads the development and regular update of a long-term donor engagement strategy to assist in growing the Indonesia portfolio over the next 3-5 years in areas relevant to Save the Children and child rights.
Program Design and Development
- Ensure the design of child-focused emergency and development programs are of high quality and consistent with the member strategy (Country Strategic Plan), as well as participate in conceptualizing and designing cost-effective, innovative, and high-quality programs to serve difficult to reach and the most deprived/marginalized children.
- Ensure the incorporation of gender-sensitive and transformative approaches, child rights participation, and child rights governance into program design, as well as ensure that all sectors apply a risk lens to program design and implementation in line with the Save the Children policy especially on Disaster Risk Reduction and Child Safeguarding
- Leads on pre-positioning and capture planning process of upcoming strategic and high-value opportunities and coordinates with relevant functions.
- Lead on the development of high-value, complex proposals or bids, building on global, regional, and national SCI Technical and Thematic expertise, ensuring the highest quality products are submitted to the member and the donor, as well as proactively and regularly communicate planned requirements for program design and implementation to relevant departments/functions
- Set proposal development timelines and processes including needs assessments; organization and facilitation of project designing meetings and workshops with concerned teams, and external stakeholders
- Oversees the synthesis of key donor reports across program sites, ensuring quality and timely reporting according to donor regulations.
- Coordinate closely with Save the Children and Members in identifying opportunities, understanding priorities, and developing programs and seek the involvement of member technical assistance
Research, Evidence, and Learning
- Ensure the SC Indonesia develops and maintains research, evaluation, and learning agenda and strategy that uses different tools to identify and document evidence generation and good practices to share among relevant internal and external stakeholders.
- Network and develop strategic partnerships with national and international research institutions and Save the Children technical leadership in evidence building.
- In coordination with other departments, lead PIC team in establishing and rolling out the knowledge management strategy and systems
- Promote an organizational culture of learning where evidence generated through programming and research initiatives are used for program and strategy development, support ongoing projects and programs, and play a central role in developing written reports and publications for advocacy
Monitoring, Accountability, and Learning
- Ensure a robust Monitoring, Accountability, and Learning system to measure progress and achievement toward program goals and results is developed and implemented.
- Ensure the development and roll out Quality Benchmarks and Tools for regularly measure progress and achievements across all sectors in Indonesia.
- Ensure that Monitoring Accountability and Learning findings/results are regularly produced systematically, disseminated and actions are taken to improve program quality.
- Ensure that program development actions are informed by lessons generated from program monitoring and accountability results.
Strategic Portfolio and Fundraising
- Identifies, researches and disseminates information on new funding opportunities from bilateral, multi-lateral, and other institutional and private corporate donors.
- Reviews the current pipelines, strategy, and tools, conducts gap analysis, and proposes solutions, as well as pro-actively seeks donor intelligence on prospective new opportunities or partnerships.
- Conducts research, develops strategy, and sets financial targets on new revenue generation opportunities such as social enterprise, fee for service (consulting, training, etc).
- Develop the funding strategy to support the Country Strategy Plans and enhance new opportunities in new business development across all funding streams.
- Proposes new innovative approaches and explores various areas of potential donors to support the organizational strategy and goals.
- Directly oversees the corporate fundraising unit and be accountable for its financial target and management.
- Explores and tests potential private sector partnerships and keeps abreast of local funding environment.
- Directly oversees the awards (key account) management unit and be accountable for donor compliance, reporting, and closeout.
- Coordinates with the Member Engagement and Resource Mobilisation Director Asia to identify and align with the Asian strategy and donor’s engagement.
- Ensures key contacts, required formats, and donor strategies are kept up-to-date at the country level.
- Collaboration with functional lead to clarify roles and responsibilities for new business development within the organization and ensures that field teams have a clear direction of new business development.
Facilitate Donor Engagement
- Cultivates excellent working relationships with donor agencies at the country and regional level as appropriate and as indicated by the line manager and with Save the Children members at head office and regional level.
- Manages the development and regular updating of the donor engagement strategy and planning, in line with the funding strategy.
- Support on regular donor check-in/update visits with major institutional donors
- Encourage early donor engagement and intelligence-gathering on upcoming opportunities to enable us to pre-position accordingly.
- Represent the organization in relevant donor forums, workshops, and conferences where new business development opportunities can be identified and promoted.
- Work closely with SC members to ensure collaborative and consistent approaches to donors and member support for country-level resource mobilization initiatives.
- Contribute to the new regional and global funding partnerships in support of the agreed funding priorities on behalf of Yayasan.
- Ensure financial efficiency in program design and implementation, compliance with Donor/Member Requirements, quality and timely reporting, and contribute to achieving high standards in award management
Advocacy
- Provide ideas and create new ways of framing or achieving policy changes
- Ensuring advocacy is integrated into program development and implementation
- Ensure development of an advocacy strategy and annual plans linked to the member strategy, with clear deliverables
- Provide high-level representation for the advocacy work with government, industry, media, alliances, and targets, as well as ensuring that key advocacy messages are integrated into external representation.
Leadership & Development
- Ensure appropriate efficient and effective staffing within the team to be able to carry out major functions.
- Ensure the training and professional development of staff ensuring appropriate and relevant career development and availability of appropriate professional development opportunities, this also includes coaching and mentoring.
QUALIFICATIONS
- Masters’ degree in a technical field relevant to Save the Children’s key area of work, business, finance, or equivalent.
EXPERIENCE AND SKILLS
Essential:
- A minimum of 10 (ten) years of progressive senior management and/or social development experience in a corporate or an NGO environment, including experience directing and implementing programs for children.
- Strong skills and proven experience in new program development and design of donor proposals with the corporate sector, foundations, and institutional donors.
- Experience in leading the development of large-scale or strategic proposals, including the development of project budgets greater than $1 million.
- Experience in working with financial and other data systems to produce budgets, analyze data, and track trends.
- Experience in developing, using, managing, and developing Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, and Learning (MEAL) systems.
- Excellent writing/editing, budget development, and presentation/communication skills, including influencing and negotiation
- Strong skills and proven experience in leading strategic planning. Ability to analyze information, evaluate options and think and plan strategically.
- Substantial experience and knowledge of effective financial and budgetary control and securing and managing grants (e.g., USAID, SIDA, and FCDO grants).
- Excellent listening, interpersonal, and coaching skills; highly developed cultural awareness and ability to work well in an international environment with people from diverse backgrounds and cultures.
- Ability and willingness to dramatically change work practices and hours, and work with incoming teams, particularly during emergencies, and meet proposal deadlines.
- Fluency in English, both verbal and written, required.
Desirable:
- An in-depth understanding of national and international development issues in particular in relation to children.
- Experience working with high-level government agencies and academics on issues related to children
- Management and leadership skills and experience including demonstrated capacity to successfully lead diverse teams.
- Training, capacity building, coaching, and mentorship skills, specifically to mentor to coach or mentor senior staff in proposal development or funding strategies
- Commitment to and understanding of Save the Children’s aims, values, and principles including rights-based approaches. | https://www.kerja-ngo.com/2021/04/27/save-the-children-job-vacancy-chief-of-program-impact-creation-south-jakarta/ |
# What War May Bring
What Love May Bring (French: Ces amours-là) is a 2010 French film directed by Claude Lelouch. It is also known as What Love May Bring.
## Plot
Ilva is a woman who falls in love too easily. Unaware and unconcerned about how her passion may be perceived, she finds herself having to live with the consequences of her actions. First, in the middle of the German occupation in Paris, she falls for a Nazi, which indirectly leads to the death of her father. For many, her relationship was interpreted as her collaboration with the Nazis. Her next love story, however, bring additional tragedy. During the liberation of France in '44, when she is violently summoned to answer for her relationship with the German, she is saved by two Americans GIs, one white and one black. She falls in love with both these men, at the same time. Her inability to choose between them, creates conflict, unhappiness and murder.
The film combines history, music, and a little absurdity to treat the subject of love, passion, and destiny.
## Cast
Dominique Pinon as Maurice Lemoine Jacky Ido as Bob Kane Anouk Aimée as Madame Blum Audrey Dana as Ilva / Simone / Sophia Gisèle Casadesus as Old Ilva Kristina Cepraga as Brigitte Bardot Samuel Labarthe as Horst Gilles Lemaire as Jim Singer Laurent Couson as Simon Judith Magre as Esther Raphaël Haroche as Louis Lise Lamétrie as Madame Dubois Christine Citti as The poisoner Piotr Polak as a The German soldier Zinedine Soualem as The accordionist Liane Foly as The street singer | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/What_War_May_Bring |
that may accompany this decisions.
If an individual does not develop an
adequate early retirement plan, he/she may not have the finances that are
necessary to support himself/herself through the duration of his/her
retirement. An early retirement plan should take into consideration the
finances that are currently available in an individual’s account, the funds
that he/she will require throughout the duration of his/her retirement, and any
early withdrawal penalties that he/she will face. If an individual fails to
address all of these considerations when establishing an early retirement plan,
he/she may experience financial hardships later in life.
As noted, there are numerous early retirement benefits that may cause an
individual to consider retiring prematurely. The most obvious advantage of
early retirement is the free time an individual will obtain. With the
accumulation of this free time, an individual will attain the ability to pursue
hobbies and activities that he/she enjoys. Also, early retirement will provide
individuals with more time to spend with their family.
In most cases,
individuals spend the majority of their time working so that they are able to
relax and enjoy life once they reach the age of retirement. The prospect of one
day being able to partake in the activities one desires without the stress that
is generally associated with employment allows employees to endure the monotony
or anxiety that often accompanies a daily job. Another reason that employees
sometimes consider early retirement is they are offered early retirement
benefits. In many cases, early retirement benefits will include a substantial
sum of money.
In other instances, it may involve extended health coverage.
Employers often offer older employees early retirement benefits in order to
reduce company spending. Generally, older employees are being paid relatively
high salaries because they have worked with the same company for numerous
years. If an employer can convince older employees to retire early, he/she can
reduce spending and free up finances to hire younger employees.
Despite the fact that early retirement
benefits are often inciting, it is essential for an individual to carefully
consider his/her financial situation and to develop an effective early
retirement plan before accepting an offer. Although early retirement is often
perceived as a dream come true, it is important for an individual to understand
the potential negative consequences of this course of actions. Withdrawing
money from a retirement fund or a pension plan before it has matured usually
results in penalty fees.
In most cases, if an individual begins withdrawing
money from his/her retirement funds before the age of 59½, he/she will be
required to pay a 10% penalty on the funds that he/she is entitled to. A 10%
penalty is a large portion of an individual’s savings. For example, if a
retiree has saved $50,000 throughout the duration of his/her employment, he/she
will be required to pay $5,000 in penalty fees for making an early withdrawal.
This penalty fee will be on top of the tax an individual will be required to pay.
Imaginably, there are some exceptions to this financial penalty. For example, | https://elder-law.laws.com/pensions/effects-of-early-retirement-on-pensions |
To Jonas and Gregary's disappointment, after everything they did, they still didn't have what they wanted.
They wouldn't rest easy knowing that thing was still out there.
While Sophia paid her father another visit, Colin arranged for two nurses to care for Renee.
She didn't know if she should tell her father about grandmother. But she didn't think it wasn't a good idea to tell her grandmother that her father had gone mad.
At night, they both went back home. When Sophia exited the bathroom, Colin was talking to someone on the phone. She overheard the last part of the conversation, where he told Wade to book him a return flight.
After Colin hung up the phone, Sophia walked over to him and hugged him around the waist.
Colin was happy at her affectionate actions. Wrapping an arm around her shoulder, he pulled her closer to him. They stood together at the window, gazing at the night sky.
"Colin, thank you so much." Sophia leaned her head against his chest and listened to his heartbeat.
Colin bowed his head to look at her. "Sophia Lo, what did I tell you about thanking me?"
Oops... She almost forgot that Colin didn't like her expressing her gratitude to him.
Fine! Standing on her tiptoes, she kissed Colin as she thought to herself, 'Colin, I'm so glad that I met you.'
Colin held her tighter and kissed her back passionately. After a long deep kiss, he reluctantly let her go.
"I have to go back to Z Country the day after tomorrow, but you don't have to come back with me. Take your time, Sophia. You can take a break and stay here as long as you want." It would be unreasonable of him to ask Sophia leave A Country now, given the circumstances of her father and grandmother.
Sophia almost burst into tears at his thoughtfulness. "Colin, why are you so good to me?" She was ashamed of her original plan of divorcing him after she got pregnant with his child. It was petty of her...
Colin smiled. "You are my wife. I'm supposed to be good to you."
"Thank you, husband..." It was the first time that Sophia called Colin that.
Colin's eyes darkened with desire. She only called him that while they were in bed, and not as a term of endearment, but because he forced her to.
Jean Wen sacrificed herself for family interests. Before her husband divorced her, she made every effort to please him.
"You are inexperienced in bed," he said coldly.
"You! Give that land to my family, or I won't agree to divorce," Jean replied furiously.
"Fine. It is exactly what I am thinking about," he sneered.
Renee from time to time. Sophia and Aaron discussed if they should tell their grandmother about their father.
In the end, they decided to wait until Renee's surgery was over.
Sophia rented a 3-bedroom apartment with two living rooms for her family. The unit was clean and it wasn't too expensive.
Once her grandmother and father are discharged from the hospital, they could move in.
As Sophia prepared the apartment for Jay and Renee, the time for Renee's surgery came. During the operation, Sophia and Aaron waited outside the operating room.
When Colin called her, the surgery wasn't over yet. Worried about grandmother, Sophia asked anxiously, "Colin, granny will be okay, right?"
"Of course. Trust the doctors and have faith in granny. She's a strong woman. Don't worry too much."
"Okay." Sophia felt slightly better.
"Call me after the surgery is over."
"Alright."
She hung up the phone. Wendy and Jordan were also at the hospital. They heard about Renee's surgery and decided to pay a visit.
"Sophie, how long has she been inside?" Wendy took Sophia's hand.
Sophia tried to smile. "More than an hour."
"Don't worry, she'll soon recover after the surgery!"
Sophia was moved. How was she blessed with a good husband and caring in-laws?
The operation lasted for three and a half hours. After the surgery, the doctor came out and took off his mask to update them. "The surgery was a success. The recovery now depends on your grandmother." | https://www.moboreader.net/Home/BookRead/18157322%20379798 |
The digital landscape continues to change faster than the technologies used for intelligence gathering. Alongside the rapid evolution of digital communication platforms, the sheer amount of information generated daily poses a significant challenge in terms of resources. Law enforcement agencies, private companies, or security consultancies alike suffer from shortage of personnel, time, and budget to run comprehensive investigations that could match the scale of their task.
Person-of-interest (POI) – Definition
Person-of-interest is a term originally widely used by law enforcement and intelligence officials to identify someone linked to and/or in possession of information pertinent to an ongoing criminal investigation. As the specialisation of online investigations grew beyond the military and law enforcement into private sectors, the term has been adopted by trained practitioners (for example cyber security experts or open-source intelligence analysts) conducting specialised investigations of persons. The term has no legal implications.
Nowadays, the persons suspected of illicit activities are tech-savvy and resourceful; with access to a much broader set of tools to conceal their identity and activity online. As a result, it became much easier for persons-of-interest (POI) in investigations to slip under the radar of LEAs, prosecutors, or investigative journalists. Those searching for open-source intelligence have to be particularly vigilant in exploring every angle.
However, there is one important aspect of POI investigations, which can sway the conclusions of an OSINT report, namely context.
Connecting the Dots with Context Awareness in OSINT Investigations
Peter Cochrane, an international sought-after advisor and consultant with over 40 years of technology and operational experience, summarised the necessity for context awareness in interpreting intel perfectly during last year’s HENSOLDT Analytics Intelligence Webinar on the topic of modern hybrid warfare:
“[…] intelligence systems have to be responsive to long-term monitoring and engage in deep observation and analysis of the situation. The data must be applied to the wider context to reveal unknowns and contingencies.”
This, postulated Peter Cochrane, calls for minimization conditions that foster errors, for example, focusing on narrow situation modelling or not factoring in human and machine cognitive bias.
Therefore, an efficient and conclusive strategy for OSINT investigations of POIs has to combine automated cross-media intelligence gathering workflows with open-source tools developed to target very specific information gaps.
Configuring the Media Mining System
The HENSOLDT Analytics system fuses a range of Neuronal Language Processing (NLP) and artificial intelligence (AI) together into one comprehensive platform. The Media Mining System enables users to schedule and to automatically collect, index, systematise, and visualise open-source information from TV, radio, internet, RSS feeds, and social media 24/7.
The result is a robust, fully configurable platform able to extract actionable insights for situational awareness reports on very specific topics and events. Think of the Media Mining System as a wide net cast into the sea of information to pick out only the relevant pieces of intel – pieces that the system has been specifically calibrated to find.
Calibrating the Media Mining System’s Profiles
The Media Mining System comes with a prefabricated set of Profiles (or Named Entities, NE’s) covering persons, organizations and locations. These can be extended by end-users with proper permissions and training. Further classes of profiles, such as natural disasters, diseases or financial entities can easily be created using the profile-editor. Profiles form the basic building blocks for the complex construction of hierarchical interconnection, the Ontologies. Profiles capture the different ways an entity can be referred to in the real-world and across different languages simultaneously.
Please refer to the user guide for a step-by-step instructions in creating profiles. If you had not purchased the Media Mining System but you are interested in hearing more about it, contact us now to schedule a live demo with our team.
Once the Media Mining System identifies key profiles, hashtags, influencers and platforms for the searched query, the open-source intelligence analysts can generate a report summarising key findings.
Now, equipped with the first detailed analysis, the investigator will continue with their deep web search to gather additional open-source information for a complete Person-of-Interest report.
We asked our in-house OSINT analysts to share their favourite and freely available resources for performing a deep-dive investigations meant to uncover the digital footprint of POIs. The following open-source investigative tools supplement the existing features of the Media Mining System.
The Intelligence Brief Podcast: OSINT and its Application
Telegram Investigations, their Relevance in the Russia-Ukraine War and the Decentralised Web 3.0
14 Useful OSINT Tools for Persons-of-Interest Investigations
Use the tool to check if and where an email account was breached over the last years. It’s useful in tracking if an email had been used on more than one platform. This tool similar to Have I Been Pwned, however, Breach Checker focuses exclusively on email data breaches.
BuiltWith covers 60,409+ internet technologies which include analytics, advertising, hosting, CMS and many more. By entering a url in the search bar, you can see the elements a website had been built with and what tools it uses. With BuiltWith.com Technology Trends data back to January 2000.
This online service enables investigators to quickly check whether their POIs email or phone address featured in any of the past data breaches.
Allows users to instantly fetch any address or place from the Google Street View.
This tool helps you estimate and fact-check the maximum number of people standing in a given area.
According to the creator of the Reddit Search tool, this application allows for cross-post and comment search, as well as specific user or subreddit search. In addition, OSINT analysts can aggregate data to identify trends. As of 2022, reddit is blocked in India, Indonesia, Russia, and China.
This service allows you to browse radio stations by rotating the 3D globe. It doesn’t map all of the existing stations but it’s a helpful tool to add local reference sources to your report.
The Snap Map service ran by Snapchat aggregates a selection of public snapchat media. The information includes geolocations.
Strava’s Global Heatmap focuses specifically on monitoring and visualising ‘heat’ made by aggregated, public activities over the last year. The public data shared by athletes from around the world identifies activity hotspots. The tool is also used by athletes to identify their next destination.
For those investigating events from all angles, weather conditions can play an important part in explaining the context of the POI’s movements. The Ventusky app provides interesting food for thought. The tool clearly displays meteorological data from around the world and allows users to monitor weather developments for any place on Earth at different times. Depending on data sources, some of the data visualisations date back decades.
The Wayback Machine captures websites as they are and stores the screenshot, url changes, and the timeline of changes for reference. The Wayback Machine is a crucial resource in the fight against disinformation as it records content meant to be ephemeral.
TinEye’s computer vision, image recognition and reverse image search matches your upload image with its duplicates online. It’s a useful tool for verifying users activity or connecting images to stock images databases.
Whois lists domain information allowing users to check the person owning the website you are looking at. The information provided to the Whois registry is voluntarily provided by the domain owners and unverified by the service.
A useful email verification tool, which connects to the mail server and checks whether the mailbox exists or not. | https://www.hensoldt-analytics.com/2022/08/22/free-osint-tools-for-person-of-interest-investigations/ |
In our previous article on OSINT, we discussed what open-source intelligence is and why you would use it. As a follow-up, we are now going to talk about how you verify information once you’ve collected it.
Let’s say through some searching you come across a piece of interesting news on social media with photos regarding an area you will be traveling to. How do you know it’s legitimate? How do you know it actually happened in the location being referenced?
Fortunately, through a little legwork, you may be able to validate or dismiss what you are looking at. Let’s look at a few things you can do to verify social media information or sources.
Social Media Verification
Visual Inspection
A quick visual inspection can a lot of times discredit the information you are receiving. Looking at things like street signs, vehicles, identifiable terrain, physical landmarks, people, etc., can help collaborate whether a photo is legitimate or not.
Geographic Verification
Another simple method, although not always available, is using geography. Basically, you use geographic features, manmade or natural, and compare them to what is in a photo or video.
If a photo or video is cited as being from a particular location, you can attempt to use a tool like Google Street View to compare what’s in the photo/video to Street View images. Street View is not always accurate, so keep that in mind as new construction, etc., may not always be displayed.
Weather conditions can be cross-referenced by using tools such as Wolfram Alpha to ask “What the weather was at a specific location on a specific day”. This information can be compared to what is in the photo or video to help verify the date information.
Image checks (Reverse Image Searches)
There are various tools you can use to see if videos or images have been previously posted online (reverse image searches). This can help you determine if it is original content or something grabbed online somewhere else.
If you are dealing with YouTube videos, you can use YouTube Data Viewer to extract thumbnails to use in reverse image searches. Once the video URL is entered, it will provide basic video information as well as the thumbnail images. Simply use those thumbnail images in your reverse image searches.
Metadata
Most, not all, modern devices like cameras and smartphones embed metadata (EXIF) into the image files. Keep in mind, social media platforms often remove this information. However, if you are able to obtain this info, you are in luck.
You can then reference the photo’s metadata, to see if it matches up. Although images may not always contain location information, it’ something simple to check. If you are unfamiliar with this process, a quick Google search will tell you all you need to know.
You can use a tool like PIC2Map to help find where a photo was taken. In PIC2Maps’s own words, “Can’t remember the location where you took a picture with your camera or smartphone? Upload your photos and find out where they were taken. Pic2Map analyzes EXIF data embedded in the image to find the GPS coordinates and location. The result would be a map view of your photo with a detailed address and additional EXIF information if available.”
You basically just drag and drop the photo to begin searching. If the data is there, it will provide a map view and give you the location of where the pic was taken.
Contact the source
Odd as it may seem, you can always go directly to the “source” and ask some followup questions as to the authenticity. Sometimes, this can lead down a rabbit hole of trying to find the original source.
Verification Tools
For a pretty comprehensive list of verification tools, go here. Another resource I like to reference from time to time is the Verification Handbook. Their tool list offers a lot of good links in an easy to access place. It’s worth adding to your bookmarks.
OSINT Essentials also offers links to a lot of “mostly” free tools and services that are useful for online verification, digital journalism, and open-source intelligence work. It’s worth a look as well.
If you would like to see some of this put into practice, check out this link.
Conclusion
Again, this is just a primer and barely scratches the surface of this topic. There are folks out there who are experts at this and have techniques and methods that are over my head. This is just what I do and why I do it.
If you have any suggestions or methods you use, feel free to share. Also, let me know if you would like me to expand on this topic in the future. | https://optiongray.com/osint-social-media-verification/ |
When discussing Operations Security (OPSEC) in a cyber security context, focus is often placed on a malicious entity without looking into the OPSEC surrounding defenders. Many organisations make use of open-source tooling, paid for services, and/or proprietary software. Regardless of the method, the pertinent questions become: Does your organisation know where that data goes? Do your teams understand the risk associated with uploading data to public resources? Is your organisation at risk?
This blogpost will take you through an example of an investigation process, common tooling used by blue teams, and potential pitfalls associated with trusting publicly available software. It will also include several steps that your organisation can take to further secure its OPSEC processes to reduce the risk of exposing sensitive information.
What is OPSEC?
NIST defines Operations Security (OPSEC) as: “Systematic and proven process by which potential adversaries can be denied information about capabilities and intentions by identifying, controlling, and protecting generally unclassified evidence of the planning and execution of sensitive activities. The process involves five steps: identification of critical information, analysis of threats, analysis of vulnerabilities, assessment of risks, and application of appropriate countermeasures.”
One of the core principals behind OPSEC is risk management which strives to prevent the inadvertent or unintended exposure of sensitive information. While this can be done in several ways, what happens when the processes involved are inadvertently putting your organisation at risk? Let’s walk through the steps of a basic investigation and where things can potentially go wrong.
Typical Investigation Process
Figure 1 – Steps in a Typical Investigation Process
Once your blue team has received an alert (commonly referred to an Event), it is often accompanied by data to indicate why the event was raised as malicious. In the case of a malicious process executing, phishing, etc. the security team will begin the investigation process.
“Copying data, searching for text strings, finding timestamps on files, reading call logs on a phone. These are basic elements of a digital investigation,” said Barbara Guttman, leader of NIST’s digital forensics research program and an author of the study. “And they all rely on fundamental computer operations that are widely used and well understood.”
While this definition covers the basics, it is important to understand that for blue team operators, this often encompasses several steps within the investigative process, including Preparation and Detection & Analysis (Triage and Analysis) which can be broken down as follows:
- Collect Data: Collect data and other critical artifacts from the system using forensic tools that can connect to the system without modifying any timestamps.
- Collect Logs: Collect the appropriate logs, including Windows Events, Proxy, Netflow, Anti-Virus, Firewall, etc.
- External Intelligence: Gather external intelligence based on identified Indicators of Compromise (IOCs), including file hashes, IP addresses, and domains that were discovered.
Generally, the triage process ends when the acquisition of images or forensic artifacts is completed and delivered for analysis. Before an alert calls for a full-blown Incident Response (IR) investigation, the blue team is responsible for analysing the potential IOCs (which may rely on external intelligence). Due to the number of alerts that blue teams / Security Operations Centers (SOCs) face on a daily basis, this step generally includes automation in order to provide a scalable approach towards Triage and Analysis. The automation of these processes allows analysts to quickly identify and separate typical commodity alerts from high-risk, high-impact attacks and ensure that they can conduct thorough, cognitive-bias free analysis while striving to operate within their service-level agreements (SLAs).
This process may seem straightforward and there are an abundance of blogposts detailing the methods for first responders to deal with obtaining evidence, securing evidence, etc. but very few take a deeper look into External Intelligence (Step 3), which can often have unforeseen consequences.
Where can Sensitive Information Live?
Before we dive into pitfalls with external intelligence, it is important to understand that sensitive information can be found within a variety of sources. While not all organisations follow the same approach, it is common to see the following data types ,:
- Documents, emails, spreadsheets, pictures, videos, programs, applications, etc.
- Metadata associated with an object, such as file ownership, file permissions, EXIF data, etc.
- System files, logs, configuration files, etc.
The list above is not a comprehensive but it is clear that there are a variety of documents that can contain sensitive information about an individual, an environment, and an organisation. A more detailed breakdown of files containing sensitive information can be found within NIST’s white paper referenced above.
Common OPSEC failures
While the aforementioned processes are necessary, a large amount of time is spent on providing efficient response to ensure that the security team is working within their SLAs. This can often be at the expense of securing the data that has been obtained due to external stressors or incomplete/ineffective internal processes set forth by the organisation. To aid with the SLAs and the general workload, automation is often seen as the “saving grace”. Not only will it speed up processing time, but it also removes the human element, and thus human error. Since humans are often the weakest link within an organisation’s security, this improvement will prevent data from inadvertently ending up in the wrong hands, important details being overlooked or forgotten, and critical processes being bypassed. Or at least that’s how products promoting automation are often sold.
What happens when the processes that have been automated go wrong? What happens when the data that you are concerned about is sent to external tooling? The truth is, while automation is necessary to scale any team, this can also be a company’s downfall as these automated processes may not contain the logic that is required to determine what information is sensitive to your organisation. Effectively, if you have spent time automating processes without understanding the risks associated with them, you could be putting your organisation at risk.
“If you automate a poor process, you’re going to get poor results – just faster than you might have if you executed it manually. Optimisation – whether of IT or business processes – requires first understanding what you’re trying to optimise.”
Alerting the Adversary
During an investigation, incident responders, blue teamers, SOC analysts, etc. are required to analyse data and events to determine whether they are the cause for concern. During this time, several techniques may be used (each with their own use cases), but sometimes these processes and tooling are used without enough insight into the potentially negative aspects.
If an investigation includes searching for answers in publicly available resources (e.g. VirusTotal, CyberChef, Twitter, etc.), it is very possible that the attacker is monitoring these sites as a method of determining whether their own payloads have been identified. When this happens, similar to engaging and interrupting their campaign, you may be tipping off the adversary. While this is not true for every case, an adversary may decide to prioritise covering their tracks (making it difficult to identify their initial access methods) or execute their goals with the limited time that they have left (destroying evidence, harming your environment, changing tactics and infrastructure, etc.). A good example of malicious users destroying evidence and changing tactics can be seen here after being tipped off via social media (such as Twitter).
“Services such as VirusTotal allow users to upload samples of malware that are then tested against multiple AVs and the results are made available to the community. However, such services also provide simple queries which can be used to retrieve information from these services. An attacker could query for the hash of his malware and when a result is returned then someone must have uploaded the sample.”
While tools like VirusTotal are fantastic, when potential malware samples are uploaded to the platform or other sandbox services, the files may be available to the public. Attackers can monitor these types of services for evidence of discovery which could hinder an IR investigation. Outflank covers this topic from an attacker’s perspective, including all of the items that they check for internally when performing adversary emulation assessments within their RedElk Talk. Based on this, it is not a stretch to assume that threat actors are constantly deploying similar tactics when targeting networks.
As this blogpost does not focus on this aspect, MB Secure has a series of blogposts which contain guidance on not only limiting the risk of alerting the adversary, but also methods to ensure that an adversary is not alerted during the investigation process ,,. Additionally, if you have not looked into security incidents and removing adversaries from your environment, Huntress has published a blogpost about that specific topic.
Leaking Corporate Data through Public Tooling
Now comes the interesting part which is often overlooked. In addition to tipping off adversaries, uploading this sensitive information to public tooling may inadvertently cause damage to your organisation by leaking sensitive/confidential information, disclosing information about the organisation’s internal tech stack, disclosing an active incident to the public, etc.
“When the analysts examine the files looking for clues of an attack, some of these files might contain confidential information. One of the common practices among the analysts is uploading malware samples to online services such as VirusTotal to check if it is malicious. However, the file uploaded to their servers remains available to the public, and therefore if one of these files contains sensitive information related to the company it would leak this content.”
“When an incident happens, other than damage due to the cyber-attack, the company might suffer reputational damage. It is therefore important that the analysts do not accidentally inform the public that a certain company has been breached. Especially before the company has started with their recovery plan, which involves informing the public about the incident. Often the SOCs use codenames when referring to their customers so in the case the investigation becomes public for some reason, the identity of the customer is still protected.”
As an example, two commonly used applications (VirusTotal and PacketTotal) were accessed without an account and it was possible to not only browse for information, but download potentially sensitive information for offline analysis, as can be seen in the screenshots below:
Figure 2 – VirusTotal Example Output
Figure 3 – PacketTotal Example Output
Positive Security did a fantastic job of diving into this exact topic for another online platform and found that samples uploaded to the URLScan platform leaked a large amount of information, including: Account Creation links, password reset links, API keys, Shared Google Drive Documents, WebEx meeting recording, invoices, and more.
“Sensitive URLs to shared documents, password reset pages, team invites, payment invoices and more are publicly listed and searchable on urlscan.io, a security tool used to analyse URLs. Part of the data has been leaked in an automated way by other security tools that accidentally made their scans public (as did GitHub earlier this year). Users of such misconfigured Security Orchestration, Automation and Response (SOAR) tools have a high risk of their accounts being hijacked via manually triggered password resets.”
Even though VirusTotal , and URLScan were mentioned above, there are several tooling options which could be used to gather information by organisations that are looking to protect themselves, for example: Spamhaus, PacketTotal, IBM X-Force, Mcafee Trustedsource, Abuse.ch, tria.ge, Symantex EDR, Any.Run, etc. These are all platforms that are used by blue team operators daily, but they might not restrict access to the uploaded data in the way that your organisation might expect.
In addition to sensitive information being leaked via documents, URLs often contain sensitive information that should not be shared with the public. Examples of potentially sensitive URLs provided by Positive Security include:
- Hosted invoice pages
- DocuSign or other document signing requests
- Google Drive / Dropbox links
- Email unsubscribe links
- Password reset or create links
- Web service, meeting and conference invite links
- URLs including PII (email addresses) or API keys
If any of those tools/APIs are performing public URL scans, this could lead to systematic data leakage. As those advanced security tools are mostly installed in large corporations and government organisations, leaked information could be particularly sensitive. The list above mostly contains commercial products, however, the Positive Security blogpost’s integration page highlighted 22 open-source projects which could also have the same risks associated with their usage. While most of these products have warned against uploading personal information, a large number of organisations have automated the uploading of URLs, email attachments, malicious documents, and other IOCs without properly considering the associated risks.
Uploading files to publicly available software may result in leaking confidential data which could result in a breach of confidentiality. Due to the sensitive nature of the information that blue teams handle on a daily basis, it is imperative that the organisation does not leak sensitive information via public data collectors. Additionally, the SOC has the responsibility to adhere to regulatory requirements (e.g. GDPR, POPI, etc.) and ensure that the organisation does not suffer reputational damage based on their own internal processes. While it is not possible to have a single response plan that addresses every potential attack, there are certain guidelines that can aid in dealing with a crisis and help to preserve important evidence for the subsequent investigation.
Additional areas of concern:
While not discussed directly in this post, this is also a common issue that we see revolving around the DevSecOps space. These teams often use public tooling with Cloud Sync such as:
- GitHub
- CloudSync wtih Postman
- StackOverflow
- etc.
These can all leak sensitive internal information, credentials, URLs, and more, to the public and open the organisation up to external threats. Attackers and automated tooling are constantly searching public code repositories like those listed above for secrets that development teams inadvertently leave behind.
Why does this happen?
Most organisations do not realise that the files that are uploaded to these platforms are also accessible to external entities. There are no restrictions about the location of the participating businesses, so there is no reason to assume that it is safe to upload confidential documents. While some of these files may be malicious, the majority are not malicious and should never be available for public viewing. If you’ve read this far, you may assume that it would never happen to your organisation, but there are several causes which can lead to these exact scenarios, including:
- Lack of awareness
- Underestimation of attacker capabilities
- Distraction
- Overconfidence
- Internal stressors
- Poor internal processes
What can be done?
You may have read this and realised that the use of external tooling is part of your current processes, so the question is how do you reduce the potential risk to your organisation? The following steps may aid you in tackling this issue:
- Review your current processes
- Determine any processes that have been automated by your organisation which rely on external resources
- Identify the public tooling that is included in these processes (manual and automated)
- Determine what information is stored by the tooling, verify whether it is secure and only accessible by your organisation
- Determine whether there is an offline / local version that can be run
- Modify your processes accordingly
Essentially, your organisation should perform a threat modelling exercise against your own OPSEC processes to determine the risk exposure and ensure that necessary precautions are taken to reduce the risk to an acceptable level. Additionally, your organisation needs to understand where submissions are originating from – this might be your employees or automated tooling such as SOAR platforms.
While this blog post attempted to shed light on certain areas that could be inadvertently placing your organisation at risk, it does not provide a method for deciding how to classify different intellectual property within an organisation. In order to assist with this, most organisation’s make use of a Traffic Light Protocol (TLP) which was originally created “to facilitate greater sharing of potentially sensitive information and more effective collaboration”. The Forum of Incident Response and Security Teams (FIRST) have released their new version – TLP 2.0, so it may be a good time to have a look at what should be shared within the public domain during day-to-day operations of internal security teams. If your organisation is currently using the TLP, TLP 2.0 has introduced a few changes which will assist in more fine-grained tuning.
Blue Team Training
In addition to reviewing internal processes, blue team training is an essential part of securing your organisation. To function effectively, the processes that blue teams/SOC analysts follow should be documented and training on the following topics should (at a minimum) be provided :
- Training on effectively using SOC tooling
- Training on how to collect, organise, and use relevant threat data in a Threat Intelligence Platform (TIP)
- Principles of success for endpoint security data collection whether you use a SIEM, EDR, or XDR
- Alert Triage and how to quickly and accurately triage security incidents using data correlation and enrichment techniques
- How to best use incident management systems to effectively analyse, document, track, and extract critical metrics from security incidents
- Crafting automation workflows for common SOC activities which do not pose a risk to your organisation
Additionally, guidelines on analysing malicious events should be provided to the blue team. Example guidelines are provided below:
- What should not be uploaded to public resources? When information is placed on any site, the information, as well as the location of the request, is exposed. In general, any malware or information related to your organisation should not be uploaded to external sites. Scripts, executables, images, files, and encoded data can contain information related not only to the targeted host, but to the organisation. It can also tip off an attacker that their malware is being analysed by the security team.
- What should not be analysed on your workstation? Even though there are certain precautions taken by SOC analysts, you can never be too careful when analysing malware. There are hundreds of malware samples that are capable of escaping virtual machines (VMs). Analysts should never visit potentially malicious websites directly and malware should never be analysed directly on an analyst’s machine. Instead, they should use available resources such as a SOC investigation server or SOC sandboxes.
- What if internal tooling does not exist? What if you are investigating a host and you encounter a new IoC that cannot be deciphered with internal tooling?
- Communication: Communicating this to the team and your manager should (hopefully) ensure that new internal tooling is procured for your organisation.
- Permission: You need to understand the risk of uploading the data to an external source and what it could mean for your company, and you need to get sign-off from your manager.
Conclusion
This blogpost has covered a basic investigation process, common tooling used by blue teams, and potential pitfalls associated with automated uploads. It also provided information about how security tooling could be used by malicious parties to obtain sensitive information through data leaks which are putting your organisation at risk. If nothing else, I hope that it has convinced you to review the processes that your internal security teams follow and of the importance of understanding the risks associated with security tooling.
If you are interested in starting your journey into securing your internal processes or simply have a question, feel free to reach out!
References
- : https://csrc.nist.gov/glossary/term/operations_security
- : https://www.nist.gov/news-events/news/2022/05/nist-publishes-review-digital-forensic-methods
- : https://nvlpubs.nist.gov/nistpubs/ir/2022/NIST.IR.8354-draft.pdf
- : https://www.f5.com/company/blog/garbage-in-garbage-out-dont-automate-broken-processes#:~:text=If%20you%20automate%20a%20poor,you’re%20trying%20to%20optimize. | https://www.mwrcybersec.com/is-your-security-teams-opsec-putting-your-organisation-at-risk |
In the information age, it is critical that we understand the implications and exposure of the activities and data documented on the Internet. Improved efficiencies and the added capabilities of instant communication, high-speed connectivity to browsers, search engines, websites, databases, indexing, searching and analytical applications have made information technology (IT) and the Internet a vital issued for public and private enterprises. The downside is that this increased level of complexity and vulnerability presents a daunting challenge for enterprise and personal security.
Internet Searches for Vetting, Investigations, and Open-Source Intelligence provides an understanding of the implications of the activities and data documented by individuals on the Internet. It delineates a much-needed framework for the responsible collection and use of the Internet for intelligence, investigation, vetting, and open-source information. This book makes a compelling case for action as well as reviews relevant laws, regulations, and rulings as they pertain to Internet crimes, misbehaviors, and individuals’ privacy. Exploring technologies such as social media and aggregate information services, the author outlines the techniques and skills that can be used to leverage the capabilities of networked systems on the Internet and find critically important data to complete an up-to-date picture of people, employees, entities, and their activities.
Outlining appropriate adoption of legal, policy, and procedural principles—and emphasizing the careful and appropriate use of Internet searching within the law—the book includes coverage of cases, privacy issues, and solutions for common problems encountered in Internet searching practice and information usage, from internal and external threats. The book is a valuable resource on how to utilize open-source, online sources to gather important information and screen and vet employees, prospective employees, corporate partners, and vendors.
Behavior and Technology
The Internet’s Potential for Investigators and Intelligence Officers
People, Places, Organizations, and Topics
A Practitioner’s Perspective
The Search
Internet Posts and the People They Profile
Finding the Needles
The Need for Speed
What We Can’t Do Without
Notes
Social and Technological Change
Internet Use Growth
Evolution of Internet Uses
Physical World, Virtual Activities
Connection and Disconnection
Notes
Use and Abuse—Crime on the Internet
By the Numbers?
Online Venues
Digital Delinquency
“Free” Intellectual Property
Insider
Notes
Implications for the Enterprise
The New User: Someone You Would Trust?
Employer Liability
Vetting, Monitoring, and Accountability
The Evolving Personnel Security Model
Notes
Legal and Policy Context
Liability, Privacy, and Management Issues
Liability for Service Providers for Employers
Accountability for Employees
Notes
Laws
Constitutional Rights
Federal and State Statutes
Federal Rules of Evidence and Computer Records
International Treaties and Standards
Notes
Litigation
Internet Search Litigation
Anonymity
Expectation of Privacy
Due Process
Libel/Defamation
Invasion of Privacy Torts
Sanctions for Public Postings
Internet Privacy for the Twenty-First Century
Notes
International and Domestic Principles
U.S. and International Privacy Principles
Guidelines
Notice and Consent
Government Standards
Parallel Guidance: Internet Research Ethics
Notes
Professional Standards and the Internet
ASIS Standards
National Association of Professional Background Screeners (NAPBS)
Association of Internet Researchers (AoIR)
Librarians
Inside and Outside the Workplace
Reputational Risk, Public Affairs
Bottom Line
Notes
The Insider Threat
Benevolent Big Brother
Notes
Framework for Internet Searching
Internet Vetting and Open-Source Intelligence Policy
Legal and Ethical Limitations
Policy
Information Assets Protection
Notes
Tools, Techniques, and Training
Training Analysts
Open-Source Intelligence Process
Quality Control
Notes
Proper Procedures for Internet Searching
Criteria
Security
Standard Methodology
Notes
Internet Search Methodology
Preparation and Planning
The Library
Scope Notes
Notes
Search Techniques
Internet Content
The Browser
The Search Engine
Metasearch Engines
Finding Search Engines
Search Terms
Social and Commercial Searching
Social Networking Sites
E-Commerce Sites
Directories
Blogs
Chat
Notes
Finding Sources
U.S. Government
State, County, and Local Governments
Other Government-Related Sources
Business-Related Sources
News
Web 2.0
Looking Up Subscribers
Email
Notes
Automation of Searching
Why Automate Searching?
Enterprise Search Middleware
Best-in-Class Desktop Tool
Investigative Search Tool Requirements
A Homegrown Solution
Reducing Analytical Time Using Automation
Caching and Data Mining
The Human Interface in Internet Investigations
Notes
Internet Intelligence Reporting
Records
Content
Analyst’s Comments
Organization and Formatting
Source Citations
Attribution
Verification
Notes
Illicit Web Sites and Illegal Behavior Online
Cybercrime
Child Pornography and Internet Porn
Unauthorized Use of Computer Systems
Contraband Digital Assets
Information (Cyber) Warfare
Notes
Model Internet Investigative Standards
Enterprise Strategy
Model Internet Search Guidelines
Authorized Internet Search Personnel
Definitions to Consider
Notes
A Model Internet Investigation Policy
Key Considerations
Higher-Risk Candidates
Application Procedures and Forms
Legal Issues
Confidentiality
Ethics in Investigations
Disciplinary Action
Model Forms for Candidates
Notes
A Model Internet Posting Policy
Notes
Internet Intelligence Issues
Privacy
Smoking Guns
Completeness of Internet Searching
Adjudication
Conclusion
Notes
Bibliography
Index
I was excited to hear CRC Press was releasing Internet Searches for Vetting, Investigations, and Open-Source Intelligence, by Edward J. Appel, a retired FBI agent. His company has done work for me so I knew the quality of his work and assumed his book would be at the same level as his investigative efforts. I wasn't disappointed. … Appel develops a framework for preparation and planning of successful Internet research. He covers basic information about search engines, metasearch engines, social networking sites and search terms. I found the chapters Automation of Searching and Internet Intelligence Reporting to be the most enlightening. … delivers with content and is an easy read. It met my criteria for a successful investigations book … .
—Larry Zilliox, in the PISA Newsletter, April 2011
"The author gives a sober assessment of the challenges faced by any person engaged in Internet investigations and intelligence gathering but does not present an overly bleak picture. I highly recommend this work for private security professionals."
—Rich Petraits in Security Management, December 2011
We provide complimentary e-inspection copies of primary textbooks to instructors considering our books for course adoption. | https://www.crcpress.com/Internet-Searches-for-Vetting-Investigations-and-Open-Source-Intelligence/Appel/p/book/9781138112230 |
- Accommodations include arrival of student the night before course start date.
- Cost includes weekend stays for the duration of the course and is based on the Single room with a shared bathroom priced at $ 95.00/night.
- Travel grant funding may be available (for non-federal police agencies only)
Description
This course examines advanced, open source investigation techniques in social media, the dark web and other public forums using both free and commercial tools. It covers the use of crypto-currencies and peer-to-peer networks and what to look for when using these platforms in an investigation.
Format and delivery
Length of course: 7 days
Class size: maximum 20 students
Delivery setting: computer classroom.
Learning outcomes
- Understanding current issues and trends with respect to social media investigations and open-source investigations.
- Ability to access, navigate and collect intelligence from the dark web.
- Knowledge of the tools used to track individuals and organizations internationally, using public record databases and effective people searching tools.
- Understanding how to conduct advanced social media investigations using commercially available tools.
- Understanding how crypto-currencies work and how to investigate their use.
- Ability to conduct investigations involving peer-to-peer and file sharing networks.
Eligibility and mandatory requirements
- This course is offered to intelligence analysts working in police, national security, regulatory bodies and the military who require tools to obtain information from open (public) sources.
- Registrants must have completed Using the Internet as an Intelligence Tool (INTINT). Proof of having successfully completed the INTINT course may be required.
- Courses listed below will be considered as part of the selection criteria but not mandatory:
- Toddington International online course
- Tactical Use of the Internet (RCMP)
- Introduction to Open Source Internet Research (RCMP)
- Acceptance or refusal in the course is at the discretion of the Canadian Police College.
Assessment
- Success in the course is based on participation and completion of all required assignments.
- Various evaluation methods are used, including assessments of a course-long scenario, presentations and a final exam.
- Re-testing or re-evaluation is conducted at the discretion of the course instructor.
Contact
- For more details or other information about the course, please email [email protected].
- Date modified: | https://www.cpc-ccp.gc.ca/programs-programmes/technological-technologique/aosint-caarso-eng.htm |
In today’s world if we have paid any attention to cybersecurity events, we may recognise these events as unwanted cyber breaches. Some malicious attacker exploits a vulnerability to insert code that steals data, or compromises data for their advantage. Cybersecurity is the act of safeguarding this data.
Privacy, is something very important as well. Data privacy has the notion of individual rights tied to it. But, it becomes more difficult to keep our private personal data under lock and key, as so much of our personal data gets digitised. Most of us give it away in exchange for freebies or services.
Table of contents
Some services will also not work unless we give in information like our email addresses and/or phone numbers. Most will not think twice about updating their thoughts, activities, feelings on social media, all in the name of updating their contacts about their happenings. It is very difficult to define privacy in today’s world, and especially in a digital world context.
The above is a very, very simple understanding I have about cybersecurity and data privacy.
And when it comes to definition of privacy, I think the lines are very blurred.
But, the reason why I bring these up is to be able to introduce the concepts of breaches, leaks, and scrapes.
Clubhouse …. Breach? Leak? Scrape?
In early April, news sites reported that audio-drop in chat service Clubhouse had been “breached” and 1.3 million user records were now made public.
Parties who wish to be precise, said “breached” was a strong word to use. The data was already publicly available and can be accessed and viewed via their API. There was no stealth activity to infiltrate its database and take all of that data.
During a SecurityLah! Podcast episode, Nigel pointed out that there was no unauthorised access to the data, while Skywalker said, “We cannot blame people for data scraping. You kept your car door open, don’t blame the guy who comes along to drive it away.”
Their system or database had not been breached and to say so, implies that this is a cybersecurity event or incident.
Instead, Clubhouse’s user data had been scraped, or harvested to be collated into unknown third-party databases for unknown reasons. Scraping is not strictly illegal… yet.
The privacy-cybersecurity expectation
Truth be told, when I signed up for Clubhouse, I had very minimum expectation of privacy, especially from a new startup. I willingly shared my phone number and created a user name, to be able to use the service.
That’s all I shared right? Wrong.
Later, Cybernews.com shared that the exact user-related info found in Clubhouse’s database, included the following.
- User ID
- Name
- Photo URL
- Username
- Twitter handle
- Instagram handle
- Number of followers
- Number of people followed by the user
- Account creation date
- Invited by user profile name
So far, maybe no harm no foul.
But then, huge dumps of Clubhouse user data started to show up on Internet forums, for whoever to do whatever they wish with it.
How do we feel now? Perhaps still cool.
Data misuse and abuse
What if it is later revealed that some parties took the opportunity to monetise all of that user data? The type of data leaked, when viewed in isolation may not mean very much.
But let’s not forget technological advancements we see like data analytics and artificial intelligence can easily make sense of all that to create a profile of you, your actions, habits, preferences and more.
Businesses use these technologies to better understand us as customers. Why wouldn’t cybercriminals use these same technologies to better understand us as their potential victims?
If the same cybercriminal buys leaked user data from Clubhouse, Linkedin and Facebook, the picture they get about their potential victims, becomes pretty complete.
(Sure enough, over a billion Facebook and Linkedin profiles, were found to be out on the Internet before the Clubhouse event. These were easier to identify as data leaks because of nature of information released).
Is this not enough information to carry out social engineering attacks?
One example of a social engineering attack is the Macau scam which to date, has caused total loss of RM15.26 million for 556 victims, if not more.
While we let that sink in, how do we exactly feel right now?
The gist: Our data is open to misuse
Let’s get back to the point of this article.
The method that one party used to gather our data seems legitimate – we had consented to and willingly given it to them. Like in the case of myself and Clubhouse.
But it quickly turned into a potential cybersecurity event, because user privacy is the last thing on Clubhouse’s mind. Why did Clubhouse not prevent the rapid and automated scraping of its user profiles? Many social media platforms like Facebook and Linkedin also, also do not bake privacy considerations into their platforms.
Prof asked during SecurityLah!’s privacy episode, “Don’t these online service providers have the responsibility to ensure that our data is not misused?”
Data scraping is not illegal, but Clubhouse’s API was abused when someone collected all of that publicly available information… and without the users’ express consent.
There are many, many more situations where our data, or the data which we have about others, are actually misused without us knowing. In a podcast episode, Doc introduces these situations which may be happening to us on a daily basis, and without us realising our contribution towards it.
The bigger real issue: Accountability
There were many news and social media responses to the label “Clubhouse data breach”. A fair number do not think it is a data breach because the information was: 1. publicly available 2. not sensitive.
I think Tom’s Guide took the right and sustainable approach to this incident. It reports that we are too focused on the cybersecurity aspect of incidents, which is actually the wrong lens to be looking through.
If we focus on cybersecurity, how are we going to take the steps to address and rectify privacy violations?
Our information is never cleared and safe from being misused no matter whether our info was obtained with our knowledge/consent, or without.
IT BYTES BACK! says:
Gauging data misuse by whether a cybersecurity breach technically took place, forgets about privacy. Ultimately, we must not forget the privacy aspects because to do so, would absolve online services like Clubhouse and Facebook, from ACCOUNTABILITY.
It does not matter how the data got out. Be it via a data breach or with our consent … the cost is the same. | https://www.enterpriseitnews.com.my/breach-leak-or-scrape-there-can-still-be-data-misuse/ |
To make known the role of the Reserve and scientific research in the environmental improvement of our environment.
Increase knowledge and understanding by the population of the benefits and impacts on research.
Promote participation and empowerment of the population,through the involvement in the study of natural resources and their management.
Raise awareness about the importance and respect for the environment and the problem of invasive alien species In the Mariñas Coruñesas and Terras do Mandeo Biosphere Reserve. | http://marinasbetanzos.gal/en/biodiversidade/obxectivos-biodiversidade/ |
The new frog species, Phrynobatrachus afiabirago, has a total body length of less than 30mm, approximately the size of a match box and is among the smallest amphibians on our planet. Phrynobatrachus afiabirago (Afia Birago’s puddle frog), has been named after the mother of the lead author (Dr. Caleb Ofori-Boateng), Madam Afia Birago due to her love for nature and the struggles she overcame to raise him and his siblings. Caleb recounts how, her mother, widowed at age 40 raised him and his seven siblings under extremely harsh economic conditions and ensured that each one of them attained the highest level of education.
In a scientific study published in the German-based peer reviewed scientific journal Zootaxa, the CSIR scientists, Dr. Caleb Ofori-Boateng and Dr. Bright Kankam who made this discovery explained that this new frog species is different from all other known frog species based on a combination of both genetic and physical (morphological) differences that include distinct color patterns, body shape and size.
According to Dr. Caleb Ofori-Boateng, he found the first individual of this species in a small forest patch along a forest stream near the town of Jukwa (5°14’44.13’’N, 1°22’42’’W) on the Cape Coast-Kakum National Park route in the central region of Ghana. Additional species have been found in the Atewa Hills Forest Reserve (6.24246°N, -0.5571°E) which the scientists believe houses the most significant population of this frog.
Dr. Ofori-Boateng further added that, “although frogs are very beneficial to the environment and humans, our actions are wiping a lot of these species out of existence on a global scale”. Frogs, he explained, have specialized glands in the skin that produce protein-like antimicrobial compounds (peptides) to help them fight various disease-causing organisms including bacteria and viruses. According to him, in a recent study Scientists have discovered that these protein-like compounds from frog skins could be used as a successful treatment in the fight against HIV infection.’ Frogs are therefore a potential cure for HIV/AIDS’ he opined. Still enumerating the benefits of frogs to humanity, he mentioned that frogs can contribute to reducing the prevalence of malaria by feeding on mosquito larvae and entreated the public to support frog conservation. Dr. Ofori-Boateng however lamented that, human actions are fast driving these species to extinction even before we can fully uncover their true benefits to humanity.
The Fumesua-based Forestry Research Institute of Ghana is one of 13 research institutes under CSIR Ghana with the legal mandate of conducting high quality user-focused research to support the sustainable management of Ghana’s forest resources. The CSIR-FORIG scientist worked alongside Prof. Mark Oliver Rödel and Prof. Adam Leaché of the Natural History museum, Berlin and University of Washington, Seattle respectively. | http://www.csir.org.gh/index.php/enews-discovery/item/492-csir-scientist-discovers-new-frog-species-to-science |
Bukit Tigapuluh Landscape
Bukit Tigapuluh Landscape is precisely located in the biodiversity hotspot of Sumatra with its rare ecosystem and has special kinds of uniqueness in comparison to other national parks that share the same island where are predominantly located at either higher -altitude areas or coastal regions. However, Bukit Tigapuluh National Park posseses its own uniqueness; this constitutes tropical rainforests which are located on hilly lowland areas.
There are two endemic charismatic species; those are Sumatran tiger and Sumatran Elephant, as well as one reintroduction charismatic species (Sumatran orangutan). Besides, other protected animals including otters, clouded leopards, and tapir are also presence.
The compositions of wildlife species found in the buffer zone of Bukit Tigapuluh National Park (BTNP) are relatively similar to those in BTNP. However, it is estimated that the buffer zone has a greater number of several key species, especially the Sumatran elephant, than the BTNP area. This is probably caused by topographic conditions as the area surrounding the national park is relatively flat and the abundance of food for elephants and tigers is high.
A fecal DNA population study by Alexander Markus Moßbrüker jointly with Ejkman Biomolecular Institute in 2011 stated that there were at least 143 elephant individuals were roaming in the 300,000 ha landscape. Coupled with that very large number and 80% habitat that had been changed into farming areas henceforth Bukit Tigapuluh is an important priority landscape.
YKSLI strives to support the government to issue local rules for the betterment of geographical locality and build an elephant conservation area / a corridor by involving multiple stakeholders without sacrificing Bukit Tigapuluh’s inhabitants. A series of Focus Group Discussions, ecological survey, societal-economical survey, and law research are conducted that will result in comprehensive policies.
In order to create this program, we have been and will be collaborating with several institutions as follows: Jambi Nature Conservation Agency (BKSDA), Indonesian Elephant Conservation Forum (FKGI), Our Tiger Forum (FHK), Asia Pulp & Paper, Barito Pacific. Tbk, Jambi University (UNJA) , and several related grass-root organizations.
YKSLI will also constantly strengthen the local government to execute implementation of the future regulations (development of elephant home range). Participative mapping is a must bringing out the natural potential of Bukit Tigapuluh environment and avoiding the horizontal conflict.
Wildlife living space should be paired with the law enforcement efforts. Combination of patrol teams, investigators, and informants will always be ready to monitor and to give appropriate acts to the illegal activities all year round.
Padang Sugihan Landscape
Padang Sugihan Landscape generally consists of shallow and medium-depth peat with the total area of 300,000 hectares. Almost all of the landscape is run by pulp & paper concessions, or in Indonesian Hutan Tanaman Industri. The 2015 Sumatra and Borneo haze disaster had spread even to neighboring countries. This incidence has proven the importance of sustainable management of peat areas. Every coordinated action to protect, conserve, and restore the still-viable genetic variations are insistently required.
This landscape is distinctive enough as it is an elephant living space whose was the result of massive translocation more than 30 years ago. During Ganesha Operation in the end of 1982, about 320 elephants are moved for 44 days from Air Sugihan to Padang Sugihan, which is 70 km apart to each other. The relocation of the elephants was a governmental effort to reduce the conflict in original elephant habitats that were being converted into transmigration villages.
Government also instituted a Game Reserve as well as an Elephant Training Centre at Sebokor in Padang Sugihan, Banyu Asin Regency, South Sumatra Province. Literature studies didn’t necessarily agree with each other regarding their total – guesstimated at around at 60-90 range. Moreover, the previous surveys have not yet consistently cover the elephant home-ranges.
In an effort to conserve the elephants of Padang Sugihan, YKSLI will focus on the scientific aspects aiming to compose a baseline on the total population and peatland elephant habitat’s situation. Age cohort, sex structure between male and female elephants, also affinity relationship among the herd can easily be read through fecal DNA survey methodologies.
The application of GPS Collar technology will be implemented as a monitoring commitment of elephant’s movement that shall represent the foraging behavior from time to time. Direct observations, assisted by aerial vehicle(s) will also help to describe the habitat ecology holistically and elephant’s natural inclination.
This primary database will become a foundation upon Sumatran Elephant Protection Strategy formulation not only pertaining to mitigation initiative of Human-Elephant Conflict but habitat enrichment on landscape level. | https://www.yksli.or.id/en/working-area/ |
Beauty is frequently defined as a subjective trait of certain objects, which makes these objects appealing to notice. These objects could be landscapes, sunsets, beautiful humans and creative works of art. Beauty, along with beauty, is the most important topic of aesthetics, another of the three major branches of modern philosophy.
We can see that there are two types of aesthetic evaluation, the subjective and the objective. The subjective aspect consists of the judgments people make about beauty and the subjective judgments which they hold about other matters. Objective judgment refers to the judgments which we ourselves make about beauty. Beauty and ugliness are not the only criteria for judging beauty; other considerations like culture, race and other notions of artistic merit also enter the picture.
Some people feel that beauty is something independent of personal taste. On the other hand, many others think that beauty is only a matter of degree. Still others believe that beauty is a power inherent in all things and that it may be measured and evaluated in various ways, both quantitative and qualitative. When we speak of beauty, therefore, we do not intend to define it with a particular reference point, whether it is the attractiveness of faces or of other objects. Rather, beauty is seen as a subjective concept, a value judgment that depends on the observer’s personal experience and his or her attitude to beauty. | https://techisay.com/2021/09/15/a-discussion-about-beauty/ |
Peña-Chilet M, Roldán G, Perez-Florido J,…, Moreno-Pelayo MÁ, et al. CSVS, a crowdsourcing database of the Spanish population genetic variability.
Nucleic Acids Research, 2020
"Only with the contribution of all the groups that work in biomedicine to generate a unique repository of genetic variants will the concept of Personalized Genomic Medicine become a reality" - Dr. Miguel Ángel Moreno Pelayo-
The knowledge of the genetic variability of the local population is of utmost importance in personalized medicine and has been revealed as a critical factor for the discovery of new disease variants. Here, we present the Collaborative Spanish Variability Server (CSVS), which currently contains more than 2000 genomes and exomes of unrelated Spanish individuals. This database has been generated in a collaborative crowdsourcing effort collecting sequencing data produced by local genomic projects and for other purposes. Sequences have been grouped by ICD10 upper categories. A web interface allows querying the database removing one or more ICD10 categories. In this way, aggregated counts of allele frequencies of the pseudo-control Spanish population can be obtained for diseases belonging to the category removed. Interestingly, in addition to pseudo-control studies, some population studies can be made, as, for example, prevalence of pharmacogenomic variants, etc. In addition, this genomic data has been used to define the first Spanish Genome Reference Panel (SGRP1.0) for imputation. This is the first local repository of variability entirely produced by a crowdsourcing effort and constitutes an example for future initiatives to characterize local variability worldwide. CSVS is also part of the GA4GH Beacon network. CSVS can be accessed at: http://csvs.babelomics.org/.
Why do you highligth this publication?
Spanish researchers have created the first database of the genetic variability of the Spanish population (CSVS, Collaborative Spanish Variability Server), which collects a total of 2,027 genomes and exomes of unrelated Spanish individuals.
Publication commented by: | https://www.irycis.org/en/communication/irycis-outstanding-publication/22/csvs-a-crowdsourcing-database-of-the-spanish-population-genetic-variability |
- Published:
The impact of twenty-first century personalized medicine versus twenty-first century medicine’s impact on personalization
Philosophy, Ethics, and Humanities in Medicine volume 15, Article number: 11 (2020)
-
3332 Accesses
-
1 Citations
-
1 Altmetric
-
Abstract
Background
Over the past decade, the exponential growth of the literature devoted to personalized medicine has been paralleled by an ever louder chorus of epistemic and ethical criticisms. Their differences notwithstanding, both advocates and critics share an outdated philosophical understanding of the concept of personhood and hence tend to assume too simplistic an understanding of personalization in health care.
Methods
In this article, we question this philosophical understanding of personhood and personalization, as these concepts shape the field of personalized medicine. We establish a dialogue with phenomenology and hermeneutics (especially with E. Husserl, M. Merleau-Ponty and P. Ricoeur) in order to achieve a more sophisticated understanding of the meaning of these concepts We particularly focus on the relationship between personal subjectivity and objective data.
Results
We first explore the gap between the ideal of personalized healthcare and the reality of today’s personalized medicine. We show that the nearly exclusive focus of personalized medicine on the objective part of personhood leads to a flawed ethical debate that needs to be reframed. Second, we seek to contribute to this reframing by drawing on the phenomenological-hermeneutical movement in philosophy. Third, we show that these admittedly theoretical analyses open up new conceptual possibilities to tackle the very practical ethical challenges that personalized medicine faces.
Conclusion
Finally, we propose a reversal: if personalization is a continuous process by which the person reappropriates all manner of objective data, giving them meaning and thereby shaping his or her own way of being human, then personalized medicine, rather than being personalized itself, can facilitate personalization of those it serves through the data it provides.
Background
The future of health care is personalized medicine – or so we learn from many articles, advertisements and policy documents available in the scientific and popular press. Very diverse stakeholders, from patient advocacy groups to the pharmaceutical industry, have vested great hope in the promise of this new field of medicine. It is important to note that this new and sweeping development in medicine is not unified and encompasses what is also known as molecular, pharmaco-genetic, stratified, individualized, and precision medicine. In fact, at least a dozen other labels are used . Although originally covering specific, well-defined ideas, the meaning of these various subdomains has become looser and even interchangeable over time (, p. 203). But surely the most expansive and promising of all is “personalized medicine.”
Notwithstanding this multiplicity of labels, their somewhat different focus, and the confusion it creates about their ultimate objectives , we can discern two common denominators. All build forth on the impressive successes in genomic medicine and the completion of the Human Genome Project; and all seek to deliver the right treatment to the right patient at the right time.
Simultaneous to this expansion and diversification of biomedical strategies to achieve personalization, a variety of epistemic questions and ethical concerns have been raised: Can personalized medicine be considered a true paradigm shift? What is the real and effective unity among the many heterogenous approaches encompassed under this umbrella term? What new privacy challenges arise when health care depends ever more on big data? And still others. Valid as all of these inquiries are, they fail to address one fundamental question which, if left unaddressed, risks putting the debates and indeed the practice itself on the wrong track: Exactly what does it mean to “personalize” health care?
This basic but deep and daunting question, essential for any venture arguing to promote personalization of health care, demands a careful philosophical analysis. We will not, of course, attempt to answer this question in our short article. But we cannot simply circumvent it either and must at least seek to contribute to such an answer. For if we are to prevent overextended expectations of what personalized medicine can deliver, we need to clarify and critically explore underlying assumptions and core concepts. This article focuses on one such concept, indeed the key concept: We intend to clarify the meaning of personhood in this context and what, hence, the process of personalizing care as promised by personalized medicine entails.
We begin by exploring to what extent the ideal of personalization of care is realized by the current practice of personalized medicine. We show that the gap between ideal and actuality originates (at least in part) from too naive a philosophical account of the person and the relationship the person has with positive data. Next, we sketch a more sophisticated understanding of personhood by borrowing insights from phenomenology. We then show that these philosophical analyses open up new conceptual possibilities to tackle the various types of (ethical) concerns. All of this will lead us, finally, to an unexpected proposal: Whereas personalized medicine is often thought of as logically secondary to the person and devoted to it, we will argue that a reversed approach is more helpful. In that perspective, personalization of medicine is not considered the result of tailoring health care to the uniqueness of a preexisting person. Rather, the process of personalization itself (by which the person is becoming who he/she is) occurs – at least in part – on the basis of all the data disclosed by personalized medicine.
The gap between personalized medicine and personalization of healthcare
Personalized medicine holds great promise as a basis for patient-centered care. But the exponential growth in the past decade of scientific publications focused on its expansion is closely intertwined with a similar growth of a more critical literature that pays close attention to the multiple issues it raises.
Actually, there are several reasons to challenge the ability of personalized medicine to provide patient-centered, individualized medicine, correlative of two different moments in its development. As already pointed out, in its infancy stage, personalized medicine intended to take advantage of the results disclosed by genetic research, especially those of the Human Genome Project, in order to improve healthcare. At that time, the underlying view of genetics was by and large monocausal and deterministic in its understanding of the relationship between genes and disease. This understanding is reflected in the early focus of personalized medicine, that is, anticipate drug responses based on newly discovered genetic markers, which will then enable more targeted therapies and help us to choose more beneficial treatments for specific patients with fewer adverse drug reactions. This new goal of the right drug for the right patient at the right time stood in dramatic contrast to the focus of conventional medicine and pharmacy on the development of new blockbuster drugs.
A good example of this early focus of personalized medicine is the drug Abacavir used by HIV patients. It was relatively safe for nearly all patients but induced a life-threatening allergic reaction in 6% of patients. In 2002, two independent research groups correlated this toxic reaction with a single genetic variant of the major histocompatibility complex class I (HLA-B*5701) [4, 5]. That, in turn, led to the screening of HIV patients for the genetic variant before Abacavir is prescribed. This impressive direct association constitutes a persuasive example of what personalized medicine has wanted to achieve. Furthermore, it illustrates that initially, personalized medicine intended to produce a more individualized understanding of health and diseases on the basis of genetic patterns, shifting from symptom-based to genome-based approaches.
However, in this initial form, personalized medicine failed to achieve its promise of truly personalizing health care (e.g., [6,7,8,9,10]). Rather than treating the whole person, personalized medicine was able to achieve its goal of the right drug for the right person at the right time only by reducing patients to their genetic profiles, that is, to their objective bodies. Moreover, in order for the patient’s genetic profile to yield actionable information, it had to be matched to a particular category of patients all sharing the same marker, a process known as stratification. It is not clear how being treated in the same way as everybody else in a pre-defined group of patients, even a relatively small group of patients who all share one important genetic trait, amounts to truly personalized treatment. In fact, this process of stratification is not novel. Rather, it is a refinement of the existing tools for diagnosis, management and prevention of disease. And those, in turn, presume a somewhat naive and underdeveloped understanding of what really is a person, which, at best, equates personhood with the objective body, or, at worst, with a single genetic trait shared with a cluster of other patients.
More recently, personalized medicine has taken an important turn by expanding the number and type of health-related data used to determine what is the right treatment for the right person at the right time. Capitalizing on the vastly increased IT storage and data processing capacities now available in all developed countries at dramatically reduced costs, personalized medicine has moved beyond merely genetic data to include the full range of available patient information, from a molecular scale (proteome, transcriptome, metabolome, etc.) to an epidemiological one (foodome, sociome, environtome, etc.). Thus, big data science is changing the epistemic base of personalized medicine.
First, the old “one gene – one disease” model is being exchanged for a much more complex, multi-causal model of disease, requiring the integration of vast amounts of different types of data, including but not limited to genetic data. That also means that it is no longer possible to accurately predict what will happen next based on a patient’s genotype, as the monocausal and deterministic framework of genetic personalized medicine attempted to do. It is the statistically determined correlations that become decisive. Thus, big data personalized medicine does not seek a true diagnosis as traditionally defined, that is, the real and certain presence of a disease state that is hence amenable to therapeutic interventions. Instead, big data personalized medicine generates probabilities about a particular person exhibiting certain characteristics. For example, it may tell us that Mr. P has a 21% developing asthma due to his living in a neighborhood with postal code 68564, augmented with a 23% chance risk of developing asthma or COPD based on his genealogical ancestry, as well as a 20% relative increase in suffering from asthma symptoms due to high levels of air pollution in the city, with a 65% chance of responding favorably to drug X due to his genotype. None of this is epistemologically analogous to diagnosing Mr. P as having asthma. This, in turn, raises the question how the ultimate goal of personalized medicine to provide the right treatment for the right person at the right time, can be met when big data can only supply us with population-based information about the effects of treatments; when all patient characteristics (so-called markers) have meaning only within strata of patients sharing that characteristic; and when all other determinants of health and illness have only correlative significance. As long as all information used to develop a care plan gains relevance only when and to the extent that it is population-based, the patient as a person is missed.
The failure to develop a robust understanding of personhood not only has serious epistemic consequences; it also skews the ethical discussions. Consider the often discussed topic of predictive information. Advocates of personalized medicine insist that providing people with more predictive information will empower them to better manage their own health and render them more autonomous in making health care related decisions. Critics counter that patients’ freedom may actually be reduced by the predictive information concerning incurable or particularly dreadful conditions for which there is no effective treatment available; and even if preventative life-style changes may delay their onset or lessen the symptoms, people’s capacity to initiate and sustain life-style changes is often limited. This dueling pair of perspectives suggests that the ethical quandary at hand is how to weigh the value of predictive information. However, this understanding of the ethical quandary is fundamentally flawed, and we are now in a better position to explain why.
Notwithstanding the apparent irreconcilable disagreement between advocates and critics, they both assume that the information given by personalized medicine to the individual person is directly relevant to and has meaning for that unique individual. It could neither benefit nor harm if it did not. But we have just shown that there are good reasons to doubt that assumption. So even if we were to find a happy medium and develop a prudent policy or adopt a well-crafted new law that somehow reconciles the two opposing views on the value of information summarized above, the fundamental underlying ethical problem will be completely missed. Instead of fostering genuine personalization, such policies and laws reinforce the mistaken idea that respect for the uniqueness of each individual patient can be reduced to a scientific understanding of the body supplemented with a variety of correlations derived from population-based strata.
Some advocates of personalized medicine have acknowledged this limitation. But rather than seeking to overcome it, they have proposed to circumvent the problem by exchanging the goal of personalizing care for the more limited goal of developing stratified medicine or precision medicine . Albeit honest, this position does not suddenly undo the reality that the public’s hope, the support of many national governments, and the vast investments by industry in this new field of medicine are fueled by the promise of truly personalized health care. Do we have to conclude that this hope, support and investment are bound to be in vain?
We do not think so. But in this paper we will argue that the relationship between personalized medicine and the patient’s personhood has to be reversed: Rather than adapting medicine to the unicity of individual persons, personalized medicine may contribute to the process by which a person is becoming him- or herself. To clarify and justify this unexpected reversal, we need to conduct a philosophical analysis of the concept of personhood and of the complex relationship between the person and the objective face of the world, to which belong the countless data generated by personalized medicine. We propose to undertake this analysis by drawing on the twentieth century philosophical tradition known as phenomenology, and more specifically phenomenological explorations of the nature of human subjectivity.
Moving beyond the object-versus-subject dichotomy
This troublesome tendency of personalized medicine to reduce the person to its objective body only is not new. It is consistent with a broader trend throughout the whole history of western philosophy in which the human being is reduced to a substantial reality (even if a particular substance), thereby obliterating any ontological difference between it and other objects. In Being and Time, published in 1927 (English translation in 1953 ), the German philosopher Martin Heidegger objected that this substantial being suits only “inner-worldly” things but not the being of humans (called Dasein by Heidegger). This is why humans are said by Heidegger to not only “be” but to “exist,” which literally means to “stand outside.” Indeed, the human being is always distant from itself, never coinciding with itself and always dwelling near the world instead of being one of the many objects that make up the world. More fundamentally, the human being is a temporal being, not only in the sense of being mortal, but in the sense of time defining its way of being: Being human is always a becoming; it is historical in that it always moves “in time.”
Heidegger’s rejection of the traditional assimilation of human beings to mere objective substances belonging to the world does not, however, lead him to absolute subjectivism. In fact, if Heidegger contests the assimilation of the human being to an object, he also challenges all positions that seek to adopt a “first person perspective” or any “inner point of view,” because there is no inner sphere in which the human being would be initially encapsulated ( , p. 58).
Heidegger’s fundamental break with much of traditional thinking about the nature of being human opened a whole new field of inquiry that would next be taken up primarily by the phenomenological-hermeneutical movement. But many post-Heideggerian philosophers challenged Heidegger’s absolute denial of any substantial aspect to being human, insisting that our kind of being is both substantial (as are all the objects of the world) and non-substantial. Consider the human body. It is both an objective body, understood simply as a material object belonging to the world (called Körper in German), and the lived-living body as experienced by someone from the first-person perspective (called Leib). Rather than pitting the objective against the subjective body in a simplistic opposition, the German philosopher Husserl (1859–1938) (, § 44, p. 92 ff.; ) and likewise the French philosopher Merleau-Ponty (1908–1961) show that the body, and correlatively the person, is both subject and object, which also means neither of the two exists on its own as either subject or object.
This important point is poignantly revealed by the experience of one hand touching another. In his fifth Cartesian Meditation ( , p. 97) and then in the Second Book of the Ideas (, p. 152–154), Husserl shows that in this experience each hand is precisely for the other hand an external thing (Körper) – i.e., an object of sensation – and each is at the same time living-lived body (Leib) – i.e., the sensing subject. Merleau-Ponty takes up Husserl’s analysis of this experience but emphasizes that it is always the same and unique hand that passes from one role (the touching hand) to the other (the touched one) ( , p. 93). This paradigmatic example reveals that there is no subjective body in opposition to an objective one, but that the body identifies with the subject; or, conversely, that the subject shares the kind of being of the body.
This anthropological understanding entails a significant departure from a long history of philosophical theorizing about the relationship of the human being to his or her own body that remains operative today, particularly in the sciences but also in common culture. It has long been though that this relationship is an ownership relationship, with the subject or self having a body not unlike the subject has other possessions. Such an ownership relationship is possible only if the subject who owns is clearly separated from the object owned; it makes no logical sense to say that I own myself. By insisting that “the distinction between subject and object is blurred in my body,” that the same and unique being is both subject and object, Merleau-Ponty shows that aforementioned ownership model is fundamentally flawed ( , p. 167).
Now this ambiguous nature of being human not only has consequences for the way we understand the body. It also impacts our understanding of the subject, which is no longer pure subject, an absolute self in the literal sense of the word “absolute” (that is, separated from and independent of any determinants). Due to my bodily nature, I am never identical with myself (as a pure subject would be). My own hand appears at once as essentially subjective (as when I touch objects outside of me) and as outer (as a touched hand), distant from myself, albeit mine. Never coinciding with myself, I always escape from myself. And while as a subject I am always trying to join myself, I never manage to adequately grasp myself.
This idea is next taken up by the French philosopher Paul Ricoeur. He too insists that as a human being, I am always “separated from the center of my existence … I do not at first possess what I am” ( , p. 45). But that also means that I have to constantly reappropriate or make “mine” again “what I am separated from” (p 45). According to Ricoeur, grasping what and who I am requires a constant “hermeneutics of the self” ( , p. 16) because I am not directly and immediately known to myself. My subjectivity is given “neither in a psychological evidence, nor in an intellectual intuition” ( , p. 43), but has to be “recaptured” or recovered “in the mirror of its objects, its works, its acts” (p. 43).
According to Ricoeur, the task of recovering oneself is only possible from the signs testifying to one’s being scattered in the world. That is why this task “must include the results, methods, and presuppositions of all the sciences that try to decipher and interpret the signs of man” ( , p. 46). The hermeneutical or interpretative process by which my objective way of being (as signs scattered in the world) comes to inform my subjective way of being (as a self-conscious being) involves a dialectic between explanation and understanding . Traditionally, explanation and understanding have been thought to represent two distinct, even irreducible epistemological domains. Explanation, the domain of the natural and social sciences, deals with the “objective” part of reality, whereas understanding, the domain of the humanities, deals with its “subjective” part. According to Ricoeur, “rather than constituting mutually exclusive poles, explanation and understanding would be considered as relative moments in a complex process that could be termed interpretation” ( , p. 122). In his view, explanation and understanding are tied by a “sort of mutual implication” ( , p. 122). The results of explanations generated by the natural and social sciences are always “received” and recovered by someone, who takes ownership of their significance and achieves in this way a better self-understanding. Thus, knowledge of oneself requires a dialectical pathway along which explanation and understanding, scientific results and personal recovery of these results are closely intertwined.
Personalized medicine as a part of the dialectic between explanation and understanding
These clarifications provide us with a good starting point to re-think the meaning of personalized medicine and the way it can impact our lives and, correlatively, the ethical framework best suited to evaluate it. Let us once more consider the ethical quandary mentioned earlier whether the provision of ever more information empowers patients or is more likely to be burdensome. This binary choice is misleading because once these data are disclosed, they inevitably affect the person and change its becoming in time. The challenge is not to determine whether in and of themselves these bits of information foster patients’ autonomy or are a burden, but to question by what means and within what limits they shall take part in the advent of the person.
It is here useful to consider the Ricoeur’s idea that all explanatory data have to give rise to and finally be integrated into an overarching and personal understanding: all of this information is always received by a person for whom it makes sense . Thus, objective data provided by personalized medicine do not necessarily obstruct the shaping of the person and can conversely have a personalizing effect through their meaningful reappropriation by a person who feels concerned about them. Let us analyze a simple example to better understand Ricoeur’s insight. Several studies have shown that suicidal behaviors are strongly associated with some polymorphism of different serotonin (5-HT) receptors, particularly the serotonin transporter (5-HTT), by generating a serotonin system dysfunction and increasing impulsivity [20,21,22]. Imagine that I could easily come to know which allele of these genes I possess. What would be the significance of this knowledge for me? Of course, having an allele associated with high impulsivity and high risk of suicidal behaviors does not mean that I necessary will commit suicide nor that I have to take anti-impulsive treatment. There is no direct and necessary relationship between individual objective information and the personalization of health care. But even though such objective information is insufficient in of and itself to generate a particular practical therapeutic response, according to Ricoeur it can contribute to my self-understanding by enlightening the relationship I have with the world. Since that world is largely veiled to me, I will often react to it and behave based on emotions: I am overwhelmed by it, with no other option but to endure it. The individual information disclosed by genetic testing could allow me to exchange this kind of “immediate” way of reacting for a “mediate” way. To know that I tend to act in an impulsive way, that is to “over-react,” and that it might lead me to self-injure, could induce the will of achieving greater self-awareness and balancing my usual way of existing by a more even-tempered one. Thus, the “effectiveness” of the individualized genetic information is not direct but is mediated by a personal reappropriation by which I increase my self-awareness and try to change my idiosyncratic “being-in-the-world.”
At the same time, this personalizing appropriation of new “objective” data has to be tempered by a complementary and more “sociological” reflection. For we cannot forget that these data create a new normativity by increasing the individual responsibility of each individual. Having been provided with ample current and predictive data, each individual can now be expected to take care of his or her own health by adopting a healthy lifestyle, exercising, evading carcinogens, continuous monitoring of vital signs, etc. This kind of management has been characterized by the French philosopher Michel Foucault as “biopower” . In his view the person is not an independent and rational agent trying to take advantage of the information provided to increase its own self-understanding, but merely a relay in the encompassing web of power lines to which each person is expected to submit. This submission, equal to a kind of “training,” will also shape the person, albeit in a very different way than as described by Ricoeur (see for example , and more recently ). If we assume that both of these perspectives correctly capture part of the impact of personalized medicine, the challenge before us is to promote the former impact and limit the latter.
Medicine’s personalizing impact
We announced earlier that our understanding of the relationship between personalization and twenty-first century medicine would involve an unexpected reversal. We can now summarize that reversal as follows: Today’s “personalized medicine” does not involve a paradigm shift: neither are its methods to achieve personalization fundamentally new, nor can it heal the patient precisely as a person. In that sense, the label “personalized” is a misnomer. However, this new form of medicine can contribute to the personalization of and by the patients it seeks to care for.
Important as that contribution may be, it is a limited one. First, today’s personalized medicine is at best incrementally more personalized than older and other types of medicine . Indeed, any scientific endeavor generates data about the world and our own way of being in it, that can and must be reappropriated by each one of us as we subjectively shape our own being.
Second, none of these sciences – and hence not “personalized” medicine either – is guaranteed to impact personalization. We already saw that such personalization is not a direct consequence of the knowledge generated by the various sciences, but necessitates active reappropriation by the subject. And because different individuals will, precisely by virtue of their individuality, engage in this reappropriation differently, or maybe not engage in it at all, the outcome is highly variable and surely unpredictable.
Third, the personalization that personalized medicine can bring about ultimately is not achieved by personalized medicine itself but by the patients. For the new data that personalized medicine generates are themselves not personalized; in fact, they are potentially even less personalized than the data generated by past medical practices. They become personalized only when and because an individual subject reappropriates the newly generated data.
Fourth and finally, we need to point out that this process of reappropriation is often difficult and haphazard, not only because of the volume and complexity of the data to be reappropriated by patients, but also because this process is prone to the kinds of external forces identified by Foucault. Individual health care practitioners can play an important role in assisting patients in this process of reappropriation, but they have to also be ever cognizant that they too are part of this Foucauldian biopower web.
Conclusion
It is a truism to say that personalized medicine, precisely in promising to personalize health care, has to assume a particular understanding of the concept of person. Likewise, no assessment of the success of personalized medicine can take place without making assumptions about the nature of personhood and, hence, the goal of personalization. And yet these assumptions are rarely examined within the rapidly expanding domain of personalized medicine. This lack of a careful and sustained analysis is ever the more troubling because many of those assumptions are philosophically obsolete.
In this article we have tried to show that an appreciation of the personalizing impact of so-called personalized medicine necessitates stepping outside of all too common dichotomies. One such dichotomy is between ardent advocates and cynical critics. Many passionate proponents of personalized medicine contend that it constitutes a real and hope-filled revolution in medicine by enabling, finally, healthcare tailored to individual patients. Hence, it merits vast financial investments as well as the public’s trust and a development track free of legal and policy hurdles. In contrast, many of its critics worry that the focus on genetic and other markers at a molecular level, combined with the reliance on big data and artificial intelligence, will only lead us even further away from truly person-centered health care. This polarization of the discussion testifies to the difficulty in analyzing and assessing what personalized medicine actually achieves.
If we want to hold on to the goal of personalization in health care, rather than evading the challenge by settling for precision medicine or stratified medicine only, we have to take seriously the difficulty of true personalization. Here, another dichotomy hampers our thinking. In this article we have tried to show that the person should neither be viewed as a pure subject (who is the autonomous master of his life and owner of his body), nor as an object on par with the “mere things” situated around us in the world. Merleau-Ponty and Ricoeur point out that the person emerges at the intersection of subjectivity and objectivity, through a cloudy and dynamic process of endless shaping. This also shows that and why personalized medicine will fail to achieve its goal of personalization when and because it only considers the person’s objective part (especially its objective body) and only uses explanatory approaches stemming from the natural (and social) sciences.
We have tried to argue that personalized medicine is not so much a shift within the medical field as a change affecting the way in which the person is emerging and shaping itself. Personalized medicine should be viewed as one manifestation of a new way of becoming who we are, involving the use of many more positive data than were available in the past. All of these data inevitably shape the process of personalization, and hence increase the risk that the person will be ever more objectified. It is still up to each person to engage these data and reappropriate them in a particular and even unique manner, which opens up, at least in principle, new ways of becoming who we are. Either way, personalized medicine testifies to the increased importance nowadays attached to the medical field in the emergence of the contemporary subject.
Availability of data and materials
Not applicable.
Abbreviations
- COPD:
-
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
- HIV:
-
Human Immunodeficiency Viruses
- IT:
-
Information Technology
References
- 1.
Schleidgen S, Klinger C, Bertram T, Rogowski WH, Marckmann G. What is personalized medicine: sharpening a vague term based on a systematic literature review. BMC Med Ethics. 2013. https://doi.org/10.1186/1472-6939-14-55.
- 2.
Pokorska-Bocci A, Stewart A, Sagoo GS, Hall A, Kroese M, Burton H. “Personalized medicine”: what’s in a name? Pers Med. 2014;11(2):197–210.
- 3.
Abettan C. Between hype and hope: what is really at stake with personalized medicine? Med Health Care Philos. 2016;19(3):423–30.
- 4.
Hetherington S, Hughes AR, Mosteller M, Shortino D, Baker KL, Spreen W, et al. Genetic variations in HLA-B region and hypersensitivity reactions to abacavir. Lancet. 2002;359:1121–2.
- 5.
Mallal S, Nolan D, Witt C, Masel G, Martin AM, Moore C, et al. Association between presence of HLA-B*5701, HLA-DR7, and HLA-DQ3 and hypersensitivity to HIV-1 reverse transcriptase inhibitor abacavir. Lancet. 2002;359:727–32.
- 6.
Tutton R. Personalizing medicine: futures, present and past. Soc Sci Med. 2012;75(10):1721–8.
- 7.
Doz F, Marvanne P, Fagot-Largeault A. The person in personalized medicine. Eur J Cancer. 2003;49(5):1159–60.
- 8.
Cherny NI, de Vries EG, Emanuel L, Francis PA, Gabizon G, et al. Words matter: distinguishing “personalized medicine” and “biologically personalized therapeutics”. J Natl Cancer Inst. 2014;106:12. https://doi.org/10.1093/jnci/dju321.
- 9.
Stiefel F, Bourquin C, Saraga M. Losing the ‘person’ in personalized medicine. Psychother Psychosom. 2017;86(5):300.
- 10.
Ziegelstein RC. Personomics: the missing link in the evolution from precision medicine to personalized medicine. J Pers Med. 2017. https://doi.org/10.3390/jpm7040011.
- 11.
National Research Council. Toward Precision Medicine: Building a Knowledge Network for Biomedical Research and a New Taxonomy of Disease. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press; 2011.
- 12.
Heidegger M. Being and time. Trans. J Stambaugh. Niemeyer: Tübingen; 1953.
- 13.
Husserl E. Cartesian meditation: an introduction to phenomenology. Trans. D Cairns. The Hague: Martinus Nijhoff; 1960.
- 14.
Husserl E. Ideas pertaining to a pure phenomenology and to a phenomenological philosophy. Second book: studies in the phenomenology of constitution. Trans. R Rojcewicz and a Schuwer. Dordrecht-Boston-London: Kluwer Academic Publisher; 1989.
- 15.
Merleau-Ponty M. Phenomenology of perception. Trans. C Smith. London-New York: Routledge; 1958.
- 16.
Merleau-Ponty M. The philosopher and his shadow. In: signs. Trans. R. McCleary. Evanston: Northwestern University Press; 1964.
- 17.
Ricoeur P. Freud and philosophy. An essay on interpretation. Trans. D Savage. New Haven-London: Yale University Press; 1970.
- 18.
Ricoeur P. Oneself as another. Trans. K Blamey. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press; 1992.
- 19.
Ricoeur P. Explanation and Understanding. In: From text to action. Essays in hermeneutics II. Trans. K Blamey and JB Thomson. Evanston: Northwestern University Press; 1991. p. 121–39.
- 20.
Anguelova M, Benkelfat C, Turecki G. A systematic review of association studies investigating genes coding for serotonin receptors and the serotonin transporter: II. Suicidal behavior Mol Psychiatry. 2003;8:646–53.
- 21.
Lin PY, Tsai G. Association between serotonin transporter gene promoter polymorphism and suicide: results of a meta-analysis. Biol Psychiatry. 2004;55:1023–30.
- 22.
Li D, He L. Meta-analysis supports association between serotonin transporter (5-HTT) and suicidal behavior. Mol Psychiatry. 2007;12:47–54.
- 23.
Foucault M. The will to knowledge. Trans. R Hurley. New York: Pantheon Books; 1978.
- 24.
Conrad P. The medicalization of society: on the transformation of human conditions into treatable disorders. Baltimore: John Hopkins University Press; 2007.
- 25.
Hancock BH. Michel Foucault and the problematics of power: theorizing DTCA and medicalized subjectivity. J Med Philos. 2018;43(4):439–68.
- 26.
Offit K. Personalized medicine: new genomics, old lessons. Hum Genet. 2011;130(1):3–14.
Acknowledgements
Not applicable.
Funding
There is no funding body.
Ethics declarations
Ethics approval and consent to participate
Not applicable.
Consent for publication
Not applicable.
Competing interests
The authors declare that they have no competing interests.
Additional information
Publisher’s Note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Rights and permissions
Open Access This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, which permits use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons licence, and indicate if changes were made. The images or other third party material in this article are included in the article's Creative Commons licence, unless indicated otherwise in a credit line to the material. If material is not included in the article's Creative Commons licence and your intended use is not permitted by statutory regulation or exceeds the permitted use, you will need to obtain permission directly from the copyright holder. To view a copy of this licence, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/. The Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication waiver (http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/) applies to the data made available in this article, unless otherwise stated in a credit line to the data.
About this article
Cite this article
Abettan, C., Welie, J.V.M. The impact of twenty-first century personalized medicine versus twenty-first century medicine’s impact on personalization. Philos Ethics Humanit Med 15, 11 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13010-020-00095-2
Received:
Accepted:
Published: | https://peh-med.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13010-020-00095-2 |
Teri Frame, trained as a ceramist, has expanded her work to integrate performance, video and collaborative activities. Themes within her work include notions of human beauty and proportion, genetics, eugenics, genetic engineering, identity and aesthetic surgery. Teri examines how notions of beauty and proportion relate to aging, disease, disability and race. “Non-normative” bodies have often been shunted from the human realm to that of the animal. Disfigurements in the form and surface of the human body are often marginalized. Those who bear such marks are estranged from public life and are often animalized. Learn more about Teri’s work at her website.
During her residency she will collaborate with ArtLab youth to create a video that directly addresses their subjective experiences concerning contemporary notions of beauty. She will also create a performance piece based upon those conversations concerning contemporary notions of beauty as represented in the media and pop culture.
Read more about Frame’s work in “Pre-human, Post-human, Inhuman” a review by Mark Nathan Stafford in Ceramics: Art and Perception International Journal (Australia). And in our blogs. | http://platteforum.org/dt_catalog/teri-frame/ |
Cases of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) – such as ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease – are on the rise, with over 210,000 people suffering from the condition in Japan. IBD patients also have a higher risk of blood clots, which remain a significant cause of mortality in IBD patients.
Now, a team of researchers has found a combination of rare and common genetic markers that allow them to predict accurately which patients are at a greater risk of developing blood clots.
“Our study showed that around 15% of IBD patients are genetically high risk for thromboembolic diseases (TED),” said Takeo Naito, PhD, first author of the study.
Naito, who is based at the Department of Gastroenterology at Tohoku University’s Graduate School of Medicine, worked with his colleague Prof. Atsushi Masamune along with the study’s senior author at Cedars-Sinai: Dermot P. McGovern, MD, PhD, Joshua L. and Lisa Z. Greer Chair in Inflammatory Bowel Disease Genetics.
The study also stratified patients into three groups – lowest, medium and highest – according to their genetic risk for TED, showing that patients with a higher genetic risk are at more than 8 times likely to suffer from TED compared to those with the lower genetic risk.
Separating patients based on the genetic risk of TED allows for the promotion of personalized medicine and for doctors to develop better treatment options for high-risk patients.
Naito hopes the findings can help treat patients with COVID-19. “Looking ahead, we want to expand this study to other diseases prone to blood clots, including COVID-19.”
- Publication Details:
Title: Prevalence and Effect of Genetic Risk of Thrombo-embolic Disease in Inflammatory Bowel Disease. | https://www.nationaltribune.com.au/utilizing-genetic-data-helps-predict-risk-of-blood-clots/ |
Abnormal growths of tissue can form anywhere along the length of the spine, inside or outside of the spinal cord. Cancerous or noncancerous, spinal tumors can begin in the spine. Cancerous tumors can also spread from elsewhere, such as the lung or breast.
The spine experts at UK Orthopaedic Surgery & Sports Medicine work in combination with the renowned Markey Cancer Center to provide this advanced service to patients.
-
Types
Spinal tumors are categorized by the area and part of the spinal structure where they are located, whether the neck, mid-back or low back. Tumors are classified as one of the following types:
- Extradural are found outside the tissue membrane (dura) that envelopes the spinal cord
- Intradural-extramedullary are located inside the dura but outside the spinal cord itself
- Intramedullary are found inside the spinal cord
-
Symptoms
- Back or neck pain that worsens over time and is pronounced during physical activity and when lying down
- Bladder or bowel incontinence
- Loss of sensation in the arms and legs
- Muscle spasms
- Pain, numbness, muscle weakness or loss of feeling in the legs
-
Prevention
- There is no known prevention method for most spinal tumors.
-
Risk factors
- Exposure to chemicals or substances known to cause cancer
- Family history of spinal tumors
- The genetic disorders neurofibromatosis types 1 and 2 and Von Hippel-Lindau disease
-
Diagnosis
- Medical history and physical examination. The patient and physician will discuss overall health and medical history, any history of genetic conditions associated with spinal tumors, and symptoms. During the physical examination, the physician will look for signs of nervous system involvement, such as poor reflexes.
- Imaging tests. Imaging studies to assist with making a diagnosis may include X-ray, CT, MRI, positron emission tomography or a bone scan.
- Biopsy. A needle biopsy retrieves a sample of the tumor for testing, which can refine the diagnosis by revealing the tumor type. It can also inform treatment.
-
Treatment
- Watchful waiting. If patients have mild symptoms or none at all and the tumor is not growing, the physician may recommend no active treatment and monitor the tumor with imaging studies moving forward.
- Chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy. If a tumor is cancerous, patients may receive one or both of these treatments, depending on the type of tumor.
- Surgery. Surgery may be necessary if other treatments have not worked, the tumor has destabilized the spine, or if patients experience significant symptoms or loss of function, such as bowel or bladder control. The surgeon will remove all or a portion of the tumor and stabilize the spine, as necessary.
-
Follow-up care
- Patients who have surgery may need physical therapy in the hospital or an inpatient rehabilitation facility followed by outpatient physical therapy at home or an outpatient center.
- During recovery, patients should follow physician recommendations regarding pain management and activities to avoid. It may take a few months before patients can resume all normal activities.
- Keep all follow-up appointments with the physician, who will use MRI to look for signs the tumor has returned. | https://ukhealthcare.uky.edu/orthopaedic-surgery-sports-medicine/conditions/spine/spinal-tumors |
Your First Visit
Your first visit with Dr. Kartch will last approximately 60 to 90 minutes. The initial visit consists of an in-depth review of your health concerns and goals as we gather a time-line of information on all aspects of your health including:
- Personal health history
- Medication history
- Past trauma during childhood to now/illnesses or surgery
- Auto accidents; did you heal 100% from any previous incident?
- Sports injuries, or sprain/strain injuries from your daily activities
- Previous treatment by other health care providers
- Family medical history
- New injury (s) or areas of concern
Lifestyle questions:
- What were your last three meals?
- What do you do to calm yourself in stressful times?
- What are your typical exercise habits for one week?
- How do you relax?
- How do you have leisure in your daily life?
- Do you have chronically tight muscles and/or joint pain?
- When do you feel your body stopped healing well?
We will complete key physical, orthopedic and neurological examination procedures as well. In some cases, there may be a need to refer for x-rays or to your medical doctor. In a many cases we begin soft tissue and chiropractic treatment and home care recommendations on the first visit. Generally, between the first and second visit, the doctor reviews all of your information and designs a comprehensive treatment plan taking into consideration all of your goals and needs.
Your Second Visit is 20-30 minutes
During your second visit, we discuss options for chiropractic support and lifestyle changes including activities of daily living, stretching/strengthening, diet or other modifications that are tailored to you. Together, we decide which treatment options are most appropriate at this time in your life. It is fundamental that you feel empowered to make decisions about your health and healing process while receiving the guidance and support that you need.
Your Follow-Up Visits are 20-30 minutes
Follow-up visits are scheduled to monitor your progress and, if necessary, to refine and expand your plan of care. Each visit is determined by how long you experienced the benefits from the last treatment visit. For example, you felt the benefits of less pain and greater flexibility for two days. Then your next treatment visit will be in 3 days. As you hold your adjustment longer, the pain is going away for a longer period of time and you can stretch out the tight muscles then your next visit will be at the time you feel less than this sense of well-being. As you regain a sense of vitality, our visits will focus on health maintenance through the development of a personalized health maintenance plan. The frequency of your visits will depend on the pace of your progress, the type of therapy you chose, and the amount of support you need to implement the recommended changes.
Treatments
- Individually designed chiropractic and rehabilitation plans
- 5 chiropractic techniques to customize to your needs
- Soft tissue techniques for rehabilitation and quickening of the recovery process
- Graston Technique: re-directs the healing scar tissue to be functional
- Trigenics Myoneural Technique: re-trains how the nerve communicates with the muscle that moves the bone
- A time and a place for stretching and strengthening.
- Home care advice will be given to train the patient and this will assist in quickening the healing process.
(GT) Graston Technique® is successful in effectively treating all soft tissue conditions, whether they are chronic or acute and post surgical. The Graston Technique® offers many advantages to the patient such as:
- Decreases overall time of treatment
- Fosters faster rehabilitation/recovery
- Reduces need for anti-inflammatory medication
- Resolves chronic conditions thought to be permanent
Scar Tissue
- Scar tissue and adhesions can prevent fluid movement of muscles, tendons, ligaments and surrounding tissue. They can cause fascia (strong connective tissue between the skin and the underlying muscle) to adhere to muscle tissue, creating a feeling of “tightness” or pain with movement. They can also impair function (range of motion.)
- GT uses patented stainless steel instruments shaped to treat various areas of the body. It breaks up and releases scar tissue, thus relieving pain and allowing the return of normal function to the area being treated. A key benefit of GT is that the patient is able to engage in everyday activities during treatment.
- Scar tissue is the fabric of our immune system that glues us together every day and after every injury. Our duty is to train you how to care for your body well.
Trigenics
- Injuries create new imbalances in the muscle-nerve and spinal habits. As a result some muscles get chronically tight and/or weak. Trigenics can retrain the nerve-muscle communication by lengthening the tight muscles and strengthening the weak muscles.
Mission Statement: Dear Patients and Friends, Our purpose is to provide a safe haven of drug-free healing and health education to improve the quality and longevity of the lives of people in our community! Thank you for your help! | http://kartchchiro.com/get-started/what-to-expect-from-your-chiropractic-appointments/ |
It’s worrisome enough to have a senior loved one in the hospital. When your loved one is released, there’s an understandable sense of relief, since this is when he or she will focus on recovery. However, there are times when older adults are readmitted to the hospital because of unexpected issues. Below are five major risk factors that could increase your loved one’s odds of hospital readmission.
1. A Serious Health Condition
The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) conducted a study on hospital readmissions among seniors with Medicare. The agency discovered one of the leading risk factors was having a serious health condition. Seniors with the following conditions were more likely to be readmitted:
• Congestive heart failure
• Pneumonia
• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
• Septicemia
• Cardiac dysrhythmia (abnormal heartbeat)
A professional caregiver can closely monitor your loved one for post-hospitalization complications. When searching for reliable in-home care agencies, families want to know their senior loved one will be well taken care of. At Home Care Assistance, our expertly trained caregivers are available around the clock to assist with tasks around the house, provide transportation to medical appointments and social events, and much more.
2. Lack of Follow-Up Care
The same study found older adults readmitted around 30 days or so after discharge were likely to have lacked sufficient follow-up care. Some of those within this group had also developed new illnesses or complications. These findings serve as a reminder for caregivers to be proactive about ensuring proper follow-up care after release from the hospital. Typically, this means:
• Keeping scheduled follow-up appointments
• Making sure care instructions are followed (e.g., guidelines for bathing, activity level, diet, medication, etc.)
• Reporting any new or unusual symptoms
3. Time of Day
One surprising finding of the study was that older adults were less likely to be readmitted to the hospital if they had been discharged between 8 a.m. and 1 p.m. Researchers speculate this might be because caregivers have more time to pick up prescriptions and get things ready for the necessary post-hospital care if their loved ones are discharged earlier in the day.
It’s not always possible to control what time of day your loved one is released from the hospital. However, if you’re concerned about having enough time to sufficiently get everything ready, talk to his or her doctor to see if you can arrange for a morning discharge.
4. Lack of Engagement
People of all ages need to be fully engaged with their follow-up care routines to reduce their odds of readmission. Depending on your loved one’s health and mental status, preparing for his or her release may involve explaining things in a way that’s understandable. This doesn’t mean you have to be condescending. Just use clear language and take the time to answer your loved one’s questions. It can also be helpful to:
• Provide gentle reminders to exercise
• Make a list of recovery goals
• Offer encouragement as your loved one achieves certain goals
• Participate in his or her post-hospital physical therapy/rehab sessions as much as you can
Many aging adults need assistance when they return home after being hospitalized. Some seniors only require help with a few daily tasks so they can maintain their independence. However, those living with serious illnesses may need more extensive assistance. Luckily, there is professional live-in care Kingwood, TX, seniors can rely on. Home can be a safer and more comfortable place for your loved one to live with the help of an expertly trained and dedicated live-in caregiver.
5. Premature Discharge
There are nearly 40 million hospital discharges annually in the United States, many of which go as planned. The ones that result in readmission tend to involve decisions to discharge people too soon. With older adults in particular, it’s advised that several factors be taken into consideration when determining appropriateness for discharge. Some of these include:
• Cognitive status
• Physical functioning level
• Availability of caregiver/family support
• Transportation availability for follow-up visits
• Ability to obtain medication and take it as directed
A professional caregiver can be a wonderful source of support for a senior who’s recovering after being hospitalized. Kingwood senior home care experts are available to provide high-quality care to seniors on an as-needed basis. From assistance with mobility and exercise to providing transportation to the doctor’s office and social events, there are a variety of ways professional caregivers can help your aging loved one continue to live independently. If your loved one needs professional home care, Home Care Assistance is here to help. To learn about our high-quality in-home care services, give us a call at 832-412-1345 today. | https://www.homecareassistancenorthhouston.com/main-elderly-hospital-readmission-causes/ |
Ablation refers to " destroying." Ablation therapy is a type of minimally invasive procedure that is used to get rid of aberrant tissue that can be manifested in different clinically abnormal conditions.
Ablation is most effective for tumors smaller than 3 cm in diameter. It may be used in conjunction with embolization for bigger tumors (1 to 2 inches or 3 to 5 cm wide). Because ablation frequently kills part of the normal tissue surrounding the tumor, it may not be suitable for treating cancers near major blood arteries, the diaphragm, or major bile ducts.
Ablation may be required for the following cases: A catheter or cardiac ablation: This is performed to treat a heart arrhythmia (irregular heartbeat). The goal is to restore normal heart rhythm by destroying regions of the heart that cause irregular heartbeats.
Endometrial ablation: Women who experience heavy menstrual bleeding may benefit from ablation of the endometrium (the lining of the uterus).
Ablation for cancer: Tumors of the kidneys, liver, and other organs can be treated with ablation techniques if surgery is not an option.
Alternate names
Radiofrequency ablation, cardiac ablation, catheter ablation
Body Location
Heart, liver, kidneys, lungs, thyroid, endometrium, and others.
How is it performed?
Some of the clinically approved methods that are widely performed are as follows:
Microwave ablation: Usually, a thin probe is inserted through a small incision in the skin guided by imaging tools, such as ultrasound, computed tomography (CT), or MRI (magnetic resonance imaging), to locate the area to be treated. The tip of the probe generates microwaves to destroy or ablate the tissue.
High-energy radiofrequency ablation: Same as the above technique. Radiofrequency (RF) is used instead of microwaves.
Thermal balloon ablation: A balloon is inserted at the desired anatomical location filled with fluid heated to approximately 88 degrees celsius to destroy undesired tissues.
Laser ablation: A beam of a laser can be used to treat skin discolorations, lesions, or abnormal growth.
Cryoablation: A probe or similar device supercooled to around -15-degrees celsius is inserted using a thin needle or applied to the tissue. Liquid nitrogen or argon is used to reach such low temperatures. The extremely cold gas flows through the organ causing ice crystals to form and rupture the tissue.
Preparation
Different radiological tests or blood tests may be required to analyze the condition of the heart and other disease-specific risk factors. On or before the day of the procedure following general preparations may be required.
The patients must accompany a person to take back home as they will not be able to drive or operate machinery for at least 24 hours after the procedure.
No eating or drinking is allowed after midnight the night before the procedure, except for a small amount of water if needed to take medications on the day of the procedure.
Patients who have diabetes and use insulin should consult the doctor to adjust or manage diabetic medication accordingly. Diabetes medication must be carried out such that one can take it after the procedure.
Any blood-thinning medications or antiplatelet medications must be stopped with appropriate permission.
Continue to take all other medications with minimal water before and after surgery in consultation with your primary care physician.
Procedure type
Minimally invasive procedure
Follow-up
A follow-up at regular intervals is suggested as per the condition and the clinician who performed the procedure. Sometimes a device called an “Event monitor” is provided to record any abnormal physiological response (aberrant heartbeat, dizziness, or pain)
Risks
The general procedural risks that rarely includes death are as follows:
Recovery
As it is a minimally invasive procedure, most people can return home on the same day of the procedure or require an overnight stay at the hospital. They can return to normal activities within a few days after leaving the hospital. They need to follow certain guidelines at home for faster recovery:
Avoid heavy physical activity for a few days.
Avoid driving for 48 hours after the procedure.
They may have a small bruise from the catheter insertion. If it starts to bleed, consult the doctor immediately.
Ablation therapy does not guarantee a complete and non-recurrent recovery from the condition. The condition may recur depending on the case and the patient’s physical status. However, this newer technique has shown greater than 60-70% success on average in difficult cases. | https://www.blkmaxhospital.com/interventional-radiology/procedure/ablation-therapy |
Once a patient is identified as a potential lung transplant candidate, s/he will undergo four days of tests and consults performed at the UW Hospital and Clinics. The lung transplant team will then review and discuss the results of those tests and consults, and determine if the patient should be listed for lung transplant. They will also determine at that time whether the patient should be a single- or double-lung transplant recipient.
If it is determined that the patient is a transplant candidate and wishes to proceed, the patient will be placed on the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) waiting list. UNOS is a nonprofit organization that matches organs to patients based on blood type, body size, need for single or double lung transplant, and severity of illness. This waiting period can vary from days to years based upon the individual's needs. While waiting, the patient will continue to see the transplant team approximately every three months and have updated testing done to monitor for changes in their lung function. Patients will also be required to attend pre-lung transplant education classes to help prepare for the post-transplant life.
The call for transplant can come any time of day or night. Patients will have transportation set up to assure a timely arrival for transplantation (usually within three hours of notification of organs). It is important to know that patients may get to the hospital, get prepared for surgery, and still not receive the transplant due to unexpected findings with poor donor organ function. The surgery can take from three to four hours for a single-lung transplant to six to 12 hours for a double-lung transplant. Hospital stay and recovery varies with the complexity of the disease being treated. After surgery, each patients will receive continued education to help prepare for the post-transplant lifestyle.
After surgery, transplantation is a lifelong commitment to follow-up medical care. There will need to be bronchoscopies and biopsies to determine rejection; laboratory work and X-rays to monitor drug levels and infections, and pulmonary function tests (spirometry) to monitor lung function. The follow-up schedule is based upon individual needs. The transplant team provides support to patients, families and local physicians with the goal of improved quality-of-life. | https://www.uwhealth.org/transplant/lung-transplant-process/10589 |
Astrocytoma in Dogs
Astrocytomas are brain tumors that affect the organ's glial cells, which surround nerve cells (neurons), giving them support and electrically insulating them. It is the most common primary neoplasm occurring the brain of dogs. However, an astrocytoma can also be rarely found in the spinal cord, and there was one reported case of an astrocytoma located in the retina.
Symptoms and Types
The astrocytoma's biologic behavior depends on the tumor's location and degree of lack of cell differentiation (graded I–IV, from best to worst prognosis). The following are some common symptoms associated with this type of brain tumor:
- Seizures
- Behavioral changes
- Disorientation
- Loss of conscious proprioception (i.e., clumsy misplacement of feet, tripping, etc.)
- Cranial nerve abnormalities
- Paralysis
Causes
The underlying cause for the development of astrocytomas is currently unknown.
Diagnosis
You will need to give a thorough history of your dog’s health, including the onset and nature of the symptoms, to the veterinarian. He or she will then perform a complete physical examination as well as a biochemistry profile, urinalysis, complete blood count, and electrolyte panel to rule out other diseases.
An analysis of cerebrospinal fluid may indicate increased protein levels without an increase in cell count, which is indicative of astrocytoma development. Computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are also highly instrumental in diagnosing astrocytomas, as is radionuclide imaging, which may show an area of increased activity at the tumor site.
Treatment
Surgery and chemotherapy are both common courses of treatment when dealing with this time of brain tumor. Radiation therapy, too, can be effective; consult a veterinary oncologist if this is beneficial in the case of your dog.
Living and Management
Your veterinarian will schedule regular follow-up appointments for your pet, where it will undergo CT (computed tomography) and MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) scans, so as to monitor the dog's response to treatment. Likewise, blood work (especially a complete blood count) should be evaluated during each appointment. If the dog was prescribed seizure medication, your veterinarian may want to evaluate it earlier (7 to 10 days after prescribing the medication) to regulate the dosage accordingly. | https://www.petmd.com/dog/conditions/neurological/c_dg_astrocytoma |
Hypothyroidism is a disorder of the thyroid gland. This gland is responsible for producing and secreting thyroid hormone (thyroxine), which affects nearly all body systems. Thyroxine is the hormone that is primarily responsible for regulating the metabolic rate of many different tissues in the body. In hypothyroidism, not enough thyroxine is produced, which causes the metabolism of these tissues to slow down.
Hypothyroidism is a clinical disease that occurs as a result of decreased blood levels of serum thyroid hormones.
Hypothyroidism is very rare in the cat. It arises most often following treatment of hyperthyroidism in the cat. Hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid gland) is the most common thyroid disorder of cats.
Causes of Hypothyroidism in Cats
What To Watch For
A deficiency of thyroid hormone affects the metabolic function of many organ systems. As a result, the clinical signs are usually variable, non-specific, and slow to develop. Although there is no one symptom that is diagnostic, several combined signs may make your veterinarian more suspicious. Symptoms may include:
Diagnosis of Hypothyroidism in Cats
Hypothyroidism is not always a simple, straightforward disease to diagnose. Various tests are available to diagnose the condition and a combination of tests may be required. Proper diagnosis also includes a thorough history, documentation of clinical signs, a thorough physical examination, and diagnostic tests to assess various organ functions, including thyroid function. A diagnostic work-up may include the following:
Treatment of Hypothyroidism in Cats
Follow-up Care
Optimal treatment requires a combination of home and professional veterinary care. At home it is important to administer all medication exactly as prescribed by your veterinarian. With appropriate therapy, most of the clinical alterations associated with hypothyroidism improve within four to six weeks.
Most cats tolerate thyroid supplementation very well, however, over dosage is associated with return of the signs of hyperthyroidism. Watch the cat closely for signs of hyperactivity, increased vocalization (meowing, howling), restlessness, weight loss and diarrhea, and report these signs to your veterinarian promptly.
It is important to follow-up with regularly scheduled visits to your veterinarian so that both your cat’s clinical signs and thyroid concentration in the blood can be monitored. Generally, the first follow-up examination is within four weeks after the start of therapy. T4 levels are often measured six to eight hours after the pill is given. Adjustments in the dosage of medication are then recommended depending upon the results of these tests. Additional recheck visits are then scheduled based upon the test results, changes in clinical signs, and any alterations in the medication schedule.
Prevention of Hypothyroidism in Cats
Careful monitoring during the treatment of hyperthyroidism can often prevent hypothyroidism in the cat. If removal of both thyroid glands can be avoided, then normal output of thyroxine should continue. Periodic measurement of T4 during methimazole therapy helps to prevent over treatment with this drug. Careful dosing of radioactive iodine during radiation therapy of hyperthyroidism is also helpful in avoiding the development of hypothyroidism. | https://www.petplace.com/article/cats/pet-health/hypothyroidism-in-cats/ |
What is the treatment for sprains and strains?
When muscle, tendon, or ligament fibers are damaged, the body will heal that area by producing scar tissue. The area that is injured needs to be kept relatively rested while healing.
First aid continues afterward with rest, ice, compression, and elevation (RICE). These are the keys elements in the treatment of both sprains and strains. More intense treatment may be required depending upon the location and severity of injury and the patient’s level of function. For example, an athlete who sprains the ACL of their knee may need to have surgery to reconstruct the ligament, but an elderly patient who is less active may not need such an aggressive approach and physical therapy may be all that is needed to return to their previous level of activity.
Depending upon the extent and location of the injury, it may take many weeks to return to normal function. That does not mean that all activity must stop; instead there needs to be a gradual return to function that is guided by the body’s response to activity. Most often, the patient can “listen” to their body’s response to activity and increase or decrease the amount and intensity of activity. There is a balance between resting a part of the body enough to help with healing and resting it too much so that strength and range of motion are lost. For example, when the rotator cuff is strained, it may take a significant amount of time for the shoulder to return to full function. Resting the arm for a prolonged period of time in a sling to rest the muscle group may lead to stiffness in the shoulder joint and loss of range of motion. The health care professional and patient must appreciate that balance and minimize the loss of function while maximizing the rate of healing.
Muscle, tendon, and ligaments heal themselves naturally by repairing the fibers or filling in the damaged area with scar tissue. Full muscle and joint mobility may take time to return, and gradual stretching may be required to return the injured area to normal. Additionally, depending upon the area of the body that is injured, the damage sustained, and the amount of loss of function, physical therapy may be suggested. A variety of treatment modalities may be considered, including ultrasound and massage, to encourage healing and preserve range of motion and function.
If the muscle or tendon is ruptured or severely torn (grade 3 strain), surgery may be required to repair the damage. Some common sites of this injury include the
- quadriceps (front of the thigh) muscle or its tendon, either the quadriceps or patellar, that allows the knee to extend or straighten tendon;
- hamstring muscle located in the back of the thigh and flexes the knee;
- Achilles tendon which attached the calf muscle to the calcaneus (heel) and allows the ankle to flex;
- biceps muscle or tendon, which flexes the elbow.
Physical therapists may be an important part of the treatment team to help with recovery. Their skills in teaching and monitoring range of motion and strengthening exercises allow recovery from their injury in a controlled way. It may be only one visit for an ankle sprain, or there may need to be multiple visits to help with post operative care. Physical therapy can also involve other treatment options like ultrasound, electrical stimulation, and muscle massage.
Certified athletic trainers work with athletes, especially in organized sports, and are involved in the treatment of acute and chronic sprains and strains. They are skilled in taping and using compression bandages (ace wraps) to support and protect injured muscles and joint, as well as implementing treatment plans as part of the sports medicine team.
Surgery is a consideration for certain sprains and strains. The decision to offer surgical operations to repair muscle, tendons, or ligaments depends upon the patient’s underlying function before the injury and their expectations for activity after recovery. Not all structures need repair, even if completely torn. For example, a professional athlete may continue to perform at a high level even with a torn posterior cruciate ligament in the knee but cannot easily return to the field of play with a torn anterior cruciate ligament.
Anti-inflammatory medications like ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) and naproxen (Aleve) are often suggested to help decrease inflammation and relieve pain. Before taking any over-the-counter medication, it is important to appreciate that side effects and medication interactions exist and it is wise to ask a health care professional or pharmacist for advice and direction for their use.
New treatments are being developed to help with recovery For example, platelet rich plasma (PRP) injections may help in speeding recovery and may be useful in some patient treatment plans.
For more significant pain, prescription pain medications, muscle relaxants, and/or anti-inflammatory medications may be prescribed for a short period of time. | http://losangelesclinicaltrials.org/sprains-and-strains-symptoms-treatment-causes/ |
A pancreatectomy is the surgical removal of all or part of the pancreas. The pancreas is an organ about the size of a hand located in the abdomen in the vicinity of the stomach, intestines, and other organs. It lies behind the stomach and in front of the spine. The pancreas has two critical functions in the body:
A pancreatectomy is used to treat a number of conditions involving the pancreas including:
Patients with symptoms of a pancreatic disorder undergo a number of tests before surgery is even considered. These can include ultrasonography, x ray examinations, computed tomography scans (CT scan), and endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP), a specialized imaging technique to visualize the ducts that carry bile from the liver to the gallbladder. Tests may also include angiography, another imaging technique used to visualize the arteries feeding the pancreas, and needle aspiration cytology, in which cells are drawn from areas suspected to contain cancer. Such tests are required to establish a correct diagnosis for the pancreatic disorder and in the planning the surgery.
Since many patients with pancreatic cancer are undernourished, appropriate nutritional support, sometimes by tube feedings, may be required prior to surgery.
Some patients with pancreatic cancer deemed suitable for a pancreatectomy will also undergo chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy. This treatment is aimed at shrinking the tumor, which will improve the chances for successful surgical removal. Sometimes, patients who are not initially considered surgical candidates may respond so well to chemoradiation that surgical treatment becomes possible. Radiation therapy may also be applied during the surgery (intraoperatively) to improve the patient's chances of survival, but this treatment is not yet in routine use. Some studies have shown that intraoperative radiation therapy extends survival by several months.
Patients undergoing distal pancreatectomy that involves removal of the spleen may receive preoperative medication to decrease the risk of infection.
Pancreatectomy is major surgery. Therefore, extended hospitalization is usually required with an average hospital stay of two to three weeks.
Some pancreatic cancer patients may also receive combined chemotherapy and radiation therapy after surgery. This additional treatment has been clearly shown to enhance survival rates.
After surgery, patients experience pain in the abdomen and are prescribed pain medication. Follow-up exams are required to monitor the patient's recovery and remove implanted tubes.
A total pancreatectomy leads to a condition called pancreatic insufficiency, because food can no longer be normally processed with the enzymes normally produced by the pancreas. Insulin secretion is likewise no longer possible. These conditions are treated with pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy, which supplies digestive enzymes; and with insulin injections. In some case, distal pancreatectomies may also lead to pancreatic insufficiency, depending on the patient's general health condition before surgery and on the extent of pancreatic tissue removal.
There are risks and side effects related to having a pancreatectomy. Risks and side effects may be:
The hospital stay for a pancreatectomy is often one to three weeks. While in the hospital you may have:
Depending on your situation, you may also have: | https://iraniansurgery.com/en/pancreatectomy-in-iran/ |
What is an aoric aneurysm?
How can you discover an aortic aneurysm and what symptoms does it cause?
When is an abdominal aortic aneurysm treated?
An aneurysm is the extension of a blood vessel by more than 50% of its diameter (> 1.5 times). The main artery in this case represents the largest blood vessel in the human body, along which the oxygen-rich blood to supply the different organs and body regions flows. About 80% of aortal aneurysms are located in the abdomen, below the renal artery outflows.
Due to the pulsatile pressure of the blood flow in the aorta, an extension may burst (rupture). The risk of bursting thereby increases with diameter size. However, other risk factors affect the likelihood of aneurysm rupture. These include in particular the shape of the aneurysm (saccular), hypertension, obstructive pulmonary disease, smoking or a family history. The rupture of an aneurysm can quickly lead to internal bleeding to death. Even if an emergency operation is possible – almost 80% of patients no longer reach the hospital and in 90% of cases a rupture ends fatally.
An aortic aneurysm does not usually cause any symptoms, so that often the diagnosis is only made by chance. The diagnosis of an aortic aneurysm can be confirmed by means of different imaging methods. The simplest method of investigation in this case is an ultrasonic examination. The aneurysm can also be controlled in the course of the procedure, if an operation is still not necessary. For a more detailed assessment and planning the appropriate surgical treatment, computed tomography angiography should be performed. Magnetic resonance imaging can show an aortic aneurysm, but due to the long duration of the examination and the lack of feasibility for those with metallic implants in the body, it is only of secondary importance for diagnosis.
The symptoms of abdominal aortic aneurysm are difficult to detect and are usually expressed as abdominal or back pain. This can often lead to confusion with other diseases.
In very thin patients or very large aneurysms, these can be felt as a pulsating tumour in the abdomen.
If the aneurysm bursts, there is usually destructive pain made in the abdomen or back. Due to the resulting blood loss, it can quickly lead to poor circulation or even unconsciousness.
It is also important that other parts of the body are examined for vascular aneurysms, as they may be affected in patients with an abdominal aortic aneurysm. The main points include the popliteal, inguinal and neck regions.
The need for surgery depends in particular on the diameter, but also on the shape of the aneurysm. An operation is usually necessary from a diameter of approximately 5 cm. With rapid growth in size, symptomatic aneurysm and aneurysm with a special form may also have to be operated on at a smaller diameter.
The risk of surgery for aortic aneurysms depends on several factors (including locality and health of the patient). but in such cases interventions at specialised clinics have by far the lowest surgical risk, due to accumulated experience.
You should have the various treatment options explained to you in more detail, along with their advantages and disadvantages, in our aorta clinic. Here you can consult our senior physician PD Dr A. Zimmermann, with his years of experience in all areas of aneurysm treatment.
When aneurysms do not meet the requirement for surgical treatment, drug treatment, i.e. conservative treatment, should be performed. This must be individually adapted to the patient’s situation and possibly includes medication for blood pressure and cholesterol reduction, but also to inhibit the function of platelets.
The patient may also contribute to risk reduction by choosing a healthier and more conscious lifestyle.
During open surgery, the extended portion of the aorta is replaced by a so-called vascular prosthesis via an abdominal incision or through an incision in the chest cavity. Here this prosthesis is sutured to the healthy portions of the aorta as a “replacement tube”. The advantage of this surgical procedure is that there are only a few follow-up procedures and an intervention rarely follows. Disadvantages include the larger cardiac stress during the operation, the greater access entry of opening the abdomen and the longer recovery period after surgery.
In minimally invasive surgery (endovascular aneurysm repair) a collapsed stent graft is introduced into the aorta through the femoral arteries and deployed there under X-ray control. Now the blood flows through the in-aortic prosthesis and no longer through the aneurysm. The advantage of this method is the low cardiac stress, so that this method can also be applied to patients with heart disease. Moreover, the surgery requires only two small incisions in the groin and after surgery recovery is generally very rapid.
For the treatment of longer aneurysm sections, special prostheses may be necessary, which may have small openings or arms to involve affected organ arteries.
This method occasionally requires secondary procedures that can usually, however, be performed through low-risk catheter procedures. In addition, long-term regular follow-up by ultrasound and computed tomography (CT) must be made. | https://www.gchir.mri.tum.de/en/hauptschlagader-aorta/ |
Overview:
One of the prime concerns of the patients before undergoing Hip Replacement Surgery in India is the recovery time. They want to be aware of how early can they return to their healthy life and restart with their physical activities. Well, the patients must understand that the recovery time for every patient is different.
It is because the medical condition for every individual varies, and so does the medical proceedings. Based on the medical proceedings, that is surgical or non-surgical, the recovery process also varies for an individual.
If the doctors performed surgery for your cure, the recovery time is undoubtedly going to be high. On the contrary, the recovery time for non- surgical treatments is usually low.
In short, we can say that the recovery time depends on several factors. Continue to read the blog, to know the factors determining the recovery of the patient after the hip replacement surgery.
Factors That Help To Regain The Lost Strength of the Hip Joint or Rescue After Hip Replacement Surgery:
In the usual conditions, the recovery time after the surgery is one to six months. However, the recovery time can be divided into short-term and long-term recovery.
Short-term recovery time is four to six weeks. In short term recovery, one can account for:
- Discharge from the hospital, the duration for the same is 24 to 72 hours
- The ability to walk with the support of a walker
- Avoiding the intake of significant pain killer drugs and incisions, and sleep overnight peacefully
- Last, but not least, the ability to walk a certain distance within your house without resting.
Long term recovery time varies between three to six months for every patient. A long term recovery counts for:
- The ability of the patient to walk without the use of walking aids
- Healing of all the internal soft tissues and the surgical wounds
- The patient can perform the day to day tasks without any pain or inconvenience
- Retaining the mobility and lost strength of the hip joint.
Now, the factors that decide the recovery time for the patients include:
- Age of the patient
- Follow-up recovery; including the physical therapy and exercises
- The response of the patients to the surgery
- The recovery time is less for the patients following the instructions of the doctor and undergoing the regular tests
- A positive attitude of the patient.
Apart from the surgery, recovery and rehabilitation period also contributes to the Hip Replacement Surgery Cost in India. If the patient does not recover after the operation immediately, then the number of days spent in the hospital may increase. After the discharge from the hospital, if the patient does not regain the mobility he has to stay outside the hospital for increased number of days. All this adds to overall price of treatment.
Final Words:
Hip replacement is not a very complicated procedure, and after your treatment under the top orthopaedics of India, the recovery is sure. However, the recovery after the surgery is not the sole responsibility of the surgeon, and you are equally responsible for the same. make sure you stick to advice of the medical team to avoid the side-effects. | https://hotmaillog.in/what-is-the-usual-recovery-period-after-hip-replacement/ |
The Critical Care Recovery Clinic (CCRC)
The Critical Care Recovery Clinic (CCRC) was launched by the Institute for Critical Care Medicine (ICCM) as an initiative dedicated to addressing the multifaceted recovery needs of individuals who have survived a critical illness as well as to fill essential gaps in care after hospital discharge.
A common consequence of critical illness is post intensive care syndrome. Known as PICS, the condition describes the spectrum of health concerns that remain from a critical illness after a patient is discharged from the hospital. These may be of the physical domain such as muscle weakness or difficulty sleeping, the cognitive domain such as memory and concentration issues, and the psychological domain such as anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder.
PICS can present as early as when the patient is in the intensive care unit (ICU) to as late as after the patient returns home. Patients and families often lack understanding and context of their critical illness, resources to assist with life at home, information about what recovery is expected to involve, and awareness of PICS. Many patients will not make a full recovery following their critical illness. However, deficits that cannot be reversed still need to be identified, explained, and reconciled.
By using evidence-based practice, the CCRC works to mitigate the neuropsychological, mental health, physical, and practical challenges among survivors of critical illness in the months and years after discharge. Our CCRC provides assessment for PICS symptoms, consultation with a critical care physician with PICS expertise, review of the ICU course, and connection to appropriate support services. Psychiatry, cognitive, physical and occupational therapy, medication education, and reconciliation with a pharmacist are available. Continued assistance obtaining medical equipment; behavioral health consultations for sleep, pain, stress management, and smoking cessation; resources and support for caregivers and family members; and spiritual care are other available services.
The main goals of CCRC is to create awareness about PICS and post intensive care syndrome in families (PICS-F). We help patients and families embark on the best possible trajectory of recovery; address important gaps in care after discharge from the ICU; and collaborate with national and international scientific organizations to understand the longitudinal impact of critical care on patients and families.
Patients who are seen in the CCRC are individuals with complex medical conditions and multiple comorbidities who were admitted to the ICU for seven days or longer. These patients had a wide variety of critical care illnesses and often required mechanical ventilation, renal replacement therapy, mechanical circulatory support, emergency and complex surgeries, transplants, and neurosurgical interventions. Because the CCRC is part of ICCM, the ICU survivors that come through this clinic are patients who were admitted to the different sub-specialty ICUs throughout the Mount Sinai Health System.
The clinical team is composed of critical care physicians, critical care pharmacists, critical care advance practitioners, ICU social workers, physiatrists, spiritual care, research coordinators, and administrative staff. Under the co-direction of critical care medicine specialists Neha S. Dangayach, MD and Miguel Martillo, MD, the CCRC started its operations on Feb 11, 2020, and is entirely funded by ICCM. The clinic collaborates nationally and internationally and is an active member of The Critical and Acute Illness Recovery Organization (CAIRO), a global collaborative of multidisciplinary groups dedicated to improving outcomes for ICU survivors and their families. From its inception, the CCRC has seen approximately 40 ICU survivors.
As a leading health care provider, Mount Sinai offers modern and comprehensive outpatient facilities with state of the art medical equipment. The CCRC operates within the Center for Advanced Medicine at Mount Sinai. Patients from different ethnicities, economic statuses, and socio-cultural backgrounds come to our facilities for world-class outpatient care. The clinic accepts Medicaid, Medicare, as well as a host of managed care and commercial insurance plans. The CCRC shares clinic space with Internal Medicine Associates, and is designated a waiting area, check-in desk, one room for vitals to be taken, and three exam rooms with computer access. The clinic also has access to one shared video remote interpreting device.
The CCRC team selects patients who are at risk of developing PICS while they are in the ICU. Our doctor’s identify patients by screening for common critical care conditions that have been evidenced to be associated with PICS. Patients who come to the clinic were in the ICU for more than seven days and commonly were diagnosed with sepsis, and septic shock, delirium, acute respiratory distress syndrome, and required mechanical ventilation.
Patients who are identified to be at risk for PICS or referred by an intensivist are scheduled to have an appointment within a month of hospital discharge. Critical care advanced practice practitioners who are part of the CCRC call patients after 48 hours of hospital discharge for an introductory and educational conversation about PICS. Subsequently, the CCRC team continues to have contact with patients two and three weeks after hospital discharge. During these check-in phone calls, the CCRC team provides emotional support to the patients and families. Before the appointment day, patients are emailed forms that assess the cognitive, emotional, and physical domain of PICS.
During the appointment, the patient first has vital signs taken; then, an intensivist meets with the patient to review the ICU course and related medical problems. The clinician also screens for depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder. The doctor will also perform a cognitive and physical assessment, and address all of the patient's concerns.
Subsequently, the patient meets with a critical care pharmacist for medication reconciliation and education. Next, the patient and family talk with a social worker who assists in obtaining medical equipment and ambulatory devices. A spiritual care worker may speak with the patient and family at the end of the visit to provide spiritual support. Lastly, the clinic team will summarize the clinic visit with instructions for patients and primary care doctors, which often includes referrals to other services, counseling on medication compliance, and reminders for follow-up appointments. | https://www.mountsinai.org/locations/institute-critical-care/research/critical-care-recovery-program/ccrc |
Now that the Jaguar motor controller has reached its end of life, they are accumulating in FRC team shops. Team 548 had around two dozen hiding in a tote. One use I found for them is testing batteries. After many brownouts during the 2016 season, we wondered if the batteries were faulty. My first plan was to use a robot, but it was hard to eliminate variables, noisy, and overheated motors. After returning to the drawing board and doing some digging, I found a roll of steel high-temperature wire which had a total resistance of around 0.58Ω, able to burn about 14 amps at 8 volts for hours on end. With a spare Jaguar, box fan, and that wire, I constructed and programmed a 10A constant current load with PC data-logging.
Due to license issues, the PIDController source is no longer included but was sourced from the LeJOS project with modifications. Seventeen Acres Battery Test V1 is licensed under the MIT license. USE THIS SOFTWARE AND GUIDE AT YOUR OWN RISK. This software is not designed for and does not have adequate safety mechanisms for use with actuators, precision applications, safety-critical applications, or industrial use. Use this software for testing in a non-production environment only. Do not use this software or setup described unsupervised. Even use with a resistive load, as described below, can cause damage, injury, fire, or death. This software is in a rough state and may malfunction.
The input side of the Jaguar is wired similarly to a normal robot but the main breaker is omitted since there is only a single 40A limited load. The steel wire is split into three separate sections in case a different resistance was required. All three sections are connected in series across the Jaguar’s output. The load panel is then placed in front of a box fan. Since black Jaguars have an internal RS-232 to CAN bridge, it is connected via its 6P6C RJ25 port to a USB to RS-232 adapter with a DB9 to RJ25 converter attached to the PC. This setup is also used for firmware updates and ID management in normal FRC usage.
The most straightforward way to control and monitor a Jaguar would be to use a cRIO, but FRC limitations make them tedious to use for static operations. A second option would be connecting to the Jaguars to a PC application using the serial libraries in Java. While the Jaguars have RS-232 serial, the protocol is not well-documented or simple. The BDC-COMM Windows software used to configure and test the Jaguars, however, has an often-ignored CLI mode which, although somewhat cryptic, has enough documentation to be useful. The CLI mode enables all of the important functions of the Jaguar including PID, sensors, and output control. The Battery Test java application launches the BDC-COMM CLI terminal internally and then sends commands to that to operate. In constant current mode, the Java application runs a PID loop on the input current (calculated with output voltage and current, input voltage, and experimentally determined efficiency of .94) to output a set voltage to the Jaguar via BDC-COMM. Every 10 ms, the status values, set-point, and the energy integrator are updated. Every 100ms, a snapshot of input voltage, current, power, and energy and output voltage, current, power, and energy is logged to a CSV.
java -jar "Battery Test.jar"
For the batteries I tested (an unused 2015 MK battery (2015-009), a KoP battery from 2015 (2015-001), and two used 2016 MK batteries (2016-007 and 2016-006)) no correlation could be found between brand or age and capacity. For better results, real battery connectors should be used, since a 30mΩ input resistance difference would cause the .3V voltage drop observed in 2015-009 and 2016-006.
Thanks to FRC team 548, the Robostangs for supporting this project. They had no involvement with this publication and any views or statements presented in this article are my own. | https://www.17acr.com/2016/08/30/batttest.html |
W1083: Structure 10L-18 © Robin HeyworthStructure 10L-18, also known simply as Templo 18, was the last structure added to the Acropolis at Copan and was added by its last ruler, Yax Pasaj Chan Yopaat (Yax Pac) and was completed by 820AD. The carvings that line the walls demonstrate that it was an important building, but there are conflicting ideas on what its function was. To make analysis slightly harder, part of the building was washed away by the Copan River and it was also defaced, robbed and burned shortly after it founder, Yax Pac, died. The two wall carvings (seen in fig. W1083) appear to be related in their theme: the one closest to the entrance features Yax Pac standing on a fleshed Cauac Monster holding the sceptre or torch of kingship; whereas the carving above the bench features Yax Pac standing on a skull, wearing a jawed headdress and carrying a spear. Many people suggest that the latter carving is an indication that Copan was suffering troubled times during the reign of Yax Pac and that this divine ruler had been forced to turn to war-craft. But elsewhere at Copan, deceased rulers are also shown in warrior attire – Ruler 12 on the Hieroglyphic Stairway and, most famously, Ruler 1 on Altar Q. So it would seem more likely that this is how the Rulers of Copan would dress for their transit through the underworld and that we are witnessing the passing of Yax Pac.
W1088: Tomb Entrance Structure 10L-18 rests above a tomb that can be accessed via a stairway. Nothing was found within the tomb and so we can only guess who was buried there. The most likely occupant is Yax Pac, but there is a good case for thinking he is buried in the ancestral home of Temple 16. Therefore, it may have been his wife who was buried here, or the tomb could have been symbolic and made purely for offerings – and niches were built into the wall for offerings to be left outside (fig. W1088). If this was his tomb, then it suggests, contrary to common perception, that Yax Pac lived in quite secure times and had no fear of his tomb being robbed.
Structure 10L-18 is also home to an exquisitely carved bench or altar which divides the room in half (this can be seen in fig. W1083 at the top of the page and in detail in fig. W10847Q below). The bench features eight masks which at first seem unique, which they are, but they also alternate between representations of the Cauac Monster (Chac, Bakab, Pauahtun) who represents life, and the Jaguar Monster who represents death.
The Cauac Monster (far right and 2nd left in fig. W10847Q) has an oval mirror on his forrid, rabbit-like filed front teeth, and serpents seeping from the corner of his mouth. The Jaguar Monster (far left and 2nd right in fig. W10847Q) has a “T” shape made from 5 circles on his forrid and fangs curling from the corner of his mouth. Other than these features, which are common identifying features for these gods, the faces are near identical, with the same large ear-spools and ear-pendants, the same hair and the same large eyes – although the pupils are placed differently, with Cauac’s being at the top and the Jaguar God’s being at the bottom. Between them, they have alternating images of clouds and jaguar spots. The clouds look like bunches of grapes and represent the life giving rain of Cauac (Chac). The jaguar spots look like little alien faces and presumably represent death – this triangle of circles is found frequently on the monuments of Copan. Like the opposing images of Yax Pac which adorn the walls, these images of Cauac and the Jaguar God appear to be set opposed and yet in unison, perhaps alluding to the cycle of life, death and rebirth, as the Maya understood it.
Copán is renowned for its incredible carved stone artwork, which represents the apogee of this monumental Mayan art - and it is worth visiting Copan for this alone! | https://uncoveredhistory.com/honduras/copan/copan-structure-10l-18-the-temple-of-rebirth/ |
Thanks for the continued encouragement. I'm working on a few more jaguar images.
Kristen, this is one of my favorite paintings that you did. There seems to be another faint abstract Panther perpendicular to the Black Panther's head and then another one in the upper right. Below that, there seems to be abstract paw prints. Great job on this one! Love it!
Thanks for you comment Marc,
Most of my paintings are encaustic on a slightly built up surface. Before I paint, the panels look like collagraph plates. Maybe it's because I always like my plates better than my prints!
I love your work, it's energy, is it mixed media, painting with printmaking elements?
Thank you for your comments Dennis! I had a wonderful experience in Costa Rica back in March. I was down south of Coronado province, and witnessed a performance by the Boruka tribe. It was inspired by their cultural myth, the transformation of the Jaguar. You correctly see another vertical yellow jaguar in the painting that has been almost completely wiped out. I'm thrilled you still detected his presence.
I view this as an Aztec Jaguar, something in a spiritual realm. A jungle, natural environment with the black predator blending with the surroundings with ears slightly back as if hearing a possible pray. The swirling background could possibly be representing the Jaguar's thoughts, however, looking closely above the head there appears to be a vertical Jaguar. I certainly like the composition, brush strokes, and choice of colours. The Jaguar has been represented in many of the Aztec's cultural ceremonies and is highly revered.
Thank you so much for your comments Karleen. It pleases me to know you see serenity within a colorful, busy space.
I love the fluidity of images in this piece, suggesting flowers or foliage but leaving that up to the viewer. The expression of the animal is serene which suggests a quiet colorful, sun filled moment. The pallet is exquisite! | https://artdeadline.ning.com/photo/black-jaguar?context=featured |
The Oak Ridge National Laboratory’s super-computer “Jaguar” has been regarded by the scientific community as one of if not the most powerful computer in the world. Under the auspices of the Department of Energy, it is utilized in solving the most pressing concerns the planet faces today, such as climate change and the development of alternative energy sources.
But on November 17, 2009, backed by $19.9 million Recovery Act fund, the Jaguar underwent an upgrade that has turned it into the world’s fastest computer. With its Cray XT5 computing system upgraded from four-core to six-core processors, this petascale machine ran an HPL (High Performance Linpack) program at a rate of 1.759 petaflop/s (quadrillion calculations per second). This earned the Jaguar the number one position on the list of the top 500 fastest super-computers in the world.
When the Jaguar was first activated in 2005, it had a top speed of 26 teraflop/s (trillion calculations per second). Going through a string of upgrades through the years, its computational performance has improved a hundredfold. With its most recent upgrade to 37,376 six-core AMD Istanbul processors, its performance capacity has increased 70% more than its four-core precursor.
Aside from the Jaguar, the Oak Ridge National Laboratory also houses another Cray XT5 petascale computing system. “Kraken” is operated by the National Institute for Computational Sciences, which is a partnership between the ORNL and the University of Tennessee. Running at a rate of 831.7 teraflop/s, it places third on the top 500 list of the world’s fastest super-computers.
The main focus of the Jaguar is generating simulations in developing energy technology and how global energy use affects climate change. Researchers have utilized it in examining the root of climate change and how the world affects, and is affected by it; in discovering how biofuel production can be improved by the enzymatic breakdown of cellulose; in designing near-zero-emission power plants through the process of coal gasification; in the development of clean and efficient fuel combustion engines; and in devising how the fuel of a fusion reactor can be controlled by radio waves.
With its new status as the world’s fastest computer, the Jaguar may as well be called the “Cheetah.” It is hoped that the exceptional augmentation of the super-computer’s capabilities would enable scientists to make greater strides in various important fields of research, such as making accurate climate predictions, the design and development of fuel-efficient engines and other unconventional sources of energy, furthering research in improving human health and curtailing diseases, and deeper explorations into the nature of the Earth and the universe. | http://www.dimensionsinfo.com/worlds-fastest-computer/ |
There is an update to the Jaguar firwmare now available on www.ti.com/jaguar.
It is highly recommended that any teams using CAN update their Jaguar firmware to version 101. The new firmware will improve the Jaguar's ability to recover from errors caused by loose or faulty CAN cables.
Before, these errors could cause the Jaguar to stop responding to commands until it was power-cycled. Now, the Jaguar can recover without a power-cycle.
The detailed explanation:
The updated firmware allows Jaguar to gracefully recover from states where it can no longer communicate on the CAN bus. The Jaguar's CAN controller, by design, will take itself off the CAN bus when it detects too many transmit errors. The idea behind this is the following: If the CAN controller knows it is sending out lots of bad packets, it intelligently removes itself from the bus to prevent the bus from being flooded with bad traffic.
Before the update, Jaguar would stay in this "bus-off" state until the entire controller is reset (after a power-cycle). This would be good if the cause of the error never went away... but since we have found that the biggest cause for bad traffic has been loose or improperly crimped (therefore unreliable) CAN cables, it is better for the overall system that the Jaguar gets back on the bus.
With the new update, the Jaguar will see CAN controller go bus-off, it will report a COMM Fault, it will clear the state, and then it will return to the bus.
Note: Even though the Jaguar will recover and go back on the bus, there is still could be a large amount of bad traffic. Theoretically, if the bad traffic is frequent enough, you will not be communicating effectively with the Jaguar anyway. Be sure to read the Jaguar documentation found on www.ti.com/jaguar for CAN cable techniques or purchase already made cables from some sources listed on these forums.
-David
|
|
#2
|
|
|
|
Re: New Jaguar firmware version 101
Hi David,
We are using black Jaguar's over CAN, in Speed Mode, and have been experiencing cases where some of the motors shut down and have to be rebooted to work again.
After a lot of investigation, we are confident that the CAN wiring is OK, I guess you'll have to trust me on that one....
We updated to Firmware v. 101 in hopes that this behavior would change, but are still experiencing shutdowns requiring reboot.
To reproduce the case, we've narrowed it down to driving full speed (250 rpms) in one direction, and then rapidly shifting to driving the other direction at full speed. We have enabled the automatic ramp mode in hopes that would help, but it does not eliminate the errors.
W/the 2CAN web page, we monitor the current, we see it spike around 43A on one or two of the motors during the direction change.
In the diagnostics page of the driver station, we see getTransaction failures (indicative of CAN bus communication issues) reported right when the motor stops responding. Specifically, the error messages are:
<Code>-44087 ERROR: status == -44087 (0xFFFF53C9) in getTransaction() in C:/windriver/workspace/WPILib/CANJaguar.cpp at line 425
One or more (but not always the same one) motor will stop responding to drive commands. The jaguar light is solid yellow on after they stop responding to drive commands, and the 2CAN web page continues to be able to monitor the bus voltage/current, so it's clear that CAN communication is still working.
Using BDCComm, we view the status of the jaguar that is in the non-responsive state, and Comm errors are reported but no others.
We're discussing working on a software-based ramp mode that hopefully avoids the rapid changes in speed, but we are puzzled at this one thing:
- Why do some of the Jaguars no longer respond to drive commands until we reboot them?
Last edited by slibert : 01-14-2012 at 11:42 PM.
|
|
#3
|
|
|
|
What you are describing sounds like the Jaguar might be browning out. You didn't mention seeing a voltage fault, but if the supply voltage drops fast enough, the Jaguar can brown out before it can sense and report a voltage fault.
First I would make sure the battery is fully charged. Then I would check the power wiring for each Jag. A loose terminal or a poorly crimped cable can increase the resistance in your power path. A higher resistance means a higher voltage drop on the wire, especially noticeable at higher current levels.
If you have access to an oscilloscope you can monitor the input voltage to the Jag to catch any dips in the supply. I would set it to trigger at a falling edge at about 6 or 7 volts.
Hope this helps!
-David
|
|
#4
|
|
|
|
Re: New Jaguar firmware version 101
Thanks, David, that's a very interesting idea.
We do see (via 2Can diagnostics page) the voltage dropping to around 7 amps at the same time the Amps jump to ~40 when the shutdowns occur - so this hypothesis is very plausible. I'll see if we can get an onboard voltage history made to monitor the minimum voltage on the VBus.
After reading your mail, I found elsewhere on ChiefDelphi a post saying that post-brownout, the Jaguar would need to be re-initialized for speed-mode to work again. That makes sense!
To seal the deal, some follow-up questions come to mind:
- Via BDC-Comm, after one of these events, we didn't see any other faults than the "comm" faults in the Jaguar. No indication of voltage faults (too bad, because this is the only indicator that makes me question the under-voltage brown-out hypothesis). In the case of a brown-out, what indication should we see via BDC-Comm? Or put another way, is there a deterministic way via on-board Jaguar logs to prove this is what's happening?
- How to best deal with this case, which is surely going to happen in tele-op mode during competition? After reading further on ChiefDelphi, I'm thinking of detecting the "possibility" we're in that state by exception-handling on commands to the motors. Thereafter, to poll the Jaguar's GetPowerCycled() state (which I assume should transition to TRUE after a reset completes), and if it does indicate the Jaguar was power cycled, to re-initialize it so speed mode works again. Does that sound like a good approach to you?
- Are you aware of any support for a "persistent configuration" (configurable startup defaults) in the Jaguar so that after reboot, in our case, it could enter speed mode automatically?
Thanks again for your valuable insight. I think this debugging process is inspiring to at least one of our senior students who is working on the software team.
- scott
|
|
#5
|
|
|
|
Re: New Jaguar firmware version 101
Quote:
Voltage faults are especially tricky because a dropping bus voltage will trigger a fault and then shortly after cause the Jaguar to brown out. If the bus voltage is dropping fast enough, the Jaguar will not have time to sense and record the fault. A Jaguar will brown out just below 6V, so the fact that you're seeing 7V right before the issue most likely indicates a brown-out.
Unfortunately, the rate at which BDC-COMM or the 2CAN can poll for the bus voltage is probably too slow to see the voltage drops that are related to spikes in motor current (when changing speeds rapidly). An oscilloscope would be able to see those short dips, but I wouldn't want to put an o-scope on a robot that's moving around .
Quote:
Hopefully you can prevent further brownouts by following these tips:
Quote:
In addition to all of this, I would encourage you to look at the 2012 Jaguar FAQ and Jaguar Getting Started Guide. Both of these documents (and more) can be found at www.ti.com/jaguar. They provide lots of useful information.
-David
|
|
#6
|
|
|
|
Re: New Jaguar firmware version 101
Many thanks again, David. We now have an action plan.
One final question: What is the default state of the Jaguar upon power up?
We ask this because we don't notice Jaguars shutting down when we control the Jaguar in Percent-voltage mode.
We are wondering if the Jaguar defaults to Percent-voltage mode, and when a brown-out occurs we don't notice the problems when use utilize Percent-voltage mode - because the Jaguar resumes operation in this mode after it reboots.
|
|
#7
|
|
|
|
Bingo, the Jag defaults to Percent-Voltage mode.
|
|
#8
|
|
|
|
Re: New Jaguar firmware version 101
Quote:
You said in your post that you enabled ramp mode. I too was hoping this would improve things this year but have not tried it yet. My read of the release notes has me thinking that ramp mode only applies to voltage control modes (PWM, percent VBUS, VCMP). Did you do this with software commands or with the limit switch jumpers? Can you confirm that it had any impact?
General question for Jaguar experts - I remember seeing a post last year and can not find it now that said the Jaguars would re-enumerate on reboot and you could trap that message to detect fault instead of polling. Anyone have details on how this might be done in Java?
|
|
#9
|
|
|
|
Re: New Jaguar firmware version 101
Quote:
The only downside is the fact that if the voltage drops enough for one Jaguar to reboot, then most or all of them will be rebooting. Not sure if they will join the enumeration in progress, or if each one will re-issue the command. | https://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/showthread.php?t=100036 |
Panasonic Jaguar Racing has confirmed James Calado as Mitch Evans’ teammate for the upcoming 2019-20 ABB FIA Formula E Championship season.
Thirty-year-old Calado is set to make his return to international single-seater motorsport after a six-year absense and will drive the No. 51 Jaguar I-Type 4.
The deal for Calado to join Jaguar is believed to have been agreed some weeks ago but was only confirmed completely last week.
This is believed to have come after some contractual details remained unresolved owing to Calado’s ongoing employment by Ferrari, which includes a full-season FIA World Endurance Championship drive with AF Corse.
E-racing365 first reported that he was testing for Jaguar in early June and later that he had agreed a deal to race. The agreement between Jaguar and Calado is understood to go beyond the 2019-20 season.
“I’ve been away from single-seaters for a while, yes, but you don’t forget how to do it and when I got back in a cockpit for the first time I was pretty much on the pace for the first two or three laps,” Calado told e-racing365.
“Obviously there is a lot to learn going forward in Formula E because it is totally different to normal single-seaters but it’s going really, really well so far.
“I haven’t been working with them for long but honestly the team is incredible and they are really passionate about what they do.
“They are teaching me really well, I’m in the simulator quite a lot, especially regarding energy management and understanding that.”
Calado, who was a member of the original drivers’ club prior to Formula E even starting, undertook two further testing days with his new team last month and has already completed several days in Jaguar’s simulator at its base in Grove, Oxfordshire.
The 2017 GT World Endurance drivers’ champion will dovetail his new Formula E program with his WEC drive that continues at Fuji this weekend for the second round of the 2019-20 season.
Jaguar finished seventh in the 2018-19 Formula E teams’ standings after Evans scored all apart from 15 of the 116 points accrued by the manufacturer. The remaining 11 were contributed by Alex Lynn and his predecessor Nelson Piquet Jr.
“[Calado’s] experience in multiple formulas and outright pace will be a huge asset to the team,” said Panasonic Jaguar Racing’s team director James Barclay.
“We learnt how to win as a team last season and we are hungry for more. To be successful in Formula E you need two drivers who can compete for podiums at every race.
“With Mitch and James we can look to build on the success of last season by securing even more points, podiums and wins.”
Ferrari Priority in Potential Date Clash
As an AF Corse Ferrari driver, Calado still faces the threat of having clashing commitments in March should the expected second Sanya E-Prix still clash with the 1000 Miles of Sebring WEC race, which will be held the day before.
E-racing365 understands that Calado will have to prioritize his Ferrari contract in such an eventuality and that Jaguar will have to look for a substitute driver that weekend.
Ironically, Calado’s former stablemate at AF Corse, Sam Bird, lost his factory deal due to him not being able to commit to a full WEC season because of the originally announced three date clashes announced in June.
Now, with the soon to be announced scrapping of the Dec. 14 Formula E race date and the movement of the 6 Hours of Spa WEC event next year, only the potential Sanya/Sebring congestion remains.
Should the clash still be confirmed this Friday at the FIA World Motorsport Council meeting it is believed that Nissan e.dams will also have to find a replacement for Sebastien Buemi, who is believed to have to give Toyota Gazoo Racing priority on Le Mans and Sebring events. | https://e-racing365.com/formula-e/jaguar-confirms-calado-alongside-evans/ |
Ulala (うらら, Urara) is the main protagonist of the Space Channel 5 series. She is a human news reporter who joined Space Channel 5 in 2497, later acting as their lead investigative reporter during the alien and robot invasions of 2499. She is also a mentor to rookie twin reporters Roo and Kie, and the arch-rival of Channel 42 reporter, Pudding.
Ulala is a very talented dancer and skilled at playing several musical instruments, including the guitar, drums and keyboard. Her goal is to become recognized as the number one news reporter in the entire galaxy.
Off hand, Ulala enjoys shopping, her favorite ice cream flavor is cherry vanilla, her blood type is B and her Zodiac sign is Gemini. She also might have herpetophobia (reptile phobia), specifically on Lizards, as one of Brent Suzuki in-game profiles implies.
Contents
- 1 Information
- 2 History
- 3 Relationships
- 4 Other Appearances
- 5 Controversy
- 6 In-Game Profiles
- 7 Quotes
- 8 Gallery
- 9 Trivia
- 10 See also
- 11 References
Information
Appearance
Ulala has white skin, long light pink hair that is tied up in pigtails, and blue eyes. She wears pink lipstick and light red eyeshadow. In Space Channel 5, Ulala wears an orange top with a white border and the Channel 5 logo in blue, orange gloves, an orange skirt with a white border, a blue gun on her leg and orange knee-high, high-heeled boots with a white border and red soles. She also wears a blue headset.
In Space Channel 5: Part 2, Ulala's top, gloves, skirt and boots are white. Instead of a white lining, her skirt and top has a metallic one, silver in color and the soles of her boots are orange. Her headset, which was once blue, is now also metallic silver.
In Space Channel 5 VR: Kinda Funky News Flash!, Ulala has the same outfit again, but the same change is her colors; her outfit is yellow, her top and skirt keep their metallic lining, though it appears slightly darker. Her boots still have an orange sole and a white border, but are yellow to match her outfit. Her headset is also yellow.
As with most characters in the series, Ulala has a canister on her back (in her case, two). These function as propulsion devices (as in Part 2, they combust to propel her through space). The color of these canisters often change. In Space Channel 5, they are blue to match her headset, while in Part 2 and VR, they match the metallic color lining her skirt and top.
Personality
Ulala is often portrayed as confident; often heading into danger without showing the slightest trace of fear. When the Morolians invaded Spaceport 9 and most civilians fled in panic, Ulala confidently strutted forward to deliver her report. In Space Channel 5, she often remarks smugly about her performance if she does well against her opponent; stating "That was fabulous!" or "I kicked butt!" with a confident tone. However, Ulala can get less smug when she doesn't do well; stating phrases like "I...saved SOME of them, at least!" and "I gotta get better at this.".
In Part 2, Ulala seems to have taken a less confident stance against the Rhythm Rogues. She often exclaims shock at some of the drama in the game, such as when people are taken hostage. In the original, she stated these developments calmly and professionally. However, Ulala still retains plenty of her confidence from the prequel, stating during the first boss fight "Whatever happens...I'll give it a dance!".
History
Early life
Ulala was born somewhere on the planet Earth on May 30, 2477 at 1:18 AM. Her name was inspired by the tone of a small country in East Nippon, where her mother was born. As a child, she watched Galaxy Kids News, presented by Shinichiro Tachibana on Channel 1.
At the age of 12, Ulala was the sole survivor of a spaceship accident, making her an orphan. She was rescued from the brink of the galaxy by the Channel 5 reporter Jaguar, inspiring her to apply for the same job as a reporter for the channel years later. Jaguar resigned from Channel 5 shortly after the accident, meaning that she never got to thank him for her rescue.
It is likely that Ulala attended School M at one point in her teen years, considering she owns a customized version of their student uniform (Ulala's School Uniform from Part 2). Prior to finding a career, Ulala worked temporary part-time jobs, including one where she wore a Winter-appropriate pink wool uniform, noted as 'Woolen Wear' in her changing room.
In 2497, Ulala started her career as a rookie reporter for Channel 5.
Space Channel 5
Shortly after the invasion of an alien species known as Morolians began in 2499, which led to Channel 5's lead reporters being abducted, Ulala was quickly promoted to the investigative reporting team and tasked with covering the situation, working closely with director Fuse, who informed her of what to look out for during reports. Ulala travelled between locations using the Astrobeat, a Channel 5-branded spaceship co-piloted by Fuse. Without Fuse's permission, Ulala also painted her newly-manufactured microphone a unique blue color, a design choice seemingly reflected by the rest of Channel 5's staff soon after.
Ulala made her big-time debut with Ulala's Swingin' Report Show on Channel 5, covering an invasion at Spaceport 9, where she was surprised to discover that the Morolians were immobilizing their victims by using ray guns that force them to "dance". She made use of her tension blasters' beams to eliminate aliens and rescue hostages, respectively.
While investigating the invasion, Ulala had to fend off rival reporters Pudding, from Channel 42, and Jaguar, now a suave man from the Space Pirate Broadcasters. Eventually, Channel 5 reaches the Morolians' base within the Asteroid Belt. Inside, the large robot known as Morolian Monroe was ready to take on Ulala. A rough fight occurred and Jaguar unfortunately caught up to the reporter. However, he offers to help Ulala defeat the robot and the two take on Monroe together. Ulala shoots the screens that appear and Jaguar covers her by shooting at the two-in-one alien directly.
After the battle, it was discovered that the Morolians were being brainwashed as well and on Fuse's orders, Ulala fired at the television screen that kept the aliens in the room hypnotized. The secret base falls apart and everyone evacuates. As Ulala was riding out of the large tubing leading outside and pulling double duty in saving the Morolians, Jaguar came over the commlink between Ulala and Fuse, noting that the brainwash signal's frequency matched up with signals from Channel 5.
Ulala, Pudding, and Jaguar headed out to Channel 5's headquarters to discover a group of Morolians convening in a meeting on making people dance. At the end of the room was Channel 5 CEO Chief Blank, revealing himself to be personally involved with the entire invasion. He teleported away from the trio, and the chase continued. Space Michael was encountered in the connecting hallway and rescued from captivity, joining Ulala as she heads for the control room. There, Ulala rescues the "Keyboard Grrrl" and everyone marches toward the elevator. Inside, Mr. Blank is seen sitting in a chair. Taunting the reporter, he zooms up to the roof while Ulala is left with a mass of Morolians to take care of. Hoorg, the Morolian Leader, joined the group that followed Ulala up to the final confrontation.
Emerging from the elevator, Ulala and her companions learned that Chief Blank's direction for Channel 5 was based on ratings, rather than truthful reporting. The "Ultimate Reporter" Evila, a robot intended to replace Ulala, was sent to defeat her, but was not successful. Afterwards, a humongous robot, Giant Evila, had taken the broadcasting ship and the director inside hostage, leaving it up to Ulala aboard the Astrobeat Jr. along with Jaguar and Pudding on their own crafts to dance-off against the new threat. Ulala was instructed to move in the opposite direction of what she hears in order to protect Fuse.
Giant Evila gets bold, knocking away both Pudding and Jaguar before the sound system failed and Ulala lost her rhythm. Ulala was knocked away, left to float in space. An acapella melody picked up and Jaguar reached out for Ulala, twirling her slightly back onto the Astrobeat Jr. Ulala now had a chant support, giving her a rhythm to groove to. She retaliated and caused Giant Evila's head to disconnect from the rest of it's body, hovering above everyone. Shifting to the image of Chief Blank, he revealed to Ulala that ratings were everything to him, even if it meant brainwashing the masses.
Chief Blank, now called Blank TV, activated the "Blank Dimension," sucking him and Ulala into a separate space to battle, however the chant support was still clearly heard. Through a somewhat confusing game of TV laser tag wherein Ulala must shoot the TV screens with the correct beam (either "shoot" or "rescue"), the strength of her support increased. People started singing along with Ulala even when Blank's screens acted as feet and hands in a way one could only see to believe. The Blank Dimension shattered and Ulala was released. When the energy of the crowd was pumped up, Fuse instructed everyone to focus all of their energy toward the station's antenna. Ulala, Jaguar, Pudding, and some Morolians each got a line in as the energy builds, becoming tendrils of a brilliant blue against the dark, speckled canvas of space. Those tendrils worked their way up the antenna just as Blank said his final commands. Everyone repeated him, fully charging the antenna and blasting Blank, claiming he'll be back, into deep space.
Ulala wrapped up her report and marched off with friends and former foes alike along a glittering trail left by Fuse's ship, making their way to the end of the galaxy.
Investigative reporting
Despite saving the galaxy, Ulala continued being scolded daily by Fuse and treated as an inexperienced reporter. As the result of her battle with former station chief Blank, his staff position on Channel 5 was left vacant, and the role was given to reporter Space Michael.
Ulala continued her work as an investigative reporter, once disguising as a Space Primary School student to investigate an underground cramming school, as well as 88MAN to infiltrate Channel 88 Studios and report on a major scandal that occurred there. Her disguises and props were usually designed by Fuse's assistant Noize, who himself is often seen wearing a suit capable of making him considerably shorter in height.
Space Channel 5: Part 2
Sometime after the Morolian invasion and additional investigations, Ulala was sent to cover an attack on a cruising spaceship. This ended up being Ulala's first encounter with the Rhythm Rogues, a group of mass-produced robots led by Shadow to abduct civilians in an identical manner done previously by the Morolians. After saving hostages on the cruise ship, Ulala came across deadlier robots Kin, Kon and Kan in the Lookout Dome. The mechas sent by the Rhythm Rogue mastermind, Purge, to defeat Ulala are toppled, although it seems Purge was expecting this, as he remarks "the party's just begun."
In the wake of the Rhythm Rogues' attack, Space President Peace made a highly publicized appearance during the band festival at Space Park, although Ulala was not among the press invited to the event. Interrupting Peace's performance of "This Is My Happiness," the power was cut off and a horrifying robot plant rose from the ground as the Rhythm Rogues abducted Peace. Ulala arrived at the scene shortly afterwards to rescue hostages throughout the gardens, including several students from Space Music Primary School, as well as their teacher Mr. Joely.
On her way to rescue Peace, she was interrupted by Pudding, who insisted on getting the scoop first and challenged Ulala to a guitar battle. After successfully defeating Pudding with her guitar skills, Ulala continued to rescue the Space Bird Mistress and several birdwatchers from the Birdmen. She finally made her way to Space Park's tropical garden, where she soon defeated the dancing robot Pon Piriri and saved Peace, only for him to be immediately re-captured by Shadow.
When Purge revealed a ransom exchange for the hostages and the President, Ulala, Fuse and Noize quickly dispatched themselves to the exchange point. Despite warnings from Space Police Chief Pine to back off and leave the investigation to her, the Channel 5 team continued to make their way to the exchange point. As Ulala successfully dodged attacks from Pine and avoided arrest, Space Michael sent a message to warn the group that Channel 5 had been attacked by robots. Ulala, Fuse, and Noize immediately returned to the space station, Fuse declaring the ransom scoop a trap.
Upon arriving at Channel 5 HQ's airspace, the Astrobeat was soon attacked by robots. Ulala managed to enter the station along with a handful of Rescue Police troops, rescuing Space Michael. The pair, along with many reprogrammed Evila security bots, entered the core and encountered Purge in the flesh for the first time. Purge cleverly used a paralyzed Peace as a shield while fighting Ulala, but the reporter was able to defeat him with ease. Fuse dived in the Astrobeat Spaceship to deliver the final blow, but the laser shot he fires at Purge is rebounded towards Ulala. Fuse took the blow for Ulala and ploughed into the fiery depths of the station. Ulala screamed as Purge laughed manically before taking off with the station's broadcasting antenna, and Ulala was stunned while Michael and the Space Cheerleaders evacuated. Noize managed to rescue Ulala, but the Astrobeat Jr quickly started to run out of power. Ulala attempted to regain energy with her dance moves, and managed to give the ship enough fuel to escape the exploding space station. Ulala screamed out for Fuse as she witnessed the brutal end of the space station.
Pine summoned Ulala and Michael to Purge's base, and the duo arrived alongside rival reporters Pudding and Hoorg. However, they were quickly found out and encounter Shadow again, prompting a band battle between the Rhythm Rogues and Ulala's group. Ulala's group won and Shadow was revealed to be a brainwashed Jaguar. Jaguar quickly informed Ulala that Purge is intending to complete a weapon known as 'The Ballistic Groove Gun', which will force the whole galaxy to dance. The group advanced to a higher layer of the base, where Purge was broadcasting the live debut of the Purge TV Show.
As the whole group faced off against Purge's robots, Ulala was soon led into a one-on-one dance battle with Purge. However, things took a turn for the worse when Purge used dance power to turn into Purge the Great. Ulala became desperate, and although she managed to avoid several shots from Purge, he quickly charges a shot which sends her spiraling to the ground, making her fall unconscious.
While in a limbo-like state, Ulala was encouraged to get back up by her close friends and those she has saved previously. Ulala was resurrected by the crowd's energy and was able to take on Purge with the help of everyone that chanted for her return. After successfully rescuing President Peace, Purge quickly attempted to take out the entire mass with his Ballistic Groove Gun, but Fuse miraculously returned and urged Ulala to defeat Purge. Ulala exclaimed "Purge! Enough of your trash TV!" before blasting him off into the galaxy with the help of the crowd. Ulala signed off before strutting to the end of the galaxy with her entourage once again.
Space Channel 5 VR: Kinda Funky News Flash!
The virtual reality game, Space Channel 5 VR: Kinda Funky News Flash! is the first game where the player doesn't take control of Ulala, but instead, they take control of and see the game in the perspective of one of the twins Roo and Kie. Despite that, Ulala continues being the game's main protagonist. In this game, she was assigned to mentor Channel 5's newest recruits, Roo and Kie.
Ulala first appears during the game's tutorial, where she teaches the player the game's basic mechanics when she is interrupted and called to investigate a case of aliens who are forcing people at Spaceport 9. She answers the call saying she will go there in a flash and tells the player (the twins) to go with her.
The first report, Morolians Strike Back! begins with a group of Morolians making people hostages and forcing them to dance to gather a type of energy called Groove Moxie. With the assistance of the twins, Ulala fights the Morolians by dancing and saves the hostages. More Morolians eventually appear, this time to shoot at Ulala and the twins. They avoid attacks and shoot back at them by copying the Morolians moves. Once this segment is over, the Morolians send a Coco★Tapioca to fight Ulala. To defeat it, the player will need to copy the yellow Morolians moves who are in front of the robot to avoid getting hit by it's laser and physical attacks and shooting at it at the right time. After knocking the robot down, all of the rescued hostages will celebrate and Ulala will congratulate the player for the nice reporting.
After the level, the mysterious being called Glitter thanks the Morolians for the Groove Moxie they gathered and injects X space cells into them as a form of "gratitude", turning them into a new type of white Morolians.
In the next report, Chorus in White, Ulala and her assistances are starting a new report in a space elevator going up which is taking them to space, when she is interrupted by an invasion of a group of white Morolians, that are able to talk and order Ulala to give all of her Groove Moxie, rising the latter's curiosity. Meanwhile in the background, a spaceship that belongs to the mysterious villain Glitter can be seen abducting people. A dance battle begins against the white Morolians. Where again, the player must copy their poses to beat them. During the battle, they introduce themselves and reveal that they are a new kind of Morolian called the Othermoros. After beating them, it's revealed that Glitter has also injected X space cells into Coco★Tapiocas, turning them into Other★Tapiocas. They drop off of Glitter's spaceship and assist the Othermoros in the battle against the main trio. Once again, the player must copy the Othermoros moves to avoid the attacks and shoot at the right time. This time however, they will also need to use the move "barrier" to protect themselves from Other★Tapioca's wicked beam. After knocking the robots down, the Othermoros will flee and the main trio will see Glitter's spaceship flying away into space. The curious white aliens make Ulala decides to start a investigation.
The next report, The Pirates Showdown, begins with Ulala and the twins above their spaceship chasing Glitter's spaceship through space. Pudding, Shinichiro Tachibana and 88MAN, who are also after the ship investigating the case, make a cameo and fly away. When suddenly, the Space Pirates Broadcasting ship appears. A trio of new Space Pirates called the Jaguars formed by Kell, Bello and Soon-Soon will taunt Ulala, saying that she won't get far away with her new "Newbie" then fly away. A gameplay segment begins where the player must copy Ulala's move to shoot and avoid meteors. Afterwards, the Jaguars and some Space Pirates will attack. By copying their moves, the player will be able to avoid their attacks and counter. After a while, all of the Space Pirates but the Jaguars will flee. Kell, Bello and Soon-Soon will present themselves and challenge the main trio for a dance battle. Once they are defeated, Kell will congratulate the main trio when suddenly, they are all surprised by Glitter's ship, which will attack the Space Pirate's ship and abduct the Jaguars, then Ulala. Before getting abducted though, Ulala throws her microphone to the player. But eventually, the spaceship also abducts the player and the report ends.
In the next report, Ulala can be seen in the beginning, fainted and as a hostage of Glitter, along with the Jaguars and Pudding, Tachibana and 88MAN, (the latter three were captured off screen). The main villain, Glitter, appears to the player and reveals it has absorbed Ulala's Groove Moxie, which made it very full. However, Glitter still wants more and starts a battle against the player. During the battle Jaguar appears to assist them and saves the Jaguars, Tachibana, 88MAN and Pudding. Together, all of the heroes join forces to wake up and save Ulala. After that, she joins the heroes and helps them in the last battle, where they all sing by copying the Othermoros poses. after defeating Glitter, the Othermoros will turn back into Morolians and the hostages who were abducted during report 2 will be rescued. They will also join forces with the heroes and unite all of their Groove Moxie to make one fantastic force capable of defeating Glitter which Ulala gives to the player to release. After defeating Glitter, Ulala along with the rest of the heroes will celebrate by dancing.
Relationships
Fuse
Fuse is Ulala's boss and the director of Space Channel 5. He guides Ulala throughout the levels, and can be very strict on the poor girl if she messes up. However, he gives nothing but praise if she does well, and even becomes fascinated by her moves. It is unknown how Ulala sees Fuse, whether a father or a brother figure, but she seems to care for him a lot. She rescued him from Blank's clutches in the first game and in Part 2, she was reluctant to escape the exploding station without Fuse. Judging that Fuse took Purge's hit for her, he clearly cares for her as well.
Pudding
Pudding is UIala's rival reporter from Channel 42. The pair had a dance battle during the alien invasion, and later a guitar battle during the robot invasion. Whilst Pudding is rather arrogant, confident that Ulala was no match for her, she seemed to have gained respect for her competitor after their initial exchanges. This doesn't stop her from gloating if she's able to win one of their battles, however.
In the end, Pudding is always willing to team up with Ulala.
Jaguar
In the first Space Channel 5, the mysterious reporter that ended up saving Ulala as a kid turns out to be Jaguar. At first, he butts in on Ulala's reports and tests her dancing skills; he says 'Not bad!' if the player does well, showing a hint of respect for Ulala. Perhaps Jaguar's reason for ambushing Ulala so much is because he thought she was in league with Chief Blank, being an SC5 reporter, but this is purely speculation. He rescues Ulala again after Blank launches a devastating attack on her during the final part of the first game, showing he cares about her.
In the second game, Ulala returns the favor by saving him from Purge's control in the Mystery Zone after defeating Shadow for the last time in the battle of the bands after she saw his form flicker while rescuing Space Michael from the Rhythm Rogues.
In the third game, he returns another favor by rescuing her and the others who were kidnapped by Glitter with the player's help.
Seeing as how both reporters have saved each other's lives, and share the ideal of 'truth over ratings', it suggests that Ulala and Jaguar care and respect each other more than the traditional SC5 fan can see in the video games. Unknown yet far behind to her age, she might have feelings for Jaguar since he saved her life 10 years ago.
Other Appearances
SEGA Superstars
Ulala is also featured in SEGA Superstars with her only minigame. It is heavily based off of 'The 100 Stage Dance Battle' from Space Channel 5: Part 2; even re-using sound tracks and various commands already used in the game's mode. The player must copy the Morolian's moves to save hostages. They can use 6 different buttons to use the different commands, and Ulala will point at that button with the player. Noteworthy is that this mode is called 'Ulala's Swingin' TV Show!' in the game, suggesting it is another one of her programs she runs.
Sonic Riders
Ulala appears in the game as a playable character. She is a Speed Type character, and her Extreme Gear board is the "Channel5.", a white board with a 5 mark on it. Ulala is also one of the only characters incapable of riding bikes. Her Extreme Gear the Channel 5 is actually a flat Astrobeat with a Channel 5 logo on it.
Interestingly, the team that made the SC5 games were also responsible for Sonic Riders. However, Ulala does not reappear in the game's sequels, Sonic Riders: Zero Gravity and Sonic Free Riders.
A Space Channel 5 segment was also featured in the track SEGA Illusion, which was based on many SEGA IPs.
SEGA Superstars Tennis
Ulala is one of the many SEGA characters to an appearance as a playable character. Pudding also appears in this game: playable as well. Ulala is the 'control' type and her Superstar Move causes her to change into her white outfit. She then sends the ball in a 5 shape to the other side of the court, and Morolians pop up, causing her opponent(s) to dance when touching Morolians. There is also a Space Channel 5 court based on a spaceport, along with many Morolians who dance. A few tracks also return from the franchise to play on the court.
Interestingly, Steve Lycett, executive producer of the game, stated that one of the mini-games that didn't make it into the final version was a Space Channel 5 mini-game. It is suspected, although not confirmed, that it would have been similar to the shooting sections from the game, but in a tennis format.
Sonic & SEGA All-Stars Racing
Ulala appears as an unlockable character in Sonic and SEGA All-Stars Racing. She is one of the few Hovercraft types in the game; riding a floating space pod dubbed as the 'Astro Glider'. She is also the sole female racer besides Amy Rose. Ulala's All Star Move is named 'Tension Blast'. When she gets it, the reporter vanishes in a flash of pink light and re-appears on top of her vehicle; a Morolian now driving it. As she strikes the 5 pose, Morolians appear above the racers ahead of Ulala and forces them to dance. Meanwhile, Ulala withdraws her trusty space blaster and begins shooting at everyone, striking dance moves if she hits them. The icon for the move is a Blue Morolian.
The announcer for the game seems to show hints of liking Ulala; when she is struck by a weapon, he claims "A hit on Ulala! She'll be used to those.", as well as saying "Some beautiful driving from Ulala who looks good in first...looks good most anywhere!". When Ulala wins a race, he yells "CALL MEEEEEE!!!!!".
Three Space Channel 5 tracks were meant to appear in the game and were sixty percent complete, however, they were dropped.
Project X Zone
Ulala appears in the 3DS game, Project X Zone, a crossover RPG developed by Banpresto and Monolith Soft. She joins in Chapter 23, appropriately titled "Ulala's Swingin' Report Show", where, in the world of Resonance of Fate, the X Zone team is in the middle of stopping a statue of Leanne containing one of Aura's Segments from crashing into a gate. After the statue makes it halfway through the stage, Ulala appears, actually announcing the title of the chapter and begins making a special report about the party's activities. After annoying Devilotte with her commentary, Coco★Tapioca and a group of Morolians, Yaroo and Plurp, then appear on the tracks, in the path of the moving statue. The party realizes that if the statue makes contact with the robot, it will be shattered along with Aura's Segment. Ulala joins the party after the conversation, with the game announcing that Coco★Tapioca must be defeated by the end of the fifteenth turn or a game over will be declared.
As a Solo Unit, Ulala can be assigned to any Pair Unit as their combo assist. When called in to help, Ulala walks into the middle of the battle and calls on three other SEGA characters to attack for her: Opa-Opa from Fantasy Zone, Harrier from Space Harrier and Scooter from Alien Storm. Once all their attacks pass, she finishes up with two shots of her trademark Tension Blaster before jumping out of the way.
Sonic & All-Stars Racing: Transformed
Ulala appears as a playable character once again in Sonic & All-Stars Racing: Transformed. This time, she is available from the start. Pudding is also playable in this game, but she must be unlocked. Ulala drives a white futuristic three-wheel sports car with a Space Channel 5 theme. For her All-Star move, Ulala shoots pink, heart-shaped blasts at her opponents while two Morolians dance behind Ulala's plane.
Project X Zone 2
In Project X Zone 2, Ulala first appeared in Chapter 8: Dance Battle!. Her Solo Attack is similar, having Opa-Opa from Fantasy Zone, Alex Kidd from Alex Kidd, and the main character from Altered Beast in wolfman form appearing to attack. After their attacks pass, Ulala first fires a round from her Tension Blasters and then releases a sound wave from her guitar that she used in her duel with Pudding in Space Channel 5 Part 2.
SEGA EARTH UFO CATCHER
Ulala appeared in the game as a two star prize wearing her first Space Channel 5 game clothing.
The prize description says: "No,085, Ulala Space Channel 5, Reporting live, space broadcasting channel "Space Channel 5" finds mysterious aliens called Morolians who are forcing people to dance! Follow the beat, copy the Morolian dance moves, and the save the galaxy alongside the rescued hostages in this musical adventure. Up, down, up down, chu chu chu!"
Cameos
- Beach Spikers: Ulala is an unlockable character.
- SEGA Splash! Golf: In SEGA Splash Golf, Ulala is one of the optional caddies for the player to have. She also seems to re-tain her 'Channel5' Extreme Gear from Sonic Riders for this game; riding it in one of the trailers.
- Samba De Amigo (Wii): In Samba De Amigo Wii, Ulala was the only SEGA character besides Sonic the Hedgehog to make a special guest appearance. She dances with Amigo in a tv broadcast room in Space Channel 5. Many Morolians and also Miis join Amigo and Ulala in dancing. Interestingly, Amigo seems to have been giving his own tv show, titled 'Samba TV', suggesting he and Space Channel 5 struck a deal for Amigo to have his own program. Ulala's stage has three songs. 'Mexican Flyer', which is Space Channel 5's main theme, 'Groove is in the Heart', which was ironically the same song SEGA asked Lady Miss Kier to advertise Space Channel 5 with back in 2000 and 'Do It Well'. 'Mexican Flyer' is actually the only SEGA song outside of Samba De Amigo to make an appearance in the game; unlike the original's many tracks from other SEGA games.
- Samurai & Dragons: Ulala appears as a card.
- Yakuza 5: Ulala appeared as a crane game figure. Her crane game figure description is: "A figure of Ulala, the main character from the famous rhythm-action game Space Channel 5.
- SEGA Slots: Ulala appeared in the Space Channel 5-themed slot machine.
- Puyo Puyo Quest: Ulala appears in this mobile spinoff game from the Puyo Puyo series.
- Kyoutou Kotoba RPG - Kotodaman: Ulala appeared in the game during a "SEGA All Stars" collaboration.
References
- Feel the Magic XY/XX: Ulala's pigtails are an unlockable hair for the female character.
- Hatsune Miku Project Diva and Project Diva Dreamy Theater: Hatsune Miku has two Space Channel 5 thematic modules. One called "スペースチャンネル5; (Space Channel 5)," in which she wears Ulala's retro gear and the other module based on Ulala's clothes called "スペースチャンネル39 (Space Channel 39)" in which Miku still has her color scheme, but her top resembles Ulala's with a pink "39" on it, her boots have tall heels like Ulala's boots, and she wears very short shorts.
- Virtua Fighters 5 Final Showdown: An Ulala costume for Sarah Bryant appears as paid DLC.
- Phantasy Star Online 2: An Ulala costume appears in the game for the female characters.
- Chaos Heroes Online: The character Silk has an Ulala costume.
- Puyo Puyo Quest: Aside from appearing as a character whole, the Puyo Puyo character Ringo Ando has an alternate costume where she is in Ulala's outfit.
- League of Legends: On April 2021, League of Legends released a series of skins/costumes called "Space Groove". On the League of Legends website, it was revealed that this series of skins was inspired by the Space Channel 5 series and by the anime Sailor Moon. The Space Groove skin of the character Lux also seems to be designed after Ulala.
Appearances in Other Medias
- Cancelled MTV News Show: Ulala was originally going to be a virtual news reporter of a show of her own on MTV. Her show didn't get past the pilot episode. It was called Ulala’s Swinging Report Show and was going to co-produced with SuperMegaMedia
- Cancelled Movie. Columbia Pictures were going to make a movie about Space Channel 5, however it never got anywhere.
- Josie and the Pussycats - The Movie: Ulala has also made a cameo in the 2001 film Josie and the Pussycats, where she is popular in the merchandising in a store that Wyatt visits to try out a demo CD.
- Breaking Bad: In one episodes of the fourth season of Breaking Bad, Ulala briefly appears in a brief game of Sonic & SEGA All-Stars Racing, alongside AiAi, Amy, and Sonic.
- SEGA Hard Girls/Hi-sCool! Seha Girls: Ulala appeared in the Japan exclusive multimedia project, SEGA Hard Girls and its anime adaptation, appearing in the episode 4, "We Tried to Dance Space Channel 5". Ulala was also the main inspiration for the character "Dreamcast".
- Nate is Late: Ulala made a brief cameo appearance as an action figure in the animated television series Nate is Late, in the 36th episode of the first season, "The Video Game".
- Sonic the Hedgehog (2020) movie: Ulala makes a cameo in the Sonic movie in the SEGA logo as it zoomed out, showing her at the Spaceport's flight control tower battling Pudding in the first Space Channel 5 game. Also showing her wearing her pink outfit in Space Channel 5: Part 2
Controversy
Lady Miss Kier, former lead vocalist of Deee-Lite, filed a lawsuit against SEGA claiming that Ulala was an unauthorized use of her likeness. She claimed SEGA offered her $16,000 to license her name, image, and songs for a video game, though she declined the offer. Afterwords, they allegedly went ahead and used her likeness anyways, causing her to file the suit. She ultimately lost, having to pay all of SEGA's $608,000 in legal fees.
Ironically, Deee-Lite's 1990 hit "Groove Is in the Heart" was licensed by SEGA for use in the Wii game "Samba de Amigo", with Ulala guest starring in the level.
In-Game Profiles
Space Channel 5
Channel 5 Reporter
Age: 22
Favorite ice cream flavor: Cherry vanilla
A reporter on Channel 5, she has been assigned to her first big news job, to report the invasion by the Morolians
Space Channel 5: Part 2
Channel 5 reporter
Birthday: May 30th
Blood type: B
Having accidentally saved the galaxy, she is still treated as a fresh recruit, scolded daily by her boss, Fuse
Space Channel 5 VR: Kinda Funky News Flash!
Ulala (Orange)
Channel 5 Reporter. Born May 30th. Blood type: B. She saved the galaxy three years ago using nothing but her pluck. Though now a senior reporter in charge of handling orientation for new recruits, she remains as energetic as ever. She dances all the time, except for rare instances where she does not.
Ulala (Neon Yellow)
A Channel 5 reporter donning the latest in journalistic fashion. Though it looks like she's revealing bare skin, she is in fact covered from tip to toe in a deluxe polymer that keeps her protected even in the vacuum of space!
Sonic & SEGA All-Stars Racing
Ulala was orphaned at an early age in a spaceship accident in which she was the sole survivor. She was rescued from the void of outer space by a Space Channel 5 reporter and ten years later, she's now their top reporter.
She shot to fame when she confronted the Morolians, who imprisoned humans and forced them to dance against their will. She out-danced them at the same time as presenting her Swingin' Report Show. What a gal!
Ulala races in her Astro Glider, a kind of floating pod.
Project X Zone 2
A reporter for the space broadcast station "Space Channel 5." Armed with swingin' dances and her journalistic soul, she aims to become the top reporter in the galaxy. While reporting from the scene of numerous incidents, including the invasion of the Morolians who forced Earthlings to dance, or the kidnapping of Earthlings by the group called the Rhythm Rogues, she also used her own dancing skills to resist and ultimately resolve each crisis. She has quite a unique vocabulary which she uses during her reports, perhaps contributing to her popularity. Her favorite food is space Peking duck.
Quotes
Space Channel 5
- "No! Get your clutches off of me!"
- "Let's dance!"
- "With my new savvy and my funky moves, I'll get to the bottom of this."
- "You've been under Blank's spell, wake up, fellas!"
- "Is that her tongue?! It's slimy, incredibly slimy...!"
- "Grooove evening, viewers!"
- "Stay Tuned~!"
- "I'm gonna get him!"
- "I beat her!"
- "What's up? I'm feeling kinda funky..."
- "Look out, the base is falling apart! We've gotta jet!"
- "I can beat her, I feel it!"
- "I rule!"
- "I'm fantastic!"
- "I'll take you out!"
- "I kicked butt!"
Space Channel 5: Part 2
- "Ulala's Swingin' Report Show, Special Broadcast!"
- "Oh no, the Space Guide is taking it from the dance gang!"
- "We've defeated the singing robots!"
- "What? They've sprung back into the groove!"
- "We've reached the Lookout Dome... This place is creeping with danger."
- "Ohhh....Not there...!"
- "Things are getting quite tingly in here...!"
- "Whatever happens, I'll give it a dance!"
- "Dance battle!"
- "Let's dance!"
- "Let's boogie!"
- "Let's jam!"
- "Let's shoot!"
- "Waltz battle!"
- "Let's sing!"
- "Ahh! This conveyor belt's out of control!"
- "Space Teachers are being forced to dance up ahead."
- "We've reached Fountain Square!"
- "Not again..."
- "Dueling guitars!"
- "I beat Pudding!"
- "Oh no! The Space Bird Mistress is being forced to dance!"
- "Well, as I'm already here, I'll try and save him."
- "Oh....not there!"
- "We beat them hands down!"
- "The rescue was an outstanding success!"
- "We beat them like you'll never believe!"
- "Stay Tuned~!"
- "Super successful rescue!"
- "The rescue went perfectly!"
- "When have I ever lost....at dancing?"
- "We've rescued the President!"
- "Purge, enough of your trash TV!"
Space Channel 5 VR: Kinda Funky News Flash!
- "Space Channel 5 VR! Kinda Funky News Flash!"
- "Consider this mess cleaned!"
- "I got a funky feeling about this!"
- "When it comes to dancing... We are unbeatable, baby!"
Gallery
Trivia
- Ulala may have been named after the French expression "Ooh La La" in translations of the game.
- Although "Ulala" is the official English spelling of her name, her Japanese name is "Urara." Urara is a Japanese girl's name, and her name is written in Hiragana ("うらら"). This is also due to the fact that the Japanese "R" sound is equal to that of an "L" sound in other languages.
- The identity of Ulala's Japanese voice actress was kept as a secret for years. In Japan, the games would credit Ulala as being "voiced by herself". Eventually, it was later revealed that her Japanese voice actress was Mineko Okamura, the CEO of Grounding Inc. However, the reason as to why Mineko was credited as "Ulala herself" is still left unclear to this day.
- For years, people speculated that Nazu Nahoko was her Japanese voice actress. Nahoko was the game's choreographer, and she did some motion captures for the game. Not only that, but she was also born on May 30th, which coincidentally happens to be Ulala's ficctional birthday. She also dressed up as Ulala to promote the game at the Tokyo Game Show.
- In the Space Channel 5: Part 2 Sugoku Sugoi Guide Book, Pudding reveals that Ulala's biggest weakness is deafening silence, because Ulala silently drifted all alone in space after getting traumatized by the spaceship accident which killed her parents when she was 12, before being rescued by Jaguar.
- This would explain why Ulala couldn't fight off against Giant Evila anymore when the music stopped in the first game.
- Brent Suzuki's in-game profile (from the first game) hints that Ulala is scared of Lizards.
- Ulala, Pudding and Hoorg can all be assumed to be left-handed, as they always hold their microphones with their left hand.
- In SEGA Superstars Tennis however, both Ulala and Pudding hold their tennis rackets with their right hand.
- According to the game's art Director, Noboru Hotta, Ulala wore orange in the first game because it was both the colors of the Dreamcast (the console where Ulala made her debut) and because it was symbolizing something new and exciting for SEGA.
- According to the Space Channel 5's official Twitter account, the reason as to why Ulala's ficctional birthday is on May 30th is because it was on that date that the programmers made her 3D model move for the first time.
- In Space Channel 5: Part 2, the Ulala Mic item information in the changing room states that Ulala painted her Channel 5 microphone blue without asking for permission first.
- However, all of the other Channel 5 Reporters have blue microphones, oddly enough.
- Ulala's Woolen Wear outfit reveals that Ulala had a part-time job before becoming a Reporter. However, it is not revealed what she used to do.
- When Space Channel 5 VR: Kinda Funky News Flash! was announced, SEGA revealed they had lost contact with Ulala's original English voice actress, Apollo Smile, and that Cherami Leigh would be voicing Ulala. Team Grounding even made a tweet on November 14, 2018 asking for help in tracking down Apollo Smile for the game.
- Mineko Okamura, who is Ulala's Japanese voice actress and CEO of Grounding Inc., revealed in an interview that they were eventually able to find Apollo Smile, thanks to the Space Channel 5's dedicated community. However, Apollo herself didn't want to return to reprise her role.
- In versions of Virtua Fighter 5, Sarah Bryant can be customized to reseble Ulala.
- Ulala's Peach Suit reveals that Ulala loves shopping.
- Ulala's current voice actress, Cherami Leigh, is famous for voicing Lucy Heartfilia from the Fairy Tail anime series as well as Sailor Venus from the Sailor Moon anime series.
- During Glitter's boss battle in Space Channel 5 VR, Ulala will always be seen wearing her neon yellow outfit in the monitor, no matter which outfit she is actually wearing.
- Ulala was mentioned in the song "Sunshine Slayer" by her former voice actress, Apollo Smile since one of the lines in the lyrics said, "Groovy like Ulala" in the song.
See also
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Ulala's Peach suit description
- ↑ Ulala's In-Game Profile from the first game
- ↑ Ulala's In-Game Profile from the second game.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Brent Suzuki's In-Game Profile from the first game.
- ↑ Gaming Wikia: Ulala's profile, excerpt from game manual
- ↑ Shinichiro Tachibana's In-Game Profile from the second game.
- ↑ Jaguar's In-Game Profile from the second game.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Ulala Cosmic Attack Manual
- ↑ Ulala's mic description
- ↑ SUMO, SEGA forums
- ↑ https://projectxzone.fandom.com/wiki/Ulala#Gameplay
- ↑ https://twitter.com/Anitude/status/1407578939728400387
- ↑ https://twitter.com/superstick42/status/1424781643294777353
- ↑ https://www.inverse.com/gaming/league-of-legends-space-groove-concept-art-skins
- ↑ https://medium.com//@MoosaviAmir/in-the-realm-of-the-senses-fccdbf3a39ae/ In the Realm of the Senses: Part 3, talking about the TV show
- ↑ https://medium.com//@MoosaviAmir/in-the-realm-of-the-senses-fccdbf3a39ae/ In the Realm of the Senses: Part 3, talking about the Movie
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xNOgGIgPZF4
- ↑ 18.0 18.1 Space Channel 5: The Complete History - SGR
- ↑ https://youtu.be/r_uHgjbzzNs?t=2219
- ↑ https://youtu.be/r_uHgjbzzNs?t=2234
- ↑ Space Channel 5 Part 2 Sugoku Sugoi Guide Book p.124
- ↑ https://kotaku.com/why-its-taken-so-long-for-a-new-space-channel-5-game-1838087568
- ↑ https://twitter.com/Space_Channel5/status/1398656001172115459
- ↑ https://twitter.com/Grounding_Inc/status/1062670104020701184
- ↑ According to Mineko Okamura in this interview, "It took us a while, but we were able to contact Apollo Smile. We tried very hard, but unfortunately, we couldn’t convince her to come back onboard. So we talked with Sega and decided to ask Cherami to voice Ulala." | https://spacechannel5.fandom.com/wiki/Ulala |
Industrial Editor John Cranage looks back at the proud history of the Castle Bromwich site
Spitfire and Jaguar – two of the most evocative names in British engineering history.
And the common factor is that the World War Two fighter and the current generation of Jaguar cars have been built on the same site at Castle Bromwich.
Sadly, though, some 70 years of manufacturing legend would end if Jaguar Land Rover – as now seems likely – ultimately decides to close its Castle Bromwich assembly plant,
The story began in 1938 when a site in east Birmingham was chosen for a factory to build the new Spitfire, one of the most advanced aircraft of its day, and take pressure off the smaller Supermarine works near Southampton.
The 345-acre factory complex was the biggest of its kind in Britain and Lord Nuffield, the founder of the Morris car company, was put in charge.
It was built on land bordered by Fort Dunlop and the old Castle Bromwich airfield on the opposite side of the Chester Road.
The factory ultimately turned out nearly 12,000 Spitfires – plus more than 300 Lancaster bombers. But things got off to a bad start.
Not only was the factory built behind schedule and over budget, Lord Nuffield quickly found that building Spitfires was a lot more complicated that knocking out motor cars. In its early days the factory became chaotic and suffered from poor industrial relations.
The delays and problems are now believed to have resulted in fewer front line fighter squadrons being equipped with Spitfires in time for the Battle of Britain than expected; which is why, some historians claim, the outcome was far less certain than it might otherwise have been. It took the arrival of the dynamic newspaper tycoon Lord Beaverbrook – who effectively sacked the ineffectual Nuffield – to get production up to required levels.
By the end of the war, Castle Bromwich had developed world-beating expertise in building metal-skinned aircraft, an asset that was to be tapped by sheet metal manufacturer Fisher and Ludlow which turned the plant over to manufacturing car body panels.
It has been a centre of car production ever since, under the ownership first of British Leyland then Jaguar.
In its time, it has produced Mini sub-frames and bodies for Rovers and Jaguars and painted Triumph TR7 sports car bodies.
BL had planned to shut Castle Bromwich in 1980 but then pulled off one of the biggest U-turns in industrial history by pumping in some £100 million to modernise its facilities.
Under Jaguar’s ownership, the plant was regarded as being under-utilised but by 1989 it was being used to assemble the Jaguar S Type, the predecessor to today’s highly successful XF. In 2005 Jaguar’s then owner, Ford, announced that car building was to end at Browns Lane in Coventry after 50 years and production consolidated at Castle Bromwich.
A massive redevelopment of the Birmingham site was needed to accommodate the XJ and XK lines. The project saw 2,500 workers from 120 contractors working round the clock and saw the removal of more than 9,000 cubic yards of soil – the size of a Channel ferry – being dug out and removed.
Amazingly, the first cars came off the new tracks only six weeks after Browns Lane built its last car.
In 2005, the then Jaguar managing director, Bibiana Boeria, said of Castle Bromwich: “It is crucial to the success of a revitalised Jaguar business.”
Four years on, the automotive industry is going through a crippling recession. And with three assembly plants now an expensive luxury for JLR, it looks as if Castle Bromwich will join Longbridge as a proud but defunct part of Birmingham’s manufacturing tradition. | https://www.business-live.co.uk/business/manufacturing/70-year-history-castle-bromwich-assembly-3940359 |
In the framework of a cooperation program in the energy domain, and with the help of a security integrator, we have deployed since March 7th, 2007 the EAGLE V1.3 product to verify its detection capacities and measure false alarm rates in a long period, as well as to establish alarm management protocols on "real data". We finally demonstrated a ratio of 1.6 false alarms per camera/day.
Settled in the east of France, the site is located on the top of a hill, in the countryside, close to a forest and private houses. There are foxes & fox families (once at the sunrise and once at the dawn), ravens (sometime fighting for some food item)... Storms, snow, fog have been observed on the site in the period. The site buildings are made of medium height installations (12 to 18 feet), with several high points (60 feet), surrounded by corridors of grass & vegetation (short lawnmowed). Surveillance areas are corridors around the site, half-yard long, watched by Samsung SCCB23xx/B20xx surveillance cameras, analog day/night with B&W / colour commutation. Camera gains (WB, AGC, ...) have been activated before our tests, we had to work without modifying the video architecture. The site is very dark at night, cameras are thus in a difficult situation.
A first observation period was led from March 7th to May 15th, concentrated on walking and crouching individuals. This campaign made it possible to measure and testify for an average daily false alarms rate of 4.5 per camera (by camera, from 4.2 to 4.7), due to animal life and weather conditions, and occuring mostly by day. Night surveillance was quite touchy in this period because of the very bad lighting conditions for these cameras (almost black image, blurred, under-resolved). An improvement in the lighting conditions in April improved slightly the situation for a formerly blinded camera, bringing it roughly to the same situation of the other cameras.
A new testing period was then driven with JAGUAR V2.0 between May 15th and summer, targeted on walking individual detection, and proved for an average false alarm rate of 1.6 per day & per camera. JAGUAR V2.0 is a new software implementing the latest researches from EVITECH, able to drive and manage several video flows in parallel (video matrix), and improved for video detection in very poor conditions. JAGUAR targets the civil markets, and sensitive sites protection.
The latest JAGUAR algorithms made it possible to demonstrate the excellence of the new approach followed by EVITECH R&D, on two critical aims :
- false alarm reduction through active filtering strategies,
- detection on very bad images through new stochastic learning algorithms.
On this last period, JAGUAR V2.0 proved its excellent detection capacity, including at night, and on depreciated images, in combination with a false alarm rate of 1.11 10-3 alarm per minute. The combined use of two independant detectors crossed on the same perimeter length with JAGUAR's reliability will thus provide a false alarm rate of 1,23 10-6 alarms per minute, and thus, with 525600 minutes per year, gives us 0,65 false alarm per year.camera.
Our customer on this pilot site feels, from these experimentation, very confident in the ability to reach a false alarm rate, which makes it possible to propose a new protection doctrine for its sensitive sites :
- double detection on video channel and physical detection (hyper-frequences, sismics),
- JAGUAR camera protection functions activation (detecting camera aggressions),
- alarm triggering on a combined alarm on both the video channel and physical channel in the same minute.
"Previous tests with a classical video sensor demonstrated to raise an incredible high false alarm rate", he said. "With a reliable solution like EVITECH's JAGUAR, we open the track for a high level automation of the security/intrusion function on our sensitive sites." | https://www.evitech.com/en/component/content/article/22-blog/references-en/144-towards-zero-false-alarms-in-sensitive-site-protection-design?Itemid=137 |
A LETTER FROM OUR JAGUAR LAND ROVER SOUTH AFRICA MANAGING DIRECTOR, RICHARD GOUVERNEUR
Dear valued Jaguar and Land Rover customers, There is no way I could possibly convey any compassionate messages or words of wisdom which have not already been shared by the most respected industry and government leaders in the world during the situation we find currently ourselves in. Not least of which come from Jaguar Land Rover CEO Prof. Sir Ralf Speth in a letter which you can read below.
Instead I would like to share some information specific to Jaguar Land Rover South Africa, including some of the efforts we are putting into the fight against coronavirus on a local level.
COVID-19 is leaving a trail of devastation in its wake across South Africa, but if one thing is for certain it’s that we are a resilient nation and we will not take this crisis lying down. Many initiatives have sprung into effect to ensure those in need will see the crisis through, and as a matter of urgency Jaguar Land Rover South Africa put its #FeedingSATogether campaign in place to help feed children and elderly who may not have access to regular meals at this time.
Jaguar Land Rover kicked off the initiative by supplying much-needed food parcels to a school near Knysna, and with the help of Jaguar Ambassador Minnie Dlamini, thousands more will be fed thanks to donations from individuals and companies in South Africa and abroad. These food parcels will be distributed through our partnership with the South African Red Cross Society, which, as the lockdown was implemented, received 11 Land Rover vehicles from our Marketing fleet to assist with their life-saving duties.
As we wait out this period of isolation together most of us will not be enjoying as much time behind the wheels of our vehicles as we may like. Included in this newsletter are some helpful tips for Jaguar and Land Rover owners to maintain their vehicles during lockdown. This list also includes some important information pertaining to scheduled services, roadside assistance and Customer Care lines during the period.
I ask that all of our customers rest assured in knowing that your needs remain top of mind for us, and we are still here to assist with any Jaguar or Land Rover-related issues.
The South African and global Jaguar Land Rover families are doing everything in their power to support communities and customers locally and worldwide. The road ahead will be tough, but together we will get through this.
Sincerely, | https://www.landrover.co.za/experience/news/a-letter-from-our-managing-director-richard-gouverneur.html |
Jobs at Jaguar Land Rover depend on MPs backing a Brexit deal - West Midlands Mayor Andy Street has warned.
Mr Street’s warning comes in the wake of reports the Coventry car maker is planning to cut thousands of jobs in the new year.
Earlier this week CoventryLive reported on rumours as many as 5,000 jobs could be lost as part of a turnaround plan which will see cost savings of £2.5 billion.
Jaguar Land Rover has seen its sales slide and is working to battle what has been billed as a ‘perfect storm’ - due to Brexit uncertainty, declining demand for diesel cars and slowing sales in China.
The Conservative mayor said support for Theresa May’s proposed Brexit withdrawal agreement, which the Prime Minister is to put to a Commons vote in the week commencing January 14, would “remove some of the clouds that are hanging around Jaguar Land Rover at the moment.”
Mr Street said he had been in contact with senior Jaguar Land Rover managers in recent days, and described the reports regarding job losses as “rumours”.
He said: “It is very concerning. Because they have obviously been the dynamo of the regional economy, and if it were to be true it would be extremely bad news.
“Even in all of the material that was rumoured, their commitment to further investment in the West Midlands was very clear.
“The other thing that was really clear is that if we get a firm decision around Brexit, that will remove some of the clouds that are hanging over Jaguar Land Rover at the moment.
“I have been a fervent supporter of what the Prime Minister is doing, significantly because it will support our manufacturing industry in the West Midlands.
“I’m hugely concerned, but there are some things that can happen to lift those clouds early in the new year.”
Mrs May last week delayed a planned vote on the proposed Brexit withdrawal agreement, admitting that it was certain to be rejected by the House of Commons.
She is attempting to persuade the EU to change the proposals so that they are more likely to win support from MPs.
But in the meantime, the Government is stepping up preparations for a “no-deal” Brexit.
Mr Street said he had warned Government ministers that this could have a disastrous effect on West Midlands manufacturers, and highlighted an event bringing together Conservative chair Brandon Lewis and local Jaguar Land Rover suppliers.
“We hosted here a round table for Brandon Lewis, as a very senior member of Theresa May’s team, with Jaguar Land Rover suppliers.
“And they laid out very clearly what the consequences of a no deal Brexit could be.
“That’s the type of practical thing that can be done to influence decision-makers in the government.
“We’ve done that sort of thing a lot.”
Watch: Wetherspoon's boss Tim Martin advocates a no deal Brexit during recent visit to Cov
Economic forecasts suggested the West Midlands economy would be ten per cent smaller if the UK left the EU without a deal, compared to leaving with Theresa May’s deal, Mr Street said.
He added: “Bluntly, although I am a firm believer that we have to deliver Brexit, that’s what the people of this region voted for, we have to deliver it in a way that does not bring about the no-deal consequence.
“The actual estimate is the difference is a 10 per cent hit to the economy.
“That’s a very substantial impact.”
But he insisted he believed MPs would agree a deal.
“I still believe there is a majority in the House of Commons for a deal that will prevent those consequences, and allow the trading terms that we’ve enjoyed broadly to continue,” he said.
Mr Street said he did not support calls for a second referendum or “people’s vote” on Brexit.
But he said there could be a case for delaying Brexit, due to take place on March 29, if that was the only way to avoid leaving with no deal.
“If that is the difference between getting a good deal and not then I would be pragmatic over that.
“But I think there is some power at the moment in the fact that the deadline is coming, and we have to get a deal by that deadline.”
Mr Street said he had spoken frequently over the past year to Ralf Speth, the chief executive officer of Jaguar Land Rover, and to “people extremely close to him” this week.
Referring to predictions about thousands of job losses, Mr Street said: “Those particular reports are rumours. I do not believe that is a leak from the company.
“But what we can’t disguise is they have a serious reduction in their sales volume, and a business is going to have to think very hard about how they respond to that.
“And what they have said is that there will have to be a programme to get their revenue line and their cost line back into line. | https://www.coventrytelegraph.net/news/coventry-news/brexit-deal-jaguar-land-rover-15578307 |
Jaguar is Planning a New Flagship Sports Car
Jaguar has been focusing heavily on crossovers and SUVs lately, but it hasn’t forgotten about sports cars.
Speaking to Autocar, the British automaker’s head of product strategy, Hanno Kirner, confirmed Jaguar is committed to the sports car segment. “The F-Type has been a huge said,” said Kirner. “We love sports cars – and I use the plural quite deliberately. Whether that is delivered by a body variant or something else remains to be seen, but for now, let’s just say that the body type is very important to us.”
His comments suggest Jaguar is working on additional sports cars to complement the existing F-Type, which echoes comments made by Jaguar head of design Ian Callum. Last year, Callum shared that he wanted a 2+2 to join the F-Type in Jaguar’s lineup, confirming that the design team was working on something, although nothing had been approved yet.
SEE ALSO: 2018 Jaguar XF: 9 Things You Need to Know
It is believed that Callum was alluding to an XK replacement, and his team had reportedly completed a design concept before the model was axed. The new project, however, will be an all-new car that likely won’t come until 2021, at the earliest.
The current Jaguar F-Type rides on a heavily modified version of the XK’s discontinued platform and is scheduled to be replaced around 2019. It is believed the new F-Type will use a version of the architecture, but it will be flexible enough to adopt a 2+2 layout.
ALSO SEE: Where Is Jaguar Made? | https://www.autoguide.com/auto-news/2018/05/jaguar-is-planning-a-new-flagship-sports-car.html |
phthalic acid solubility in toluene
Phthalic acid is very slightly soluble in H2O, soluble in alcohol, and slightly soluble in ether. ; Taghizadeh, K.; Hemond, H.F.; Lafleur, A.L. Solubility of sample in solvent will always be ... toluene-ligroin, and t-butyl methyl ether-hexane. Technol., 39(24), 2005, 9547-9560. https://www.ebi.ac.uk/chebi/searchId.do?chebiId=CHEBI:29069, ACD/Labs Percepta Platform - PhysChem Module, US Environmental Protection Agency’s EPISuite, Compounds with the same molecular formula, Search Google for structures with same skeleton, CAUTION: May irritate eyes, skin, and respiratory tract, P261-P280-P305+P351+P338-P304+P340-P405-P501a. Sci. benzoic acid.
4-amino-1- naphthalenesulfo nic acid, sodium salt Phthalic acid is soluble in ligroin, ethanol and water when heated, as well as it is mildly soluble in room temperature ethanol. resorcinol. Phthalic anhydride is the principal commercial form of phthalic acid and it is presently manufactured by catalytic air oxidation of o-xylene or naphthalene. phthalic acid from the minimum volume of water. stilbene is 2 benzenes linked by a ethene group, no polar groups, so toluene (File Format: Jpg, Gif, Png, PDF,Zip,Txt,doc or xls Max Size: 3MB), The username will be used as the login user name and retrieve the password, Copyright 2017 © ChemicalBook. 10. A new method to measure the solubility was developed, which solved the problem of sampling at high temperature. Kirk-Othmer Encyclopedia of Chemical Technology. Resorcinol 110.11 1.28 110.7 277. (Record exact mass). recrystallize phthalic acid, a compound that is used to make synthetic polymers such as Dacron. Benzoic Acid 122.12 1.27 121-123 249. ... Toluene is an aromatic solvent, which contains a benzene ring, so other aromatic compounds should also be soluble in it. It is shown that these copo- lyesters present materials stable up to elevated tempera- tures. ... benzoic acid, and 4-amino-1-naphthalenesulfonic acid, sodium salt in water, ethanol, acetone, toluene, and hexane. ; Durant, J.L. Cool the solution to precipitate the phthalic acid and decant off the water. In contrast, phthalic acid was only slightly soluble in cold ligroin and toluene and partially soluble in hot ligroin and toluene. Virtually all of the organic chemistry that you will see in this course takes place in the solution phase. If you mix the compound with the solvent when the solvent is … Benzoic acid is mildly soluble in room temp. Notice:Each item can have many explanations from different angels. Resorcinol was insoluble in both hot and cold ligroin (ligroin is non-polar). The dependence of solubility on temperature is key. anthracene. In the organic laboratory, reactions are often run in nonpolar or slightly polar solvents such as toluene (methylbenzene), hexane, dichloromethane, or diethylether. All rights reserved, The mailbox will be used as the login user name and retrieve the password, (File Format: Jpg, Gif, Png, PDF,Zip,Txt,doc or xls Max Size: 3MB), P261-P305+P351+P338-P280a-P304+P340-P405-P501a, complex polystyrene high efficiency anticorrosion paint, (4S)-HYDROXY-3-METHYL-2-(2-PROPENYL)-2-CYCLOPENTENE-1-ONE, Diallyl ester of phthalic acid,Diallyl ester o-phthalic acid,Diallylester phthalic acid, Phthalic acid Because both these methods convert the collected phthalic anhydride to, and analyze as, phthalic acid, they are susceptible to positive interference from any phthalic acid originally present in the air. Start studying Solubility Tests and Recrystallization Labs (CHM L342 Fall 2019). How many mL of boiling water are required to dissolve 92.0 g ofphthalic acid? HANSEN SOLUBILITY PARAMETERS CHARLES M. HANSEN HSP DIFFERENT FOR DNA BASES, DNA, PROTEINS, AND DEPOT FAT D P H Ro Fit Ra (Bases) DNA 19.0 20.0 11.0 11.0 1.000 7.93 (Molecule) Zein 22.4 9.8 19.4 11.9 0.964 9.28 (Protein) Lard 15.9 1.2 5.4 12.0 1.000 15.87 (Depot Fat) CHEMOTHERAPY DRUGS WITH ETHANOL/DOP MIXTURES COCKTAIL FOR CONSIDERATION METHYL … The temperature range was from 373.2 to 473.2K and the range of the mole fraction of acetic acid in the solvent mixtures was from x 2 = 0 to 1. If you want grasp the item comprehensively,please see below "more details data". Dye according to any of claims 4-7, wherein the dye has a solubility of at least 10 mg/ml in toluene. Outline the steps of the following procedure. Dianhydrosorbitol, Ethylene Glycol, and Terephthalic Acid The synthesis and analysis of copolyesters based on 1,4: 3,6-dianhydrosorbitol (DAS), ethylene glycol, and tere- phthalic acid is described. If you mix the compound with the solvent, when the solvent is in room temperature will the compound dissolve? Powdered phthalic anhydride (74 g, 0.5 mol) and methanol (100 cm 3, 2.47 mol) were heated under reflux with magnetic stirring on an oil bath for 8 h.The clear solution was distilled to remove most of the methanol. Isophthalic acid (IPA) is a non-toxic organic compound with the formula C6H4(CO2H)2. ass: Semi-standard non-polar; Column diameter: 0.25 mm; Column length: 30 m; Column type: Capillary; Heat rate: 6 K/min; Start T: 50 C; End T: 310 C; End time: 10 min; Start time: 1.5 min; CAS no: 88993; Active phase: HP-5; Carrier gas: Helium; Phase thickness: 0.25 um; Data type: Lee RI; Authors: Pedersen, D.U. United States Pharmacopeia (USP) Reference Standard, Phthalate Ion Chromatography Standard Solution Fluka, ORTHO-PHTHALICACIDANDITSSODIUMANDPOTASSIUMSALTS, BENZENE-1,2-DICARBOXYLIC ACID / O-PHTHALIC ACID, 1,2-Benzenedicarboxylic acid, Phthalic acid, PHTHALIC ACID, REAGENT (ACS)PHTHALIC ACID, REAGENT (ACS)PHTHALIC ACID, REAGENT (ACS)PHTHALIC ACID, REAGENT (ACS), Phthalic acid Vetec(TM) reagent grade, 98%. Chemical Structures and Equations: Substance Mol. weight (g/ mol) g/mol used Mol needed Density (g/mL) MP (°C) BP (°C) Solubility. Phthalic acid is very soluble in boiling water, 18 g/100 mL, and is much less soluble in chilled (14°C) water, 0.54 g/100 mL. To the aqueous solution, add 25 ml of fuming hydrochloric acid (12 M) to convert it to phthalic acid. ... Macroscale Recrystallization of Phthalic Acid from Water Weight out about 1 g of pthalic acid. Even though its structure looks a lot like toluene, the 2 carboxy's give it high polarity, so methanol. will test the solubility of four compounds - resorcinol, anthracene, benzoic acid, and 4-amino-1-naphthalenesulfonic acid, sodium salt (structures in lab text) - using water, toluene, and ligroin as the solvents. +Add Attachment
ethylene glycol is an ethyl with 2 OH's, nice and polar, so methanol. The glass transition temperature, Tg, is shown to The solubilities of isophthalic acid (1) in binary acetic acid (2) + water (3) solvent mixtures were determined in a pressurized vessel. (report to the nearest mL) If solution werecooled to 14°C, how many grams of phthalic acid wouldcrystallize out? Methods for producing such polyester-ether polyols are disclosed, along with methods for producing urethane prepolymers. Others have collected phthalic anhydride on glass fiber filters and extracted with dilute aqueous sodium hydroxide (Ref. Phthalic acid is an aromatic dicarboxylic acid, with formula C 6 H 4 (CO 2 H) 2.It is an isomer of isophthalic acid and terephthalic acid.Although phthalic acid is of modest commercial importance, the closely related derivative phthalic anhydride is a commodity chemical produced on a large scale. The high-performance polymer polybenzimidazole is produced from isophthalic acid. Procedure Salicylic acid solution (5 ml) was taken in a set of 25 ml beakers and varying amounts of As(V) (0, 0.10, 0.25, 0.50, 1.0, 2.0 and 4.0 /lg) were added to the For each of the above which of the following solvents would allow recrystallization: water, methanol, ethanol, toluene, ligroin. The mono potassium salt, potassium hydrogen phthalate is a standard acid in analytical chemistry. 1‐octanol shows a good extractive selectivity for [1,1′‐biphenyl]‐2,2′‐dicarboxylic acid as compared with phthalic … 3rd ed., Volumes 1-26. 210-211 °C (Decomposes) SynQuest 205 °C (Decomposes) Alfa Aesar 210 °C Jean-Claude Bradley Open Melting Point Dataset 14144: 230 °C Jean-Claude Bradley Open Melting Point Dataset 16989, 28454: 205 °C (Decomposes) Alfa Aesar 41770, A14450 210-211 °C (Decomposes) SynQuest 52322, 210-211 °C (Decomposes, Literature) LabNetwork LN00194231 204-209 °C LabNetwork LN00194231 Disclosed are polyester-ether polyols and their use in urethane prepolymers, urethane foams and non-foam urethane coatings, adhesives, sealants and/or elastomers. Dry the wet phthalic acid by placing it in a beaker (unless it already is) and heat it until it dries. Thus, water is a very good recrystallization solvent for phthalic acid. Anthracene 178.23 1.25 215-218 340. Octanol/water partition coefficient as … Abstract. The common name is derived from the turpentine-producing tree Pistacia terebinthus and phthalic acid and heated toluene. Resorcinol is a polar molecule due to the O-H groups present in the molecule. A benzenedicarboxylic acid cosisting of two carboxy groups at ortho positions. Quantification of mutagenes and other organic compounds., Environ. I have these four componds in powder form: Benzil, Anthracene, Steric Acid, and Phthalic acid. CopyCopied, XNGIFLGASWRNHJ-UHFFFAOYSA-N
Terephthalic acid is an organic compound with formula C 6 H 4 (CO 2 H) 2.This white solid is a commodity chemical, used principally as a precursor to the polyester PET, used to make clothing and plastic bottles.Several million tonnes are produced annually. The solubility of phthalic acid is water is: 0.54g/100 mL at14°C, 18g/100 mL at 100°C. This colorless solid is an isomer of phthalic acid and terephthalic acid. Using a laser monitoring observation technique, the solubilities of terephthalaldehydic acid, p-toluic acid, benzoic acid, terephthalic acid, and isophthalic acid in N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone were determined by the synthetic method from (295.65 to 371.35) K. The experimental results were … phtalic acid is a benzene ring w/ 2 carboxyls on it. As part Solubility The degree of which a compound dissolves. grade Na2-EDT A, anthranilic acid, phthalic acid and 2-amino phenol was used for the preparation of 2xlO-2 M solution. Use about 10 mg of each compound for the tests. Water-soluble, non-soluble in benzene, toluene and petroleum ether, dissolved in methanol, ethanol, acetic acid and acetone. The solution in water is a weak acid. A benzenedicarboxylic acid cosisting of two carboxy groups at
1997 Sea Ray 370 Sundancer Value, Jorginho Fifa 21 Potential, Kutztown University Email Login, Classic Tomato Aspic Recipe, Pearl Jam Setlist, Cree Led Light Bar, Fulgent Genetics Cancel Appointment, How To Get Rid Of Pale Face, Contortion Classes Dublin, Etrade Prebuilt Portfolios Reddit, | https://efibras.com.br/il39ev/phthalic-acid-solubility-in-toluene-b22c5e |
1. Silver can form a precipitate by reaction with chloride (AgCl; Ksp = 1.6 x 10-10) and with chromate (Ag2CrO4; Ksp = 1.9 x 10-12).
What is the KSP expression for AgCl?
Solubility Product Constant
|Compound||Compound|
|AgCl||1.8 × 10 –10||Fe(OH) 2|
|Al(OH) 3||3.0 × 10 –34||Mg(OH) 2|
|BaCO 3||5.0 × 10 –9||PbCl 2|
|BaSO 4||1.1 × 10 –10||PbCO 3|
What is the KSP for silver chloride?
Ksp = a Ag+ X a Cl-
is known as the solubility product of silver chloride. It is constant at a given temperature.
What is the solubility product constant KSP for silver chloride AgCl?
The solubility of silver chloride is 6.56×10–4 g/L. Calculate the solubility product constant for silver chloride. If the solubility product constant of a sparingly soluble salt is known, its solubility can be calculated.
…
|Sparingly soluble salt||calcium fluoride|
|Equilibrium||CaF2 Ca2+ + 2F–|
|Ksp||1.7 X 10–10|
|pKsp||9.7|
How do you find Ksp expression?
Ksp=[M+][X−][MX(s)] , but MX(s) as A SOLID cannot express a concentration, and thus the expression simplifies to… Usually standard conditions are specified, because a hot solution can generally hold more solute than a cold one. have been measured for a host of insoluble, and semi-soluble ionic salts.
Does silver chloride dissolve in water?
Silver chloride, AgCl, is a white crystalline solid which is well known for its low solubility in water.
What is the solubility of silver iodide?
Silver iodide
|Names|
|Melting point||558 °C (1,036 °F; 831 K)|
|Boiling point||1,506 °C (2,743 °F; 1,779 K)|
|Solubility in water||3×10−7g/100mL (20 °C)|
|Solubility product (Ksp)||8.52 × 10 −17|
What is the K value of silver?
Silver – 429 W/m•K.
What will be the solubility of AgCl in 0.10 M NaCl?
What would be the solubility of silver chloride in 0.10 molar NaCl solution?( Ksp for AgCl solution = 1.20 × 10^-10 )
What is the solubility of AgCl?
The solubility of AgCl is 1.3 x 10–5 mol/L at 25oC.
Is AgBr soluble in water?
Silver bromide (AgBr), a soft, pale-yellow, water-insoluble salt well known (along with other silver halides) for its unusual sensitivity to light.
…
Silver bromide.
|Names|
|Melting point||432 °C (810 °F; 705 K)|
|Boiling point||1,502 °C (2,736 °F; 1,775 K) (decomposes)|
|Solubility in water||0.140 mg/L (20 °C)|
What is solubility product example?
For example, sugar is a solute and water is a solvent. … The solubility product constant (Ksq) describes the equilibrium between a solid and its constituent ions in a solution. The value of the constant identifies the degree to which the compound can dissociate in water.
Is silver chloride soluble or insoluble in water?
Silver chloride is so insoluble in water (. 0.002 g/L) that a saturated solution contains only about 1.3 x 10–5 moles of AgCl per liter of water.
How do you dissolve silver chloride?
Question: While silver chloride is insoluble in aqueous solution, it is found to be soluble in aqueous solution following the addition of ammonia, sodium thiosulfate, or potassium cyanide. | https://3rdpartyeve.net/elite-dangerous/what-is-the-correct-ksp-expression-for-silver-chloride-agcl.html |
Is KNO3 AQ soluble in water?
KNO3 is a highly ionic compound and readily dissolves in water (a highly polar solvent) to give potassium cations and nitrate anions, which are solubilised by water molecules (for potassium, the partially negatively charged oxygen atoms from water molecules stabilise the ion in aqueous solution, whereas for the nitrate …
Is KNO3 soluble salt?
KNO3 is soluble in water, glycerol and ammonia and slightly soluble in ethanol. KNO3 has the name potassium nitrate.
Is nitrate insoluble or soluble?
1. The nitrates, chlorates, and acetates of all metals are soluble in water.
Is KNO3 soluble in water at room temperature?
Potassium nitrate (KNO3) crystals were insoluble in water at room temperature. Heating the solution increases the solubility of the crystals in water.
Is KNO3 soluble in alcohol?
All Answers (7) According to the Merck Index, 1 gram of KNO3 will dissolve in 620 mL of ethanol. That may not be enough to cause sufficient crosslinking. You may just have to try it.
Is KNO3 a precipitate?
The question asks for the mass of the potassium nitrate precipitate, but potassium nitrate does NOT form a precipitate.
What effect does KNO3 have on solubility?
the solubility of potassium nitrate increases the most from approximately 30 g per 100 g water to over 200 g per 100 g water.
Which is insoluble nitrate?
Salts containing this ion are called nitrates. Nitrates are common components of fertilizers and explosives. Almost all inorganic nitrates are soluble in water. An example of an insoluble nitrate is bismuth oxynitrate….Nitrate.
|Names|
|Chemical formula||NO − 3|
|Molar mass||62.004 g·mol−1|
|Conjugate acid||Nitric acid|
Why is nitrate insoluble in water?
It doesn’t form any hydrogen bonds with water, or ionise, which are two of the usual ways a material dissolves in water.
Would KNO3 dissolve better in water or ethanol?
Ethanol presented a solvent-out effect on KNO3 solubility in water. The presence of HCl in the solution also reduced its solubility. | https://www.thenewsindependent.com/is-kno3-aq-soluble-in-water/ |
Assuming that the solubility of Ca3(PO4)2(s) is 1.6 × 10−7 mol/L at 25°c, calculate the Ksp for this salt. Ignore any potential reactions of the ions with water.
Interpretation: The value of is to be calculated.
Concept introduction: Solubility product is defined as the mathematical product of the dissolved ion concentration of a substance raised to the power of its stoichiometric coefficients. When sparingly soluble ionic compound releases ions in the solution, it gives relevant solubility product. The solvent is generally water. Precipitate formation takes place in solution if ionic product is greater than the solubility product.
Explanation
To determine: The value of .
Given:
The solubility of is .
The salt dissolves according to the equilibrium given below.
The solubility product expression of is,
Where, | https://www.bartleby.com/solution-answer/chapter-15-problem-93cwp-chemistry-an-atoms-first-approach-2nd-edition/9781305079243/assuming-that-the-solubility-of-ca3po42s-is-16-107-moll-at-25c-calculate-the-ksp-for-this/ef98e4d1-a59a-11e8-9bb5-0ece094302b6 |
Researchers find that the extent of genetic damage in snails is a measure of how polluted their marine environment is.
Pollutants from oil spills, shipping activities and industrial effluents could be the reason for genetic damage in snails of Goa, research has found. The extent of genetic damage in snails could serve as a measure of the health of a marine ecosystem, it says.
A team of researchers collected snails of the species Morulagranulata from nine locations along the coast of Goa – a major tourism and seafood industry hotspot of India. The team learnt that the extent of damage in the genetic material (DNA) of these snails increased with rising levels of toxic pollutants along the coast.
“When toxic contaminants, such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), are taken up by marine organisms, the snails will try to metabolize the contaminants for subsequent elimination. The toxins are degraded, ultimately converted into by-products and removed from the body,” explains A. Sarkar, lead author of the study at Global Enviro-Care, Goa. “But during their metabolism, reactive intermediate stages are formed, resulting in DNA strand breaks.”
Sarkar and co-workers used molecular biomarker techniques to assess breaks in the DNA isolated from snails and determined its integrity. They observed that DNA integrity reduced by as much as 56% at one of the most polluted of the chosen sites (Hollant) compared to the non-polluted, reference site (Arambol) located farther away from the industrial belt. They found the concentration of PAHs in sediments to be highest around Hollant (5.17 μg/g) and lowest at Arambol (1.65 μg/g) among all sites.
Snails were chosen because there are plenty of these “resident organisms” that remain attached to rocks and they are the “representative organisms of a particular location,” Sarkar told IndiaBioScience. “By determining their DNA integrity, we can evaluate the state of pollution in a coastal region. If the DNA integrity is lower, the snails have been more exposed to toxic contaminants and we can identify their resident spot as a highly polluted one,” he adds. The research was published in Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety journal.
Sarkar and co-workers are now planning to evaluate the response of snails, oysters and other key species in the marine environment towards PAHs as well as other contaminants (such as heavy metals, cadmium, copper and lead). They are looking to combine different molecular techniques and an interdisciplinary approach to study the biological response of these species. | https://indiabioscience.org/news/2014/snails-suffer-genetic-damage-from-environmental-pollution |
The presence in foods of chemical contaminants such as heavy metals, pesticides, aflatoxins and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) has been of international concern for decades. Since most of these are associated with intensive industrial and agricultural activity, the minimal existence of such activities in Pacific island countries has led to the conclusion that the consumption of these contaminants in food is unlikely to be a health problem in the Pacific. Because of this little effort has been expended in studying the level of these contarnlnants in Pacific foods. Most of the data are from environmental studies in which some of the analytes are edible. These have mainly been performed at the three major universities in the region, the University of the South Pacific, the University of Guam and the University of Papua New Guinea. Some data are also available from a Japanese study. More recently the United States Environmental Protection Agency has been studying sites potentially contaminated by PCBs in the forrner United States Trust Territories. It should be emphasized that these are scientific studies of the incidence of pollution and not country-driven analyses of the status of these pollutants in the food supply. It is also important to recognize that for the tropical Pacific islands the most important chemical food contaminants are a variety of marine toxins, especially ciguatoxins, that affect health and economies of a significant percentage of Pacific islanders. | http://repository.usp.ac.fj/5156/ |
Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item:
http://publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/handle/JRC102452
|Title:||Identification of marine chemical contaminants released from sea-based sources: A review focusing on regulatory aspects|
|Authors:||TORNERO ALVAREZ MARIA VICTORIA; HANKE Georg|
|Publisher:||Publications Office of the European Union|
|Publication Year:||2016|
|JRC N°:||JRC102452|
|ISBN:||978-92-79-60688-5|
|ISSN:||1831-9424|
|Other Identifiers:||EUR 28039|
OP LB-NA-28039-EN-N
|URI:||http://publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/handle/JRC102452|
|DOI:||10.2788/258216|
|Type:||EUR - Scientific and Technical Research Reports|
|Abstract:||The monitoring of chemical contaminants, as required by the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) Descriptor 8, should allow for the seamless protection of the marine environment against chemical pollution. A list of priority substances (PS) at EU level is provided under the Water Framework Directive (WFD) for coastal and territorial waters. EU Member States may also identify in their coastal waters substances of national or local concern (River Basin Specific Pollutants, RBSP). The MSFD provisions foresee the consideration of contaminants that are not covered by the WFD, but entail a significant risk to, or via, the marine environment. A close collaboration with Regional Sea Conventions is crucial, as contaminants cross national and EU borders. Chemical substances occurring in the marine environment might derive from specific sea-based sources, such as shipping, mariculture, offshore oil and gas production, marine renewable energy devices, seabed mining, dredging of sediments, dumping of dredged material and historical dumping. This report consists of a scientific review of the literature to compile a list of marine specific contaminants potentially entering the marine environ-ment from these sea-based sources. It also provides an overview of the environmental policy instruments and frameworks in place to oversee and regulate these substances within the EU. The resulting list should support Member States in setting-up of monitoring approaches, including hotspots screening, and therefore, help guide the selection of relevant substances for MSFD Descriptor 8 implementation and also contribute to the work done in RSCs.|
|JRC Directorate:||Sustainable Resources|
Files in This Item:
|File||Description||Size||Format|
|technical report marine specific contaminants.pdf||2.19 MB||Adobe PDF||View/Open|
Items in repository are protected by copyright, with all rights reserved, unless otherwise indicated. | https://publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/handle/JRC102452 |
No products in the cart.
DETERMINATION OF THE LEVELS OF POLYCYCLIC AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS (PAHs) AND HEAVY METALS IN SOILS AND PLANT FOOD CULTIVARS FROM SOME OIL EXPLORATION COMMUNITIES OF BAYELSA STATE
- Brand: Biochemistry project topics and materials free Download in PDF & DOC for Nigeria
- SKU: projectslib5963932166
Roll over image to zoom in
Click to open expanded view
₦3,000.00 (-17%)
In stock
ABSTRACT
This research is on DETERMINATION OF THE LEVELS OF POLYCYCLIC AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS (pahs) AND HEAVY METALS IN SOILS AND PLANT FOOD CULTIVARS FROM SOME OIL EXPLORATION COMMUNITIES OF BAYELSA STATE.. Soils and vegetation in three selected communities in Bayelsa state were investigated for presence of recalcitrant Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons PAHs and heavy metals in the soils and edible plant food cultivars Two of the communities, Angiama and Oporoma are crude oil impacted areas having had oil spillage accidents in 2010 and 2008 respectively while Yenagoa a non crude oil impacted area is used as control Physicochemical properties of soils from these study areas were investigated using standard methods, the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon PAHs in the soil and food cultivars were determined using Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrophotometer while heavy metals were analysed by Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer The result of the investigation reveal that oil spillage degrades the soil as revealed by the significant reduction in pH , moisture content and bulk density of soils from Angiama and Oporoma communities compared with Yenagoa Soil from Angiama had the highest percentage organic carbon 440053 and total hydrocarbon 846401011mg/kg followed by Oporoma 213012 and 52000500mg/kg respectively and Yenagoa 130108 and 6220026mg/kg respectively The anion levels of soil nitrate NO3 2 and phosphate PO4 3 were significantly highest in soil residues from Yenagoa than in Angiama and Oporoma while the levels of exchangeable cations Ca2, Mg2, K,and Na were highest in Angiama than in Oporoma and Yenagoa soils The values were significantly different at plt;005This suggest that exchangeable cations accompany oil spill High molecular weight recalcitrant PAHs Benzoa pyrene, benzoa anthracene, BenzoK fluoranthene, Benzobfluoranthene were present in both Angiama and Oporoma soil but were not detected in Yenagoa Except for phenanthrene, low molecular weight PAHs were not detected in soil samples from Yenagoa, occurred sparingly in Oporoma but were predominant in Angiama Food cultivars from both Angiama and Oporoma were equally proportionately contaminated with these high molecular weight PAHs The leafy vegetables pumpkin and scent leaf were far more contaminated than the tubers yam and cassava Heavy metal contaminants of soils and food cultivars mirror exactly the same trend associated with recalcitrant PAHs These results reveal that oil spillage activity is responsible for the preponderance of PAHs and heavy metals in the soils of the Niger Delta It also demonstrates that by the process of natural weathering polluted soils are remedied over time Given the appreciable accumulation of these crude fraction toxicants in food cultivars, it is suggested that the foods remain a major endogenous source of PAHs and heavy metals among the people of the area
SKU: projectslib5963932166 Category: Biochemistry 2022-2023 FREE project topics pdf & doc in Nigeria: Diploma, ND, HND, degree for undergraduates download | projects | projectslib.com Tags: (ms, (pahs), 2021, and, aromatic, bayelsa, biochemistry, communities, cultivars, degree,, determination, doc, exploration, food, for, from, heavy, hnd,, hydrocarbons, levels, masters,, materials,, metals, nigeria, oil, ond,, pdf, phd, plant, polycyclic, project, research, soils, some, state, students, the, topics, undergraduate, word), work
CHAPTER ONE
1.0 INTRODUCTION
This research is on DETERMINATION OF THE LEVELS OF POLYCYCLIC AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS (pahs) AND HEAVY METALS IN SOILS AND PLANT FOOD CULTIVARS FROM SOME OIL EXPLORATION COMMUNITIES OF BAYELSA STATE. Crude Oil has had profound impact on the world civilization than any single natural resource in recorded history. Oil has become a very decisive element in defining the politics, rhetoric and diplomacy of states. All over the world, the lives of people are affected and destiny of nations has been determined by the result of oil explorations. Oil keeps the factories of the industrialized countries working and provides the revenue, which enables oil exporters to execute ambitious national and economic development plans. The march of progress would be retarded and life itself would be unbearable if the world is deprived of oil that is why oil has become the concern of government, a vital ingredient of their politics and a crucial factor in the political and diplomatic strategies (Pyagbara, 2007).
Nigeria joined the league of oil producing nations on August 3rd, 1956 when oil was discovered in commercial quantities at Oloibiri in Bayelsa and today ranks as the leading oil and gas producer in Africa and the 6th largest oil exporter in the world (Pyagbara, 2007). As oil was struck in commercial quantities in Nigeria, it also signaled the beginning of a profound transformation of Nigeria’s political and economic landscape. Since the 1970s, oil has accounted for 80% of the Nigerian government’s revenue and 95% of the country’s export earnings. Interestingly almost all of Nigeria’s oil and gas resources come from its Niger delta region occupied by mosaic of indigenous nationalities. Crude oil is made of different fractions and when there is spill on the environment, spreading immediately takes place, the gaseous and liquid components evaporate, some get dissolved in water and even oxidized and yet some undergo bacterial changes and eventually sink to the bottom by gravitational action (Akpofure et al., 2000). Mangrove forests have fallen to the toxicity of oil spills, the rainforest has fallen to the axe of oil companies, wild life and game have been driven away and farmlands have been rendered infertile with gross implication on the right to adequate food (Pyagbara, 2007; Omofonmwam and Odia, 2009). During oil spills the process of photosynthesis which enhances plant diversity is impaired since the process is reduced because spilled crude have a high absorbance property of UV light which makes plant leaves not to photosynthesis and thus die leading to biodiversity loss (Nwilo and Olusegun,2007).
The toxic crude affects not only the herbs and shrubs but also the soil fauna. The volatile lower molecular weight components of the crude affects aerial life, while the dissolution of the less volatile components which makes water toxic affects aquatic life (Akpofure et, al., 2000). Gaseous and particle-bound polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are transported over long distances before deposition and may accumulate in vegetation (Tuteja et al, 2011). Heavy metal contaminants of crude oil contaminate the soil and water and thus enter the food chain. In this manner humans are indirectly exposed to PAHs and heavy metals through the food chain.
1.1 Statement of the problem
The most profound and adverse impact of oil pollution in Niger Delta is environmental pollution with far reaching implications on all other aspects of traditional lifestyles and livelihood of the people among which is the total loss of biodiversity and destruction of habitats largely due to soil degradation and persistence of recalcitrant hydrocarbon constituents in water bodies, soil and food cultivars.
1.2 Aim and Objectives of the study
Nigerian crude oil contains gaseous and particle-bound polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons as well as some heavy metals that pollute drinking water and marine organisms. These toxicants may be passed up the food chain and become a major source of human exposure.
1.2.1 Aim of the study
The aim of this study is to determine those recalcitrant polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon fractions preponderant in soils following episodic oil spillage events as well as the accompanying heavy metal pollutants and how they impact on food cultivars.
1.2.2 The Objectives are
- To ascertain the different recalcitrant polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons that predominate in soils following episodic oil spillage event.
- To establish to what extent those recalcitrant PAHs are taken up by food cultivars which as primary producers introduce them into the food chain.
- To determine the heavy metal pollutants accompanying these episodic oil spillage events in the soil and how they join the food chain through uptake by.
- To determine if there are any correlation in the preponderance of PAHs, heavy metals and b/w PAHs and heavy metals.
1.3 Significance of the study
The overwhelming environmental impacts of oil exploration activities and accidental oil spills abound in literature. However, the actual exposure in the Niger Delta environment and food chain has remained an object of controversy as there are claims that the toxic fractions of crude oil are very volatile and evaporate easily from the environment. This study will document the exposure risk of the population to PAHs and heavy metals by determining those recalcitrant pollutants that occur in soil in the crude oil spill and how they impact on food cultivar.
1.4 Relevance of the study
Public perception of economic issues in recent times has clouded some very important issues concerning the impact of oil exploration and exploitation on the ecology and people of Oporoma and Angiama in Niger Delta.The result of the study will provide sufficient empirical basis for the community to seek for proper compensatory redress while at the same time guide government to make informed policy formulation for the protection of the Niger Delta environment from the hazards of oil prospecting activities.
Related
Be the first to review “DETERMINATION OF THE LEVELS OF POLYCYCLIC AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS (PAHs) AND HEAVY METALS IN SOILS AND PLANT FOOD CULTIVARS FROM SOME OIL EXPLORATION COMMUNITIES OF BAYELSA STATE” Cancel reply
Reviews
There are no reviews yet. | https://projectslib.com/project/determination-of-the-levels-of-polycyclic-aromatic-hydrocarbons-pahs-and-heavy-metals-in-soils-and-plant-food-cultivars-from-some-oil-exploration-communities-of-bayelsa-state/ |
✨☀️👁💎👁☀️✨ #Q #Qanon #Greatawakening Ma'at as a Goddess The goddess Ma'at was the goddess of harmony, order, and truth represented as a young woman, sitting or standing, holding a scepter in one hand and an ankh in the other. Sometimes she is depicted with wings on each arm or as a woman with an ostrich feather on her head. Because it also was the pharaoh's duty to ensure truth and justice, many of them were referred to as Meri-Ma'at (Beloved of Ma'at). Since she was considered as merely the concept of order and truth, it was thought that she came into existence at the moment of creation, having no creator and made the order of the entire universe from the pandemonium. When beliefs about Thoth arose in the Egyptian pantheon and started to consume the earlier beliefs at Hermopolis about the Ogdoad, it was said that she was the mother of the Ogdoad and Thoth the father. In Duat, the Egyptian underworld, the hearts of the dead were said to be weighed against her single Shu feather, symbolically representing the concept of Ma'at, in the Hall of Two Truths. A heart which was unworthy was devoured by the goddess Ammit and its owner condemned to remain in Duat. The heart was considered the location of the soul by ancient Egyptians. Those people with good, (and pure), hearts were sent on to Aaru. Osiris came to be seen as the guardian of the gates of Aaru after he became part of the Egyptian pantheon and displaced Anubis in the Ogdoad tradition. Funerary Scene The weighing of the heart, pictured on papyrus, (in the Book of the Dead, typically, or in tomb scenes, etc.), shows Anubis overseeing the weighing, the lioness Ammit seated awaiting the results so she could consume those who failed. The image would be the vertical heart on one flat surface of the balance scale, and the vertical Shu-feather standing on the other balance scale surface. Other traditions hold that Anubis brought the soul before the posthumous Osiris who performed the weighing. | https://imggra.com/tag/greatawakening |
The Saatchi Gallery is currently hosting the ‘Tutankhamun: Treasures of the Golden Pharaoh’ exhibition, which runs from 2 November 2019 until 3 May 2020.
This exhibition, displaying the artefacts present in the Pharaoh’s tomb, is indeed quite unique, not only because of the importance of the historical character they are linked to or their exclusivity but also regarding the circumstances of their discovery.
In fact, since the world found out about his existence in 1922, Tutankhamun has been considered one of the greatest Pharaohs that Egypt has ever had. He was, for instance, responsible for the overthrow of the monotheist worshipping of Aten, established by his father, and the restoration of the previous polytheist order, which brought back some stability in the region. What is more, his reign, from 1336 to 1326 B.C., happened during a period when Egypt was the most powerful civilization in the world.
However, the exhibition is centred on another aspect of the Pharaoh’s history, which is one of his tomb’s discovery. As such, the exhibition starts off with a screening of the history of the search for Tutankhamun’s tomb, with the two principal characters being the British Egyptologist Howard Carter and his patron, the wealthy Lord Carnarvon. Their discovery is set out as spectacular as the Pharaoh’s life had been completely written out of history by his successors so that there was no actual knowledge of such wealth before it was found.
The overall aim of the exhibition is then to replicate the unparalleled sensation of the discovery of the sacred place with, at the end of the visit, a virtual reality experience putting visitors in Carter’s and Carnarvon’s feet at the moment of the discovery.
In regard to the artefacts, their display resembles what has been characterized as ‘pop archaeology’. They appear in a sensational fashion, plunged into darkness, with quite dramatic music in the background and some spiritual quotes from the ‘Book of the death’ written on the walls. This nevertheless does not prevent the viewer from appreciating the beauty of every object, with some 60 out of the 150 present being out of Egypt for the first time.
Additionally, there is one theme which is quite recurrent, that is the one of remembrance, in reference to the forgotten Pharaoh but maybe also to the explorers, which are at times stealing Tut’s limelight.
Finally, this exhibition is a must-visit if you are not planning on going to Cairo in the following years or decades, as this tour is advertised as the last trip of the Pharaoh’s belongings before they go back to Egypt ‘forever’. The Grand Egyptian Museum is, in fact, being built at the moment in Cairo – partly thanks to the money collected through the tickets for this exhibition – and will be the place where the Pharaoh will now rest. | http://soasspirit.co.uk/culture/the-pharaohs-last-hurrah-saatchi-gallery-exhibition-is-your-last-opportunity-to-see-tutankhamun-outside-of-egypt/ |
The encounter between Yehuda and Yosef described in the beginning of our portion is perceived as the celebrated moment of reconciliation between Yosef and his brothers. If this is so, why do the brothers express concern of possible retribution by Yosef after their father’s death (Bereishit 50, 15-21)? It appears that the mutual suspicion has not dissipated, and despite the reconciliation, the scars are still there and many issues remain unresolved.
And, indeed, when our Sages explain the word “vayigash” (“and he approached”), they go beyond the literal meaning of the word, which denotes a motion of coming closer. They interpret Yehuda’s motion towards Yosef as an act of defiance, signaling a pending violent confrontation. One midrash tells us that Yehuda responded with great anger (an anger well-known to his brothers) at Yosef’s threatening to take Binyamin as slave, and even tore off his clothing. Yosef, for his part, kicked the stone chair upon which he was sitting, turning it to rubble. It was nothing short of a miracle that prevented further escalation, and induced Yehuda to resolve matters through words. Another midrash suggests that Yehuda threatened to destroy a quarter of all Egyptian markets, and that it was Yosef’s fear that Yehuda would ultimately destroy Egypt in its entirety that convinced him to reveal his true identity to his brothers (Bereishit Rabbah, 93, 7-8).
The heads-on confrontation between Yehuda and Yosef, as described by our Sages, is not surprising if one takes into account all the conflicts that would transpire between the descendants of Yosef and the kingdom of Yehuda in the forthcoming generations. Considering the sibling rivalry that had existed in the past, and the rift that would take place much later, maybe what should really surprise us are the times when unity did prevail between all the sons of Yaakov, rather than the omens of continued tension.
When meeting his brothers, Yosef is described as “the ruler of all the land.” By its very nature, his status does not permit a relationship of equal standing with his brothers, who are described as “the people of the land”. Moreover, Yosef is “the provider of food”, the one who feeds the entire country, while the sons of Yaakov have lost the most basic of capabilities – providing for their families. When Yaakov and his sons arrive in Egypt under the auspices of Yosef, the imbalance is further intensified. Yosef becomes the only provider “for his father, his brethren and his father’s entire household, and sustained them with bread, according to the want of their little ones” (Bereshit 47, 12). Yosef reassures his brothers, who are still wary he might avenge them after their father’s death, by telling them he will go on providing for them and their progeny. At this stage, Yaakov and his sons have already settled down in the Land of Goshen, herding their flocks, and presumably should be able to provide for themselves. However, Yosef maintains his position of power. It follows that the brothers remain subject to the mercy of the brother they had tried to get rid of, all because of his dreams pertaining to their being his subjects!
The chasm which exists between Yosef and his brothers is not merely an internal family affair; it is also an abyss that lies between contradicting lifestyles. Egypt, as is described in the book of Bereishit, is a land of fixed and stable economic infrastructures. Although Yosef introduced some reforms to Egypt’s economy and its social hierarchy in wake of the famine, Egypt had always had social statuses and clear divisions between the working farmers, the rulers and the ministers of religion. It goes without saying that Egypt’s centralized ruling structure was reinforced when the farmers’ lands were sold to the ruler during the famine years, and annexed to the cities; however, Pharaoh’s dreams prior to this, and how these were interpreted by Yosef, attest to the fact that Pharaoh had already exercised a centralized economy and felt responsible for sustaining his people.
Unlike the Egyptians, the Israelites in Egypt do not live under any form of centralized governing authority, and Yaakov’s family sees itself as an independent economic unit. The sons of Yaakov are shepherds, and, as such, are easily able to take their families and move around from place to place whenever the need arises. Egypt, despite its power and the numerous temptations it had to offer, did not change them. The Israelites remain alienated foreigners, and later on become slaves. The very redemption from Egypt was possible because of the nomadic nature of a shepherd’s life: when the time comes, the myriads of Israelites are easily able to pack up their things and leave Egypt, with their numerous offspring and livestock, and head for the land promised to their forefathers by God.
Much has been written about Yosef as the Jewish archetype who provides for his brethren in the Diaspora. But Yosef takes it a step further. As a ruler with a grasp for Egypt’s social-economic infrastructure, Yosef is miles apart from his brothers, the sons of Israel, the nomadic shepherds. In this regard, Yosef remained an Egyptian. What is most astonishing is the fact that Yosef still insists on holding onto his identity as an Israelite. Consequently, his own sons do not assimilate into the Egyptian people but become part and parcel of the People of Israel. Perhaps it is this point that reflects the true power of the reconciliation between Yosef and his brothers, irrespective of the tension that continued to prevail.
It is this nomadic nature, or “lightness of movement” if you will, that enabled the Jewish People to keep on surviving throughout time; however, this did come at the expense of recurring travels and voyages into the darkest of exiles. Living in the Land of Israel and instituting an Israeli kingdom present a constant challenge for a nation that is, by nature, not “Egyptian”. Shepherds, who are always dependent on the mercy of Heaven, know all too well that the power of the human ruler is limited and that any human is a slave only to his Father in Heaven. Any stability which might be achieved in a place like Egypt is the result of an unwavering balance of power. An unchallenged, centralized governing authority, stringent social structures and exploitation are crucial for the type of stability which Yosef himself promoted and exercised. But these were unfeasible for the sons of Israel. It seems that Yosef, in his wisdom, understood this discrepancy and operated on two separate planes: on the one hand, he ensured that his father’s family would not assimilate into the centralized Egyptian society, nor take any part in the governing powers at play. On the other hand, as the continuation of the story proves, there was a high price to pay for this decision: by having Yosef as their sole provider, they did not have to contend with the real world, and this ultimately cost them their freedom. When Yosef was no longer there, they became slaves.
The nomadic life of both the Israelites and the Jews throughout the generations is not the ideal situation. Rather, the aspiration is for the Jewish People to live its land in peace and prosperity. However, for this to happen, there must be a true and robust reconciliation between “the providers” and “the people of the land”. The power of the providers is contingent upon stability and peace, and in our times – upon an urban society that can boast high technological capabilities and free entrepreneurship. Yet the forces at play are always at risk of losing the fine balance that must exist between the trust we place in people and that which we place in God. Yehuda’s courage in confronting Yosef and standing up for his brother Binyamin illustrates that there is always potential for maintaining a healthy equilibrium between different parties. Notwithstanding the above, the realization of such potential is contingent upon mutual trust between the parties, remembering there is a common goal, and placing one’s trust in God instead of in man. | https://ots.org.il/parshat-vayigash-reconciliation-and-the-scars-that-remain/ |
Postural stability during slow firing is normally considered a static action. Rapid/timed/sustained fire is considered a dynamic action.
Because of the difference, the shooter’s stance may vary from one to another. During a dynamic action the body is moving and maintaining balance may require a wider stance to accommodate the body’s motion, while a static action may have better balance with a narrower stance. The effect of recoil and follow-on shots during a static action is normally not an issue because precision firing is done one shot at a time. | http://www.usashooting-coachacademy.org/pistol-positions-details_ss52.html |
|This article is about the island known as Kerma. You may be looking for the Egyptian city of the same name.|
- "So...where were we?"
"Haven't the faintest...oh. Yes. We were on the Lost Island of Kerma, making our way toward the giant gemstone of power. Figuratively speaking, of course."
- ―Christophe-Julien de Rapièr and Jack Sparrow
Kerma was an island in the Atlantic Ocean, located off the coast of West Africa, between the Cape Verdes and the Canary Islands. The island was inhabited by the descendants of the Egyptians and ruled by pharaohs.
History
- "In return for the bearings to Kerma, and you must verify that they're correct, I'll cut you in for ten percent of the gold we find there."
- ―Cutler Beckett to Jack Sparrow
1300 years BC, the Egyptians from Kush have been ordered by their god Apedemak to take their most sacred item, the green gemstone, and to find the new homeland. They traveled across the Great Desert to the West, until they reached the Atlantic Ocean. They built ships and sailed into the unknown, until they found an uninhabited island. They settled on the island, which they named Kerma, in honor of the old capital of Kush, the city of Kerma. They built a city named Zerzura, and a society identical to the one which they left in Africa.
For the next three thousand years, the island remained undiscovered, protected by a magical fog created by Kerman priests with the power of the green stone, the Heart of Zerzura. No Kerman ever left the island, and the population remained isolated from the outside world.
Kerman society
- "Whoever could have predicted we’d be here, getting ready to eat dinner with royalty that have lived on this island, as their ancestors lived, since long before Our Lord was born?"
- ―Robert Greene to Jack Sparrow
The society of Kerma was the exact replica of the one which existed in ancient Egypt. People were grouped in a hierarchical system with the Pharaoh at the top and farmers, fishermen, and slaves at the bottom. The groups of people nearest the top of society were the richest and most powerful.
The Pharaoh had the most power. He was responsible for making laws and keeping order. The Queen would rule the island during the Pharaoh's absence. The Grand Vizier was the Pharaoh's chief advisor and was sometimes also the High Priest. He was responsible for overseeing administration and all official documents had to have his seal of approval.
Priests were responsible for keeping the Gods happy. They did not preach to people but spent their time performing rituals and ceremonies to the God of their temple. Soldiers were responsible for the defence of the country. Slaves were at the bottom and could be sold and possessed by anyone. | https://pirates.fandom.com/wiki/Kerma_(island) |
From bending over to tie your shoes to stretching up to reach items on the top shelf, the muscles in your waist contribute to just about everything you do throughout the day. Maintaining strong and flexible core muscles in the waist contributes to maintaining posture, balance stability and improved athletic ability. Waist and core flexibility reduces the risk of injury and conditions that contribute to lower back pain.
Muscles of the Waist
When it comes to muscles of the waist, the main target is the oblique muscles. These muscles are responsible for bending forward and to the side, as well as twisting at the waistline. In addition to the oblique muscles, your core includes muscles of the abdomen, diaphragm, pelvic floor, back, hips, buttocks and even the hamstrings. Together, these muscles contribute to the movement of your torso.
Oblique Stretch
This stretching exercise targets the oblique muscles. Stand with your feet hip-width apart. Raise your arms above your head. As you exhale, slowly lean to the right side until you feel a moderate stretch in your torso. Hold this stretch for five seconds. As you inhale, return to the starting position. Repeat to the left side. This counts as one repetition. Repeat for 10 repetitions. As your flexibility improves, hold the stretch for a longer period.
Stability Balls and Your Core
A stability ball added to your workout program provides an additional workout for your core muscles. Because the ball requires you to balance your body, activation of the core muscles is constant. Active sitting, or simply sitting on the stability ball, engages your core muscles. Adding exercises, such as the oblique stretch mentioned previously, to the stability ball enables you to target multiple core muscles at one time. For example, the stability ball prone walkout exercise targets the obliques, erector spinae, rectus abdominis and the transverse abdominis.
Considerations
Before beginning any new exercise program, consult your physician. This is especially true if you suffer from a medical condition or are recovering from an injury. When performing these exercises, you should feel a mild stretch in your muscles. You should not feel pain. If you experience pain, discontinue the exercise and consult your physician. In order to increase flexibility, the Mayo Clinic recommends performing stretching exercises two to three times per week.
References
Writer Bio
Deborah Lundin is a professional writer with more than 20 years of experience in the medical field and as a small business owner. She studied medical science and sociology at Northern Illinois University. Her passions and interests include fitness, health, healthy eating, children and pets. | https://healthyliving.azcentral.com/waist-flexibility-exercises-12704.html |
Āyurveda, the science of life and longevity, is an ancient medical science from India based on the Five Elements (Space, Wind, Fire, Water and Earth). The Five Elements are grouped into 3 pairs, called doṣa (pronounced dosha) that together describe all bodily functions. Everything from inhale and exhale, to digesting foods and experiences, to the stability in our joints and building of our tissues is described by these 3 doṣa (dosha).
Doṣa (dosha) are the functional capacities of the body; they are how the body tends to operate. For example, if ‘a person runs hot’ (pitta) and never needs a sweater, or ‘has dry skin and eyes’, (vāta) etc. How much of each doṣa (dosha) is in the body can shift as our systems change.
The Elements of Each Doṣa (Dosha)
To understand this more deeply, it is useful to look at the two elements that make up each doṣa (dosha).
Every element is associated with a set of qualities:
- Wind is moving.
- Fire is hot.
- Water is fluid.
When the two elements are combined into a doṣa (dosha), it possesses the qualities of the elements from which it is made.
The Qualities of Each Doṣa (Dosha)
The elements that make up the doṣa (dosha) work in tandem as a kind of humor or substance that affects everything throughout the system. More precisely, the qualities of the doṣa (doshas) are responsible for the actions and functions in the body.
1. Vāta
Vāta (Space and Wind) is mobile, cold, dry, light and subtle. When a person comes into contact with anything that has those qualities it more easily increases the vāta in their system, since the person already has vāta tendencies. Therefore, if you are already a person who feels dry, and then you fly on an airplane (at high speed and with dry air), the dryness in your body will naturally increase.
2. Pitta
Pitta (Fire and Water) is hot, sharp, penetrating, oily, smelly and spreading. If a person who naturally runs hot then sits out in the hot sun, eats extremely spicy food and has a ‘pressure cooker’ of a job, then the pitta qualities in their body will easily increase as well.
3. Kapha
Kapha (Water and Earth) is sticky, cool, hard and heavy. Consequently, when a person with those natural tendencies and then sits on the couch all day, eats a huge lunch with ice cream and takes a nap, the heavy qualities in their body will easily get much heavier.
The Three Dosha: Tridoṣa
This is why the word ‘doṣa’ (pronounced dosha) which literally means ‘fault’, was chosen. They are tendencies that can easily go out of balance. And when they do, they cause discomfort and the symptoms of illness.
Balanced, the doṣas work together in the body to support overall health and vibrancy. When one or more is out of balance, it causes a lot of discomfort and eventually leads to disease.
Vāta
Vāta is responsible for every and all movements in the body, mind, and senses. From thinking to breathing, blinking, talking, pointing (and even defecating!), it is the foundation of all our movements. When vāta goes out of balance, a person can tend toward dry constipation, gas, bloating, twitches, tremors, and pain to name a few. Emotionally, there can be a tendency for fear and anxiety.
To balance vāta, we want to bring in the opposite qualities (warm, moist, and slightly oily) through:
- Warm cooked whole foods
- Cozy environments
- Calm, grounding and steadfast friends
- Grounding, slow and melodic music
Pitta
Pitta supports every transformation in our system, including converting food into nourishment and ideas into action. It’s responsible for digestion, absorption, and body temperature. When pitta goes out of balance, a person can have symptoms of burning, excess heat, sweating, and bleeding. Anger and frustration, and a tendency toward judgements and perfection are pitta emotions.
To balance pitta, it’s important to bring in the opposite qualities (cool, soft, and static) through:
- A meal with cilantro
- Cool, moonlit walk outside
- Sweet and accommodating friends
- The fragrances of roses and jasmine
Kapha
Kapha lubricates the body: providing fluidity and creating stability of form and structure. This doṣa (dosha) is cool, sticky, heavy and hard.
Kapha holds us up, providing structure, and maintaining stability within all the movements. For example, when kapha goes out of balance, a person can experience slow and sluggish digestion, excess mucus, congestion, and coldness in the body. Emotions can also tend toward attachment and worry.
Light, warm, and dry qualities balance kapha:
- Cooked bitter greens
- A warm dry climate
- Exciting, interesting and stimulating friends
- Exercise
Summary
In conclusion, vāta, pitta and kapha are responsible for all of the basic functioning of the body and comprise everything it does. Vāta is responsible for all movement in the body: breathing, elimination, and peristalsis. Pitta is responsible for all transformation in the body: parts of our digestion, ability to translate what we see into information, and nourishment of the body. Kapha is responsible for stability in the joints and in the body. The entire human system is founded on the Five Elements manifested as the 3 doṣas and because of their daily presence, we are alive. | https://www.yogawell.com/blog/doshas-of-ayurveda/ |
Is Chinese and Korean culture the same?
Is Chinese and Korean culture the same?
Although they are both of Asian origin and their countries are part of the Asian continent, the two cultures are different due to their language, traditions, history and attitude to life in general. Physically, it is said that the two nationalities look alike.
What are the differences between China and Korea?
While Korean writing may be easier to interpret than Chinese, both are different from each other and look nothing like any European language. Chinese and Korean both use characters but Chinese characters are not letters of the alphabet but represent different sounds. Some characters are words in their own right.
What’s the difference between Chinese Japanese and Korean culture?
The first thing that distinguishes their culture is the language. Japanese is based on Japanese alphabets (Hiragana and Katakana) and Chinese characters (Kanji). As for Korean, they use Hangul. Korean people used to use Chinese characters as well, but they completely abolished it in the middle of 1980s.
Is Korean closer to Japanese or Chinese?
Both analyses demonstrated genetic evidence of the origin of Koreans from the central Asian Mongolians. Further, the Koreans are more closely related to the Japanese and quite distant from the Chinese.
What’s easier to learn Chinese or Korean?
Relatively, Korean would be an easier language to learn. Thanks to its phonetic alphabet and more simplistic grammar rules, Korean is not the most challenging Asian language to learn. Chinese on the other hand is much more widely spoken. This means that finding study materials and practice partners would be easier.
Are Korean Japanese and Chinese languages related?
Because Japanese and Korean have Chinese roots, there’s a lot of similar vocabulary between these three languages. Linguists believe that around 60% of Korean words and 50% of Japanese words come from Chinese. So if you know one of these languages, it gives you a massive head-start when learning the others. | https://www.presenternet.com/is-chinese-and-korean-culture-the-same/ |
Madison, is a little girl who is fond of toys. Her friend Mason works in a toy manufacturing factory . Mason has a 2D board of size with rows and columns. The board is divided into cells of size with each cell indicated by it's coordinate . The cell has an integer written on it. To create the toy Mason stacks number of cubes of size on the cell .
Given the description of the board showing the values of and that the price of the toy is equal to the 3d surface area find the price of the toy.
Input Format
The first line contains two space-separated integers and the height and the width of the board respectively.
The next lines contains space separated integers. The integer in line denotes .
Constraints
Output Format
Print the required answer, i.e the price of the toy, in one line.
Sample Input 0
1 1 1
Sample Output 0
6
Explanation 0
The surface area of cube is 6.
Sample Input 1
3 3 1 3 4 2 2 3 1 2 4
Sample Output 1
60
Explanation 1
The sample input corresponds to the figure described in problem statement. | https://www.hackerrank.com/challenges/3d-surface-area/problem |
Noida , 5/2 (AO Bureau) If you are thinking of doing business, and your business is associated with Handicraft and Toy industry, then there is big news for you. If you do this business in Noida, the UP government will give you land. The process of land allocation is expected to begin in the next few days. Under this scheme, the allocation will be done in the same way as you need land. The special thing is that this land is being given near the International Jewar Airport. But the allocation of land will be done on a first-come and first-serve basis.
According to Yamuna Authority officials, there will be about 550 plots in this scheme, which will be given only to people associated with the handicraft and toy industry. Apart from this, there will be some such plots which will be given to those who do other business. The scheme is being started in the Yamuna Authority’s sectors 29, 32, and 33.
The special thing about this scheme is that the plot of 4 thousand square meters will be allotted with the lottery. Whereas all the larger plots will be allocated only on the basis of the interview of the interested candidate. But the price of the plot will be decided on the basis of the bid. Allotment of the plot will be done to the candidate who bid more than the fixed price of the authority. | https://aroundodisha.com/2021/02/05/if-do-business-in-noida-yogi-government-will-give-you-free-land-know-the-details/ |
The World's Tallest LEGO Tower
They even let the Danish Crown Price Frederik place one of the last blocks on the tower, to honor the 80th Anniversary of the famed toy company, LEGO. In Seoul, Korea, in front of the Olympic Stadium, 4,000 children and over 500,000 LEGO blocks came together to create, at least for the time being, the tallest LEGO tower ever constructed at 105 feet. If this were done in America, after about 3-feet the kids would have been bored. The project took 5 days to complete. What, you can't work faster?
We were trying to research why South Korea would be the home of this tower, and not say, Denmark, but our research department (ie, me) came up with the information that LEGO was the first branded toy sold in South Korea. There is a love connection here. | https://www.juxtapoz.com/news/the-worlds-tallest-lego-tower-for-80th-birthday-of-lego/ |
After a heartbreaking conclusion to Buzz and Woody’s adventure in Toy Story 4, which was released in 2019, Disney has now announced Toy Story 5. The 1995 release of the first Toy Story film marked Pixar’s debut as a major animation studio. Since Toy Story transformed the animation industry, Pixar has emerged as the industry leader, creating stories with universal appeal for both adults and kids.
The Toy Story series, in contrast to other animated properties, has never experienced a decline in quality, and each installment has added new adored characters. Best buddies Woody and Buzz said goodbye for the final time in Toy Story 4, the final installment of the series.
The fourth installment eliminated the need for any more sequels in the series. However, one key franchise cast member has already made a return hint in addition to Disney formally announcing Toy Story 5. Despite Toy Story 4’s flawless conclusion, Toy Story 5 is now under production, however, it might take some time before the sequel is really published.
Toy Story 5 Release Date
Toy Story 5 is now ‘under development’ at Pixar and has no official release date as of yet. According to the release schedule of the previous movies, we may have to wait up to four or five years for Toy Story 5, which would place its release in 2027 or 2028.
However, Pixar presently has three untitled films scheduled for release in June 2025, March 2026, and June 2026. Could Toy Story 5 debut in June 2026? We anticipate that Toy Story 5 will have a summer releases date like Toy Story 3 and Toy Story 4.
Related Posts:
- Cars 4 Release Date 2023: Is This Film Confirmed This Year?
- The Grinch 2 Release Date: Is There Any Confirm Release Date for The Film?
Toy Story 5 Cast
Regarding the Toy Story 5 cast, nothing has been officially announced, however, Tim Allen made a suggestion that he will be back. The voice actor for Buzz Lightyear tweeted, “Woody, I’ll see you soon. You’re a sad, odd little man, and you have my sympathy. We then proceed to number 5! to the horizon and beyond!”
Tom Hanks and Allen have been so eager to reprise their roles because they obviously adore these characters. However, Allen’s remarks are somewhat unexpected given how outspoken he was about his feelings toward Lightyear, saying, “It has nothing to do with Buzz. There simply isn’t a relationship. I wish the relationship was stronger ” (via THR).
While several of the series’ arcs came to an end in the fourquel, it also introduced a ton of brand-new, intriguing Toy Story characters who might make a comeback. The dynamic combo of Bunny and Ducky (Jordan Peele and Keegan-Michael Key) was strange and eccentric, and the addition of Canadian stuntman Duke Caboom (Keanu Reeves) to the toy cast was fascinating.
It would only make sense for Disney to take advantage of the fact that these three actors are very popular right now, with Reeves enjoying greater success in movies than ever before as a result of John Wick.
'Toy Story 5' is in the works at Disney pic.twitter.com/x1b60lkKqj
— AuxGod (@AuxGod_) February 8, 2023
Toy Story 5 Plot
While the specifics of Toy Story 5’s narrative are yet unknown, it is obvious that Woody and Buzz will need to get back together for yet another journey.
The melancholy conclusion of Toy Story 4 had Woody and Bo Peep leave Bonnie’s toys to become “lost toys” at the fairground with Giggle McDimples, Duke Caboom, Bunny, and Ducky.
Given that Bonnie no longer required Woody, they made the decision to remain with the traveling carnival. Hanks remarked that he had to turn away from the crew in the recording booth in case it caused him to cry because it appeared to be the series’ final scene.
Related Posts:
- Apex Season 16 Release Date: When It Will Comes Out?
- You Season 4 Release Date: Is This Series Renewed Or Not?
We hope this article will satisfy your needs and that you enjoy it. If you found this helpful post, kindly comment in the area below. | https://pabaon.com/toy-story-5-release-date/ |
- DescriptionBaboons and bison, beavers, bats, ostriches and meerkats: animals from all over the world have come to our street! One boy's nocturnal visit from a parade of dancing animals warns us all that the world we share is in danger.
- Author BiographyMichael Foreman is one of the world's leading illustrators. He has won several major awards, including the Kate Greenaway Medal, most recently for War Boy. His titles for Walker Books include Beowulf (9781844287543), Sir Gawain and the Green Knight (9781844287307), Mia's Story (9781844282784), Say Hello (9781406307245) and A Child's Garden (9781406312072). He lives in London.
Key Features
- Author(s)Michael Foreman
- PublisherWalker Books Ltd
- Date of Publication03/01/2011
- Language(s)English
- FormatPaperback
- ISBN-101406329959
- ISBN-139781406329957
- GenrePicture Books
Publication Data
- Place of PublicationLondon
- Country of PublicationUnited Kingdom
- ImprintWalker Books Ltd
- Out-of-print date22/12/2015
- Content Notechiefly col. Illustrations
Dimensions
- Weight246 g
- Width245 mm
- Height270 mm
- Spine4 mm
- Pagination40
Age Details
- Interest AgeFrom 4
Best-selling in Children's Picture Books
Where Willy Went by Nicholas Allan (Paperback, 2006)
TRENDING PRICE
- £4.79New
- £4.59Used
Peppa Pig: Little Library by Penguin Books Ltd (Board book, 2009)
TRENDING PRICE
- £3.70New
The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle (Paperback, 2002)
TRENDING PRICE
- £4.85New
- £2.70Used
Thomas & Friends: The Complete by Egmont UK Ltd (Paperback, 2015)
TRENDING PRICE
- £1.98New
Bing's Little Library by HarperCollins Publishers (Board book, 2015)
TRENDING PRICE
- £3.70New
We're Going on a Bear Hunt by Michael Rosen (Paperback, 1993)
TRENDING PRICE
- £3.83New
- £2.70Used
The Day the Crayons Quit by Drew Daywalt (Paperback, 2014)
TRENDING PRICE
- £4.57New
- £3.81Used
Save on Children's Picture Books
**NEW** - Where Willy Went (Paperback) 0099456486£5.78Trending at £6.98
**NEW** - Guess How Much I Love You (Board book) ISBN1406362980£7.95Trending at £8.31
The Tin Forest Children's Book By Helen Ward, NEW Paperback 9781848776678£5.99Trending at £6.99
The Singing Mermaid Book and Toy Book & Toy£9.99Trending at £12.79
Best Lowly Worm Book Ever, New, Scarry, Richard Book£6.51Trending at £12.99
NEW sparkly LITTLE MISS BIRTHDAY (BUY 5 GET 1 FREE book) Mr Men£2.45Trending at £2.99
**NEW** - Scarface Claw (Hairy Maclary and Friends) (Paperback) 0140568867£6.72Trending at £6.99
This item doesn't belong on this page.
Thanks, we'll look into this. | https://www.ebay.co.uk/p/Why-the-Animals-Came-to-Town-by-Michael-Foreman-Paperback-2011/97653332 |
Harnessing the Sun is based on an in-depth filmed conversation between Howard Burton and Jenny Nelson, Professor of Physics and Head of the Climate Change mitigation team at the Grantham Institute at Imperial College London. After inspiring insights about Jenny Nelson’s academic journey, the conversation examines different solar energy processes, solar energy conversion technology, novel varieties of material for use in solar cells, and the materials used to build and improve photovoltaic, and other renewable, technologies, which convert energy from the sun into electricity.
Howard Burton is the founder of the Ideas Roadshow and host of the Ideas Roadshow Podcast. He can be reached at [email protected]. | https://newbooksnetwork.com/jenny-nelson-harnessing-the-sun-open-agenda-2021?token=neX74ZSLOjtqsI5Fn_BCofC1oAcXkBzR |
- The Debate Between "Big Science" and "Small Science"
- Scientists Get Closer to Determining the Age of the Universe
- Advances Related to Quantum Electrodynamics (QED)
- Finding Order among the Particles
- Stephen Hawking Makes Pioneering Discoveries in Gravitational Field Theory
- Toward the Unification of Forces
- Edward Lorenz's Groundbreaking Study of Weather Patterns Leads in Part to the Development of Chaotic Dynamics
- Asteriods, Dinosaurs, and Geology: Catastrophic Events and the Theory of Mass Extinction
- Solar System Exploration: 1970-2000
- Planets Beyond Our Solar System
- Deep-Sea Hydrothermal Vents: New World under the Ocean
- A World Within: The Search for Subatomic Particles
- Hubble Space Telescope and Its Influence on Astronomy
- Buckyballs: Carbon Goes 3-D
- En Route to a Grand Unified Theory: The Unification of Electromagnetism and the Weak Nuclear Force at the Turn of the 1970s
- The International Geophysical Year (IGY), 1957-58
- Biographical Sketches
- Luis Walter Alvarez
- Jocelyn Bell Burnell
- William Maurice Ewing
- Richard Phillips Feynman
- Murray Gell-Mann
- Stephen William Hawking
- Harry Hammond Hess
- Robert Hofstadter
- Edward Norton Lorenz
- Drummond Hoyle Matthews
- Jan Hendrik Oort
- Sir Martin Ryle
- Carl Edward Sagan
- Abdus Salam
- Maarten Schmidt
- Julian Seymour Schwinger
- Edward Teller
- Sin-Itiro Tomonaga
- Frederick John Vine
- John Tuzo Wilson
- Robert Burns Woodward
- Chien-Shiung Wu
- Biographical Mentions
- Walter Alvarez
- William Arkell
- Neil Bartlett
- Derek Harold Richard Barton
- Llody Viel Berkner
- J. C. Bhattacharyya
- Adriaan Blaauw
- Felix Bloch
- Nicolaas Bloembergen
- Aage Niels Bohr
- Dirk Brouwer
- Herbert Charles Brown
- Melvin Calvin
- Sydney Chapman
- James W. Christy
- John Warcup Cornforth
- Donald James Cram
- James W. Cronin
- Robert F. Curl
- Robert Henry Dicke
- Leo Esaki
- Ernst Otto Fischer
- Val Logsdon Fitch
- Paul J. Flory
- Kenneth Lynn Franklin
- Jerome Friedman
- Kenichi Fukui
- Donald Arthur Glaser
- Sheldon Lee Glashow
- Jeffery Goldstone
- Thomas Gold
- Bruce Charles Heezen
- George Howard Herbig
- Gerhard Herzberg
- Anthony Hewish
- Roald Hoffmann
- Columbus O'Donnell Iselin
- Shirley Ann Jackson
- David Jewitt
- Klaus von Klitzing
- Charles T. Kowal
- Harold W. Kroto
- Tsung-Dao Lee
- Jean-Marie Lehn
- William Nunn Lipscomb Jr
- Jane X. Luu
- Theodore Harold Maiman
- Ben R. Matthias
- Rudolf Ludwig Mossbauer
- Benjamin Roy Mottelson
- Robert Sander Mulliken
- T. Nakano
- Giulio Natta
- Kasuhiko Nishijima
- Lars Onsage
- Eugene Norman Parker
- Charles J. Pederson
- Arno Allan Penzias
- Waverly J. Person
- Vladimir Prelog
- Ilya Prigogine
- Edward Mills Purcell
- Fredrick Reines
- Roger Randall Dougan Revelle
- Burton Richter
- Bruno Benedetto Rossi
- Carlo Rubbia
- Vera Cooper Rubin
- Allan Rex Sandage
- James M. Schlatter
- Irwin Shapiro
- Seigfried Fred Singer
- Richard Errett Smalley
- George F. Smoot
- John Crossley Swallow
- Henry Taube
- Samuel Chao Chung Ting
- Alexander Robertus Todd
- James Van Allen
- Steven Weinberg
- John Archibald Wheeler
- Geoffrey Wilkinson
- Robert Woodrow Wilson
- George Wittig
- Chen Ning Yang
- Frits Zernike
- Karl Ziegler
- Bibliography of Primary Sources
- Technology
- Chronology
- Overview: Technology 1950-present
- The Development of Integrated Circuits Makes Possible the Microelectronics Revolution
- The Development of the Maser and Laser Leads to Widespread Commercial and Research Applications
- Nuclear Weaponry
- Harnessing Solar Power and Earth's Renewable Energy Sources
- Advances Related to Silicon Transistors Spur the Microelectronics Revolution
- Nuclear Power
- The Development of Computer Languages and Programmers
- Xerox Introduces the First Photocopier
- A Brief History of Robotics since 1950
- The Advent of Modern Supertankers Facilitates the Transportation of Petroleum and Results in Environmental Catastrophe
- Modern Airplane Technology: 1950-1999
- The Development of Computer Operating Systems
- The Explosion of Applications in Fiber Optics since 1960
- The Evolution of Satellite Communications
- The Development of the Video Recorder
- The Development of Cellular Phones
- The Internet Explosion
- Advances in Microprocessor Technology
- Calculators: A Pocket-Sized Revolution
- Invention of the Bar Code Revolutionizes Retail Sales and Inventory Control
- The Invention of the Fax Machine
- The History, Development, and Importance of Personal Computers
- The Invention of Compact Discs
- Technological Disasters: The Modern Challenge to the Enlightenment
- The Rise of the Appropriate Technology Movement
- Futures Imperfect: Technology and Invention in the Twenty-First Century
- Nuclear Submarines Revolutionize Naval Warfare, Intelligence Collection, and Spawn Technological Innovations
- Biographical Sketches
- Paul Allen
- Marc Andreessen
- John Backus
- John Presper Eckert Jr
- Richard Buckminster Fuller
- William Henry Gates, III
- Gordon Gould
- Grace Brewster Hopper
- Stephen Paul Jobs
- Brian David Josephson
- Jack St. Clair Kilby
- John William Mauchly
- John McCarthy
- Robert Norton Noyce
- Admiral Hyman George Rickover
- Ernst Friedrich Schumacher
- George Robert Stibitz
- Charles Hard Townes
- Steven Wozniak
- Biographical Mentions
- Robert E. Benner
- Harry Bertrand
- Otis Boykin
- Daniel Bricklin
- Nolan Bushnell
- Wesley Clark
- Sir Christopher Cockerell
- Edgar Frank Codd
- Ole-Johan Dahl
- Ray Milton Dolby
- G. W. A. Dummer
- Harold E. Edgerton
- Philip Emeagwali
- Douglas Carl Engelbart
- Frederico Faggin
- Edward Albert Feigenbaum
- Julian Feldman
- Jay Wright Forrester
- Robert Frankston
- Charles P. Ginsburg
- Andy Grove
- John L. Gustafson
- William Edward Hanford
- William R. Hewlett
- James Hillier
- Jean Hoerni
- Marcian Edward Hoff Jr
- Donald Fletcher Holmes
- Nick Holonyak Jr
- Eugene Jules Houdry
- Jean Ichbiah
- Narinder S. Kapany
- Alan Kay
- Donald B. Keck
- John George Kemeny
- Thomas Eugene Kurtz
- Raymond Kurzweil
- Stephanie Louise Kwolek
- William P. Lear
- Robert Steven Ledley
- Robert D. Maurer
- Stanley Mazor
- Georges de Mestral
- Robert Metcalfe
- Marvin Lee Minsky
- Gary R. Montry
- Robert Moog
- Gordon E. Moore
- Allen Newell
- Kirsten Nygaard
- Kenneth H. Olsen
- John T. Parsons
- John Robinson Pierce
- Charles Plank
- Roy J. Plunkett
- Robert H. Rines
- Dennis M. Ritchie
- Larry Roberts
- Edward J. Rosinski
- Arthur Leonard Schawlow
- Peter C. Schultz
- Earl D. Shaw
- Michael Shrayer
- Alan Shugart
- Herbert Alexander Simon
- Ivan Edward Sutherland
- Kenneth Thompson
- Linus Torvalds
- Earl Silas Tupper
- Frederic Waller
- An Wang
- Maurice Vincent Wilkes
- Nicolaus Wirth
- Nathaniel Convers Wyeth
- Neal Zierler
- Bibliography of Primary Sources
- General Bibliography
Harnessing Solar Power and Earth's Renewable Energy Sources
Overview
In 1839 a young physicist experimenting with light discovered the photovoltaic effect, which would be exploited to create the world's first solar cells. The resulting photovoltaic cells were slowly perfected over the following century, and in 1954 Bell Laboratories developed the first practical solar cells, made of silicon. By the late twentieth century scientists had embraced these clean, renewable (and modular) energy sources, finding numerous applications to take advantage of the Sun's power. In the course of finding applications for solar power, scientists also searched for alternatives to fossil fuels, turning to other "green" technologies such as wind, hydro, and geothermal power.
Background
From man's earliest days on Earth, he has investigated his natural surroundings, exploring infinite uses for the byproducts of nature—water, stone, wood, metals. As this scientific exploration evolved, man's interest in his world produced a curiosity for the heavens, and he began studying the Sun and the stars in the sky, discovering, in the process, that sunlight provided energy. While the largest solar energy system on Earth occurs naturally in its green vegetation (where the sunlight causes chlorophyll to combine the air's carbon dioxide with water supplied by plant roots, producing carbohydrates—sugars, starch, and cellulose), man searched for synthetic methods to harness the sunlight. In 1839 French physicist Alexandre Edmond Becquerel (1820-1891) observed that light falling on certain materials could produce electricity, a phenomenon he termed the "photovoltaic effect."
Building on Becquerel's observations, scientist Willoughby Smith experimented with other materials, and in 1873 he discovered the photoconductivity of selenium. Soon afterwards, in 1877, William G. Adams and R. E. Day observed the photovoltaic effect in solid selenium, then developed a primitive (it converted less than one percent of the Sun's energy into electricity) photovoltaic cell from the selenium. In 1883 Charles Fritts, an American inventor, improved upon Adams and Day's design with his solar cells made from selenium wafers. As a result of the new selenium cells, and experiments in the 1920s with solar cells made of copper and copper oxide, the photovoltaic cells found their first practical application. Cells of both selenium and copper oxide were adopted in the emerging field of photography for use in light-measuring devices. (In the late twentieth century, light sensors for cameras were still made from selenium.)
In their search for a more practical and efficient solar cell, scientists continued to experiment with photovoltaic materials in the 1940s. In the early 1950s major progress was achieved when a sophisticated crystal growing method, invented in 1918 by Polish scientist Jan Czochralski, was used to produce highly pure crystalline silicon. In 1954 at Bell Laboratories in New Jersey, researchers Daryl M. Chapin, Calvin S. Fuller, and Gerald Leondus Pearson (1905 - ) used the Czochralski process to create the world's first practical photovoltaic cell, made from crystalline silicon. (The patent for their "Solar Energy Converting Apparatus" was issued in 1957.) at first, the cells could perform with an efficiency of only 4%, but, within a few months, the researchers had raised efficiency to 6%. Soon, the efficiency was 11%. The researchers' next obstacle was in producing a silicon cell that was less costly. This seemed an insurmountable problem. Had it not been for mankind's growing interest in space, the technological advancement of photovoltaic cells might have been stalled.
Impact
In July 1958 the U.S. Congress passed the National Aeronautics and Space Act, which created the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and jumpstarted U.S. space science and exploration. Before that, however, U.S. scientists had been researching the launch of a satellite to collect geophysical data in and above the earth's atmosphere as part of the International Geophysical Year (IGY) research program. A key aspect of this satellite project was a search for a lightweight, long-lasting power source. The answer was found in the silicon solar cells originally designed by the team at Bell Laboratories.
In March 1958 the U.S. launched the world's first photovoltaic-powered satellite, Vanguard 1, which was the second U.S. satellite deployed
Page 488
|
Top of Article
into orbit above the earth. The satellite power system operated for eight years aboard Vanguard 1, a breakthrough for solar cell technology as its success led to large contracts from NASA and the expansion of the photovoltaic industry. By the late 1960s at least four U.S. companies were producing hundreds of thousands of solar cells each year, many earmarked for the growing satellite industry. (In the late twentieth century, solar cells power virtually all Earth-orbiting satellites.)
Achievements in solar cell development during the buildup of the space program included a major increase in cell efficiency and reductions in cost, but photovoltaic cells had still not found many terrestrial applications. Then, the mid-1970s oil embargo saw fossil-fuel costs soar dramatically. As a product of the oil crisis, the U.S. Department of Energy funded the Federal Photovoltaic Utilization Program, resulting in the installation and testing of thousands of solar power systems. Other applications followed.
In 1973 the University of Delaware built one of the world's first photovoltaic residences, Solar One. In 1982 the first photovoltaic power station was brought online in Hysperia, California. By the early 1990s electric utilities in 20 U.S. states had installed nearly 2,000 cost-effective photovoltaic systems. The Gulf War of 1990 again triggered interest in non-fossil fuel energy alternatives, and by the end of the 1990s there were several hundred thousand photovoltaic systems installed worldwide. In 1998 a team of Harvard University researchers led by physicist Eric Mazur discovered a new "spiky" black silicon whose future in photovoltaic technology was still being researched at the end of the century. As solar cell technology continued to progress, new discoveries like this brought on even more possibilities.
While the emerging technology of photovoltaics converted the Sun's energy into electricity, progress was made investigating other solar energy alternatives—mainly addressing the transfer of the Sun's heat to a fluid, which was then used to warm buildings, heat water, and even generate electricity. Solar thermal activities such as these were nothing new. In 100 A.D. historian Pliny the Younger (62-113) built a summer home in Northern Italy that featured thin sheets of mica windows in one room, which got hotter than the others, saving on short supplies of wood. By the sixth century sunrooms on houses and public buildings were common. Advances in glass technology, such as double and triple pane windows and low emissivity glass that employed a coating to allow heat in but not out, were a large contributor to further building efficiencies.
Just as buildings harnessed the Sun's energy for centuries, solar heating for water and other functions had also been practiced for many years. Solar thermal collectors, first built in 1767 by Swiss scientist Horace de Saussure (1740-1799), found many applications. In 1891 Baltimore inventor Clarence Kemp patented the first commercial solar water heater. After photovoltaic cells were perfected, the 1970s saw President Jimmy Carter (1924 - ) authorizing the installation of solar water heating panels on the White House. Solar pool heating technology wasn't far behind. Solar thermal electric power systems also developed that focused the Sun's power on heating water to make steam that was subsequently used to rotate a turbine attached to an electric generator. In 1998 in Southern California, these thermoelectric systems met the energy needs of over 350,000 people and were part of the world's largest solar energy power plant.
Besides the expansion of solar energy systems, the energy dilemma spotlighted by the 1973 oil embargo and the 1990 Gulf War brought about advancements in other renewable energy technologies. Wind power, actually generated as a result of temperature differences on the earth's surface caused by the Sun, had been one of the first natural energy sources utilized by man. Windmills, said to be invented by the Chinese and used as early as 200 B.C. by the Persians, were updated in the 1970s. Governmentsponsored wind turbine development programs flourished in the United States in the twentieth century. Tax credits for investors (which expired in 1985) resulted in nearly 7,000 turbines being installed in California alone between 1981 and 1984. Advancements in design reduced the costs of wind power, making it cost-competitive in many electric power applications.
Another inexpensive renewable energy source explored was that of hydropower, which harnesses falling water, usually in rivers. The most common form of hydropower was found in dams on these rivers. By the mid-1990s hydropower was generating about 10% of the United States' electricity—supplying enough energy to power whole towns, cities, and even entire regions of the country. Water also played a part in early usage of geothermal power. For at least 10,000 years mankind had used hot springs for cooking, refuge (they were neutral zones where members of warring nations could bathe together in peace), and, of course, relaxation. The exploitation of geothermal resources deepened beyond hot springs in 1892, when the world's first district heating system in Boise, Idaho, was served by pipes from their hot springs. In 1922 John D. Grant founded the United States' first geothermal power plant near The Geysers in California. More plants followed and alternative uses of geothermal energy, including agribusinesses such as crop drying (introduced by Geothermal Food Processors, Inc. in 1978), were initiated. By the 1990s engineers and scientists were developing technologies that would allow mankind to probe more than 10 miles below the earth's surface in search of geothermal energy. Along with photovoltaic cells and solar thermal technologies, hydro and geothermal power became viable alternatives to fossil fuel by the end of the twentieth century.
From the early efforts of researchers to harness the Sun's energy through photovoltaic cells, to discoveries such as a "spiky" black silicon, from windmills to sophisticated turbines, scientists endeavored to learn more about the myriad uses for the byproducts of nature. As scientists continue to explore all of these renewable energy technologies, constantly improving efficiencies and reducing costs, it may one day be possible to eliminate most of the world's fossil-fuel consumption.
ANN T. MARSDEN
Further Reading
Books
Asimov, Isaac. How Did We Find Out About Solar Power? New York: Walker & Co. Library, 1981.
Butti, Ken, and John Perlin. A Golden Thread: 2500 Years of Solar Architecture and Technology. Palo Alto: Cheshire Books, 1980.
Perlin, John. From Space to Earth: The Story of Solar Electricity. Ann Arbor, MI: Aatec Publications, 1999.
Internet Sites
U.S. Department of Energy. "About Photovoltaics." http://www.eren.doe.gov/pv/
U.S. Department of Energy. "Learning about Renewable Energy. http://www.eren.doe.gov/erec/factsheets/rnwenrgy.html . National Renewable Energy Library, 1985. | http://go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CCX3408504642&v=2.1&u=covi21805&it=r&p=GVRL&sw=w&asid=de844757b01cf1bd0e3471e165fb1630 |
Dr. Heinz Ossenbrink, has a PhD in Physics from Hahn Meitner Institute, Berlin, and joined the European Commission's Joint Research Centre in 1982. He built up the JRC's activity on Photovoltaics when Europe started its research and pilot programme for Photovoltaic systems. In 1995 he became Head of the Unit for Renewable Energy, and expanded research and support activities to Energy Efficiency and Bio-Energy, notably Biofuels. His work was dedicated to the scientific support of EU legislation for Renewable Energies and Energy Efficiency. More recently, he developed the unit's portfolio to support Africa's efforts for a renewable energy supply.
Since 1982 he contributed to the standards work of the IEC TC82, Solar Photovoltaic Systems, in particular regarding calibration of reference cells and lifetime testing of PV modules. His many publications cover measurement and testing methods for photovoltaic generators, economic assessment of renewable energy and global environmental impacts of extended bio-fuel use.
Heinz Ossenbrink has been serving in the Scientific Committees and in Chair person functions of leading scientific conferences, such as the prestigious series of European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conferences and the European Biomass Conferences.
Robert Kenny
Robert Kenny holds a Bachelor's degree in electronic engineering and a PhD for research in the field of fibre optic devices. He has been a scientific researcher at the Renewables and Energy Efficiency Unit of the Joint Research Centre in Ispra (Italy) since 2001 as part of the European Solar Test Installation, ESTI. He is working in the field of outdoor module measurement, energy rating, and characterisation and measurement issues related to novel photovoltaic technologies. He contributes to standards development within Technical Committee 82 of the IEC.
Peter Helm
Peter Helm is scientific Director at WIP-Renewable Energies, Munich, Germany. His focus is on techno- economic and strategy related networking in the field of renewable energies. Peter Helm is organizer and co-organizer of international conferences and exhibitions that are addressing the wide field of energy, energy efficiency, energy economy.
Peter Helm studied mechanical and processing engineering and obtained his degree at the Technical University of Munich. He added a postgraduate university study in Economics and Business Administration and obtained his PhD. He started his career as scientist at the international Battelle Institute for applied research / Frankfurt / Geneva / Aberdeen / Richland. Peter Helm performed project leadership for the GTZ / German Agency for technical cooperation in the framework of emerging countries projects. He was project officer for KfW, the German Bank for Reconstruction, for projects in Africa and Latin America. He coordinated national technical projects on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Research and Technology and the Federal Ministry for Economic cooperation. Peter Helm provides scientific and project monitoring assistance to international organisations.
Wim Sinke
Wim Sinke (1955) is Program Development Manager at ECN Solar Energy, Petten, The Netherlands. He studied experimental physics at Utrecht University, where he graduated in 1981. He did PhD research at the FOM-Institute for Atomic and Molecular Physics (AMOLF) in Amsterdam and received a doctor’s degree from Utrecht University in 1985 for a thesis entitled “New physical processes for silicon solar cells”. From 1986 to 1987 he was a visiting scientist at the Hitachi Central Research Laboratory in Tokyo, where he worked on amorphous silicon. From 1987 to 1990 he was project leader at AMOLF and was involved in crystalline silicon solar cells and fundamental properties of amorphous silicon, as well as in ion and laser processing of semiconductors. In 1990 he joined the Energy research Centre of the Netherlands ECN to set up and lead a new group on photovoltaics. This group has grown to a size of 80 people and covers a broad range of topics: wafer-based crystalline silicon, thin-film silicon, and polymer solar cells and modules, including life-cycle and economic analyses.
Wim Sinke is a part-time professor at Utrecht University on “Science and Applications of Sustainable Energy Systems” and Chairman of the European Photovoltaic Technology Platform. He has received several prestigious awards, including the Royal Dutch Shell Prize 1999 for his contributions to the science and technology of silicon and solar cells and for his role in the creation and development of the Dutch programme on R&D and implementation of photovoltaics, and the European Becquerel Prize 2011 for outstanding merits in photovoltaics.
Stefan Nowak
Stefan Nowak is an experimental physicist by training. His academic research activities cover thermonuclear fusion, plasma and surface physics as well as thin films. His biography is characterised by a continuous evolution from research to technology management involving aspects of advanced research in different areas of energy, materials and processing. He has a broad technological expertise which covers activities in communication, technology management and policy. He presently works as an energy expert specialised in the field of photovoltaics and renewable energies where he occupies a number of official functions.
Present functions:
- Managing Director of NET Nowak Energy & Technology Ltd.
- Programme Manager of the Swiss Federal Photovoltaic RTD Programme
- Swiss Delegate and Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Photovoltaic Programme of the International Energy Agency (IEA PVPS)
- Member and Vice-Chairman of the Steering Committee of the European Photovoltaic Technology Platform
- Core member of various international networks and projects
Angela Grassi
Angela Grassi is ETA-Florence Managing Director. Project management based on Economics and Political Science background and experience. Over 20 years organisation and management of high level international Conferences and Exhibitions in the field of Renewable Energies. Executive Committee Member of international conferences. Since 2000 organisation and management of the annual European Biomass Conference and Exhibition.Coordinator of international projects on renewable energies. Responsibilities include project definition, setting up of international teams, guidance and follow-up of project work, reporting, budgeting, project results assessment and dissemination of results. Author and co-author of papers published in proceedings of national and international conferences; contributions to specialised books. Preparation of final project reports for the European Commission. Managing editor of brochures, publications, scientific proceedings. | https://www.photovoltaic-conference.com/home/committees-2/executive-committee.html |
October 11, 2016 03:57 PM - Renee Cho via Columbia University Earth Institute.
In one hour, the Earth receives enough energy from the sun to meet all of mankind’s energy needs for one year. Yet the world uses little more than one percent of the sun’s energy for our electricity needs. A major obstacle to being able to tap into the full potential of solar energy is that it is intermittent—we cannot get a steady supply of solar energy because the sun doesn’t always shine.
In order for renewable energy to take hold on the scale necessary to help combat climate change, an efficient and economical way to store the sun’s energy is needed for times when the sun doesn’t shine. But even when that technology becomes available, we will still need to find a way to use renewable energy to power the transportation sector, one of the largest sources of greenhouse gas emissions.
Energy hijacking pathway found within photosynthesis
October 11, 2016 10:45 AM - University of Cambridge
In a study led by Dr Jenny Zhang, a Research Associate at St John's, academics have found an unexpected performance-destructive pathway within Photosystem II, an enzyme at the heart of oxygenic photosynthesis, and one that is also being used to inspire new approaches to renewable fuel production.
Scotland to Generate Some of World's First Kite-Driven Power in 2017
October 7, 2016 03:07 PM - Yale Environment 360
The United Kingdom will begin harnessing energy from kites flying 450 meters above ground as early as next year. Developed by UK-based Kite Power Solutions, the system is composed of two 40-meter wide kites that rise and fall in tandem, spooling a tether line to turn a turbine.
Efficient organic solar cells with very low driving force
October 6, 2016 10:39 AM - LINKÖPING UNIVERSITY
It was believed that efficient operation of organic solar cells requires a large driving force, which limits the efficiency of organic solar cells. Now, a large group of researchers led by Feng Gao, lecturer at IFM at LiU, He Yan at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, and Kenan Gundogdu at the North Carolina State University have developed efficient organic solar cells with very low driving force.
This implies that the intrinsic limitations of organic solar cells are no greater than those of other photovoltaic technologies, bringing them a step closer to commercialisation.
Non-toxic solvent removes barrier to commercialisation of perovskite solar cells
October 5, 2016 12:15 PM - University of Oxford
Scientists at Oxford University have developed a solvent system with reduced toxicity that can be used in the manufacture of perovskite solar cells, clearing one of the barriers to the commercialisation of a technology that promises to revolutionise the solar industry.
Perovskites – a family of materials with the crystal structure of calcium titanate – have been described as a 'wonder material' and shown to be almost as efficient as silicon in harnessing solar energy, as well as being significantly cheaper to produce.
UC Researcher Develops Clean Water-Treatment Option to Target Sporadic Outbreaks
October 5, 2016 10:26 AM - John Bach
A University of Cincinnati scientist has engineered an environmentally friendly technology to zap outbreak-causing viruses and bacteria from public drinking water.
Environmental and biomedical engineer David Wendell, an associate professor in UC’s College of Engineering and Applied Science, developed a protein-based photocatalyst that uses light to generate hydrogen peroxide to eliminate E. coli, Listeria, and potentially protozoa like giardia and cryptosporidium.
The Psychology Behind Climate Change Denial
October 5, 2016 06:53 AM - Uppsala University
Climate change is a serious threat to humans, animals, and the earth’s ecosystems. Nevertheless, effective climate action has been delayed, partly because some still deny that there is a problem. In a new thesis in psychology, Kirsti Jylhä at Uppsala University has studied the psychology behind climate change denial. The results show that individuals who accept hierarchical power structures tend to a larger extent deny the problem.
In the scientific community there is a strong consensus that humans have significantly affected the climate and that we are facing serious challenges. But there is a lot of misinformation about climate change in circulation, which to a large part is created and distributed by organised campaigns with the aim of postponing measures that could combat climate change. And there are people who are more prone than others to trust this misinformation.
Previous research has consistently shown that it is more common among politically conservative individuals to deny climate change. In her thesis, Kirsti Jylhä has investigated this further and in more detail. Her studies included ideological and personality variables which correlate with political ideology, and tested if those variables also correlate with climate change denial.
Farming with forests
October 3, 2016 02:28 PM - University of Illinois College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences
Feeding the world’s burgeoning population is a major challenge for agricultural scientists and agribusinesses, who are busy developing higher-yielding crop varieties. Yet University of Illinois researchers stress that we should not overlook sustainability in the frenzy to achieve production goals.
More than a third of the global land area is currently in food production. This figure is likely to expand, leading to deforestation, habitat loss, and weakening of essential ecosystem services, according to U of I agroecologist Sarah Taylor Lovell and graduate student Matt Wilson. To address these and other problems, they are promoting an unconventional solution: agroforestry.
Technique could assess historic changes to Antarctic sea ice and glaciers
September 30, 2016 10:09 AM - University of Plymouth via EurekAlert!
Historic changes to Antarctic sea ice could be unraveled using a new technique pioneered by scientists at Plymouth University.
It could also potentially be used to demonstrate past alterations to glaciers and ice shelves caused by climatic changes, a study published in Nature Communications suggests.
The new method builds on an existing technique, also developed by Plymouth University over the last 10 years, which identified a means by which scientists could measure changes to sea ice in the Arctic.
Longest record of continuous carbon flux data is now publicly available
September 28, 2016 10:04 AM - Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory via ScienceDaily
Around the world -- from tundra to tropical forests, and a variety of ecosystems in between -- environmental researchers have set up micrometeorological towers to monitor carbon, water, and energy fluxes, which are measurements of how carbon dioxide (CO2), water vapor and energy (heat) circulate between the soil, plants and atmosphere. Most of these sites have been continuously collecting data, some for nearly 25 years, monitoring ecosystem-level changes through periods of extreme droughts and rising global temperatures. Each of these sites contributes to a regional network -- i.e. the European Network (Euroflux) or the Americas Network (AmeriFlux) -- and the regional networks together comprise a global network called FLUXNET. | http://www.enn.com/topics/sustainability/browse/?=&page=23 |
Tom Fontaine is a professional engineer with degrees in physics and mathematics. He is an experienced company director who has considerable experience in the energy industry. He has been on the board and management of a number of private and ASX listed companies.
Tom was a founder and a director of Pure Energy Resources Limited (ASX:PES) which listed on the ASX in 2006 and was purchased by takeover for $1 billion in 2010.
Gavin Tulloch
Gavin Tulloch jointly founded Dyesol Ltd (ASX code: DYE) in 2004. He managed the international expansion of the business, establishing and directing subsidiaries in UK, Switzerland, Italy, Germany, Singapore and Korea. Gavin was appointed Managing Director between 2008 to 2010, and subsequently he fulfilled the role of CTO and international executive director until 2012. Subsequent to 2012, Gavin has been an international business and technology consultant based often in Europe, working partly in the sustainable energy field including PSC development in Italy and as Visiting Professor at the Chinese Academy of Sciences. Gavin holds a PhD from the University of New South Wales in the field of perovskite semiconducting oxides and is a Fellow of Australian Institute of Company Directors (FAICD).
Sylvia Tulloch
Sylvia Tulloch was co-founder of Dyesol Ltd in 2004. Her other ASX roles include as director, then Chair of Ecoquest Limited, now Cynata Limited (CYP) 2009 to 2012. As Chair of Griffin Accelerator Holdings and a member of the CBRIN Board, she is an active member of the Canberra innovation ecosystem, and mentor to companies in the Accelerator programme.
Companies in which Sylvia is a shareholder, angel investor and Director include Uniflow Power – commercialising biomass fuelled small scale electricity generators, PSI – commercialising fibre optic sensor systems, Lava Blue – a company with a mine-to-market business plan for high purity battery materials, Wildlife Drones and Sundrive Solar – which is developing next generation PV conductor systems. Sylvia has been active in government liaison, both at company and industry levels.
Paul Moonie
Paul Moonie is Technical Project Leader for the PSC pilot plant in Australia. He has been undertaking research and development of 3rd generation solar technology since 2001, both with the Greatcell companies and as a researcher at QUT in Brisbane where he is completing his PhD. Paul has been involved in a number of product development projects based on DSC and PSC technologies.
Michael Graetzel
Michael Graetzel created the field of molecular photovoltaics, being the first to conceive and realize mesoscopic photo-systems based on dyes as light harvesters that can rival the performance of state of the art solar cells based on planar solid state p-n junctions. He is credited with moving the photovoltaic field beyond the principle of light absorption via diodes to the molecular level. Professor Graetzel also played a pivotal role in the recent development of perovskite solar cells (PSCs) that directly emerged from DSC that he invented. He has been associated with Greatcell in its several editions since our founding work in Canberra in 1994.
Dr Polycarpos Falaras
Dr. Polycarpos Falaras is a Research Director at the National Center for Scientific Research ‘Demokritos’ in Athens (Greece), leading a group of 16 people. He has strong expertise in Research Management and has participated and led several EU and National research projects. He is currently working on nanomaterials and nanotechnology-driven processes for solar energy conversion to electricity and for environmental protection (photocatalytic materials and reactors for water cleaning, CO2 capture/conversion). He has over 250 papers in international refereed journals, >12.000 citations, 7 patents, and is Associate Editor of Applied Catalysis B Environmental. He is EU projects collaborator and perovskite applications advisor to Greatcell Energy.
Dr Luca Sorbello
Luca Sorbello has been associated with activities of the Greatcell Solar group since 2008. From 2010 Luca Sorbello was Executive Sales and Marketing Manager. He is now Managing Director for Greatcell Solar Italia. In December 2002 he was awarded a Master of Arts in “business organization and management” in the engineering management school at University of Tor Vergata in Rome. At Tor Vergata, he has been since 2004 an adjunct professor and in 2008 Luca completed his Ph.D. in industrial management at the University.
Dr Enrico Leonardi
Dr. Enrico Leonardi is Technical Project Leader for Greatcell’s European projects based in Italy, He has 10 years post-doctoral experience with Greatcell Solar Italia, involved in scale-up of DSC, development of perovskite solar cells, module and device encapsulation, DSC and Perovskite panel realization. He supervises the development of LED based solar simulators.
Prof Dai Songyuan
Professor Dai Songyuan is full professor of School of Renewable Energy at North China Electric Power University. He received his PhD degree from Institute of Plasma Physics (IPP), Chinese Academy of Sciences in 2001, after undertaking training in DSC technology at the Australian laboratories of Sustainable Technologies International, He led the team at IPP till 2013, when he moved to North China Electric Power University. He obtained the Anhui Province Youth Science and Technology Award in 2007 and China Photovoltaic Prize in 2013 by the China Renewable Energy Society. He was the IOC member of IPS(2010-2018) and the Member of the Council of Chinese Renewable Energy Society, and served as the chief scientist for the National Project of China MOST(2006~2018).
Dr Hongxia Wang
Dr. Hongxia Wang is a Professor at Queensland University of Technology. Hongxia has expertise and extensive research experience (over 17 years) in the area of next generation solar cells, in particular sensitized solar cells (DSC), CZTS thin film solar cells and perovskite solar cells. She is recipient of “Solar Energy Journal Best Paper Award for 2016” in the topic of Photovoltaics by International Solar Energy Society. Her research team is currently focussed on development of new approaches for fabrication of stable, high performance perovskite solar cells and supercapacitors through innovative materials and device research. She is Research Collaborator and Scientific Advisor to Greatcell Energy.
Dr Andrew King
Andrew King is a multidisciplinary business breeder, director and co-founder with special expertise in identifying and formulating credible operational strategy, building relationships and road mapping of high-tech business ventures. He has board experience across UK, Germany, Switzerland and Italy and has been responsible for many transactions covering advanced materials, energy and mining, pattern recognition, sensors and wearable technology across USA, Australia and Asia Pacific countries.
Head Office
Greatcell Energy Limited,
52 Bergamont St
Elanora, QLD 4221
Australia
European Office
Greatcell Solar Italia SrL, | https://www.greatcellenergy.com/meet-team/ |
Sensorless Sliding Mode Control of Induction Motor Pump fed by Photovoltaic Generator, IJ-STA, vol.5, pp.1320-1337, 2010. ,
Implementation of mppt algorithm for solar photovoltaic cell by comparing short-circuit method and incremental conductance method, Procedia Technology, vol.12, pp.705-715, 2014. ,
Sapto Wibowob and Muhamad Rifa'I, Maximum power point tracking for photovoltaic using incremental conductance method, vol.68, pp.22-30, 2015. ,
A modified adaptive hill climbing MPPT method for photovoltaic power systems, IEEE 35th Annual Power Electronics Specialists Conference, vol.3, pp.1957-1963, 2004. ,
A comprehensive review of maximum power point tracking algorithms for photovoltaic systems, Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, vol.37, pp.585-598, 2014. ,
A robust optimization technique based on first order sliding mode approach for photovoltaic power systems, Int. J. Autom. Comput, vol.12, pp.620-629, 2015. ,
Robust maximum power point tracking method for photovoltaic cells: A sliding mode control approach, Solar Energy, vol.83, issue.8, pp.1370-1378, 2009. ,
Terminal sliding mode control for maximum power point tracking of photovoltaic power generation systems, Solar Energy, p.29862995, 2012. ,
Design of a sliding mode-controlled sepic for pv mppt applications, IEEE Transactions on Industrial Electronics, vol.61, issue.7, pp.3387-3398, 2014. ,
The best mppt algorithms by vsas approach for renewable energy sources (res). Environmental Friendly Energies and Applications (EFEA), 3rd International Symposium on, pp.1-7, 2014. ,
, A new vsas approach for maximum power-$XWRPDWLRQ6\VWHPV, vol.11, pp.195-207, 2017.
, tracking for renewable energy sources. Energy Procedia, vol.42, pp.708-717, 2013.
Advanced Fuzzy MPPT Controller for a stand-alone PV system, Energy Procedia, vol.50, pp.383-392, 2014. ,
Maximum Power Point Tracking Control Using Neural Networks for Stand-Alone Photovoltaic Systems, International Journal of Modern Nonlinear Theory and Application, vol.3, pp.53-65, 2014. ,
Stand-alone PV System Simulation for DG Applications, Part I: PV Module Modeling and Inverters, J. Automation & Systems Engineering, vol.6, issue.2, pp.36-54, 2012. ,
A fractional open circuit voltage based maximum power point tracker for photovoltaic arrays, 2nd International Conference on Software Technology and Engineering, 2010. ,
An intelligent control strategy of fractional short circuit current maximum power point tracking technique for photovoltaic applications, Journal of RENEWABLE AND SUSTAINABLE ENERGY, vol.7, p.13114, 2015. , | https://hal-amu.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01967653v1/html_references |
Thermoelectric solar energy consists of using solar radiation concentrated on a ground surface for heating a fluid that is then passed through a turbine for producing heat that will be used for generating mechanical energy, and from this, electricity.
Unlike the photovoltaic solar panels, the thermoelectric solar panels require heat, so that the siting of these panels in areas that statistically have more hours of solar radiation is essential.
At present, the volume of installed solar energy (both photovoltaic and thermoelectric), is greater than that of other renewable energy, such as eolic power.
As we said above, the objective of the P.R.E. is that in 2012, 12% of primary energy in Spain should be coming from renewable energies. To cover this objective, they have established that by 2010, 4,2 million square metres of thermoelectric solar panels should be installed.
Various courses of activity are being developed in the field of promotion and R+D.
With regard to the technology to be applied, IBEREN RENOVABLES has the backup of a technologist and the experience of local associates. | http://iberen.com/index.php?pagina=m3s3 |
Our ability to compete against a market dominated by large foreign owned conglomerates stems largely from the strong rapport our principle directors have developed over the years with both foreign and local manufacturers during the course of their tenure with leading electrical & engineering firms. As these relationships are long standing, BULER Engineering is assured of continued support reflected by our capacity to gain considerable cost savings in raw materials which we duly pass on to our clients.
Electrical work such as below also include in our business scope besides general electrical tasks:
Renewable Energy
BULER team have experiences in utilizing Solar Panel Photovoltaic which is basically a method by which electricity is generated by converting solar radiation into direct current by making use of the semiconductors that demonstrate Photovoltaic effect. In this process of power generation by Photovoltaic solar panels composed of many solar cells containing photovoltaic material are employed. | http://buler.com.my/index.php?page=3&sub=9 |
Case study overview
In its first year of operation, INFORM researchers have produced five case studies on informal practices in four domains: politics, economics, interaction between the public and institutions, and regulation of interpersonal relationships.
In the political sphere, our electoral practices case study examines practices ranging from ones that can be described as instances of corruption (vote buying and party feudalisation of public offices) to informal distribution of benefits (funding of projects and issuing of licences in the periods just before and after elections). The range of activities involved suggests that strengthened legislation and enforce- ment regarding corruption is not likely to be a sufficient measure to address a wider concern: that the concentration of both political and economic power in the hands of political parties enables them to prioritise loyalty, connections and acquaintance over merit-based decision-making. In some measure, clientelistic practices can be described as inherited from previously existing single-party systems, with the crucial distinction that in a multiple-party system there are multiple paths to the privatisation of public be- nefit, with these paths sometimes competing with one another.
The case study on “leadership meetings” highlights instances in which on issues of high political conflict, party leaders frequently resort to circumventing the legal institutions of decision-making and work out compromises through private agreements, many of them reached in environments such as restaurants. This informal practice, frequently encouraged by US and EU diplomats, trades the short-term benefit of resolving a pressing issue for the longterm marginalisation of formal institutions designed to guarantee debate and public participation.
In the economic sphere, our researchers sought to quantify the cost of informal means of maintaining business relationships and relationships of utility with employees of public institutions. INFORM researchers in nearly every country of their study encountered businesspeople who regarded the cultivation of informal relationships as an economic necessity. The economic cost of the lunches, coffees, gifts and other exchanges of value involved, if viewed as transaction costs, are considerable in all cases. They are relatively greater, however, and more likely to be paid out of pocket, by younger and less established entrepreneurs, particularly those working in newer and smaller firms. In that regard, the transaction cost of network maintenance can act as a barrier to economic activity. There is a nearly universal preference among businesspeople for formal regulatory systems that would be reliable, predictable, and uniformly efficient. Crucially, the evidence in this case study suggests that informality as a representation of some imputed “Balkan sociability” is probably more of a stereotype than a viable explanation, and that much of the time and money invested in what appears to be sociability by businesspeople is in fact problem-solving activity.
In the area of interaction between the public and institutions, INFORM researchers examined the role that migrant and returnee communities play in the political and economic life of their home states. While many returnees return accustomed to the more formally and transparently regulated systems dominant in their sites of emigration, all of them rely on informal networks of acquaintance and kinship to establish their role and presence in their countries of origin. An instructive illustration of productive interaction between formal and informal levels comes from the enterprise opened by an émigré taxi dispatcher in Banja Luka. Performing call-centre and online work for the taxi industry in Sweden, a formal business has succeeded in establishing an informal base of operation from which it is possible both to diffuse “Western” practices and assist in the reintegration of a local minority subject to widespread political and social discrimination. The examples suggest that positive substantive contributions can be made possible when formal and informal institutions exist in a harmonious relation to one another.
INFORM researchers approached the field of regulation of interpersonal relationships through the lens of home production of meat, an informal practice that is both a means of compensation for material need and deeply inscribed with traditional, religious, and communal meaning. This practice is strongly discouraged by EU health and agricultural frameworks, but the case study finds a high level of partiality and selectivity in the enforcement of restrictions. Some of the gaps between formal rules and informal practices, especially in relation to the humane treatment of animals, derive more from constraints on resources than on attitudes. The research also indicates a pattern by which states willingly adopt restrictive rules, sometimes exceeding what is required by the EU, then compensate for any anticipated difficulty through lax enforcement. The voluntary character of this accommodation indicates a gap between formality and informality that can potentially be filled by capriciousness and corruption. In that sense, the evidence from home meat production proceeds from a small problem to a major need: to harmonise formal rules with practices on the ground.
“Subversive institutions” appear to present the greatest danger in the fields of politics and economics, while in other fields of social life INFORM has found considerable evidence of complementary and substitutive institutions. The distinct dynamics at work in different spheres of social life indicate a rich ground for formulating strategies to bridge damaging gaps, and to suggest ways of bringing the formal and informal spheres into more productive harmony with one another.
Eric Gordy INFORM Project coordinator, UCL SSEES
The complete Newsletter #1 is available on the following link:
Read more about the project: | https://idscs.org.mk/en/2017/04/19/inform-newsletter-1-we-research-election-corruption-leaders-meetings-economy-the-public-institutions-and-human-relations-in-western-balkans/ |
The flows of food through cities are notoriously difficult to quantify, yet they play a crucial role in urban sustainability and resource management as significant portions of the energy and water humans depend on for survival are embodied in food. The lack of food data is especially evident in informal settlements, where the food chain shifts from large formal institutions toward smaller, less formal networks that typically do not keep formal records.
Recent research suggests that edible food waste from retailers and urban agriculture is efficiently distributed through informal areas, allowing for value and nutrition to be derived from food that would otherwise have gone to waste in the more formal parts of the system. Despite government mandates to improve informal food systems, much of this activity occurs in the absence of centralized leadership where complex networks of human interactions and power dynamics govern
the distribution of edible food waste.
The city of Cape Town provides an ideal location to investigate informal flows of food waste as there are vast inequalities between the formal city and surrounding informal areas, and the Philippi Horticultural Area (a large piece of land dedicated to urban agriculture) is located in close proximity to some of the poorest parts of the city. The city is also located in a water scarce region, and currently relies heavily on imported fossil fuels to produce and transport its food. Wasting edible food is tantamount to wasting scarce water and energy resources, and is morally questionable in a context of high inequality.
The proposed Urban Living Lab research would adopt a transdisciplinary approach, working with small-scale urban farmers, distributors of edible food waste, community cooks, NGOs and households in the informal settlements surrounding Philippi Horticultural Area to co-produce knowledge about how edible food waste from urban agriculture and from the formal city is
managed. This will bring to light challenges (e.g. food safety) and opportunities to enhance the system (e.g. smart phone applications), thus enabling better governance by formal and informal actors that would help the city to further its economic, social and environmental objectives. Through integrating quantitative and qualitative storytelling and other transdisciplinary research methods, a methodology can be developed for measuring the flows of food waste in informal areas, thus contributing to the broader field of urban metabolism studies. The work builds on previous and ongoing projects on food waste apps, food waste management in a Stellenbosch informal settlement, and the role of the Philippi Horticultural Area in the Cape Town food system. | https://glocull.boku.ac.at/management-of-edible-food-waste-in-cape-towns-informal-settlements-south-africa/ |
This study aims to demonstrate the interaction of the regulatory environment and market forces with rapid technological change in the transformation of SOEs, as exemplified by Telecom NZ.
Design/methodology/approach
This case study analysis explicates resource dependency and institutional forces in the process of SOE privatisation, in the first ten years of transformation, through textual analysis of data collected from company annual reports and interviews.
Findings
It is demonstrated that resource dependencies on technology and capital, market forces, and the institutionalization of new structures and relationships, are as important as regulatory changes in the analysis of SOE restructuring. It is also documented that the regulatory transitions are not as clear‐cut as the legislative dates and economic analyses suggest.
Research limitations/implications
The research focuses on a single exemplar to explicate key interactions. While generalizable to theory, the use of in‐depth case studies is context‐specific.
Practical implications
Both technology and market forces must be incorporated in models of public sector transformations to fully capture resource dependence and institutional effects.
Originality/value
The value of the paper to academics is its integration and application of institutional theory and resource dependence theory to issues that have previously been explored primarily through economic lens. Methodologically, this paper provides an original insight into organisational change. The content analysis of annual reports, supported by interview records, reflects the importance of certain themes in organisational documents for organisational actors. To practitioners, this presents an in‐depth “portrait” of one of the largest and most successful public sector transformations of its era.
Details
Keywords
Peter Smith, Yvon Dufour and Ljiljana Erakovic
This paper uses the strategy‐as‐practice perspective to explore the relationship between practices and organisational routines of governance in pluralistic contexts. The…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper uses the strategy‐as‐practice perspective to explore the relationship between practices and organisational routines of governance in pluralistic contexts. The purpose of this paper is to explore empirically how strategising activities and organisational actions interact. It discusses and illustrates the relationship between strategising and organising through routines of governance, and in particular the use of board papers.
Design/methodology/approach
This research is based on a single longitudinal “soft” case study. The researchers collected both primary and secondary data. Primary data collection took place from the end of 2004 until early in 2008. Primary data collection occurred through three main methods: interviews, meeting observations, and “shadowing” of participants; six participants were each shadowed for a working week (five days), and another participant was shadowed for three days. Interviews were held with 20 participants and typically lasted for between one and two hours. The interviews and meetings resulted in over 150 hours of audio recordings. In addition, notes of shadowing covered 420 hours.
Findings
The first section of this paper presents the theoretical foundation before describing the research method. A discussion then explores the relationships between one of the specific strategising practices – the creation of board papers – and formal organisational routines of governance. The conclusion suggests that in professional service firms, informal practices that provide feedback are important in ensuring the stability and continuity of formal organisational routines.
Originality/value
The links between micro, meso, and macro levels – that is to say, between actors, organisational actions, and institutional field practices – have already been broadly investigated. However, much of the research remains theoretical rather than empirical in nature. Furthermore, although researchers have been increasingly interested in strategising within organisations featuring multiple goals, diffuse networks of power, and knowledge‐based work processes, a deep understanding of practices in these organisations is still underdeveloped. | https://www.emerald.com/insight/search?q=Ljiljana%20Erakovic |
Abstract : Knowledge Management literature lays emphasis on the fact that a major chunk of knowledge dissemination occurs through the various forms of social networks that exist within the organizations.. A social network is a simple structure comprising of set of actors or nodes that may have relationships ties with one another. The social network analysis will helps in mapping and measuring formal and informal relationships to understand what facilitates or impedes the knowledge flows that bind interacting units. This paper aims at studying the knowledge flows that happens through the social networks. It first, provides a review of literature on the recent research and application of knowledge mapping and SNA, followed by a discussion of the concepts of SNA and KNA. In the conclusion part of this study knowledge maps are presented to illustrate the actual knowledge flow that happens through the social networks that exists in the firm.
Cite this Research Publication : Dr. V. Murale and G Raju, P., “Networks Analysis for Mapping Knowledge Flows: A Case Study from India”, 3rd IAM conference: Rethinking Management Theory & Practice in the Present Indian Economic Context. Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad, 2013. | https://www.amrita.edu/publication/networks-analysis-for-mapping-knowledge-flows-a-case-study-from-india/ |
CIVIL SOCIETY IN AN UNCIVIL STATE: INFORMAL ORGANIZATIONS IN TAJIK/AFGHAN BADAKHSHAN.
Given the clarity of hindsight, the conflict in Khorog was predictable, even inevitable. The intensity and sudden escalation, however, was unexpected. Even more unexpected was how quickly the conflict de-escalated and agreements were made among civil society leaders and the government. Why did this happen? Why did this conflict not turn into a long drawn out civil insurrection and insurgency? The informal organizations provided both the buffer and the conduit for communication with the Tajik state administration for those living in Khorog.
The day the conflict occurred, I had just crossed the border into Afghanistan to spend some time with local religious leaders. It was a beautiful late spring day, and the air was just warming from a cold winter riddled with days that were below zero. On this day, steam rose from the patches of cement and puddles along the muddy dirt road to the border crossing into Afghanistan from Tajikistan. The scent of the early morning rain filled the air. We were on our way to Shughnan, Afghanistan for a two-week research trip. It is this day that a conflict erupted between residents of Khorog and Tajik security forces. It was just as we entered the border crossing that our phones started ringing.
As we approach the checkpoint, the Tajik Customs Officers recognize members of the team and jokingly accuse us of being involved in shifty business. As they check our documents, one of the Customs Officers says that my Tajik visa has expired and if I go into Afghanistan I will risk being unable to return to Tajikistan. He asks me for a thousand dollars to ensure my safe return. I point out that the visa has another two months on it even though the recent policy for these types of visas is one month. We go back and forth until he concedes that the visa is indeed legitimate and lets me through. Saddled with our backpacks and gear, we amble across a bridge that divides a river steeped in the history of outside intervention and interference. The bridge from Tajikistan to Afghanistan spans the river Panj. The Aga Khan Foundation funded the construction of the bridge at a cost of USD 400,000 in 2002. (2) Soon after that the EU, Japan, and the US funded the building of the infrastructure and the training of the personnel. Many development projects carve up invisible lines of foreign influence among the international community, and the development of this border crossing was no exception.
Cracks and patches of rust weave their way along the newly laid metal roadway on the bridge. According to an Afghan Border Commander, the metal to build the bridge was purchased at a very low rate from China and is not rated for the cold and harsh climate in the region. According to another interviewee many development projects in the region use cheap building materials bought for low prices. The money saved from buying sub-standard supplies is siphoned off the top and finds its way into the pockets of development workers and the networks of people who control the funding for the projects. As one Border Guard pointed out, if the EU and US really want the border checkpoints to be respected, then why would they allow the infrastructure to be built with Chinese concrete that begins crumbling after the first year and walls that leak after six months?
On the Afghan side of the border, a small, beat-up, brown two-door sedan sent by the brother of the border commander picks us up. The driver brings us to the center of the district of Shughnan. The dirt road to our first meeting overlooks the Panj River that divides the Tajik from the Afghan side of Badakhshan. The state still functions on several levels, as indigenous political and social alliances coexist alongside authoritarian state institutions as well as the many programs implemented by foreign nations that have sought to mold the country in their own image. The region had been divided by the river almost a century before, when the colonial period gave way to the formation of a Soviet satellite in today's Tajikistan
During the formation of the broader Soviet Union, the party leaders in Moscow separated centers of power from peripheries across the entire USSR. In Gorno-Badakhshan, as the Tajik Soviet Socialist Republic was forming, the party leaders separated the locally powerful from their spheres of influence. This included those in the district of Shughnan and the Wakhan Corridor. They split them into administrative units based on sub-ethnic group names. Many of the administrative designations, such as Roshan, Vanj, and Ishkashim, are still being used today. In Ishkashim, which was known as Ghoron prior to Soviet rule, the Soviets concentrated power within the Persian-speaking population and marginalized the Wakhi-speaking people who had been the dominant group in that area. Moscow installed the local administration in Ishkashim, which was home to the minority group. (3) These narratives of difference and true power centers are an ongoing topic of debate in the region. (4)
On the Afghan side of the border, there were conflicts for rule as well. Afghan shahs, pirs, and mirs fought for control while the Russians concentrated their information operation efforts along the border to draw in the Afghans from Badakhshan to the Soviet Union. This came to a head in 1925 during the Shughnan Rebellion when the citizens of Shughnan wrote a letter pleading with the Soviet Union to allow them to secede from Afghanistan. They wrote that the oppression and exploitation of the Isma'ilis was unbearable and that they wanted to be part of the Soviet system, which would recognize them and support them. They assumed, incorrectly, that the newly established Soviet Union would protect their rights as religious minorities. It was in 1937 that the purging of the pirs (religious leaders) in Tajikistan started. The Soviet Union believed that all of the pirs were spies for the British. They rounded many of them up, imprisoned them, and poisoned them in the prison. Some of them escaped to the Afghan side. Shah Langar still lives in Qozideh, a village in the Wakhan Corridor in Afghanistan. (5) It was one of these pirs that we were just sitting down to lunch with when our phones started ringing again. The pir had traveled two hours to meet with us in Shughnan, Afghanistan.
It is 21 May 2014, the day of a violent conflict between security forces and local leaders in Khorog, but we do not know this yet. The friend says over the phone that Tajik security forces shot three local leaders. One of them has escaped but the other two (one dead) have been dragged into police headquarters. A few hours later, the police release the body of Sobir, the deputy local leader and Farayd, the wounded leader. In reaction to the shooting and the refusal to release Sobir's body, the locals set fire to the Police Headquarters. They then set the Prosecutor's office and the Courthouse on fire. Our friend tells us that the Tajiks plan to close the border immediately and we have to get to the other side before we are stuck in Afghanistan for an unknown period of time. Jumping into a car provided by a local leader the team arrives at the border and runs to the border crossing. The Afghans allow passage across the bridge back into Tajikistan.
When we arrive many non-local Tajik border guards have been sent to reinforce the border crossing point. The border is about to close due to the conflict. These border guards are non-Pamiris and are viewed as the embodiment of the authoritarian reach the locals abhor. Many expressed to me that these non-Pamiri security forces demand goods for free, harass the local women, run brothels, and dislike Pamiris, often making disparaging remarks. The fact that the border is overrun now with these outside forces is a sign of the seriousness of the intervention our team is about to encounter in Khorog.
One of the border guards points his AK-47 at my chest with his finger on the trigger, staring directly in my eyes and smiling. I ask him to point his gun elsewhere; he acts like he does not understand. I ask a second time, in a heavier non-local dialect, for him to move his barrel. He starts laughing and finally points the Kalashnikov away from my chest and at the ground.
Upon entering Khorog, a dense crowd blocks the street. Burning buildings spread down the main thoroughfare and destroyed cars litter the front of the police headquarters. It is unclear what will happen, how chaotic things might become. Many of the local leaders have gathered, some trying to decide what the next steps should be while others meet with my interpreter and his associated group. Young people begin gathering in front of the main square outside the government administration offices in a large peaceful protest. Eleven tents are spread across the square at the end of the first day of protest, each representing one of the 17 or 18 mahallas (neighborhoods) in Khorog. The other mahallas do not engage in the protest because they are more ideologically aligned with the government of Tajikistan. Some want to purge the area of the local leaders in support of the Tajik government's intervention, while others work for the government and risk losing their jobs if they protest.
For twelve days the male protesters camp out in the main square. Women are not allowed. During the conflict in 2012, some women fought on the side of the resistance and the government of Tajikistan said that the Pamiris were cowards for sending their women to fight the battles for them. The locals did not want to be accused of putting the women in danger again or of being too cowardly to fight.
The Minister of Defense, two other officials, and the head of the GKNB flew in on military helicopters from Dushanbe, the capital, to negotiate a settlement with the local leaders. The question on everybody's mind is whether the Tajik military will bomb Khorog, attack it from the hillsides with snipers--Khorog sits in the middle of tall mountains on all sides--or take other military action. During this time, Farayd dies suddenly in a hospital. Many suspect he has been poisoned because he had been recovering well prior to his death. After Farayd's death, Manawar, the third leader who had been shot in the chest, is transferred secretly to a hospital in Moscow in order to protect him and gain access to better medical treatment.
After a week of negotiations, the most powerful local leader tells the protesters to disperse and that an agreement between the government and the local civil society leaders has been reached. In reality, an agreement had not been reached. The evening after the protesters left the square, some of the leaders said that the government had threatened that if the crowd did not disperse immediately, the snipers in the hills would shoot into the crowd of tents in the main square and kill the young men, much like the government massacre of hundreds of protesters in 2005 in Andijon, Uzbekistan. Negotiations continued after the protesters returned to their homes. This went on for a number of weeks, then months, with the outcome of the talks never publicly shared and an agreement never reached.
The negotiations between local civil society leaders and government officials both amplified the unresolved issues from the conflict of 2012 and provided a means to quiet the local discontent and allow for discussions between local leaders and the Tajik government. It is alleged that the Tajik security services still hold a black list of those locals who were involved in the fighting in the 2012 and 2014 conflicts. The government still wants to penalize those involved in either resisting the government or destroying government property. Meanwhile, the locals want fewer state security forces and greater local participation in the state security apparatus and in governmental bodies. Economic interests play an important and often unspoken role in these unresolved conflicts. Local leaders control the majority of trade that travels through the region, licit and illicit. The goal of the government is to increase control over the economy in order to increase economic gains through asserting authority over the local leaders, while the goal of the local leaders and networks is the exact opposite. Both groups claim publicly that they desire the same goals, namely, security and stability in the region. But they have very different visions of how to get there. It is through the informal organizations that these disagreements are mediated and without which the conflict would surely worsen. The following sections provide an overview of the methodology used for this research and conceptualize informal organizations and their relationship to the state and civil society in the context of Tajik/Afghan Badakhshan.
Methodology
The fieldwork for this research spanned six years along both sides of the Tajik/Afghan border in Badakhshan and included participant-observation, interviews with informal leaders, state officials, civil society leaders, and activists, as well as focus group discussions. While living in Badakhshan, I spent extended periods with local leaders of civil society organizations and informal organizations, including educational, religious, and neighborhood community groups. This also included officials, such as border commanders, district and provincial governors, border guards and commanders, and customs officers.
Studying kinship networks, informal organizations, civil society, and their relationship to each other and the state offers one way to uncover the impact informal organizations have on civil society and the state. I used ethnographic methods, participant-observation, and unstructured interviews with officials, local stakeholders, illicit traders, and local, domestic, and international leaders. The unstructured interviews included a broad range of topics including leadership and leadership style, local organizations, Tajik Mahallas (neighborhoods), Afghan Shura (councils), civil society, legal and illegal trade, government accountability, security, economic development, women's rights, youth, opium, heroin, and addiction.
Informal Organizations and the State
The state is what those living within a particular territory make of it. This includes boundaries of nations within states' territories; state and non-state institutions and organizations; kinship networks, clans, sub-ethnic groups; and other non-state networks and groups. Indeed, that is quite a list, but given the competing perceptions of the state among these groups, each group represents a separate but equal tile in the mosaic that makes up the idea of the state. In fact, in most places different interpretations of the state co-exist both inter- and intra-territorially.
In Tajikistan and Afghanistan this is particularly true. In fact, unwritten rules and customary constraints make up the majority of non-state institutional practices and locally accepted, legitimate interactions at the border. This makes these non-state institutions the more legitimate institutions even though they are not recognized by the state, and in some cases the state even regards them as illegal. Since the daily practices of these institutions make up the majority of the state-making process, it is important to study these practices as they function within and throughout the state.
In both Tajik Gorno-Badakhshan and Afghan Badakhshan civil society organizations (CSOs) function as intermediaries to the state as do kinship networks. In addition to familial networks and CSOs, there is also this layer in-between: the informal organizations. The context in which the informal organizations interact with the state or kinship networks changes their role and influence.
Organization has a number of meanings in the context of this analysis. One meaning encompasses civil society groups, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and informal organizations (non-state sanctioned). The other usage refers to the overarching system in which people organize themselves socially on a daily basis--that is, their social organization. These two forms of societal organization work synergistically, forming the basis for how people interact with the state and their kin. The informal organizations embed themselves within civil society as well as throughout the overarching social organization. (6)
Benedict Anderson's seminal work on states as "Imagined Communities" is a gateway into the concept of the state as a construct. (7) While he focuses more on the study of nationalism and its ability to take hold, his thesis applies just as well to other forms of identity assertion that underpin the state-making process. The difference between nationalism and other forms of identity assertion within non-state institutional or organizational processes is that these local practices are inherently more fluid and more embedded, which renders them opaque and even unseen--particularly in the case of Badakhshan. The process of the lived (or fluid) state makes sense as an idea, but how does one study it? How do these daily processes of lived state practices rise to the surface of the analysis? One way to study them is through informal organizations and their relationship to the state, civil society, and kinship networks.
Informal organizations bridge civil society with services often not provided by the state. For example, in Gorno-Badakhshan local neighborhood organizations (Mahallas), religious organizations, and local leaders mediate local conflicts, provide support for struggling families, offer drug addiction treatment support, and supply neighborhood security. On the Afghan side of the border, informal organizations provide women an avenue for engaging with local issues through female shurra councils, while local religious organizations support local communities with food, healthcare, addiction treatment, and security. On both sides of the border these informal organizations are conduits for civil society to make change, resist mistreatment, and organize around particular issues. On the Tajik side of the border the informal organizations provide a buffer for civil society from the authoritarian arm of the state. On the Afghan side the informal organizations provide a buffer for civil society from the kinship and ethnic groups that control resources in northeastern Badakhshan.
Heathershaw and Cooley's recent book argues that authoritarian leaders in Central Asia loot the state and suppress the citizens with the help of the international community, which funds them and supports their administrations. (8) If their thesis is correct, then the role of informal organizations in providing support to those living within these oppressive countries is even more vital. Driscoll asserts that these same leaders engage in a game of negotiating corruption through bargaining and coalition forming. (9) The authoritarian dictators allow the warlords that cooperate with them to have a piece of the state pie and by doing so, control their behavior. The state pie, of course, is a myriad of corrupt practices including graft from international development projects, trafficking, and bribery. Driscoll's work highlights again why informal organizations are important for civil society to be able to mediate with the state and/or kinship networks. That said, engagement is perhaps less important than how informal organizations, due to their ability to buffer state or clan encroachment, contribute to stability and during conflicts provide a conduit for negotiating a settlement that would otherwise not exist.
Several related concepts that provide useful insights for analyzing the state as process have been well developed in scholarship on African countries. They include: (1) "Twilight institutions"; (2) "States at work" (3) and "The mediated state". (10) The authors examine different forms of state/non-state interaction as forms of the state as a process. These authors use cases from the continent of Africa and highlight the conceptual incongruities of western state-centric models to African states.
Lund argues that "just as ideas of state and icons of modernity may be drawn upon, opposite ideas of tradition, identity and locality may equally convey legitimacy to what are essentially emerging institutions." (11) Lund terms these "twilight institutions" in so far as they combine the assertion of the state by public authorities with the simultaneous opposition to the state through their non-state positions. It is this interplay, this tension between the idea of the state and the lived experience of the state through myriad entities, that reveals the epistemology of stateness.
Beirschenk and Olivier take this idea one step further. They argue that "the metaphor of states and public services as the construction sites of overlapping projects led by different actors refers to both the incompleteness of state-building processes and the heterogeneity and (always) improvised nature of statehood." (12) The state is a process not an entity, what I explain as the making and unmaking of the state through daily practices. (13)
In Menkhaus's article on the "mediated state," he focuses on treating "informal governance and security arrangements...as partners rather than rivals to be marginalized or tools to be manipulated as a form of 'indirect rule." (14) This partnership could be "either a temporary coping mechanism or a long-term alternative approach to reviving rule of law in failed states." Either way, partnering with existing local and informal institutions instead of trying to coopt, coerce, subvert, control, or collapse this process of mediation among entities provides a mechanism for the rule of law to implant in unlikely places. The potential for a territory to maintain or garner otherwise non-existent stability through locally based agreements that partner with the apparatus of the state provides a potential path to diminished conflict, which other top-down approaches fail to achieve.
Beirschenk and Olivier explain that "the processes of state formation in Africa were not completed once and for all with the establishment of the colonial states, with the achievement of the independence of these countries, or with the recent emergence of democratic regimes. If one considers, from a Weberian perspective, the institutionalization of (a monopoly of) violence, the local anchoring of central power and the self-limitation of the rulers qua codification of the law as the core of the development of the modern Western-type state, state-building processes are never-ending." (15) Indeed, they are never-ending, but the processes of state-formation differ widely depending on the context. Since the processes diverge based on location, partnerships, outside engagement, and institutionalization, adjustment is required for research, development, and, if necessary, security cooperation.
Similar to the African/Westphalian/Weberian bureaucratic state mismatch, analysis of Central Asian states often stretches the limits of existing statehood to fit western models. Admittedly, there are stark contrasts between the African and Central Asian cases as well. Central Asian states have their own unique form of stateness, comprising the legacies of the khans, the shahs, warlordism, Tsarism, the Soviet Union, and post-communism. An undercurrent of accepted, but non-state practices subsume aspects of the state. These practices (and processes) occur under the shadow of the authoritarian state structure, which asserts narratives continually in order to lock in the state as an entity. There exists a dialogue between the process of the informal state and the assertion of the formal state.
Institutions that function within the state and at the same time across states undergird daily life as well as norms of interaction in Badakhshan. These same institutions (and organizations) cooperate or resist state institutions and bureaucracies. These institutions and organizations, which some term local and others label as informal, include clans, sub-ethnic groups, neighborhoods, and religious organizations; they often take precedence over state-run institutions. (16) They provide a means for people to constrain their behavior and a road map for acceptable interactions. Also, the nations within the state are places of constant renegotiation along the boundaries of the accepted state. The actual state is a hybrid of the locally accepted norms of interaction and the formally stated rules asserted by the state institutions, local/informal institutions, and local organizations. These boundaries differ radically from the boundaries of state institutions themselves, which are the institutions that the international community sees as the state. The constant interplay between the two creates a state in flux.
Informal Organizations and Civil Society
In Badakhshan, the architecture, the poetry, and the music reflect the many layers of history embodied in the daily lives of the people. Pamiri houses merge Zoroastrian symbols with Shi'a Ismailism. People openly share their history, culture, and religion, and regularly say that it is a key unifying factor in the community. At the same time, there are divisions between neighboring areas, such as the districts of Shughnan and Ishkashim, Roshan and Bartang, and subdistricts such as Khorog and Roshtqala. Divisions also ripple through the daily lives of people between neighborhoods, streets, clans, and other sections of the city of Khorog itself. These self-imposed divisions are based on families, territory, language, history, and government connection. They simmer most days and sometimes boil over into violent clashes. The same is true on the Afghan side, but there are different types of rifts among groups, including territorial, linguistic, familial, and political. Even with these ongoing territorial and sub-ethnic rifts there is still a cohesive sense of community throughout most of the Ismaili areas in Afghan and Tajik Badakhshan. Ismailis band together to limit outside control and foreign influences in order to preserve the languages, culture, and religion as well as for their own security. But, within this overarching social group, sub-groups, such as family and kinship networks, still play a major role in peoples' access to jobs and resources--much like the civil society organizations and informal organizations in which these networks are embedded.
In Afghanistan a horizontal form of kinship networks operates throughout the state. In both cases informal organizations fill the vacuum, creating a boundary or buffer between the state and the civil society. This is the void that the informal organizations fill, sometimes constructively and other times destructively. The interactions that lead to both positive and negative state-local exchanges can be examined by studying the differences between these informal organizations and their relationship to civil society, the state, and the kinship networks.
In Tajikistan, the state controls civil society in the form of a dynastic vertical kinship network. This kinship network is under the control of President Emomali Rahmon, who rose to power rather unexpectedly after the bloody Tajik civil war (1992-1997). Over the past decade he has consolidated power within his family and slowly and effectively pushed other ethnic and territorial groups out of the circles of the ruling elite. Therefore, civil society offers a weak mechanism for civic participation. Other ways of partaking in state processes and/or asserting the needs of citizens become necessary. Informal organizations, while sometimes illegal, have become one way to do that in Gorno-Badakhshan, Tajikistan.
In Tajikistan the central administration attempts to control non-state authority throughout the country by either co-opting leadership through rents or killing rivals. In some ways this has worked, at least in the short term, in that the administration has been able to maintain stability in the country despite a failing economy, weak infrastructure, waning educational institutions, and ethnic tensions. The strategy of centralizing authority in Gorno-Badakhshan, however, may not advance the goal of stability as it marginally did in the other parts of the country, particularly the strategy of co-opting and/or killing the local leadership. At the southeastern border there are intermittent fights for control over local terrain and economic access between civil society leaders and the government. While the government has managed to remove or kill a number of the local leaders, in doing so it has only increased the authority of leaders within civil society, unified a once-divided province, and at the same time diminished its own capacity to govern.
Ongoing institutional processes and shifting relationships within these districts in AFG/TJK Badakhshan is often referred to in the literature as "state-formation." (17) What if a fluid, decentralized network of leaders and groups is what provides stability to the state? What if these continually shifting alliances and partnerships simply make up the state and within this confluence of networks, unwritten agreements, and processes exist the institutional constraints needed to stem chaos and anarchy? The woven networks of agreements and exchanges, moving in and out of the state-sanctioned rule of law and formal institutions, make up the structure of the functioning state. There is no state formation or weak state/failed state. States of all kinds are constantly in flux. Agreements among networks define the ability of institutions to constrain behavior by groups that are considered negative. Disruption of these processes also fosters instability because this fluid manifestation of the state, while perhaps not a state in the western image, is the state in this context and has been so for generations.
In Khorog, Tajikistan, the daily practices of the state are asserted on many levels at once: through formal and information institutions, local organizations, kinship networks, the international community, trafficking networks, and terrorist groups. The government of Tajikistan has written legislation for formalizing and taking control of most local institutions, including Mahallas, neighborhood organizations, NGOs, and all other forms of civil society organizations, as a means of expanding the authoritarian reach and economic control of the state. The killing of local leaders and the ongoing increases in demands of rents from the local economy are just steps in this process of increased state control. The international community supports the goal of state administration and is working hard to formalize institutions of the state through development projects. The dual projects of the Tajik administration and the international community have put pressure locally on the community and marginalized local leaders, weakening the neighborhood institutions, and increasing insecurity. Local neighborhood organizations and institutions provide the main buffer from state oppression on the Tajik side and from clan- and religious-based exploitation on the Afghan side. Essentially, they represent the main restraints on either power broker.
The very act of imposing outside versions of the state through processes of institutional development perverts the tenuous local arrangements among networks that provide stability for local civil society. This incongruence between development projects, state interference, and local informal institutions allows for the formation of weak points in the system, which then can be exploited by outside groups (such as ISIS or the Taliban) instigating instability as a means to increase influence. The Taliban shadow governments have benefited from the destabilizing effects of the foreign imposition of systems that weaken established non-state institutional processes.
Each district, and often each village, has its own unique system of local governance. The partnerships that make up the buffers to outside oppression are context-based. The only pattern that emerges is that people partner with each other in incongruous ways and, in some ways, the more unlikely the partnership, the more successful the outcome. Some examples include a drug lord helping a foreigner to build schools; an Isma'ili Shah and a local youth leader working with the Mujahideen on drug treatment programs in the 1990s, which has now morphed into knowing where the Taliban hotspots are and keeping an area safe; a local Tajik leader working with the GKNB (formerly the KGB) on keeping the border secure; and local Tajik/Pamiri gemstone smugglers working with local leaders to provide information about the Taliban-related networks on the Afghan side. Other relationships described in the following ethnographic vignettes are relevant as well.
For example, a local leader in Shughnan District, Afghanistan and his brother, the border commander, both serve in key leadership roles along the border. The border commander works closely with several local leaders and drug lords on the Tajik side of the border. They also partner with the Aga Khan Foundation and their associated programs to both safely implement the development projects and also to provide guidance for outsiders coming to work in the district. Locals look to them for mediation in local disputes and Shura (local councils) leaders partner with them on matters of security and governance. The men serve as intermediaries for cross-border development, humanitarian exchange, trade, and information sharing on key security issues; undoubtedly, the district would be less stable without their presence.
Different districts in Afghanistan highlight the context-dependent nature of these hybrid relationships and processes. The diversity of the relationships and variations in types of cooperation provides avenues for engagement. Some relationships are multifaceted and provide places for hybrid cooperation between customary agreements and state institutions such as Shuras. Shuras provide a conduit for raising local grievances to the level of the district, where they then can be addressed by INGOs, IGOs, NGOs, or even the state. Each Shura (which only operate in Parwan District and Badakhshan) elects its own leaders. In some areas, like in Shughnan, there are both female and male Shuras. These councils and their leaders partner with the district governors, the local religious leaders, the informal leaders, healthcare and family welfare organizations, development programs, and families. Each village has a Shura and each village cluster, which can be 3-5 villages, has a village cluster Shura. The Shuras from the village clusters all meet to solve larger issues that impact the entire district.
Other partnerships between state and non-state leaders are common. One such partnership I observed and participated in was between the Afghan Minister of the Environment, the Wildlife Conservation Society, and the Wakhan-Pamir Organization. In the Wakhan, the Wildlife Conservation Society provided training for twenty-one Afghan Rangers and partnered with a locally formed organization, the Wakhan-Pamir Organization. After partnering for a number of years, the Minister of the Environment visited the Wakhan Corridor in 2013 while I was there and designated the area a wildlife preserve, providing protection for the endangered snow leopards and other animals and plants.
The networks of cooperation also occur among non-state security groups and state security forces. Partnerships develop based on necessity and fear--at least for the most part. They are a bit like a river, finding the path of least resistance. Some are based on old relationships from the Afghan-Soviet War, some based on how empowered the state security forces are either because they are strong in those areas, they have more international support, or they have a strong commander.
In the Northeastern-most parts of the province of Badakhshan, in the districts of Ishkashem and the Wakhan Corridor, local leaders, NGOs, and the sparse security forces deployed in the region often work in concert. This includes cooperating in illicit and legally sanctioned trade. Militias do not exist as they do in other parts of Afghanistan. But, local leaders provide a safety net to their community in the form of protection by position. They have strong clans, family wealth, and allied partnerships with other leaders in the province, NGOs, and even international donors and expat workers. They use their position and access to outside wealth to provide a buffer from outsiders who might behave in a predatory way towards the community.
Cooperation among local powerbrokers, locally elected leaders, NGOs or INGOs, and some government officials that has focused on a common purpose, such as for the completion of successful development projects or information-sharing, has broken much needed ground, paving the way for future partnerships. Each case comes about organically, and often because local elites in key positions supported the program, project, or partnership. Sometimes, an area of successful cooperation that has led to a number of positive gains for local stability is overturned by one new appointment, change in local leadership, or funding stream. As a result, the mechanisms for increasing state stability through these forms of hybrid arrangements are, for the most part, fragile and tenuous.
Not all of these partnerships are productive. For example, in Shughnan some of these partnerships have a more pernicious nature. Those who hold power can be divided into two main categories: (1) Whom the state appoints to positions of authority, most notably district governor, and (2) the strength of the shadow government, which is part and parcel of the strength and organization of local militias and their coordination with state forces.
In other districts, local elites provide the counterbalance to the Taliban shadow governments. Some of these local elites hold official positions while others are respected leaders in other ways. In some districts, such as Zebok and Warduj, which in the past were controlled by benevolent drug lords or former mujahideen commanders, there has been a more sinister and destabilizing turn in the last couple of years. These local commanders, who in the past cooperated with locals for the most part, have shifted to more hardline, anti-government positions, sometimes allying with the Taliban or even ISIS. All of these partnerships function on multiple levels and are steeped in a legacy of colonial fingerprints, local practices, post-communist state-formation, and authoritarian state governance.
Conclusion
The fieldwork for this study uncovered many more questions than it provided answers. For example, who is the Deputy Governor, how did the Afghan government choose him, and how does he work with the local Shura Council leaders? What is their relationship to civil society? Also, what is the relationship between the religious Pir and the local leader? What kind of influence does the Pir have? Does he represent the Ismaili religion, Sufism, or a broader aspect of religious life? What about the border commander? What is his relationship to the local leaders on the Tajik side of the border, the Afghan central authority in Kabul that appointed him, the illicit trade networks in the region which span Taliban-related groups and others? What is the relationship of these leaders and groups to the informal organizations that often mediate between the state and civil society? What role do kinship networks play in these various networks?
The same is true on the Tajik side of the border. Who are the local leaders who were killed? What network does my interpreter belong to and how does his informal network mediate between civil society and the state? What is the state? What role does it play and how does it organize itself around and among the civil society, kinship networks, and informal organizations and vice versa? These are some of the many questions raised rather than answered by this research.
When they seek to control the economy or social fabric of everyday life, local leaders and clan-based networks can be ruinous to civil society. They also can lead to displacement, forced migration, and worse. That said, currently these local groups and their networks are part and parcel of the fabric of everyday existence, and these partnerships actually create a system that constrains chaos. Through institutionalization of these everyday agreements, state stability is woven into unwritten rules and institutional constraints.
In Tajikistan, civil society is mainly organized under the control of the state, within the current President Rahmon's larger family network. Therefore, civil society is unable to give a voice to the voiceless and other means become necessary. In Afghanistan more horizontal forms of kinship networks operate throughout the state. In both cases informal organizations fill the vacuum, creating a boundary or buffer between the state and the civil society. This is the void that the informal organizations fill, sometimes constructively and other times destructively.
With insurgent group strongholds increasing in Afghan Badakhshan, it is unclear how this increased number of hotspots will interact with the attacks by the Tajik government. There is increased resistance to these attacks by the local community on the Tajik side. On the Afghan side, a recent series of bombings of insurgents by U.S. and Afghan forces in Warduj and a struggle for control in Nusai will change the dynamics in this border region. The local leaders and warlords are both a positive and a negative influence on the local community but since state security is not only weak but endemically corrupt, many people find justice and security through these informal systems, which empower some of the more nefarious actors in some districts.
Other factors, such as increasing influence by international forces including China and Russia, impact this dynamic as well. China is rumored to be building a new base in the remote Little Pamir section of the Wakhan Corridor in Afghanistan. The area has outside influences that are dividing the community into six main groups. These groups are each sympathetic to different outsiders--namely, the Russians, the Chinese, the Tajik government, the Aga Khan, the West, and ISIS/ETIM. Some of the members of these groups belong to more than one group.
China supplied weapons to the security forces that shot the local leaders in Khorog in 2014. China also has a strong foothold in the local economy due to the immense flows of goods coming across the nearby border with China. They also have economic influence among various influential business and other leaders in the community, which has an impact on cross-border trade, legal and illegal, which is the life-blood of this remote area.
Russia plays an important role in this border region and has a long history of intervention and influence in Gorno-Badakhshan and Badakhshan. Russia has a network of assets both within the local leadership and within the security forces. Local powerbrokers have various international partnerships. An uptick in this partnership is occurring right now. There has also been an increase in Russian-Tajik security cooperation and Russian troop numbers in the country.
The combination of these outside forces influencing local dynamics and the increased assertion of state authority over the locals, either alone or with the help of international actors, will cause locals to assert local identity and informal arrangements in order to undermine outside interference. The combination of increased assertion of authority by the state leads to decreased acceptance of state institutions, which destabilizes the state. Accepting the view of the state as a complex of formal and unofficial and informal and unwritten agreements and forms of cooperation allows for imagining that these networks constitute the state. Therefore, if they are destroyed or severely disrupted, one could assume the stability of the region would be at risk and open to exploitation.
The role informal organizations play in governance has both negative and positive consequences, but as a whole they constrain a state in constant formation. As Charles Tilly famously said, democracy is in a constant state of flux vacillating between "democratization and de-democratization." This is true for other forms of governance as is the case in Tajik/Afghan Badakhshan. The state makes and unmakes itself on a daily basis through its continual interaction with the lived institutional arrangements asserted by nations within the state and trans-boundary non-state institutions. Informal organizations provide the glue that allows a fluid state to remain intact.
ENDNOTES
(1) The views expressed in this analysis are those of the author and do not reflect the official policy or position of the Department of the Navy, Department of Defense, or the U.S. government.
(2) http://www.akdn.org/press_release.asp?ID=550
(3) See also Atkin, 1992. This was similar to what occurred in Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and other parts of Central Asia. The Soviets often took a less dominant group and created the nation--including the national language, mythology, and history of the people with the goal of creating homogeneity among the citizens and decreasing ties to ethnicity and culture. This history is well-cited in the scholarly literature (Golden, Bregel, Deweese, et al).
(4) Levi-Sanchez, 2016
(5) Iloliev, 2013; Interviews with Shah Langar in 2011, 2013, and 2014 and Shah Isma'il in 2013.
(6) "Formal and informal local organizations differ from formal and informal institutions (Helmke and Levitsky, 2004: 724-7; Collins, 2004: 231). Helmke and Levitsky define informal institutions as 'enforced outside of officially sanctioned channels' whereas formal ones are 'enforced through channels widely accepted as official'(2004: 726). Moreover, informal institutions operate within a given set of accepted norms, customs, and/or rules including any group or collective behavior such as hospitality, family life, and extrajudicial practices (Barth, 1969: 120). Organizations are structured differently. Collins (2004) says that, 'Informal organizations are social (non-state-created) groups that have a corporate character; specific informal unwritten agreements shape individuals' expectations and behavior within the group.' Essentially, organizations are the groups operating around a set of written or unwritten constraints. Organizations sustain themselves around a set of common goals, beliefs, or other self/group identified categories, traits, or features. Informal/local organizations mediate through, and are constrained by, the unwritten agreements, customary norms of the informal institutions. There are other forms of informal groups of groups or "umbrella" groups, which transcend the boundaries of ethnic, sub-ethnic groups and networks on each side of the border as well as spanning the border. Some of these networks engage in drug, weapons, human, and gemstone trafficking, medical and agricultural exchanges, and other forms of legal and illegal trade. These 'networks of cooperation' transcend formal institutions the state works to maintain" (Levi-Sanchez, 2017). See also: North, 1990: 4; Helmke and Levitsky, 2004: 726; see also Kubik, Loung, 2002; Collins; 2004.
(7) Benedict Anderson. (1991). Imagined Communities: Reflections on the Origin and Spread of Nationalism, London: Verso
(8) Cooley, A. and Heathersaw, J. (2017) Dictators Without Borders: Power and Money in Central Asia Yale University Press.
(9) Driscoll, J. (2015) Warlords and Coalition Politics in Post-Soviet States Cambridge University Press
(10) Lund, C. (2006). "Twilight Institutions: Public Authority and Local Politics in Africa" Development and Change 37(4), 685-705; Bierschenk, T., Olivier de Sardan, J.. "Studying the Dynamics of African Bureaucracies. An Introduction to States at Work." Bierschenk, T., Olivier de Sardan, J. (Eds). (2014). States at Work: Dynamics of African Bureaucracies. Leiden, Brill; Menkhaus, K., (2008). "The Rise of a Mediated State in Northern Kenya: The Wajir Story and Its Implications For State-building." Afrika Focus, 21(2), 23-38.
(11) Lund, C. (2006). "Twilight Institutions: Public Authority and Local Politics in Africa" Development and Change 37(4), 691
(12) Bierschenk, T., Olivier de Sardan, J. (Eds). (2014). States at Work: Dynamics of African Bureaucracies.
(13) Bierschenk, T., Olivier de Sardan, J. (Eds). (2014). States at Work: Dynamics of African Bureaucracies.
(14) Menkhaus, K., (2008). "The Rise of a Mediated State in Northern Kenya: The Wajir Story and Its Implications For State-building." Afrika Focus, 21(2), 23-38.
(15) Bierschenk, T., Olivier de Sardan, J. (Eds). (2014). States at Work: Dynamics of African Bureaucracies.
(16) North noted that informal institutions "defy, for the most part, neat specification, and it is extremely difficult to develop unambiguous tests of their significance, they are important... formal rules in even the most developed economy, make up a small (although very important) part of the sum of constraints that shape choices; a moment's reflection should suggest to us the pervasiveness of informal constraints" (1990: 36-7). (Hughes and Gwendolyn, 2002: 29; Collins, 2004; Schatz, 2004; Guistiozzi, 2009, 2011; Braithwaite, 2011).
(17) This idea of state formation still permeates development projects as a whole. As Nils Gilman points out, while "modernization theory" might be dead, it has not been purged from most development programs, economic and programmatic policy, and decision-making about how to allocate funding. He says that most development occurs with the basic assumption that if certain parts of a state are developed: (1) the state will become more stable and (2) the state will become more economically prosperous. This includes the development of civil society and local governance by the state.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Anonymous (Producer). (2012, April 13, 2013). Youtube of Alinazorov - Protest: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PpclU16mP0k Retrieved from Protest: Vigil: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=660fsBhbDuU
Benedict Anderson. (1991). Imagined Communities: Reflections on the Origin and Spread of Nationalism, London: Verso
Ansari, B. (2009). "The Crisis of National Identity in Afghanistan." Retrieved January 15, 2012 (http://www.bashiransari.com).
Retrieved from Antiquities. (Visited 06-07, 2012). The Oxus River Collection. In T. B. Museum (Ed.). London.
Atkin, M. "Religious, National, and Other Identities in Central Asia" in (Ed.) Gross, J. (1992) Muslims in Central Asia: Expressions of Identity and Change Durham: Duke University Press.
Project 5 (2009): Assisting Tajikistan in Securing the Tajik-Afghan Border in Gorno-Badakhshan.
Barkey, K. (1996). Bandits and Bureaucrats: The Ottoman Route to State Centralization: Cornell University Press.
Barry, M. (2010). Compilation of Afghan Primary Source Materials (1700-2001). Princeton University. Princeton.
Barth, F. (1969) Ethnic groups and boundaries: The social organization of culture difference Universitetsforlaget.
Bartold, V. V. (1918; 1934; 2009). Mussulman Culture (S. Suhrawardy, Trans.). Calcutta and Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Bekhradnia, S. (1994). "The Tajik Case for a Zoroastrian Identity." Religion, State, and Society, 22(1), 109-121.
Bergne, P. (2007). The Birth of Tajikistan: National Identity and the Origins of the Republic. I.B. Tauris.
Bierschenk, T., Olivier de Sardan, J.. "Studying the Dynamics of African Bureaucracies. An Introduction to States at Work." In Bierschenk, T., Olivier de Sardan, J. (Eds). (2014). States at Work: Dynamics of African Bureaucracies. Leiden, Brill
Borneman, J. A. H. (Ed.). (2009). Being There: The Fieldwork Encounter and the Making of Truth Berkeley.
Bosworth, C. E. (1968). The political and dynastic history of the Iranian world (A.D. 1000-1217). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Bosworth, C. E. (Ed.). (1971). Iran and Islam in Memory of Vladimir Minorsky: Edinburgh University.
Bosworth, C. E. (Ed.). (1998). History of Civilizations of Central Asia - The age of achievement: 750 to the end of the fifteenth century (Vol. IV): UNESCO.
Braithwaite, R. (2011). Afgantsy: The Russians in Afghanistan, 1979-1989. Oxford University Press.
Bregel, Y. (1996). Notes on the Study of Central Asia. Bloomington: Research Institute for Inner Asian Studies, Indiana University.
Cobbold, R. P. (1900). Innermost Asia: Travel & Sport in the Pamirs. London: W. Heinemann.
Collins, K. (2004). The Logic of Clan Politics Evidence from the Central Asian. World Politics, 56(2), 224-261.
Collins, K. (2006). Clan Politics and Regime Transition in Central Asia. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Cooley, A. and Heathersaw, J. (2017) Dictators Without Borders: Power and Money in Central Asia Yale University Press.
Cumot, F. (1903). The Mysteries of Mithraism Chicago: The Open Court Publishing Company. (Accessed online: http://www.sacred-texts.com/cla/mom/mom04.htm)
Curzon, G. N. (1892). The Pamirs and the Source of the Oxus. Proceedings of the Royal Geographical Society.
Curzon, G. N. (1896). The Pamirs and the Source of the Oxus. The Geographical Journal, 8(1).
Daftari, F. (Ed.). (2011). A Modern History of the Ismailis London: I.B. Taurus.
Daftary, F. (2005). Ismailis in Medieval Muslim Societies Ismaili Heritage Series, 12, London: I.B Taurus.
DeWeese, D. (Ed.). (2001). Studies on Central Asian History in honor of Yuri Bregel. Bloomington: Indiana University.
Dhalla, M. N. (1938). History of Zoroastrianism, Volume Five, New York: Oxford University Press.
Dodikhudoeva, L. (2004). The Tajik Language and the Socio-Linguistic Situation in the Mountainous Badakhshan. Iran & the Caucasus, 8(2), 281-288.
Driscoll, J. (2015) Warlords and Coalition Politics in Post-Soviet States Cambridge University Press.
Emelianova, N. (2007). Darwaz: Religious and cultural life of the Tajik-Afghan Border. Moscow.
Gardizi, A. and Marc Theuss (2006) "What is it all about? A Tale of Two Afghan Frontier Borders" CSCCA
Geertz, C., "Deep Hanging Out" New York Review of Books, October 22, 1998.
Gellner, E. (Ed.). (1980). Soviet and Western Anthropology. New York: Columbia University Press.
Giustozzi, A. (2009). Empires of Mud: Wars and Warlords in Afghanistan. New York: Columbia University Press.
Golden, P. (2013). [Emails].
Golden, P. (2011). Central Asia in World History. Oxford and New York: Oxford University Press.
Goody, J. (Ed.). (1975). The Character of Kinship. New York: Cambridge University Press.
Greenfield, V.A., Paoli, LI, Rabkov, I., Reuter, P. (2007). "Tajikistan: The Rise of the Narco-State" Journal of Drug Issues 3(7), 9-51
Greenhouse, C. J., E. M., and Warren Kay B. (Ed.). (2002). Ethnography in Unstable places: Everyday Lives in Contexts of Dramatic Political Change. Durham and London: Duke University Press.
Grierson, G. A. (1920). Ishkashmi, Zebaki, and Yazghulami: an account of three Eranian dialects University of Michigan Library.
Gross, J. "Approaches to the Problem of Identity Formation" in (Ed.) Gross, J. (1992). Muslims in Central Asia: Expressions of Identity and Change Durham: Duke University Press.
Gross, J. "Foundational Legends, Shrines, and Isma'ili Identity in Tajik Badakhshan," in (Ed.) Cormack, M.J. (2013) Muslims and Others in Sacred Space Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Habberton, W. (1937). Anglo-Russian Relations Concerning Afghanistan 1837-1907. Urbana-Champagne: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champagne.
Harris, C. (2004). Control and Subversion: Gender Relations in Tajikistan London and Virginia: Pluto Press.
Harris, C. (2006). Muslim Youth: Tensions and Transitions in Tajikistan Westview Press.
Helmke, S., Levitsky, G.. (2004). "Informal Institutions and Comparative Politics: A Research Agenda." Perspectives on Politics, 2(4), 725-741.
Hoffmann, B., Kauz, R., Ritter, M. (2008 ). Iran und Iranisch Gepragte Kulturen. Wiesbaden.
Hopkins, B. D., Marsden, M. (2012). Fragments of the Afghan Frontier. New York: Columbia University Press.
Hughes, J., Sasse, G. (Ed.). (2001). Ethnicity and Territory in the Former Soviet Union: Regions in Conflict Routledge.
Hunsberger, A. (2000). Nasir Khusraw, The Ruby of Badakhshan: A Portrait of the Persian Poet, Traveller and Philosopher. London: I. B. Tauris in association with The Institute of Ismaili Studies.
Hylland, E. T., "Ethnic Identity, National Identity, and Intergroup Conflict: The Significance of Personal Experiences" in Ashmore, R., Jussim, L., Wilder, D. (Ed.). (2001). Social identity, intergroup conflict, and conflict reduction Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Iloliev, A. (2013). Pirship in Badakhshan: The Role and Significance of the Institute of the Religious Masters (pirs) in Nineteenth and Twentieth Century Wakhan and Shughnan Journal of Shi'a Islamic Studies, Spring 6(2), 155-175
Isaqzadeh, A. (2013). Policing Afghanistan New York: Columbia University Press.
Karmysheva, B.K. (Ed.). (1969). Etnograficheskie ocherki Uzbekskogo sel'skogo naseleniya. Moscow.
Khojanizayov, S., (2010-2015) [Interviews]
KLMA. (2013). History of Badakhshan World History at KLMA.
Koen, B. D. (2009). Beyond the Roof of the World: Music, Prayer, and Healing in the Pamir Mountains. Oxford and New York: Oxford University Press.
Kunitz, J. (1935). Dawn Over Samarkand: The Rebirth of Central Asia. New York: Covici Friede Publishers.
Luigi De Martino, E. (2004). Tajikistan at a Crossroad: The Politics of Decentralization Situation Report.
Lund, C. (2006). "Twilight Institutions: Public Authority and Local Politics in Africa" Development and Change 37(4), 685-705.
Luong, P. J. (2008). Institutional Change and Political Continuity in Post-Soviet Central Asia: Power, Perceptions, and Pacts. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Maisky, P.M. (1935). Traces of Ancient Belief Systems in the Pamirs. Soviet Ethnography, Volume 3, 50-58.
Mansfield, D. (2004). "Coping Strategies, Accumulated Wealth and Shifting Markets: The Story of Opium cultivation in Badakhshan 2000-2003" Report for Aga Khan Development Network.
Masson, V. M., Sariandi, V.I. (1972). Central Asia: Turkmenia before the Achacmenids (R. Tringham, Trans.). New York, Washington: Praeger Publishers.
Menkhaus, K., (2008). "The Rise of a Mediated State in Northern Kenya: The Wajir Story and Its Implications For State-building." Afrika Focus, 21(2), 23-38.
McDermott, R. (2002). "Border Security in Tajikistan: Countering the Narcotics Trade." Conflict Studies Research Center K36, 1-20.
Monogarova, L.F. (1972) Transformation in Family Structures of the Pamiri Tajiks Institute of Ethnography, Moscow
Noelle-Karimi, C. (1997). State and tribe in nineteenth-century Afghanistan: The Reign of Amir Dost Muhammad Khan (1826-1863). London: Curzon Press.
Nordstrom, C., Robben, A., (Eds.). (1996). Fieldwork Under Fire: Contemporary Studies of Violence and Culture: University of California Press.
North, D. C. (1982). Structure and Change in Economic History: W. W. Norton & Company.
North, D. C. (1990). Institutions, Institutional Change and Economic Performance (Political Economy of Institutions and Decisions). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
OECD. (2005). Fighting Corruption in Transition Economies: Tajikistan.
Ostrom, E. (1990). Governing the Commons: The Evolution of Institutions for Collective Action Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Ostrom, E. (2005). Understanding Institutional Diversity. Princeton: Princeton University Press.
Ozodi, R. (March 13, 2013). "Head of Tajik Prison Asked to Resign Over Torture," Radio Ozodi.
Pangborn, C. R. (1983). Zoroastrianism. New York: Advent Publishing.
Payne, J. "Pamir Languages" in (Ed.) Schmitt, R. (1989) Compendium Linguarum Iranicum Wiesbaden: Reichert.
Peter, T. A. (November 11, 15, 2011). "Loya jirga: Afghans question Karzai's motives in calling the meeting." Retrieved from http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Asia-South-Central/2011/1115/Loya-jirga-Afghans-question-Karzai-s-motives-in-calling-the-meeting.
Pettigrew, J. (1995). The Sikhs of the Punjab: Unheard Voices of State and Guerilla Violence Atlantic Highlands: Zed Books.
Philips, C. H. (Ed.). (1951). Handbook of Oriental History. London: Offices of the Royal Historical Society.
Roy, E. (1924). The Revolution in Central Asia: The Struggle for Power in Holy Bokhara. Labour Monthly, 6(7), 403-410.
Roy, O. "Ethnic Identity and Political Expression in Northern Afghanistan" in (Ed.) Gross, J. (1992) Muslims in Central Asia: Expressions of Identity and Change Durham: Duke University Press.
Roy, O. (1986). Islam and Resistance in Afghanistan. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Roy, O. (2000). The New Central Asia, the Creation of Nations: Tauris.
Rubin, B. (1993). The Fragmentation of Tajikistan. Survival: Global Poltics and Strategy, 35(4), 71-91.
Russell, Z., Sahadeo, J. (Ed.). (2007). Everyday Life in Central Asia: Past and Present. Bloomington: Indiana University Press.
Sarianidi, V. I. (1972). Central Asia: Turkmenia Before the Achaemenids (R. Tringham, Trans.). New York: Praeger.
Schatz, E. (2004). Modern Clan Politics: The Power of "Blood" in Kazakhstan and Beyond. Seattle: University of Washington Press.
Shokhumurov, A. (1997). Pamir - the land of Aryans. Dushanbe.
"Shughnan Rebellion of 1925 and Verdict" Collection 62, list 2, file 243 (53-55; 61). London: Institute for Ismaili Studies.
Shurmann, A. H. F. (1963). The Mongols of Afghanistan: an ethnography of the Moghols and related peoples of Afghanistan (Volume Four): Mouton.
Sneath, D. (2007). The Headless State: Aristocratic Orders, Kinship Society, & Misrepresentations of Nomadic Inner Asia. New York: Columbia University Press.
Tomsen, P. (2011). The Wars of Afghanistan: Messianic Terrorism, Tribal Conflicts, and the Failures of Great Powers. New York: Public Affairs.
USSR (1921; 1946; 1948, 1950) "Agreement between the Government of USSR and Royal Government of Afghanistan on the Status of the Soviet-Afghan State Border," Protocol Number 354 and Agreement Number 855, original Protocol (1921), revised Protocol (1950), and Re-Demarcation Agreement (1946, 1948) Dushanbe. (Accessed 2009 at OSCE, Dushanbe Office).
Viola, L. "The Role of the OGPU in Dekulakization, Mass Deprotation, and Special Resettlements in 1930" Carl Beck Papers in Russian and East European Studies No. 1406, 8(12)
Viola, L. (2007). The Unknown Gulag. The Lost World of Stalin's Special Settlements Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Vogelsang, W. (2002). The Afghans. Oxford and Malden: Blackwell Publishers.
Suzanne Levi-Sanchez (1)
Suzanne Levi-Sanchez is an experienced educator, field researcher, and analyst with subject matter expertise in Iran, Afghanistan, Central Asia, political identity, informal institutions, local leadership, borders, ethnographic methods, and gender. Background includes intensive research on Iranian culture and politics as well as six years on and off on the border of Tajikistan and Afghanistan studying how local leaders and organizations impact border and state stability as well as drug, human, weapons, and gemstone trafficking. | https://www.thefreelibrary.com/CIVIL+SOCIETY+IN+AN+UNCIVIL+STATE%3A+INFORMAL+ORGANIZATIONS+IN...-a0568840668 |
Pro et Contra. 2007. № 11. С. 118-134.
Яковлев А. А., Фрай Т. М.
To help right the imbalance in attention in between oligarch firms and the rest of the economy, we report results from two original surveys of 500 firms conducted in 2000 and 2007 in eight regions in Russia that explore the business environment for manufacturing and service sectors. We find that the formal and informal rules of the game for everyday firms in Russia have changed dramatically in the Putin years. Most importantly, while the informal and formal rules of the game were essentially the same for successful and unsuccessful firms in 2000, by 2007 regional governments in Russia had come to favor successful firms through a variety of informal and formal means in ways that were absent just seven years earlier. This shift in the rules of the game in favor of successful firms suggests that a core group of firms in the regions under study have managed to cooperate with the regional government to temper the weak institutional environment in Russia. On one hand, this arrangement is clearly a “second-best” option for economic development over more neutral rules that provide a level playing field for all firms. On the other hand, it is likely an improvement over “third-best” options that involve the state using its power to punish successful firms to reward less successful firms. More generally, this change in informal institutions in a relatively short time suggests that informal institutions are mutable than many accounts suggest.
Edited by: P. Stoynov. Sofia: Perun-Sprint Ltd., 2012. | https://publications.hse.ru/en/articles/68145593 |
At the start of the pandemic, activist groups and non-governmental organizations made a number of policy recommendations and guidelines for mitigating the impact of Covid-19 in informal contexts — communities and activities existing and operating outside formal government regulations or legal frameworks.
We were interested in learning more, so we conducted a review of these recommendations to see what they said about how governments and communities should work together, how the government should use data during crises, and whether these recommendations differed from those suggested in “normal times,” among other topics.
Based on the review, we conducted an exploratory survey of people working for the organizations making these recommendations to see what they thought of the informal sector, how they worked with the informal sector (if at all), and how Covid-19 impacted this work.
Below, we share some results from the survey.
Who responded to the survey?
Respondents worked at a mix of research institutions, community-based organizations, local and international non-governmental organizations, local and central governments, and private institutions. Within these organizations, respondents held leadership and directorial positions and worked as community organizers, consultants and advisors, researchers, and mid-level officers. Organizations included Slum Dwellers International, Women in Informal Employment: Globalizing and Organizing, OpenUp, International Institute for Environment and Development, Institute for Governance Reform, Busara Center for Behavioral Economics, and UN-Habitat, among others.
Of the 21 respondents, half are based in Latin America (including four in Chile, two in Colombia, and two in Mexico), a third are based in sub-Saharan Africa (including three in South Africa and two in Zimbabwe), and three are based in the U.K.
What are organizations’ priorities at the moment?
We gave respondents a list of issues, and asked them to choose up to three issues that were top priorities for their organization and rank them from most important to least important. The issues listed were employment; education; water and sanitation; health and nutrition; social welfare; gender; environment; technology and internet access; and governance.
Eleven of the 21 respondents included employment in their top three, 10 included social welfare, seven included governance, and six included health and nutrition. Social welfare, governance, and health and nutrition were the most popular top options, with four votes each. Education was the only issue that nobody selected as their top priority, though four respondents included it in their top three. Only three respondents included housing and water and sanitation, the two least popular options, in their top three.
How do these organizations work with the informal sector?
Interactions between organizations and communities can differ in how much power and agency community members have in these relationships. In some relationships, almost all of the power lies with the organizations. Grassroots groups and community members might not be involved in problem solving at all, or organizations might share basic information with communities, but mainly look to elicit compliance or agreement from community members. People have a little more say in relationships in which authorities still make decisions, but community members can share ideas and negotiate. The best relationships are ones in which decision-making is collaborative, and a space exists where community members hold power.
How do respondents think about informality?
We asked respondents to complete the phrase, “When I think of informality, I think about…” Respondents completed the sentence in a variety of ways. One respondent thought of informality as “informal settlements built spontaneously that lack most services and amenities.” Another simply thought of “other ways of commerce.”
Some seemed to consider people working in the informal sector as being members of their community that are denied resources and power. A respondent from the U.K. said they thought of “socially disadvantaged people struggling to get ahead.” “Black women toiling without support and only harassed by security agents,” said a respondent in South Africa. In the Philippines, a respondent thought of the informal sector as “being highly affected, but almost never consulted.”
What do respondents think of the relationship between government and the informal sector?
We gave respondents eight pairs of words and asked them to choose one of the two words to complete the sentence, “The relationship between government and the informal sector is…” Below are the pairs of words, with the size of the word indicating the frequency with which that word was selected (the larger the word, the more often it was selected).
All respondents described the relationship between government and the informal sector as “complex,” as opposed to “simple,” and all but one respondent chose “fragmented” over “integrated” and “distant” over “close.” Respondents were close to equally split between “violent” and “peaceful,” as well as “predictable” and “unpredictable.”
Respondents working either for or next to grassroots organizations selected words with more negative connotations at a particularly high frequency. All seven respondents working with local non-governmental organizations, local chapters of international NGOs, community-based organizations, and local research institutions selected the more negative word for at least seven of the eight pairs.
In another question, we shared four statements describing the relationship between governments and the informal sector, and asked respondents which statement they agreed with the most. The statements are either direct quotes or paraphrased from the academic literature. The statements are as follows:
“Residents of informal settlements tend to be the poorest and most vulnerable sections of society, but within this there is variation including pockets of wealth and deeper pockets of marginalisation.” This statement was from the Social Science in Humanitarian Action Platform and was chosen by two-thirds of respondents, suggesting that the majority of respondents believe that there is diversity within the informal sector.
“The ‘informal’ sector delivers what the ‘formal’ sector has difficulty tackling, such as low-cost housing in central locations or socio-economic networks of solidarity.” About a fifth of respondents chose this statement highlighting how the formal and informal sectors complement each other from the MITx course “Covid-19 in Slums and Informal Settlements.
“There is informality in the formal and vice versa, the two are integrated.” This statement from a 2020 paper published in the journal Cities was chosen by three of the 21 respondents.
None of the respondents chose the following quote from this 2016 paper published in the Singapore Journal of Tropical Geography: “The formal and the informal are opposites. Formality is the site of norms, rules and regulations, while informality is the exception, and the realm of the unruly.” This suggests that respondents don’t view the formal and informal sectors as being in opposition to each other.
How has Covid-19 changed the way respondents’ organizations are addressing their work with informality?
We asked respondents how Covid-19 has affected their work on the issue they selected as their top priority.
As shown in the graph above, all but one of the respondents thought the pandemic changed the way they addressed their top priority. Many thought their work was affected in several ways — 17 of the 21 respondents selected two or more changes.
What challenges did this change introduce?
Most respondents thought that this change made their work more challenging in some way, most commonly with implementing actions and projects.
In summary, we found that respondents agreed that people living in informal settings lack agency in decision making, but only some of the respondents’ organizations effectively empowered those people as equal members of a decision-making process. Overall, Covid-19 changed the way these organizations approached important issues, including changing the actors involved and the types of partnerships for problem-solving, and it also introduced new challenges to their work.
Over 70% of respondents agreed that these changes and challenges created opportunities for new or different relationships between governments and the informal sector, at least to some extent. In our next post, we will share some case studies that will go into more detail about these opportunities, and how different places took advantage of these opportunities with varying levels of success.
San Marcos and La Purísima street markets in Aguascalientes, México (Belia Ponce). | https://mitgovlab.org/news/relationships-between-the-formal-and-informal-sector-an-exploratory-survey/ |
In recent years, China has made remarkable achievement in economic reform and development. My dissertation discusses the effects of the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) formal personnel management and informal politics on Chinese reform and development. It answers the questions on why China succeed in economic reform, why the non-public sectors can break through the barriers of communist ideology and old institutions to play an increasingly important role in China’s economic development, and what the roles of political institutionalization are in promoting economic reform performance. Previous studies often exaggerate the intensity of ideological confrontation within the CCP’s power center and overstate the achievements of China’s institutional evolution. Instead, this dissertation argues that the it is the CCP’s informal politics that can help to improve the economic reform performance. In the absence of strong rule-of-law institutions to sustain the market economy, the CCP’s organizational resources enable the top leaders to manipulate their political factions. The CCP’s top leaders thus can induce the non-public investors to follow the party’s economic development goals. In this case, the CCP’s informal politics may not result primarily in inefficiency or chaos. Instead, it may be a driving force for informal cooperation between the party officials and private entrepreneurs, which makes well-connected provinces especially attractive destinations for private investment.
In addition to Chinese politics, I study comparative authoritarianism and post-Cold-War democratization. For instance, one unpublished work talks about the effects of economic openness on developing countries’ relative power and democracy level. Theoretically, free trade strengthens the national competitiveness of developing countries relative to Western democracies, which may offset external democratizing pressure imposed by the West. Through this way, globalization obstructs democratization in developing countries. Based on panel data of 117 developing countries from 1992 to 2016, this study applies a two-equation model to prove that, first, openness has mild but significantly positive effects on the economic power of developing countries, and, second, that the relative power has negative and statistically significant effects on the level of democracy, which suggests that economic openness does not necessarily generate expected effects on democracy because economic openness may also strengthen authoritarian competitiveness. In another unpublished work, I discuss how the positive effects of free trade on economic growth are contingent on regime types. It suggests that non-democratic states may outperform democracies in promoting growth under the help of post-Cold-War globalization. Along with the previous articles on Chinese politics, these studies jointly show why and how authoritarian regimes can preserve their power through promoting economic growth. Overall, the basic strategy is to utilize highly centralized power to regulate domestic politics, usually through informal institutions, and involve into economic integration to share global benefits.
Please read my publications here. | https://liujingnan.net/research/ |
In this Article, I argue that in many cases, precisely the opposite is true: the formalization of private property rights actually makes owners more vulnerable to the state and enhances the state's governance powers over them. (3) When property rights are formalized, the state gains the power to define the scope of those rights. This, in turn, provides the state with opportunities to impose significant burdens on owners. A system of formal private property fights serves as a mechanism through which the state can allocate responsibility to individuals on a mass scale for a wide variety of tasks, including some of the state's core governance functions. (4) Because many of the state's core governance functions are territorially defined (such as maintaining peace and order within the territory, defending the territory from external threats, and providing infrastructure), this phenomenon appears most clearly in the case of private property rights in land. (5) A network of landowners is a useful (and sometimes crucial) tool that lets a state govern locally in the farthest reaches of its territory, even when it lacks the capacity or will to use other more formal tools for governance, such as governing by bureaucracy or license. Thus, it is useful to think of the state's power to define property rights in a manner that includes obligations to carry out core state governance functions as itself a mode of governance. I call this governing through owners.
Governing through owners is an alternative to other more familiar modes of governance. Emerging or weak states that lack the capacity or political will to govern through bureaucracy or license may rely extensively on owners to carry out the state's core functions. But as states rely more and more on bureaucrats and licensees, only vestiges of this phenomenon may remain, serving as a reminder of the vulnerability of owners to the state. (6)
There are numerous examples in developed liberal democracies of governing through owners on a modest scale. For instance, snow laws require owners to shovel or clear snow from sidewalks that border their property. (7) But compliance does not entitle owners to greater rights to the sidewalk (they cannot, for instance, charge a toll or refuse passage) or to special benefits not available to the ordinary sidewalk-user. Sidewalk repair in New York City provides a similar, warmer-weather example of the state pressing owners into its service. The City's Administrative Code makes commercial property owners responsible for keeping the sidewalks in front of their properties in good repair. (8) A recent amendment goes so far as to make owners liable for "slip and fall" injuries that occur on public sidewalks in front of their buildings and also requires them to purchase insurance to cover those damages. (9)
The account I advance here is an important corrective to the idea that formal private property straightforwardly increases private power and limits the power of the state. (10) That idea rests, mistakenly, on a single point of comparison: private versus state ownership. Of course, private power is impaired when the state controls all material resources--in contrast to a situation in which individuals at least have some capacity for self-interested uses of things and the accumulation of personal wealth. However, there is another point of comparison, between formal private property, set out by the state and frequently coupled with responsibality, (11) and informal private property, (12) where both dependence on the state and the state's power to attach obligations to property-holding are diminished or absent altogether. When seen in opposition to informal private property holding, formal private property may increase the extent to which owners are vulnerable to the state. (13)
The phenomenon of governing through owners suggests that the formalization of private property rights often enhances state power, but there is yet a further wrinkle: the usefulness of owners to the state does not always work to the disadvantage of owners. In some cases, it may also empower them vis-a-vis the state. The state's dependence on owners to carry out these governance functions throughout its territory may offset owners' vulnerability to the state. Of course, how much power owners hold by being in charge of state functions depends enormously on the details of the situation. When there are relatively few owners, or when owners are able to coordinate their efforts, the state might find that in order to govern effectively it has no alternative but to give in to some of their demands.
The balance of power between states and owners is thus much more complicated than the models that currently dominate property theory and international development suggest. These models insist that individual owners are least vulnerable to the power of the state where there is a clear and rigorously protected "private sphere" in which owners are free to set self-serving agendas for things and to accumulate personal wealth. But in some cases, at least, owners might be at their most powerful when the state extensively relies on them to carry out core governance functions. At its most harmonious, the state-owner relationship is one of mutual dependence, where the state depends on owners to carry out its core business throughout its territory just as much as owners depend on the state to protect their property rights.
This Article proceeds as follows. Parts I and II explain how and why owners are liable to be used as tools for state governance. My model of state-owner relations emerges from two important conceptual starting points: first, the nature of ownership as an office through which the state assigns burdens; and second, the conditions of a territorially defined state, namely, the establishment of basic governmental functions throughout its territory. Parts III and IV consider what governing through owners means for the balance of power between states and owners. Conventional wisdom is that individuals gain greater power and independence vis-a-vis the state through a clearly defined and protected private sphere. But this view does not account for the vulnerability of owners to the state and the phenomenon of governing through owners. Moreover, it obscures two crucial forms of protection against state predation: mutual dependence of owners and states when states rely on owners to govern and retreat from the state to an informal sphere.
-
OFFICES AND THE DISTRIBUTION OF RESPONSIBILITY
The core insight of this Article is that a system of formal property rights is a sometimes dangerously convenient mechanism for the state to offload some of the burdens of government onto the shoulders of individuals. (14) Put another way, when the state formalizes property rights, it acquires a mechanism for pressing owners into its service at low marginal cost: it is able to convert an established system of property rights into a network of local offices. Governing through owners is an alternative to governing through bureaucracy or license. All are ways of distributing responsibility for state functions to large numbers of people. (15) Government by bureaucracy or license can be more closely fitted with the jobs that need to get done--but these systems also require the state to set up a second set of offices (besides ownership). A system of formal private property rights enables the state to function beyond the effective reach of its centralized institutions and in the absence of willing licensees. By imposing governance obligations on owners, the state is able to do things locally that are basic to its claims of authority within a given territory: it can ensure that peace and order are maintained, that roads are built, and that frontiers are defended, all by coupling these obligations with the office of ownership.
In what follows, I present a model of state-owner relations that reveals what makes owners so attractive as a tool for governance and what makes them particularly vulnerable to being drafted in this way. In so doing, I present the balance of power between state and owners in a new light. Why are owners such appealing targets for mandatory collaboration with the state? One reason is the nature of ownership as an office that allows the state essentially to mass produce individual responsibility. (16) A system of formal private property rights provides the framework for states to assign responsibilities to owners, an alternative to governing through bureaucracy or by license.
-
Features of an Office
The position of owner invites responsibility for state functions, such as building infrastructure, defending frontiers, and even adjudicating disputes and maintaining peace and order. The reason for this lies primarily in the nature of ownership as an office that shares (or even anticipates) features of purpose-built offices that convey specialized roles in more developed systems of governance. (17)
By looking carefully at the concept of... | https://law-journals-books.vlex.com/vid/governing-through-owners-how-635330245 |
Special educational needs
At East Point Academy we aim to:
- Ensure that all members of the school community support students with special educational needs and disabilities and that SEND students are integrated into the life of the school.
- Ensure that all students identified as having special educational needs or disabilities have, as far as possible, equal access to all aspects of the curriculum, with modifications made to the curriculum if appropriate.
- Improve the literacy and numeracy skills of students with general and specific learning difficulties both as an end in itself and as a means of providing maximum access by such students to the rest of the curriculum.
- Develop differentiation in all lessons to improve the educational opportunities of all students, regardless of ability.
- Meet the special educational needs of children with physical disabilities as far as is practicable in terms of the layout and resources of the academy.
- Increase the confidence of students with SEND, encouraging them to be involved in their own provision.
- Communicate with parents about all aspects of the special needs provision made for their children and to seek to develop this partnership.
- Deploy learning support resources effectively.
- Support our particularly vulnerable students through our anti-bullying policy.
- Meet the social and emotional wellbeing needs of our students through our pastoral support system. | https://www.inspirationtrust.org/eastpointacademy/teaching-and-learning/special-educational-needs |
Address:
121 Speonk-Riverhead Rd
Riverhead, NY 11901
United States
M.S. in Teaching Students with Disabilities
Format: Campus
The 31-credit Master of Science in Teaching Students with Disabilities is designed for professional teachers to earn additional New York State certification in teaching students with disabilities.
Accredited by the Teacher Education Accreditation Council, the program is founded on scientifically based assessment and intervention strategies that enable teachers to meet the needs of students with disabilities in accordance with federal law and New York State Department of Education guidelines.
Students completing this program will be equipped with the skills and knowledge to teach children with disabilities in either an inclusion setting or in a self-contained classroom. Each course focuses on specific aspects of the teaching/learning process within and across the boundaries of the school environment, the home setting and the therapeutic facility.
In addition to intensive on-campus sessions, students also participate in a variety of field placements and in a practicum to give them valuable on-site experience. Critical topics addressed in the program include research trends and methodology, technology (assistive and instructional), behavioral approaches, instructional modifications, the New York State learning standards, and collaborative strategies. | https://www.gradschools.com/graduate-schools-in-united-states/new-york/long-island-university-riverhead/ms-in-teaching-students-with-disabilities-304718 |
Subsets and Splits
No saved queries yet
Save your SQL queries to embed, download, and access them later. Queries will appear here once saved.